We know, we know. Warm water with lemon juice upon waking, lots of green juice and big salads all promote alkalinity and optimal health. We've heard these things a million times - but have we done them all today? Let's dive deep on the topic of alkaline foods and basics and get this knowledge deeply embedded into our daily routines...
Understanding Alkalinity:
pH is the measure of a solution's acidity or alkalinity on a scale of 0-14. Zero is the most acidic, 14 is the most alkaline, and 7 is neutral.
The body requires a certain pH to function optimally and each system must maintain a specific pH in order to create homeostasis. For instance, the blood needs to be in the range of 7.36 to 7.44 for the body to function correctly. The urine is usually between 4.5-8.0 and is a reflection of the toxins and other byproducts our body has to flush from its systems. When these systems are functioning less than optimally, this puts stress on the body and creates imbalance.
Symptoms of being too acidic are wide-ranging, including slow digestion, yeast imbalances and fungal infections, as well as viruses, low energy, hormone imbalances, osteoporosis, free radical damage, accelerated aging, weight gain and cardiovascular damage. In addition, stress, as well natural cellular processes, also create acidity in the body, making it all the more important to fuel and balance the body with more alkaline foods.
How to put the alkalinity guide into practice:
Again, we know we should eat more fruits and veggies. However, even some plant foods are not alkaline-forming, nor is it necessary to consume only alkaline foods in order to stay healthy. It is also important to note: Even if a food is categorized as acidic, it is not necessarily unhealthy.
The goal should be to consume approximately 80% alkaline foods daily, while 20% of the diet should come from slightly acidic to moderately acidic foods. Highly acidic foods should be avoided or consumed minimally.
Use our alkalinity guide as a reference to understand where ingredients fall on the pH scale. Keep in mind: Results of pH testing will vary depending on many conditions including brand of the test, growing region of the food, how is was cooked, whether it was sprouted, as well as many other factors.
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