Why Should you Try to Have an Alkaline Diet?
If you’re over 30 you probably need an alkaline diet. We’re all born with alkaline bodies, and in our younger years our bodies are quite alkaline, but as we age we typically accumulate acids in our cells and tissues that are hard to eliminate. The only way to eliminate the acid wastes that build up within our cells is to provide ourselves with enough alkaline buffers to allow safe passage of the toxic acids though our blood and out of our systems. Sadly, though, society’s temptations are all leading down the acidic path. Improving the alkalinity of your diet is absolutely worth it as it can possibly help you to remain healthy and free of allergies and disease through the rest of your life.
I’ve constructed a healthy list of alkaline diet tips to giving yourself plenty of alkaline buffers. It’s not necessary to eliminate acids altogether from your diet. It’s only necessary to have balance in your diet. These tips are meant to represent broad areas of healthy practices in achieving a healthy, balanced diet. I tried to make it fun by creating an acronym: RAGS – RICHES. The analogy is apropos, because following these simple alkaline diet tips [all 10 of them] could conceivably take your body from the “rags to riches” of health and longevity. Look below for the explanation of each of the 10 alkaline diet tips.
Raw Fruits, Seeds & Veggies
Alkalizing Oils
Greens
Salmon
Real [Natural] Foods or Snacks
Ionized Water
Combining Foods Properly
Healthy Grains [i.e., whole oats, brown rice] [avoid breads, cereals, crackers, cakes, muffins, corn, wheat & rye]
Exercise
Stress-Freedom
Raw Fruits, Seeds & Veggies: There is usually a good balance of proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, fiber and enzymes in raw fruits, veggies and certain seeds, such as raw almonds and sunflower seeds. In addition, the majority of these have an alkalizing effect on the body.
Alkalizing Oils: There are healthy fats and unhealthy ones. The less saturated, the better. You don’t want saturated fats. Why? Fats provide us with the ability to detoxify our bodies if they are not already saturated. Saturated fats are a source of empty calories. Try to have some fats daily that are uncooked, such as cold-pressed, light olive oil mixed in with your salad dressing. Fish oils are much healthier than the fats you get in meat & dairy.The right balance of oils in your diet can be very alkalizing. Here’s an article about understanding oils.
Greens: Not enough can be said about greens. They contribute a lot filtered & alkalizing water to your body along with some fiber and enzymes.
Salmon: I put salmon here for two reasons. First it’s one of the best sources of protein and omega 3 oils. Second, I needed an “S” for the acronym.
Real [Natural] Foods or Snacks: It’s important to an alkaline diet to get away from junk. Snacking is one of the most tempting times where we can slip back into an acidic diet. The snacks that are alkalizing are things like raw fruits and veggies, seeds and healthy, natural foods which follow the other 9 tips for an alkaline diet laid out here.
Ionized Water: Our bodies are about 70% water, so naturally we need to consume a lot of water. It’s true that water is in our food and is the main ingredient in anything we drink, however water changes when cooked or heated [to be acidic] and there isn’t enough of it in the foods we eat. So we do need water. Why ionized water? When water is ionized it is reduced in size of cluster to be much smaller and easier to absorb. The minerals in the water take on a negative charge, which makes them more bio-available as well as a great source of natural anti-oxidants. Because ionized water is alkaline it should be consumed away from mealtimes when our stomach wants an acidity to trigger digestive enzymes. However at all other times, it really helps hydrate and provide pH balance to the body to include 8 or so glasses to your daily diet. Read more about ionized water.
Combining Foods Properly: Digestion is important to an alkaline diet. Behind all good digestion is enzymes. Foods often require different enzymes for proper digestion and it’s confusing to your digestive system to eat too many kinds of foods all at once. This is contrary to how most of us were raised to have big and multi-faceted meals, but may explain why some people are prone to indigestion after eating pizza, for instance. The bread requires different enzymes than the meat and the tomato sauce has its own enzyme requirements altogether. It’s better to combine meat with only vegetables. Then bread by itself at some other time [also limit the breads, as they are acidifying to the body]. Salads can also be combined with meat. Deserts should be limited and at a separate time. When you combine foods properly you are more likely going to promote more thorough digestion and less toxicity, gas, and indigestion will develop in your digestive system. The overall effect of better digestion is alkalizing to your body by way of removing a big source of acidity.
Healthy Grains [i.e., whole oats, brown rice] [avoid breads, cereals, crackers, cakes, muffins, corn, wheat & rye] Contrary to common belief, wheat, corn and many other grains aren’t particularly healthy for us. They are a source of gluten [which is known to cause allergies in many] and in general grains tend to acidify rather than alkalize the body. Some grains are fine, as part of the balancing of pH we need as well as fiber, however grains with every meal is just plain asking for trouble. Certain grains, such as brown rice and whole oats, are more highly suggested [over the other ones] because they are not likely to cause allergic or auto-immune reactions. It is far better to consume healthy grains by themselves or with vegetables than to combine them with meats or sweets. More about grains.
Exercise: Though it’s not directly part of an alkaline diet, exercise is an essential part of balancing the pH levels in your body, so it’s included for that reason. Exercise helps to bring greater amounts of oxygen to your cells as well as improve circulation of good nutrients to your cells and toxins away from cells. One more way exercise helps you alkalize your body is by helping you to burn up excess calories that would otherwise go to feed your fat cells. You need to eat a certain amount of food [bulk and calories] daily just to ensure your digestive system is able to move properly. If you eat too little you will not be able to move your bowels. The dilemma is that if you eat too much for the amount of calories your body can burn then you’ll get fat, and that’s not good either. The answer is that exercise is absolutely necessary. We are not meant to be couch [or desk] potatoes. So, regardless of whether you want to or not, get out and exercise. It will help you alkalize your body and live a lot longer and healthier.
Stress-Freedom: There’s no such thing as no-stress, and it would probably be very boring to have a completely stress-free life, however there’s probably such a thing as too much stress. The bottom line is if there is something in your life that causes you to feel down and out [or even ill] then it may lead to acidity within your body. Keep this in mind when trying to balance the alkaline and acids in your diet.
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