Alkalising the Body: Simple and Essential
All foods have either an acidic or alkaline nature. In the normal state, the pH level of the body ranges from 7.35 to 7.45.
The alkaline diet is based on the idea that foods with a high acid content remove valuable minerals from the body, leading to various negative consequences. Naturopaths believe that acne, obesity, slowed metabolism, arthritis, gout, osteoporosis, eczema, and even cancer are all the result of harmful acids.
Therefore, the best way to protect your health is to reduce the consumption of acid-forming foods (20-30% of your diet) and increase the intake of alkaline foods (70-80% of your diet).
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) believes that the body maintains a certain pH level regardless of diet. According to their opinion, the effect of an alkaline diet is achieved by reducing the consumption of sweets, alcohol, saturated fats, and other clearly harmful foods.
In summary:
🍋 Start your day with lemon water. Despite being acidic in taste, lemon is alkalizing when metabolized. Adding the juice of 1/3 lemon to 300-500 milliliters of warm water and drinking it on an empty stomach gently awakens and stimulates the digestive organs, hydrates, and neutralizes excess acids. Remember that your goal is approximately 8 glasses of water a day, so you have seven more to go!
🍋🥑🥗🍆🥕🥬🥒🥔🥦 Eat more alkaline-forming foods. These foods are often found in lists of the "Top Healthiest Foods" and are the foundation of many diets. They include spinach, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini, cabbage, greens, pumpkin, peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, peas, all almond nuts, and seeds. Watermelon and avocado are alkalizing fruits. Sprouts, foods with chickpeas and sesame (tahini, hummus), all herbs (basil, dill, parsley, mint, ginger, cilantro, etc.) are very helpful for alkalizing the body.
🥛🧋🍿🍭🧁🥜🥫🍕🍟 Avoid or minimize acid-forming foods. The enemies of a healthy diet are foods that have an acid-forming effect: sugar, chocolate (except pure cocoa beans, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate with 70% cocoa content), dairy products, meat, caffeine-containing products, tobacco, wheat (except for sprouts or shoots), fruits (except those mentioned above), "dangerous" fats (saturated, trans fats, hydrogenated), peanuts and cashews, soda, alcohol, ice cream, energy drinks, white rice, pasta, fast food, and processed foods. Remember, the goal of the diet is to reduce the consumption of these products to a minimum, not exceeding 20-30% of your diet, and eventually eliminate them entirely.
✅ 🥬🥦 Consume green powders made from herbs and greens: dried and ground wheatgrass, barley, and alfalfa sprouts; seaweed: chlorella, spirulina, and fucus; dietary supplements of magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Spinach and green asparagus are also good options.
Omega-3 🐠🐟🫒 fatty acids are essential. Most people suffer from a chronic lack of omega-3 fatty acids. Unpleasant consequences of deficiency include weakness, skin problems, slow metabolism, weight gain, poor digestion, and premature brain aging. Seek solutions in your diet: fatty fish, flax, hemp, and chia seeds are brilliant natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
In continuation of the previous point: flax seeds contain the highest amount of omega fatty acids. The recommended daily portion of flaxseed oil is 2-3 tablespoons, which can be added to salads, soups, and hot dishes. For smoothies, ground flax seeds in a coffee grinder work well—your drink will turn out thick and fiber-rich. Note that flaxseed oil oxidizes quickly. If it tastes bitter, do not consume it!
⛔️ Refined sugar is a "dangerous tempter" in the vast majority of diets. The alkaline diet also suggests giving it up, acknowledging that "sweet death" is the most acid-forming product. Remember the Tibetan monk proverb: "If you want to live bitterly, eat sweet; if you want to live sweetly, eat bitter."
What to do? Switch to alternatives such as stevia, topinambur syrup, agave nectar, cane, and coconut sugar. The latter two are excellent sources of alkalizing minerals.
✅ Consume many spices and fresh herbs.
✅ Make live, vitamin-rich water easily by steeping water with fruits, berries, and herbs. It provides alkaline minerals and a full vitamin charge in one drink.
Remember, it's better not to diagnose yourself and consult with a healthcare professional. Everything should be taken in moderation. Everything has its effect.