| Note for those not familiar with the pH scale | | | | saturated fats, refined sugars, starchy |
| The pH scale measures whether or not a substance | | | | carbohydrates...This has given rise to higher acid |
| is an acidic or alkaline: An acid has a pH of less than 7. | | | | foods and a predominantly more acid ash residue in |
| The lower the pH the stronger the acid. pH 7 is | | | | the body. It comes as no surprise to me that the |
| neutral. An alkaline has a pH of more than 7. The | | | | rise in acid foods correlates with the increase of the |
| highest pH is 14, which is the strongest alkaline. | | | | major life-threatening illnesses, cardiovascular disease, |
| You are what you eat? | | | | cancer and diabetes...over the last 60 years or so. |
| -This saying is not accurate. It's not really true either. | | | | So what are the possible benefits of an alkaline |
| However, what is accurate and true is 'You are what | | | | diet?v Feel more alive and alertv More able to |
| you digest and absorb.' | | | | concentrate betterv Far less prone to mood |
| Take, for instance, the example of fruits. They have | | | | swings...v Need less sleepv Feel more willing to do |
| an acid pH, but after eating and digesting, many | | | | exercisev Serves as a strong prevention against |
| types of fruits absorbed into the body then become | | | | diseasev Slows down the ageing process |
| alkaline. They give an alkaline ash residue. | | | | The Alkaline diet Includes: The vegetables Spinach, |
| Any foods that produce an alkaline ash residue when | | | | asparagus, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumber, lettuce, |
| absorbed into the body are called alkaline foods. | | | | courgette, cabbage, greens, swede, squash (summer, |
| Foods that give an acid ash residue when absorbed | | | | butternut, yellow etc), peppers, chilli, tomato, onion, |
| into the body are called acid foods. It is important to | | | | garlic, chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans, spring |
| distinguish the differences when choosing a healthy | | | | onions, root ginger, and aquatic vegetables such as |
| diet. | | | | sea kelp and sea dulse. |
| Getting it right... | | | | Salad Recommendations |
| Ideally, for optimum nutrition a good diet should strike | | | | Avocado, celery, cucumber, dandelion greens, kale, |
| a balance between 80%/20% alkaline/acid foods | | | | lettuce, rocket, spinach, walnuts, almonds, macadamia |
| respectively. Ideally, your pH should be around | | | | nuts...i.e. any nuts accept cashews and peanuts. Seeds |
| 7.4.Before I list what foods are available to strike this | | | | of different sorts such as pumpkin, sunflower, |
| right ratio in favour of the alkaline diet, it has been | | | | sesame, flax or any sprouted seed... and watercress. |
| well noted that many people are out of balance. The | | | | Some Herbs and Spices... |
| reason being that there has been a rise over the | | | | Basil, parsley, coriander, ginger, garlic and dandelion |
| years of not so good, or even downright poor | | | | greens... |
| nutrition, such as those containing trans-fats, certain | | | | |