Alkaline Foods for Optimal Health
Lately I’ve been refocused on Alkaline Foods, those foods that are comprised mostly of fruits and vegetables.
An Alkaline Diet is one that emphasizes raw, organic fruits, berries and vegetables, effectively raising the body’s pH level.
Studies have been pointing to the link between a highly acidic diet & lifestyle with various chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and others.
Why Alkaline Foods?
The concept is to boost your pH by eating more alkaline foods, which will help the body’s resistance to the above chronic diseases. Coincidentally, these alkaline foods also contain lots of fiber & roughage, aiding in digestion, essential micronutrients for optimal functioning, and are typically complex carbohydrates, which provide energy while still providing a lower GI (glycemic index) for proper absorption.
An acidic state in the body means one that is susceptible to disease and illness.
What compounds this acidic state is stress and a lack of proper exercise and activity.
Activities like Yoga and Tai Chi also contribute to an alkaline state.
The Best Alkaline Foods
For negating the effects of an acidic state, the best foods are organic leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, root vegetables, berries and fruits.
Foods that can cause an acidic state include: red meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, heavily processed grains like white bread and flour, alcohol and dairy.
Neutral Foods include: whole grains, nuts, seeds, purified water.
Maintaining a Balanced pH
Acidic – 0.0 to 6.9
Neutral – 7.0
Alkaline – 7.1 to 14.0
Ideally, we want to maintain a neutral pH, but if conditions in our environment, personal stress levels and an acidic diet, can contribute to a very acidic condition in the body.
When in doubt, eat lots of alkaline producing foods that will have prevent an acidic state.
