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Alkaline diets are a popular choice for people who want to achieve optimum good health. However, many people don’t actually understand this diet or how it works. The concept is actually fairly simple – the diet just focuses on regaining the balance that was lost when man started to eat a more domesticated diet.
Instead of focusing on foods that are high in sugar, fat, and cholesterol, an alkaline diet primarily consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy whole grains, wholesome protein sources such as soy, beans, and legumes, and healthy oils such as canola, olive and flaxseed. These foods may be either alkaline or acid in their natural state, but they all produce what is termed as an “alkaline ash” once digested and metabolized by the body. When the body’s pH is kept at a slightly alkaline level, all the systems can work more efficiently.
Understanding the Effects of the Body’s pH Level
The pH level of the body has the ability to affect every single cell of the body. When the blood has an alkaline pH instead of an acidic pH, it will have a positive effect on how every bodily system functions. The brain, circulatory system, nerves, muscles, respiratory system, digestive system, and reproductive system can all benefit from a proper pH level.
On the other hand, when the pH of the body is too acidic, it is susceptible to many diseases and problems. Weight gain, heart disease, premature aging, fatigue, nerve problems, allergies, muscle disease, and cancer are all more prevalent when the body’s pH is not optimal. Because these problems are all more likely to occur when the body’s pH is too acid, it makes good sense to eat a diet rich in alkalizing foods.
The primary goal is usually to eat approximately 75-80% alkaline foods along with only about 20-25% acidifying foods. If this level is maintained in the diet, the end result is a slightly alkaline pH in the body, which is perfect for optimum good health.
Choosing Foods for an Alkaline Diet
It’s actually quite easy to eat a diet rich in alkaline-producing foods. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent choices. Red meat is not a good choice, but you can add plenty of protein to your meals by using soy products, delicious beans, legumes, and nuts such as almonds.
You should eliminate unhealthy fats from your diet, but you can use good fats such as olive, canola, and flaxseed oil. High-fat dairy products should be avoided, but you can drink soy milk and goat’s milk. Cheeses made from soy milk and goat’s milk would also be good choices.
Replace the empty calories of soda with delicious iced herb tea, green tea, and lemon water. Coffee should be avoided, but you can drink hot herbal or green tea. Replace pasta with healthy whole grains such as wild rice, millet, and quinoa.
When sweetening your foods, focus on natural products such as raw sugar, Stevia, and maple sugar. As you can see, you’ll have many nutritious choices that are both delicious and high in alkalizing properties.
Awesome! Great information!
What are you doing for hydration?
I respect your advice and opinion.
I’ve been on the Alkaline diet for about a year now. It really has made a huge difference in my life.
Hi! I recently discovered your blog and LOVE it, and was browsing through your old posts and was so happy to see my photo here! Thanks for attributing it properly, and again, I <3 your blog! 🙂
All of what you say is so true. I’ve been researching inflammation and related diseases for nearly 35 years. It is so good to see that the world has finally woken up to the fact that inflammation is the root of most evils and that fixing the problem is not difficult at all… and it doesn’t require any pharmaceutical drugs!