You are what you eat may have some truth in it as the food that we take into our body actually shapes us from the inside and out. It doesn’t affect just you but others as well. Understanding the concept of acid-alkaline balance in our diet will not only help us regain better control of our overall health, but our body, as well as our life too.
There is much attention given to the acid-alkaline balance with regards to food nowadays because more and more people are looking into the benefits of following a plant-based diet. It all begins with the pH levels in our body which you’ve probably learned at school but somehow forgot about it as you grow older. This particular scale actually ranges from 0 to 14 with 0 being too acidic and 14 being too alkaline. Being in the middle, however, means that you have achieved the acid-alkaline balance which is where most waters are. At best, our body functions better when it is in a slightly alkaline manner meaning the scale should be at 7.4 on the pH scale.
Signs and Symptoms of Non-Alkaline Body
Most of us are not really aware whether we are in the acid-alkaline number or we are heading towards the acid base. Fortunately, there are signs that we can pay attention to that wiill give us an idea on whether we need to step up our balancing game in terms of diet. Here are a a few symptoms that you should watch out for.
Tension headaches or migraine
Easy to anger or become irritable
Difficulty in going to sleep and staying asleep
Various skin conditions such as eczema, acne, and the like
Problems with bowel movements
Digestion pain or difficulty in digesting certain types of foods
Joint tension and pain in muscles
Constant sleeping because of exhaustion
How to Bring Balance to Your Diet
If you are exhibiting those signs and symptoms, then you are probably feeling worried that you are not at the right number with regards to your pH level. It is understandable that you will be looking for ways to correct this issue. Fortunately, there are several steps in which you can slowly bring your diet at the right number so you will be in the best of health. Sounds good? Here are a few steps that you should try.
Minimize intake of acid-based foods
If you are following the usual American Diet you will probably have to rethink this since your goal is to reduce your acid levels. Some acidic foods that you should eliminate from your diet include processed meats, added sugar, fried foods, peanuts, dairy products and milk, caffeine and alcohol. Some foods you can still eat but in moderation such as legumes, walnuts, whole grain bread, and brown rice.
Drink more alkaline water
Another way to raise your pH levels to a safer number is to drink alkaline water. Most of the time, the water that we often drink at home is slightly on the acidic side and may actually bring some other minerals with it as it goes through the pipes and plumbing in our home. With that being said, you can install a neutralizer to help convert your acid-based water to alkaline.
Follow an alkaline diet
It is understandable that you will be struggling with your current diet but you can actually make changes to it already by switching to an alkaline-based diet. This means adding leafier greens, non-starchy vegetables, green drinks, plant proteins, and more fruits to help raise your pH levels to a safer number.
