WHAT ACIDOSIS MEANS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18352, 24 August 1929, Page 15

WHAT ACIDOSIS MEANS

BY A PHYSICIAN. You are hearing or reading about acidosis these days, and .perhaps you have the idea that acidosis means an acid condition of the blood. In point of fact, the blood is always alkaline, in health, and alkaline in sickness also, unless the patient is practically at the point of death. What is really meant by acidosis is that the alkaline “reserve” in the blood has been lowered, and the blood therefore nearly approaches being acid. The blood is alkaline, due to ordinary baking soda in the fluid portion and the salts of sodium and potassium in the red cells. At times when the alkalinity is lowered ammonia is formed from protein. Now, when you exercise, or when the various cells of the body do their work, acids are formed, and in these alkalis, mentioned above, that prevent these acids from injuring the tissues; It has been found that fat foods do not burn as readily as to carbohydrates, and if they are not completely consumed then waste acids are formed which are poisonous to the system. When people are run down, or are recovering from an illness, it is considered good treatment to give them considerable quantities of cod liver oil, butter, cream, and other foods rich in fats. However, at is has been found that these fats often are not used completely, or are incompletely burned in the system; vegetables and sugar are given at the same time, for these supply a good fibre in which the fats can be completely burned. Acidosis means that, as mentioned above, foods are not being used up, leaving too much work for the alkaline salts in the blood,,to do. The idea then when acidosis presents itself is to cut down on fatty foods, and take baking solda or other alkalis.

When these alkaline salts are greatly reduced in amount, then you have that “sickly” feeling, vomiting and headache are often present, and there is no desire for food. Doing without food for a short time is good treatment.