There are many reasons why you should focus on an alkaline diet.
Between packaged and processed foods, too much stress, and lack of sleep – your body is constantly fighting against acidity, making it no surprise that diseases are becoming more and more prevalent.
Let’s back the truck up for a sec.
Your body’s pH level is the measurement between acidity and alkalinity and can fall on a scale of zero (acidic) to fourteen (alkaline) with seven being neutral. Your body likes to sit comfortably at a slightly alkaline pH of 7.35.
It’s important for your body to maintain a proper pH balance for efficiency and overall health, and swaying too far in either direction can be downright dangerous.
Whether it’s the foods that you’re eating, your lifestyle, makeup, or even stress levels – they can all contribute to a more acidic environment. This can lead to health issues ranging from chronic inflammation, to diseases affecting your organs, even right down to your cells (cancer).
You might be wondering if it’s really that big of a deal, or if maybe I’ve just fallen off my rocker – so let me explain in a little more detail.
THE PROBLEM WITH ACIDITY
Your pH balance can change throughout the body, and while your stomach is more acidic for the sake of digestion, the rest of your body leans more towards alkalinity.
Your body stores minerals in your bones, tissues and organs. As your pH lowers (becoming more acidic) your body is forced to pull those minerals into the bloodstream to bring your pH back to its optimal levels. Overtime, your body’s stores are depleted damaging your tissues and organs and compromising your gut health by weakening your immune system, and creating a the perfect environment for harmful bacteria and fungi to grow.
This also affects your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. So, that’s no good!
There are several things that can contribute to a lower pH level:
- Stress
- Lack of sleep
- Too little or too much exercise
- Antibiotics
- Caffeine and/or alcohol
- Hormone imbalance – caused by food, makeup, toxins, etc.
- Acidic Foods:
- Packaged and processed foods
- Gluten, dairy, and sugar
- Animal proteins
- Artificial sweeteners
- Low fibre
- Low nutrients
If you’re worried about your pH levels and want to get them tested, you can purchase test strips at your local health food store. It’s a cheap and simple urine test that will give you an idea of where your levels are at.
THE BENEFITS OF AN ALKALINE DIET
Now it’s pretty clear that diet and lifestyle play the biggest role in reducing your pH and creating an acidic environment. But by simply focusing on a more alkaline diet and lifestyle, you can increase your overall health and reduce your risk for disease.
The benefit of focusing on an alkaline diet is that it increases your mineral intake – which is where so many of the benefits come from. So while reducing the things that reduce your pH is important, increasing your stored minerals is also key.
Here are a few benefits of an alkaline diet:
- It promotes stronger bones and lean muscle mass by improving mineral intake and storage, and by increasing your growth hormone and vitamin D production.
- It lowers inflammation which helps improve your cardiovascular health, reduces chronic pain, and promotes a healthy weight. This is also important for overall gut health.
- It boosts nutrient absorption through providing lots of magnesium which helps with hundreds of enzyme functions, and by preventing vitamin D deficiency.
- It improves immunity to protect you from degenerative diseases like cancer, through waste removal and oxygenating the cells. This is so important for overall health and disease prevention!
If you want to get healthy – you’ll start by switching to a more alkaline diet.
One of the first steps I encourage my clients to take is to start by drinking alkalized water, like Santevia, and focusing on eating more plant-based foods.
If you need more ideas, check out my delicious Alkaline Super Salad recipe or get in touch with me to find out how I can help you improve your gut health through a more alkaline diet and lifestyle.