Alkalinize! The Celebrity Buzz.
Whether you find her figure enviable or unappealing, when Victoria Beckham talks diet, people listen! Her recent comments about a cookbook that advocates an alkaline diet, has generated quite a buzz about this lifestyle.
What is the Alkaline Diet?
The theory of the alkaline diet is aimed at improving overall health by eating certain foods that can help maintain the body’s ideal pH level. Our pH is the measure of exactly how acidic or alkaline we are. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. A pH below 7.0 is acidic. A pH above 7.0 is alkaline.
The problem with the idea that we can modify the body’s overall pH with a diet is that we have different pH levels found in different organs/systems of the body. For example, the stomach has a pH ranging from 1.35-3.5. It must be acidic in order to aid in digestion. However, our blood must always be slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7.35 to 7.45, as below or above this range can be indicative of disease.
Acidosis; an increased acidity in the blood and other body tissue, is being reported more frequently, resulting from poisoning by elevated levels of iron, and a chronically decreased production of bicarbonate. In an acidic environment we find that cells do not have a sufficient amount of oxygen. These cells become host sites for pathogens, bacteria, viruses, fungus and/or yeast. A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and/or death. When too acidic, we become more prone to colds, flues, fatigue, and lethargy. Therefore, what we ingest, in fact, directly affects blood’s pH level and our overall health.
Research suggests that an acidic pH can occur from an acidic-based diet, stress, toxicity, immune reactions, or any process that deprives cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The body will try to compensate for an acidic pH by using alkaline minerals, however if there aren’t enough in ones diet, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.
Have you ever tested the pH of your urine or saliva? Testing urine and/or saliva after sleeping at least 5 hours, can give you an idea of how your body is operating. Urine’s pH tells you how your body is responding to the foods you eat, while saliva’s pH tells you how your body has adapted to your thinking and stress. To test your pH at home, go to the drugstore and purchase a pack of pH test paper. Wet two to three inches of the test strip with either saliva or with urine, then match the color of your test strip with the color chart on the packet. If you are healthy, both your saliva and urine should register around pH 7. If the reading is below 6.5, then you should consider making the necessary changes to begin alkalizing your diet.
What’s in the Alkaline Diet?
The Alkaline diet is mostly vegetarian. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, alkaline-promoting foods include soy products, nuts, grains, and legumes. Avoid eating acid-promoting foods, which include meat, poultry, dairy, processed foods, white sugar, white flour, and caffeine. Also stay clear of all artificial chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal and Splenda. These products when used for long periods of time can be poisonous and extremely acid forming. One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acidic body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.
To maintain our health, a diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore our health, a diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods. That sure is a lot of vegetables, so it’s no wonder why many individuals opt for juicing as a means to get the necessary amount of fruits and vegetables into their diet. However, if you’re like me, and find juicing to be too time consuming to fit realistically into any schedule, the next best thing is Recipe for Health. This potent green powder is a whole food blend of organic fruits and vegetables designed to help balance out a modern diet. While most people fail to get an adequate amount of greens in their regular diet, Recipe for Health is an easy to mix, berry tasting, nutrient blend providing key nutrients, enzymes, probiotics, and a high ORAC level to help keep you fully Alkalized!
Maybe I should send some to Victoria Beckham, just in case!