Alkaline Diet - How it Works

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The alkaline diet is really just the opposite of a high fat, high protein, low carb diet that has become the norm in recent years. If you haven't heard of an alkaline diet you aren't alone, yet it could benefit you.

If you feel poorly if you eat a diet low in carbs and high in protein you should consider the alkaline diet. You should also consider if you have symptoms of excess acidity. These symptoms include chronic fatigue, low energy, nasal congestion, frequent infections or colds, nervous, anxious, stressed, dry hair and/or skin, weak nails, muscle pain, leg cramps, hives, and gastritis.

Before you begin, you can measure your salivary pH and see what it is. If its very low such as a 4, then this is an acidic result. If it's high such as an 8, then this is alkaline. Once you know what your pH is and you know which foods are alkaline and which are acidic you can begin to balance things and return and maintain your body at an alkaline pH.

There are several charts available online for free that can provide the details. Let's look at few alkaline fruits - bananas, apples, coconut, nectarines, pineapple, and tomatoes are just a few. Alfalfa, celery, cabbage, carrots, garlic, lettuce, and mushrooms are a few of the alkaline vegetables. There are also alkaline dairy products, cereals, and nuts.

How does it work? Most foods are either alkaline or acidic depending on the residue they leave in the body and how they are metabolized. It's a good idea to strive for a balance in the body with just a slight alkalinity. You should not assume your diet is too acidic or to alkaline based on what you eat. There are many things that can affect that pH of the body. For example, an orange is acidic when you eat it but turns alkaline in the body.

An alkaline diet that keeps the body slightly alkaline can benefit you by improving your overall health. There is speculation that it may prevent cancer cells from developing, and an alkaline diet has shown to make some chemo drugs more potent and more effective. It can help you regain your health and stay disease free. It can restore energy and vitality and eliminate nasal congestion, headache, joint and muscle pain.

Although there may not be a great deal of direct research on the alkaline diet, there is plenty of research that shows that people who are sick most times have acidic blood, which leads to an imbalance. Seldom is blood too alkaline so you do not need to worry about eating too many alkaline foods.

Here are a few sample recipes.

Green Raw Soup

2 Avocados
1 Cucumber, peel and seed
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 Yellow or red onion, diced
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1-2 cups Water or Veggie stock
2 cloves roasted Garlic
1 Tbsp. Coriander
1 Tbsp. Parsley

Instructions:
Puree all ingredients (except onions) in a food processor or blender. Add more or less water to desired
consistency. Top with diced onions for garnish.

Autumn Tomato & Avocado Soup

Ingredients:
5 large ripe tomatoes.
2 ripe avocados
1/2 spring onion
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 cup broth from a natural vegetable stock with no preservatives or artificial additives
1/4 teaspoon dill seed
Dash cayenne pepper
Sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:
All you need to do is place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend! Place the soup into a pan and warm.

The alkaline diet may not be for everyone but is certainly the right choice for some. If you think that the Alkaline diet could help you, talk to your doctor before you start it.