I have some pH urinalysis test paper left over from my days working in a health store, so I measured the acidity of my urine, out of curiosity, now that I am eating mostly meats and fats. Whereas on standard Paleo it was a bit alkaline, on meats & fats it is very acidic--just one step less acidic than the most acidic measure. Yet my teeth are firming, which requires plenty of absorbable calcium to be present in the body fluids and a good calcium balance, and is suggestive of increasing bone density.
Lex, you mentioned that you were skeptical of the alkaline/acidifying balance theory of nutrition and bone density. Do you have anything more to add to the below excerpts to explain why I seem to have increased bone density with acidic urine and why acidic urine is not a problem?
Thanks to xylothrill for posting these links about a year ago:
http://www.powerofmeat.com/High_Protein_Diets.htmThe claim that animal protein intake causes calcium loss from the bones is another popular nutritional myth that has no backing in nutritional science. The studies that supposedly showed protein to cause calcium loss in the urine were NOT done with real, whole foods, but with isolated amino acids and fractionated protein powders (3).
When studies were done with people eating meat with its fat, NO calcium loss was detected in the urine, even over a long period of time (3). Other studies have confirmed that meat eating does not affect calcium balance (4) and that protein promotes stronger bones (5). Furthermore, the saturated fats that many experts believe are so evil are actually required for proper calcium deposition in the bones (6).
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Many experts attempt to explain how meat supposedly "acidifies" the blood, leading to greater mineral loss in the urine is also incorrect. Theoretically, the sulfur and phosphorus in meat can form an acid when placed in water, but that does not mean that is what happens in the body.
Actually, meat provides complete proteins and vitamin D (if the fat or skin is eaten), both of which are needed to maintain proper acid-alkaline balance in the body. Furthermore, in a diet that includes enough magnesium and vitamin B6 and restricts simple sugars, one has little to fear from kidney stones (12).
Animal foods like beef, poultry, and lamb are good sources of both nutrients as any food and nutrient content table will show. It also goes without saying that high protein/fat and low-carbohydrate diets are devoid of sugar.
From:
http://www.powerofmeat.com/High_Protein_Diets.htmQuote
Protein powders are the culprit proteins
What is significant in the various studies of protein intake and bone density is that the studies which purported to show protein intake caused calcium loss were not conducted with real foods but with isolated amino acids and fractionated protein powders of the sort used by low-carb dieters and athletes. The reason why these amino acids and fat-free protein powders caused calcium loss while the fat meat diet did not is because protein, calcium, and minerals require the fat-soluble vitamins A and D for their assimilation and utilisation by the body. When protein is consumed without these factors it upsets the normal biochemistry of the body and mineral loss results.[xviii] True vitamin A and full-complex vitamin D are only found in animal fats. Furthermore, saturated fats that are present with meat are essential for proper calcium deposition in the bones.[xix] It should be no surprise, therefore that vegan diets have been shown to place women at the greatest risk for osteoporosis.[xx] [xxi]
From:
http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/osteoporosis.htmlLex Rooker wrote at
http://www.rawpaleoforum.com/journals/lex%27s-journal/msg2126/#msg2126:
"based on x-rays my bone density has increased over the last 5 years and more than 3 of those years have been meat and fat only. Milk is supposed to be loaded with calcium, however, most of the people that I know with bone density issues are heavy consumers of dairy products - at their doctor’s insistence - yet their bones continue to deteriorate. Greens measure rich in calcium when tested with reagents in the laboratory, the question becomes, is this calcium available to the body - or are there anti-nutrients that block its absorption. What role does blood glucose and insulin play in the proper absorption of nutrients? By the way, my bone integrity was confirmed by an orthopedist. I broke my finger a little over a year ago (compound fracture). It healed in record time and after 8 weeks when he normally puts people with my injury in therapy, he was amazed to find that I already had 90% movement back and the break was completely healed."
