Alkaline Diet

I’m not typically one for diets but lately everyone has been talking about the Alkaline diet…or lifestyle if you will.  With famous names like Elle Macpherson, Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow being devotees, my ears perked up a little bit. I mean come on, you can’t ignore a diet when they look good as they do. Curiosity is never a bad thing so I decided to do a little investigating.

So, is it all just a temporary hype or is there a reason it’s the next big thing in Hollywood?

I started doing a little research on the subject and I was surprised that I already follow this lifestyle in many parts. After I had Stella, I saw an acupuncturist who told me that I was too acidic and needed to work on it. At the time he put me on a strict eating plan of only lean meats and veggies and avocado (yummy right?!). Low and behold it made a huge difference and I could feel the positive changes in my body. It really worked for me both to take the baby weight off and feel healthier and less stressed. He also told me that if I wanted to have a glass of wine, to balance my pH beforehand.  I could do this by blending together a full lemon, tomato and cucumber and drinking it. (I love my Vitamix for such concoctions). I was so happy when he said I could still enjoy the little luxuries of life. Wine is definitely a girl’s best friend after a busy week but I understand that it has to be enjoyed in moderation.

The background of this Alkaline diet is that acidity in your system leads to disease and pain. Think excess weight, chronic disease, bladder and kidney infections, weak bones, headaches, low energy and chronic fatigue. Apparently with too much acidity in our systems, our body can’t detoxify. This can be very dangerous so it’s important to have a good balance. The biggest culprits are what most people eat every day including meats, grains, dairy, processed foods and sugars.

Now, the goal isn’t to be alkaline, the goal is to be balanced, just like everything else in life. We want the pH (acid-alkaline) ratio to be balanced so that our bodies can heal themselves and perform at an optimal level daily. A healthy average is somewhere between 6.75 to 7.25. If you are an overachiever and want optimal results, you would want a level of 7.35. Word of caution, however, if you are going to take the leap with the Alkaline diet, make sure to ease in properly and talk to your doctor and nutritionist before hand. Jumping into something without knowing where your current body stands, can have major health risks. Be prepared first and when you know what your body can take, go for it!

So, with all that said, are you in? Want to know how to alkaline your system?

Stay away from meat, grains, dairy, processed foods and sugars.

EAT MORE: 

Alkaline-Forming Foods

• Vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, cabbage, fermented vegetables, cucumber, sprouts, wheatgrass and kale
• Fruits: Berries, apples, banana, rockmelon, avocado, lemon, lime and mango
• Nuts, seeds and oils: Almonds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil and coconut oil
• Grains: Rice, amaranth, quinoa, rye and buckwheat
• Drinks: Coconut water, herbal teas, almond milk, green smoothies, apple-cider vinegar and water

Now that you know the basics, you can go to your local natural grocery store like Whole Foods or Sprouts and get yourself a pH test kit. Usually you just put some saliva on a strip and match it to the color on the kit. Some kits even come with drops to put in your water to help you alkaline.

Given that this lifestyle is all about balance, here is how I manage to keep my pH balanced at around 7.2 while dealing with a busy and sometimes stressful lifestyle.

Every morning I wake up and juice an entire organic lemon. I put the juice of the lemon in an 8 oz web based projects. glass filled with warm water and drink this before anything else. This balances out my body, feels good and starts each day out right. As a side note, lemons help boost the immune system and has many other benefits. Check out our post on lemon water.

Here’s an idea of what I eat and remember, I didn’t know it was a thing.

For breakfast, I eat egg whites cooked in coconut oil and lean organic sausage links. (Tasty!)

Throughout the day I snack on almonds and drink a ton of water.

For lunch, I usually have a lean meat like turkey or some veggies.

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