11 Tips Anyone Can Do To Get Started On An Alkaline Diet
Comprised mainly, but not exclusively, of vegetable foods, the Alkaline for Life® diet achieves a balance between acid-forming and alkaline-forming foods. While the majority of foods in this diet are alkaline forming, you do not avoid all acid-forming foods. Proteins, for example, are acid forming, yet they are absolutely essential to good health.
The appropriate balance of acid-forming foods and alkaline-forming foods can vary for each individual depending on their state of health.
|
For Health Recovery |
For Health Maintenance |
|
|
Alkaline-forming foods |
80% |
60% |
|
Acid-forming foods |
20% |
40% |
Alkaline-forming foods include:
- vegetables
- fruits
- nuts
- seeds
- spices
- herbs
- lentils and pulses
Acid-forming foods include:
- All flesh foods (chicken, beef, fish, turkey, etc.)
- High protein foods, like most beans
- Most grains
- Dairy products
- White sugar
- Most highly processed foods
- Alcohol
Achieving a favorable, slightly alkaline pH balance is not as difficult as you may think. Even small changes can make a big difference! For example eating a sweet potato, yam, baked potato every day might make a notable difference in your pH.
Many individuals who follow the Alkaline for Life® diet, notice immediate change, often reporting greater energy, better sleep, fewer mood swings, reduced food cravings, less joint pain — and these are only the short term benefits!
Alkaline for Life Eating Guidelines
1. Think fresh, whole foods
Avoid processed foods.
2. Eat more vegetables
Consume two cups of veggies at each meal.
Incorporate more veggies into your favorite summer salads. During the colder seasons think more sautéed delicious greens such as kale, collards, and beet greens.
Have veggies for breakfast, like sweet kabocha squash with eggs or try bok choy with eggs.
Try new veggies like Chinese spinach, Chinese broccoli, watercress, water spinach, lemon basil, bitter squash, etc.
3. Eat more alkaline-forming root crops instead of acid-forming grains and breads
Replace your bread and grains with potatoes, squash, winter squash, turnips, parsnips, taro, beets, etc.
4. Make soups with a greater variety of fresh spices and vegetables
Try lemon basil, holy basil, oregano, lemon grass, ginger, galangal, and coriander. Add lentils along with your soup for more texture.
5. Eat 2 to 4 fruits a day
Have fruit as snacks in between meals, or as desserts with alkalizing sweeteners such as sucanat, molasses, agave, or rice syrup.
6. Learn to incorporate fresh spices and herbs in every dish as much as possible
Ginger, galangal, turmeric, curry, oregano, tamarinds, lemon grass, rice patty herb, fish herb, Vietnamese coriander, and mint leaves are just some examples.
7. Eat nuts and seeds daily
Enjoy one or two handfuls of your favorite nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.) as well as your favorite seeds (pumpkin, sesame, etc.).
8. Incorporate alkalizing drinks into your diet
Summer: Drink green vegetable juices, fruit smoothies, fruit spritzers, and lemon and lime flavored waters.
Winter: Drink ginger tea, apple cider vinegar and hot water, hot veggie broths.
Drink mineral and spring waters all year long.
9. Avoid excess salt
Salt is acid forming so limit its use. Instead incorporate more spices for flavor.
Small amounts of sea salt, soy sauce, and fish sauce are acceptable.
10. Consume proteins and flesh foods in moderation
You need only 50 to 60 grams of protein per day which can be provided by flesh foods, beans, grains, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy.
11. Amazing alkalizing oils
While many oils have a negligible impact on pH balance, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, flax oil, and avocado oil seem to be the most alkalizing.
Alkaline for Life® Diet and Traditional Cultures
When thinking about the Alkaline for Life® diet we are reminded of the wisdom inherent in traditional eating patterns.For example, the ancient wisdom-driven cultures of Japan, China, and India suggest the following:
Japanese culture accentuates eating a variety of colorful foods in each meal.
The Indian Ayurvedic science of food suggests incorporating the 5 tastes into each meal (salty, sweet, astringent, bitter, and sour).
Traditional Chinese cuisine highlights the “energetic” signature of each food.
Keep in mind that an alkaline diet sets the biochemical stage for health and healing and is essential for disease prevention, optimum physiological performance, ideal bone health, and the maintenance of muscle mass as we age.
