Of all the diets and eating suggestions out there, why choose the alkaline diet? Do we really need yet another diet making all of these claims for why we should eat according to its guidelines?
Yes! We need the Alkaline Diet because it works with your body to keep it balanced.
The alkaline diet is designed to help you easily choose foods that will assist your body to stay within it’s optimal pH balance. This is necessary because the human body has a specific pH value for it’s different parts and functions; the one that the alkaline diet gives most focus to is the pH value of human blood. Your body works diligently to maintain the pH value of blood within the narrow range of 7.35-7.45. (1) We all feel better when in balance, the alkaline diet outlines the types of foods that will help your body stay in balance. It takes the guesswork out of food choice for you, it’s that simple.
General Guidelines of the Alkaline Diet:
- Eat leafy greens.
- Eat vegetables.
- Eat low-sugar fruits.
- Eat high sugar fruits as dessert.
- Drink alkaline water.
- Eat minimal amounts of dairy.
- Eat minimal amounts of meat.
- Only eat certain beans.
- Only eat certain grains.
- Eat seeds.
- Eat nuts.
- Don’t eat highly processed, refined foods.
Follow this link for a more detailed list of foods.
What does pH value mean? How does the body maintain a proper balance?
In chemistry, the pH scale (power of hydrogen) is used for measuring an aqueous solution on a range from 0 (acidic) to 14 (alkaline) with 7.0 as neutral. (2) The pH value of the human body is important to know and manage because each organ and body fluid has a specific value that is required for it to function well. The kidneys have many important roles, the top two most important are to balance minerals and reduce acid. (3) The performance of the kidneys can give us a general idea of how well the body is maintaining balance. The simplest test to estimate this is by using a pH strip for measuring the pH value of urine. This test gives an estimate of acid levels and the health of your kidneys. The first morning urine is best for measuring the pH value. If it is in a range of 6.0-7 this is a signal that your body may be adequately supplied with the minerals it needs to maintain proper pH balance. The best way to maintain a balanced pH is by eating a diet mainly consisting of leafy greens, vegetables, and low-sugar fruits. These foods are rich with fiber, minerals, vitamins, water, phytonutrients, amino acids, and so on. Changes in diet will express fluctuations of above or below this value, which can be tolerated. However if it is consistently too low or too high this may be the signal that your kidneys need some extra love and attention.
There is too much to give up on this diet.
Don’t give up everything at once. The alkaline diet is a lifestyle, and this will become your way of choosing foods. Treat it as a marathon if a sprint seems too daunting. If giving up a food or drink is triggering anxiety, then don’t. This is how I gave up drinking soda. Some of us thrive on making big jumps, arms spread, who cares if I fall flat on my face, it’ll be fun to have a new nose anyway. Others never dare to jump because we don’t like to stumble. We’re caught in the idea that once using the phrase, “I’m on the _______ Diet,” we may never waiver from the guidelines set by it because that equals failure. The Alkaline Diet is not your quick fix, loose a few pounds diet, these are guidelines for how we should eat food as a human. So there is no “Loose 10 pounds in 2 weeks” gimmick, this is real life. (Though depending on how closely you adhere to the guidelines, you just may loose that much if you have it to spare.)
The Alkaline Diet is not about perfection, it is about finding balance.
Don’t let the desire to be perfect create excuses to have power over your desire for good health. Are they legitimate reasons, or are they fear-based excuses? “I could never give up chips, so there’s no use in trying this alkaline diet thing.” Changes to your diet do not have to be perfect. You most likely will binge on a food you miss terribly, and if you do – keep going. One misstep isn’t reason to quit, and most often, missteps are meant to be a learning opportunity. Just keep moving forward and eat your greens!
Add in to create a positive flow.
Start by adding in new and exciting foods that are highly alkaline forming. Perhaps you’ve always wondered what swiss chard tastes like. Keep adding in the new and good stuff, this will eventually crowd out the other stuff that’s in your way. As you put a few green salads under your belt, you will be mentally stronger and ready to face challenges that may have seemed impossible before. The Curing Vision 10-Day Alkaline Diet Challenge is designed to help you start adding in alkaline forming foods without the guesswork, you can do most anything for ten days.
Sounds crazy, but you’ll feel better!
We all innately know that eating vegetables makes us feel better, yet most of us can be stubborn about eating enough of them. My hypothesis for the general dis-like of vegetables, it’s because we’re not eating organic and home-grown vegetables. It is challenging to change your eating habits at first, but this is a good change worth reaching for. You’ll feel better, be more energetic, and you just might fall in love with a new veggie or two!
So, why choose the Alkaline Diet?
Because why not? Who knows, you just might like it!
Much Love,
Jessie
Sources:
- “Blood”, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood#pH_values
- “pH”, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH
- “How Your Kidneys Work”, National Kidney Foundation, https://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/howkidneyswrk