Have you heard of this new way of eating? Make a positive shift in your diet to have a long quality life.
If you don’t have your health, you don’t have a thing.
I am sure each one of you has heard a version of this statement, and for anyone who has watched a loved one go through being sick, or who has personally suffered through a medical crisis of their own (as I have); you know that this statement is the unadulterated truth.
There is a direct link between quality of life and the quality of your health. You cannot be happy if you are not comfortable in your physical body or if you do not have the ENERGY to do the things you love.
If you are reading this, I already know you have BIG dreams and goals you want to achieve in your life. However there’s a vey good chance that if you don’t have ENERGY and GOOD HEALTH, you will encounter great difficulty in getting what you really want out of this life, and more importantly, enjoying it!
So what I’d like to do in this article is address a fabulous dietary theory that happens to be very popular right now, The Alkaline Diet.
You don’t have to be wealthy to feel and look great, you can do this quite simply by implementing simple Alkaline techniques which I will address later on in this article.
Just this past weekend I had the opportunity to meet with one of Tony Robbins elite senior mentors who partners directly with Dr. Robert Young, who is the man behind the pH Miracle Books and has been a huge advocate of the Alkaline Diet for many years. He also works with famed motivational speaker Tony Robbins. This fateful meeting and the discussion that ensued on the Alkaline Diet reminded me JUST HOW IMPORTANT it is to share this information with anyone looking to change their life, heal themselves, and become healthy!
The Alkaline Diet has been used to treat and heal people who suffer from Cancer as well as to reverse Symptoms Diabetes, because it is difficult for Disease and Cancerous Cells to exist in a body that is Alkaline. Many people have also heard of Kris Carr who brought attention to the Alkaline Diet in her award-winning documentary “Crazy, Sexy, Cancer”, which followed her on her journey to heal her cancer naturally.
So what is The Alkaline Diet? And why, pray tell, is it so awesome?
Basically feeling out of balance or “out of whack” as I often catch myself saying is not just in your mind, it is actually deeply rooted in our body’s Chemistry. Many of us have only heard the term “pH Balance” in Shampoo Commercials, but it is actually our body’s delicate chemistry. pH Balance is in reference to the balance between ALKALINE and ACID chemicals in our bodies.
When we strike the perfect balance between Alkaline and Acidic forming foods, we have accelerated energy levels, our body heals itself, we enjoy overall better health and well-being, the absence of disease and illness, possess an ability to metabolize foods faster and more efficiently, as well as improved mental clarity and a more youthful appearance.
Sounds like a Miracle right? Many believe it is!
To look and feel our best our blood and our body needs to contain more Alkaline than Acid. You can usually detect if your body is off balance or, as I like to say, “out of whack” by the outward markers in your appearance. Brittle nails, hair loss, breakouts, dull skin, and in women, a good indicator that your pH balance is off is an increase in Yeast Infections. A simple way to test your pH balance is to buy pH balance test strips at your local drug store. Your body is Alkaline when your pH is above 7.0, though the ideal number is thought to be 7.4. If it falls below or above it is a good indicator of the existence of disease or infection in your body.
It’s no big secret that the Standard American Diet is not just making people sick, it is literally killing the population with preventable diseases. Obesity and Diabetes are 100% related to diet and lifestyle. Obesity, diabetes, and cancers are all on the rise. The Standard American diet is far too high in acid producing animal products such as dairy, meat, and eggs, while it is far too low in Alkaline foods like fresh fruits and leafy green vegetables.
Additionally, Americans eat acid producing processed foods such as sugar and white flour and regularly consume acid producing beverages like coffee and soda. The population also uses vast amounts of artificial chemical sweeteners such as Sweet ‘N Low or Aspartame, which is extremely acid forming and literally poison to the body.
Thus, one of the best things people can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up their diet so that their body is more Alkaline. So below I am including 6 SIMPLE STEPS to create a more Alkaline body and diet. And, I’d like you all to keep in mind, as with any diet, it is supposed to fit into your lifestyle — you are supposed to ENJOY LIFE as you get healthy- you are not meant to be perfect.
