ALKALINE DIET Essentially, the alkaline diet is opposite the high protein, high fat, low carb diets that are currently in vogue. Moist people have never heard of alkaline-acid balance, but many holistic doctors and nutritionists consider a properly balanced diet to be important to optimal heath and preventing diseases such as cancer. The theory behind an alkaline diet is that because our body’s pH level is slightly alkaline, with a normal range of 7.36 to 7.44, our diet should reflect this and also be slightly alkaline. An imbalanced diet high in acidic foods such as animal protein, sugar, caffeine, and processed foods tends to disrupt this balance. It can deplete the body of alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, making people prone to chronic and degenerative disease. Thorough scientific studies are lacking on the alkaline diet. Many conventional doctors do not believe in the alkaline diet. Top Who is this diet for ? This diet is for people who feel unwell on a high fat, low carb diet. It is also for people who lead stressful lives and who consume large amounts of acidifying foods such as protein, sugar, processed food, cereals, starches and caffeine, with little alkalinizing vegetables. Top What are the symptoms of excess acidity? Low energy, chronic fatigue Excess mucous production Nasal congestion Frequent colds, flus, and infections Nervous, stressed, irritable, anxious, agitated Weak nails, dry hair, dry skin Formation of cysts, such as ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries, benign breast cysts ( fibrocystic breasts) Headaches Joint pain or arthritis Neuritis Muscle pain Feel better afterr a detox diet Hives Leg cramps and spasms Gastritis, acid indigestine Medical doctors try to test the acidity or alkalinity of the body tissues and cells by analyzing the blood. Pioneers Carey Reams, Harold Hawkins, or Emanuel Revici developed methods to measure urine pH and other factors such as saliva pH. Modern proponents of the alkaline diet look at the pH of blood, saliva, and urine, in addition to health symptoms and other factors. Top What are the guidelines of this diet? An aklaine diet is composed of approimately 75% alkaline foods and 25% acid foods. The foods listed below are in desending order of akalinity and acidity. ALKALINE FOODS-75% OF DIET Vegetables - Sea vegetables, burdock, lentils, onion, daikon, taro, sweet potato, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, kale, endive, mustard greens, ginger root, broccoli, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, eggplant, pumpkin, collard greens, brussels sprouts, chives, cilantro, okra, squash, lettuce Fruit - Limes, necatarines, persimmons, raspberries, watermelon, tangerines, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olives, loganberries, mango, lemons, pears, avocado, pineapple, apples, blackberries, cherries, peaches, papaya, oranges, apricots, bananas, blueberries, currants, raisins, grapes, strawberries Nuts, seeds, oils - Pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, chestnuts, pepper, primrose oil, sesame seeds, almonds, sprouts, avocado oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, olive oil, other seeds Grains - Oats, graqin coffee, quinoa, wild rice Condiments - Baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, umeboshi plums, spices, cinnamon, molasses, soy sauce, herbs, green tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee Dairy - Butermilk, Cheeses and yoghurt ACIDFYING FOODS- 25% OF DIET Dairy - Processed cheese, ice cream, soymilk, cow’s milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, cream Animal meat - All meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood. Beef, pheasant, pork, veal, squid, lobster, chicken, lamb, boar, shellfish, goose, turkey, gelatin, organs, venison, duck Grains - All foods made from cereal grains including breads, breakfast cereals, crackers, pasta, rice. Barley, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, buchwheat, wheat, kamut, spelt, teff, semolina, white rice, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice. Avoid all refined flour products such as white bread, pasta, cakes, pies, cookies. Legumes - Legumes including beans, peas, lentils and peanuts. Nuts, seeds - All nuts. Hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio seeds, pecans, palm kernal oil, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, pumpkinseed oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil Vegetables - Soy beans, carob, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, carrots, chickpeas, tofu, pinto beans, white or red beans, azuki beans, lima beans, kidney beans, string beans, rhubarb Fruits - Fruits containing benzoic or oxalic acid including plums, cranberries, rhubarb and sour cherries Condiments -Jam, jelly, table salt, yeast, sugar, chocolate, cocoa, white vinegar, nutmeg, coffee, saccharin, vanilla, black tea, alcohol, balsamic vinegar, curry, honey, maple syrup, rice vinegar. Also avoid chocolate milk, sodas, wine, alcohol. Top TIPS ON ALKALINIZING YOUR DIET Eat lots of vegetables and fruit Squeeze lemon or lime into water as a beverage Try to eat 1 cup of alkalinizing greens daily, such as kale, mustard greens, broccoli Eat millet or quinoa as an alternative to wheat Choose fish and lamb over beef Use olive oil instead of vegetable oils Try a greens powder Learn to make a miso broth. Dissole one teaspoon of miso into a cup pf hot, not boiling water. Top

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