Our digestive system is constantly working to balance our bodies. One very important thing to keep balanced is the pH level in our systems. pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline something is and our blood pH needs to maintain a slightly alkaline level to keep us healthy.
We help our bodies to maintain this pH balance by eating more alkaline-forming foods and fewer acid-forming foods. Alkaline-forming foods include most fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds and herbal teas, whereas acid-forming foods include most grains, beans, meats, dairy products, fish, fast foods and processed foods.
Avoid making your body work hard to maintain its pH balance.
When we eat acid-forming foods, our body brings our blood pH back into balance by releasing alkaline-rich minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium into our bloodstream. If we are eating enough alkaline-forming foods each day, then our body has easy access to these minerals from our diet. If not, then our body has to pull these important minerals from our bones, teeth and organs which can compromise our immune systems, digestion, and lead to a host of disease and discomfort.
Here are some tips to help get more alkaline-forming foods into your diet:
1. Drink water with lemon in it. Lemons are acidic in nature, but have an alkalizing effect on the body once they are digested.
2. Eat more fresh, organic fruits and vegetables! When we focus on getting more vegetables, specifically on getting non-starchy greens into our bodies, it takes our health, energy and vitality to a whole new level! Try having something green with every meal.
3. Eat fruit on an empty stomach. Fruit breaks down in your system quickly so, if you’re eating fruit as dessert after a large meal, it has to wait too long to digest and will cause gas, bloating, and discomfort.
4. Get enough healthy fats into your diet. Most people are chronically deficient in omega 3 and when you’re lacking omega 3 you’re likely to experience a whole host of symptoms like a poor immune system, skin conditions, low metabolism, weight gain, poor digestion, and an increased likelihood of many degenerative conditions. You can dress salads with olive oil or flaxseed oil and you can cook with coconut oil or hemp oil.
5. Minimize Sugar! Sugar is without doubt the most commonly available and highly acidic substance. Sugar feeds disease so avoiding processed and added sugars is essential to your health. You can use stevia or local honey as sweeteners.
6. Filter your water. If you don’t have a water ionizer, get some level of filtration for your tap water. Tap water IS full of stuff you don’t want, so get filtering!
7. Limit animal protein. Try to limit your animal protein sources (beef, chicken, pork, and eggs) to 1 serving or less per day and increase plant-based protein sources.
8. Try dairy alternatives like unsweetened almond milk and dairy free cheese.
9. Don’t try to eat Alkaline 100% of the time. You aren’t going to be perfect and that’s ok.
The road to a healthy diet can be long and frustrating if you’re just getting starting. Making any step toward a clean diet is a good thing. So start slow, go day by day, don’t try to eliminate everything all at once, allow yourself treats, and relax. You also don’t have to do it alone. Our health coaches and staff would love to help you get on the road to healing.
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