So, without further adieu, 6 baby steps to becoming ALKALINE…
- CLEANSE: While most people get nervous at the idea of going on a cleanse for an extended stretch of time, doing it for a single 24 hour period can work wonders on kick-starting an Alkaline balanced body. So go on a 24 hour Juice Cleanse using a combination of Vegetable and Fruit Juice. You can also pre-purchase juices for your cleanse if you don’t own a juicer, but ONLY go with a reliable company that doesn’t put in additives such as BluePrint or Suja Juice
- AQUA POR FAVOR!: Most of the American population is dehydrated and doesn’t drink the recommended 8-10 glasses of water. Hydration is key to getting the Acids out of your body. Consuming water with either Lemon or Lime in it assists your liver in getting rid of built up toxins. You can drink luke-warm Lemon Water throughout the day. Or if you need a little Caffeine — for energy – you can make a pot of Green Tea which is naturally Alkaline. For the best Alkalinity buy a water filter for your home or purchase pH Drops to add to your water.
- Greens!: While there is a ton of conflicting info across the web on what foods are Acidic and what foods are Alkaline. This simple breakdown covers the majority of the foods although you can look up a chart on Google which will be more comprehensive. The goal in an Alkaline diet is to “strike a balance” thus to restore health you want to consume 80% Alkaline Foods and only 20% Acidic Foods.
Alkaline Foods: Fresh Vegetables, Leafy Greens, Fruits (with low sugar), Nuts, Seeds, Legumes, Unrefined and Organic Foods with a high water content, Salads etc.
Acid Foods: Fast Food, Meat, Dairy, Sugar, Caffeine, Coffee, Alcohol, Processed Food, Products made from White Flour, Ice Cream, Pizza, Chips, Greasy Foods, and Chocolate.
Try to incorporate greens into every meal. Order side dishes of veggies, add a salad to your lunch, gnaw on some kale chips for a snack, make or purchase a green juice or smoothie from a local Juice Bar.
4. Sweat it out, Baby!: It’s no big secret that I am a huge fan of Bikram Yoga as well as the Turkish and Russian Baths (steam and saunas), or really any way of cleansing the body naturally through the act of sweating and detoxifying. Sweat naturally removes acids from your body, so it doesn’t matter what type of sweat detoxifcation you choose, what exercise, as long as you get good and sweaty.
5. Alkaline Supplements: You can add in some simple Alkaline Supplements to your diet. These are my recommendations:
Alkaline water: You can create Alkaline water by using a water filter, an ionizer, pH drops or adding freshly squeezed lemon and lime to your water.
Green powder: Purchase a Green Powder with vegetables, fruits, sprouts, super-foods, wheatgrass as well as Barley Grass. A brand I like is called Philosophie.
Minerals: The primary way that your body creates a buffer to acids is through the alkaline minerals. So buy a supplements for magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium. I am a huge fan of liquid vitamins as the body absorbs more of them.
Omega oils: Take a great Omega 3 supplements.
6. Go At Your Own Pace: So anytime people begin committing to a new way of living, and especially when they are in the process of getting healthy —and in this case- becoming Alkaline; they tend to get overwhelmed and quit. Most people feel the pressure to be letter perfect and thus quit after a short period of time. Relax. Experiment and go at your own pace. I don’t want you to restrict yourself so you get stressed out or fed up and drop it altogether. Like a lot of things it’s more important to have fun doing it, then to be perfect at it.
I want you to keep in mind that the Alkaline diet is not a restrictive diet, not complicated, and once you get the hang of it you won’t even notice that you are doing it. Note: Always consult your physician before making a health lifestyle changes
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the above article. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
That I am not on anyone else’s life timeline and that my life is unfolding exactly as it should and when I am truly ready for it.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
My ability to love and nurture those around me. I have always had a big heart and I love sharing my heart with those who matter most such as my family, my friends, my boyfriend.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
Anytime I am able to share my work as an artist, actress and writer with people. It is especially moving when it is meaningful for them.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
I am very open to the world which some would say is good, others would say I need to be more protective of that vulnerability.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
Willingness to keep my heart open to the world, to new experiences, people and joys.
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