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How to Alkalize your Body?

How to Alkalize your Body

Studies have shown that if this acidic overload happens over a longer period of time, it can lead to various health conditions, including kidney stones, muscle degradation, reduced bone density, and even arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. All of these can be traced back in some way to an acidic inner terrain.

Alkaline vs. Acidic

A 2014 study, published in the European journal Diabetologia, involved tracking more than 66,000 women over the course of 14 years. Compared to women who ate an alkaline diet, participants who consumed high-acid diets showed a significant increase in developing type 2 diabetes over the course of the study, according to the results. An acid-forming diet with low vegetable intake is also linked to an increased risk of metabolic syndrome.

This is very damaging and impairs the body’s ability to repair or detoxify and will cause a person to be more susceptible to disease and illness. The most common signs of acidosis are:

Fatigue or chronic fatigue
Feeling tired, low energy
Brittle nails and hair
Low bone density, osteoporosis
Heavy breathing
Gaining weight or being underweight
Digestive issues
Arthritis, diabetes
Headaches, acne
Bad immune system
Infections, allergies, candida
Heart problems, cancer

But it’s not just the food we eat that can cause an acidic environment. Our body creates acid by using muscles, breathing, and digesting certain foods. Other factors can be stress, toxins, a polluted environment, tobacco, lack of sleep, or medications.

If you want to know whether you’re more on the alkaline or acidic side, you can easily test that at home. Simply get some test stripes at your health food store or online which you can use for either your saliva or urine to show you the results.

Literally billions of cells in your tissues rely on an alkaline environment to function properly, prevent cellular damage and fend off pathogenic microbes. So what happens when you eat an alkaline diet?

Benefits of an alkaline diet

Deeper more restful sleep
Reduction of candida overgrowth
Increased mental acuity or alertness
Enhanced memory and cognition
Easier weight loss
Increased energy
Better bone health
Reduced muscle wasting
Proper cell functioning
Healthy tissues
Mitigation of chronic diseases
Improved cardiovascular health

This doesn’t mean that all we should eat are alkalizing foods. It’s very commonly advised to opt for a balance of 80% alkaline-forming food and 20% acidic-forming food. You can take a look below and choose from the lists – just remember to keep acid-forming foods to a minimum.

Alkalizing foods to eat abundantly

All Vegetables, especially when Green and Raw

All Fruits like Melon, Apple, Berries, Grapes, Lemon. Some are slightly acidic, like Blueberries, Cranberries, and Plums.

Leafy Greens like Spinach or Lettuce, Cruciferous Vegetables like Broccoli, Kale
Pumpkin, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Beets
Mushrooms, Sprouts, Legumes

Nuts & Seeds like Coconut, Almonds, Chia, Sesame

Onions, Garlic, Leek and Herbs/Spices like Parsley, Ginger

Wheat and Barley Grass, Algae like Spirulina and Chlorella

Grains like Amaranth, Millet & Quinoa
Fresh Beans, Green Peas, Lima Beans, Soy

Acidic foods to cut out

Meat, fish, shellfish

Milk, eggs, butter, cheese

Coffee, soda, alcohol

Processed and refined food
Sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined grains
Tobacco, preservatives
MSG, canned food

How to start eating alkaline today

In order to make this approach to eating a balanced diet more actionable and easier for you, we’ve come up with some general guidelines that are helpful if you want to eat a more alkaline diet:

1. Drink a lot of water to flush your system and support natural detoxification. Extra points if you add lemon to it – remember that acid tasting food doesn’t automatically mean it’s also acid forming! After waking up, drink a huge glass of water. For more alkaline effects, add some apple cider vinegar to it.

2. Combine alkaline foods in a meal with foods that are acidic to create a good balance and focus on foods that are high in potassium like lemons or bananas.

3. Choose fresh, organic, GMO-free food whenever possible. Also, look out for minerals to help your body neutralize acid wastes (organic foods have a higher nutritional content).

4. Stay as close to the natural state of a food as possible, meaning eat it raw or steamed as opposed to frying it.

5. Make salads a staple in your meal plan. Leafy greens are the most alkaline foods and also rich in vital micronutrients. Use spinach or kale for best results, the darker the better.

6. Foods like whole grains or some legumes are not alkaline forming, but also offer nutritional benefits and are a part of a healthy diet – so you should eat them along with your alkaline foods. These are grains like oats, millet, spelt, or buckwheat as well as beans and lentils.

7. Replace animal foods with vegetable sources of protein, such as tofu, beans, or broccoli. These are a lot more alkaline-forming.

8. Incorporate more fruits and veggies into your diet by snacking on them, making fresh smoothies or green juices.

9. Try to eat some carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, cucumber, potatoes, or celery every day. Soak and sprout your nuts and grains for more alkalinity.

Other ways to alkalize your body

Eat slowly and chew every bite around 30-40 times. Be careful not to overeat and overload your system.

Make meditation a habit & do some deep breathing exercises to reduce stress.

Throw away your chemical-filled shampoos, cleaning products, or air fresheners. Try to find and use natural products instead with only minimal ingredients.

Go for a walk or work out, since it helps to move acidic waste products in order for your body to better eliminate them. Extra points for getting some sunshine.

Baking soda can also help neutralize the acid and help the body to maintain pH balance in the urine and bloodstream. It is also very useful for relieving heartburn or acid indigestion.

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