An alkaline diet may lower your risk of exhaustion, premature aging, muscle aches, joint pain and osteoporosis. A study published in 1994 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that women who neutralized their body's acidic state with an alkalizing agent absorbed calcium and phosphorous better and increased the rate their bodies formed new bone matter. You can check the acidity in your diet with a morning urine test. Ideally, you'll have a pH level between 6.5 and 7.5. The lower the number, the more acid is present. If your pH level is consistently higher than 7.5, you may be losing valuable alkaline amino acids. You should strive for a neutral pH, neither too acidic nor too alkaline.
Step 1
Eat more vegetables and fruit. Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum suggests eating two cups of an alkalizing vegetables with both lunch and dinner. Sweet potatoes, kale, collards and other greens will help quickly alkalize your body. Melon, especially watermelon, and berries are alkalizing fruit. If you have a hard time digesting fruit, consider cooking it first.
Step 2
Limit red meat in your diet. Beef, pork and shellfish are the most acidic protein sources. Turkey, chicken and lamb are better choices; although all meats are acid-forming, the best choices are venison and cold water fish. Alkalizing forms of protein include soy-based foods such as tempeh or tofu, almonds and milk and cheeses made from goat's milk.
Step 3
Stay hydrated by drinking herbal teas and water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Fermented drinks such as kombucha or kefir will also alkalize your system.
Step 4
Eliminate artificial sweeteners. Nutrasweet, Equal and Sweet 'n Low are very acid-forming, even more so than refined white sugar. Stevia is the most alkaline sweetener, but raw honey, maple syrup and rice syrup are also alkalizing.
Tips and Warnings
- Aim for 70 percent of your food choices to be alkaline and 30 percent to be acidic. Remember that a food's pH balance doesn't correlate with it's acid or alkaline response in your body. A lemon is very acidic, but it actually alkalizes your body.
- Allergic reactions and stress form acids in the body -- it's not only about diet. To keep your body alkaline, you may consider stress reduction techniques such as deep-breathing or journaling.
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