Can Alkalizing Nutrition Make a Difference?

Some of you know that I am fascinated by and am studying nutrition independently. I have learned over the years, that nutrition makes a huge difference in how our bodies feel on a day-to-day basis. 

There are so many fad diets out there (yes, "Paleo" is one of them), that it is really confusing. I have recently read a book, Your Heath...Your Choice, about the benefits of consuming an alkalizing diet that I think is a good way to find a rational, balanced approach to eating a healthy diet that is energizing, reduces atherosclerosis, reduces inflammation, and prevents illness by maintaining an environment that is inhospitable to pathogens and cancer.

 Following an alkalizing diet aligns with general common sense in regard to what is more healthy, though there are some exceptions. For example, organic leafy greens are one of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. Lean animal proteins, however, are more acid-producing than fatty animal proteins. Fats are actually less acid producing. Contrary to what you may think based on their taste, lemons and other citrus fruits are very alkalizing, whereas plums and blackberries are more acid-producing. Grains are very acid-producing, especially in refined form. So are artificial sweeteners, sugar and pasteurized cow dairy (goat is less acidifying).

 Honestly, it's a bit of a challenge to get your body to the correct pH of 7, but a good place to start is by testing your pH daily. I challenge you to try eating more alkaline for at least one week and see how you feel! Here is a chart to use as a guideline. There are other charts out there with varying information, but this is a decent one.

One thing I want to emphasize: you don't need to buy a bunch of products (except maybe some pH test strips) to follow this, despite the fact that there are a lot of websites selling "alkaline water" and so on. If you want to make your filtered water more alkaline, squeeze some lemon into it!

To make some better choices: Pick the tomato/feta/spinach omelette instead of the ham & cheese. Ask for your sandwich to be wrapped in lettuce leaves instead of bread, or try to have a salad of dark, leafy greens with some lemon for at least one meal per day. If you have any questions about this, feel free to email me, comment, or just let me know how it goes!