Importance of an Alkaline Diet

  One of the easiest and most beneficial things we can do for our overall health is to check the pH level of our bodies to ensure we have a good acid/ alkaline balance. If we don't have a good pH level, i.e. an alkaline system, then we need to take steps to rectify this. We can exercise and get rid of toxins, but if our acid/alkaline balance is too far either way, our overall health suffers, and we can develop non specific symptoms like poor digestion, bloating, headaches and weight gain, muscle and joint pains, fatigue and flu like symptoms that just don't go away.

  Then too there can be urinary symptoms and kidney stones, bone loss, skin problems and gum disease.
How can we change this?

  First it is a good idea to check your morning pH. This can be done with a urine test-strip, and from there look at what foods you have on a daily basis, and what foods you need on a daily basis, the two lists may be vastly different!


  There are many acid/alkaline food charts available, and I have included a brief one here to give you an idea of basic foods.

  The confusion that may occur when you look at the acid/alkaline value of some foods can be made clearer by explaining that when we digest foods, the by-product of some foods are acid, and other foods alkaline, and this is what changes our body pH.

Most of us would think that a lemon is acid and that an orange would be alkaline. Would you believe that the lemon is alkaline and the orange acidic!

Most high protein foods are acid-forming, as is sugar, coffee, alcohol and grains, and most fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming along with most nuts and seeds.
Have a look at the simple list of foods, and it may surprise you!

Low acid forming foods 

Figs, Tomatoes, Clams, Butter, Chic peas, Brown Rice, Dates, Peas, Cream, Baked Beans, Buckwheat Flour, Guava, Rhubarb, Curd Cheese, Kidney Beans, Plums, Carrots, Egg white, Split Peas, Prunes, Spinach.

Medium Acid Forming Foods 
Cranberries, Fresh Corn, Salmon, Cottage Cheese, Peanuts, White Rice, Pomegranates, Tuna, Cream Cheese, Whole-meal Flour, Ripe Olives, Chicken, Whole Eggs, Rye Flour.

High Acid Forming Foods 
Shrimp, Camembert Cheese, White Flour, Lobster, Steak, Beef, Bacon.

Low Alkaline Forming Foods
Coconut, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Cod-Liver Oil, Green/Herbal Tea.

Medium Alkaline Forming Foods 

Raisins, Zucchini, Clarified Butter, Cashews, Grapes, Beets, Garlic, Blueberries, Cabbage, Lentils, Broccoli, Apples, Squash, Cherries, Apricots, Grapefruit, Avocado, Olives, green Banana, Pears/Peaches, Lemons

High Alkaline Forming Foods
Blackberries, Asparagus, Nectarines, Celery, Strawberries, Onions, Persimmon, Parsnip, Raspberries, Sweet Potatoes, Tangerines, Limes, Papaya, Pineapple, Ginger, Watermelon, Cantaloupe/Honeydew.
By choosing 80% of foods from the alkaline forming food group, and adding 20% from the meat/dairy and other acid-forming foods you will be able to re-assess what your pH results have been by doing another urine check. By reducing totally the amount of processed foods you keep in your cupboard and freezer, and have a different way of looking at foods, then we can soon turn around our pH level and ultimately our overall health.

We have quite inventive minds and it is not too hard to be creative in producing new, tasty type meals utilising ingredients that are beneficial and leaving the others behind.

Here is a sample meal plan for you to play with.

  Breakfast: Omelette with onion, capsicum, and tomatoes Cup of Herbal or Ginger Tea

  Snack Cherries and apricots, Sunflower Seeds

  Lunch Grilled Chicken and Garden Salad with Lemon-dill vinaigrette.

  Snack Almonds - when selecting almonds make sure they have no signs of black mould.

  Dinner Lentil soup Baked Lamb with roast potato, parsnip, sweet potato, carrot or baby spinach salad with cherry tomatoes and pumpkin Grape and melon compote for desert....Yum!
Making the switch can be all good!

http://www.healthymoneyvine.com/alkaline-diet.html


 
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