Alkaline diets restrict the foods from your diet that are thought to increase acidity in the body. Alkaline diets relate to the pH level in your body, and whether levels of acidity in your urine, gut, and blood are at healthy and stable levels. With excessive acidic levels there is a chance to increase risks of developing a number of chronic diseases, and it can make it more difficult to lose weight. Normal pH level in the human body should be between 6.5 -7.5 each morning, which dependent on individual lifestyle and diet habits the number could vary more than that. Maintaining on average 7.3-7.4 ideally, which is just slightly alkaline basic.
Apart from diet there may be other lifestyle factors which can affect acidity such as lack of physical activity, chronic stress, pollution or exposure to chemicals, and low fiber intake, among many other things.
Alkaline diets are one of the more difficult diets to successfully maintain since they eliminate many common and popular food items consumed in most diets. The vast majority and bulk of this diet is vegetarian and vegan, meat and coffee lovers that attempt this diet will definitely struggle.
High levels of sodium and processed food in most modern diets make many people experience metabolic acidosis, leading to overly acidic levels within the body. Eliminating many of these foods that increase acidity levels and inflammation makes it possible to boost phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium concentrations in the blood. Primary benefits of alkaline diets include the ability to protect bone mineral density, reduce hypertension, and help to prevent certain cancers among other things.
When levels within the body are overly acidic it can leach calcium and other minerals from the bones increasing risk of osteoporosis. This kind of restrictive diet will put the brakes on that as well as replace the minerals lost.
Decreasing acidity can also decrease inflammation and lower blood pressure which can help to protect heart health and decrease the risk of stroke and heart attack.
This diet is high in critical nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous which are important for the maintenance of lean muscle mass.
Alkaline diets consist of many fruits and vegetables that are notably high in antioxidants which can decrease the risk of cancer and counter oxidative stress.
Following an alkaline diet is known to be beneficial for decreasing inflammation throughout the entire body, relieving strain on the immune system and improving quality of life.
Food in the diet are low in calories but dense in nutrients, the reduction in inflammation will help to slow down the formation of visceral fat and assist in weight loss.
It may be difficult to follow an alkaline diet to most due to the amount of foods that need to be eliminated and what it is restricted to. One of the best ways to ensure the diet is moving in the right direction is to purchase organic alkaline foods. Just knowing where the food consumed comes from will allow you to identify whether the soil the food items are grown in are basic or acidic, yes you need to take soil into consideration as mentioned this diet isn’t overly easy to follow. This diet requires food to be grown using organic farming practices in well rotated fields with neutral or just slightly alkaline soil pH levels.
Alkaline foods that can be consumed include things such as fruits and vegetables (bananas, avocados, garlic, mushrooms, kale, celery, jicama, cucumber, and green beans), legumes and nuts (lentils, lima beans, almonds, navy beans), soybean products (tofu), alkaline water (add lime or lemon juice), green drinks (vegetable and green extracts powder form), and grains (millet, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa).
Foods that must be avoided/eliminated include things such as caffeine and alcohol, eggs, pasta, rice, bread, processed cereals, peanuts and walnuts, whole wheat products, processed foods with high sodium levels, dairy products (yogurt, milk, cheese, cream), and all meat (fish, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc.).
This diet can cause some side effects, the most common being nutrient deficiencies due to the types of foods that can be consumed being so strongly limited. Other critical minerals found in alternate sources of protein will also be unavailable, making malnutrition a possible risk. Cutting out so many healthy fats increases risks of problems with cholesterol and also inflammation within the body, which is ironic.
It is strongly advised to speak with your doctor before beginning to attempt an Alkaline diet to talk about your specific health status to ensure it is a safe choice for you.
