Before we jump to the method of how we can alkalise our
body, first we need to know why alkalising is important?
Having a balanced pH in the body is essential to prevent
diseases and have good health. Your body’s pH determines if your body’s fluids
are more alkaline or acidic. When your body is in an alkaline state, your
chances of getting sick with chronic diseases decrease.
If your body is more often in an acidic state than a neutral
one, your risk of contracting chronic illnesses, weight gain, teeth and gum
problems, pain and inflammation increases. A condition of high acidity may go
undetected for years, which may lead to prolonged damage.
The pH scale:
On a scale of negative 4.5 to positive 9.5, when you have a
pH level of 7.0 or above, your body is healthy. Your body always tries to
maintain an equilibrium at pH of 7.365, which is slightly alkaline.
Daily foods that are acidic in
nature
Animal protein, wheat, gluten, dairy, refined and processed
sugars are all high acidifying foods. Common substances like coffee, tea,
alcohol, tobacco are also acidic in nature.
To find a healthy lifestyle balance, your diet should
consist of 80 per cent alkaline forming foods and 20 per cent acid forming
foods.
Alkaline foods
The list includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, herbal
teas, seeds, green juice, melons, lemons and seeds are some of the best
alkaline foods.
With our busy schedules and no extra time in hands, we all
often end up eating processed food that are too acidic in nature due to their
high sugar content. To help you with this, here is a simple tip by nutritionist
Luke Coutinho that will help your alkaline your body in just 2 minutes.
The tip
The way that you breathe makes a lot of difference in your
body being acidic or alkaline. The deeper you breathe, the more alkalising is
the effect on your body. When you don’t breathe in a deep manner or take
shallow breaths, more carbon dioxide is trapped in your blood, which makes your
system highly acidic.
Shallow breathing also means that your stress, which makes
you produce more cortisol (stress) hormones, which leaves you with more toxins
in your blood making your body more acidic. Just by taking five deep breathes,
you put more oxygen in your system, that helps clean your system. The less the
carbon dioxide in our system, the less acidic is your body.
The simple exercise
Put one hand on the tummy and one on the chest. Now when you
inhale, your tummy should inflate and when you exhale, the opposite happens.
You can start by 4 seconds of deep inhale, 4 seconds of hold and 6 seconds of
exhaling. You can do it for five minutes a day to alkalise your body.
Alkaline Foods You Should Include in Your Daily Diet:
Green Leafy Vegetables:
Most green leafy vegetables are said to have an alkaline
effect in our system. It is not without reason that our elders and health
experts always advise us to include greens in our daily diet. They contain
essential minerals which are necessary for the body to carry out various
functions. Try including spinach, lettuce, kale, celery, parsley, argula and
mustard greens in your meals.
Cauliflower and Broccoli
If you love sautéed broccoli in Asian spices or gobi matar,
they are both good for you. They contain several phytochemicals that are
essential for your body. Toss it up with other veggies like capsicum, beans and
green peas and you have your health dose right there.
Citrus Fruits
Contrary to the belief that citrus fruits are highly acidic
and would have an acidic effect on the body, they are the best source of
alkaline foods. Lemon, lime and oranges are loaded with Vitamin C and are known
to help in detoxifying the system, including providing relief from acidity and
heart burn.
Root Vegetables
Root vegetables like sweet potato, taro root, lotus root,
beets and carrots are great sources of alkali. They taste best when roasted
with a little sprinkling of spices and other seasonings. Most often, they are
overcooked which makes them lose out all their goodness. Pay attention while
cooking and you will fall in love with root veggies as you learn to include
them in soups, stir-fries, salads and more.
Seasonal Fruits
Every nutritionist and health expert will tell you that
adding seasonal fruits in your daily diet can prove to be beneficial to your
health. They come packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that take
care of various functions in the body. They are good alkaline food sources too,
especially kiwi, pineapple, persimmon, nectarine, watermelon, grapefruit,
apricots and apples.
Nuts
Love to munch on nuts when hunger pangs kick in? Besides
being sources of good fats, they also produce an alkaline effect in the body.
However, since they are high in calories, it is important to have limited quantities
of nuts. Include cashews, chestnuts and almonds in your daily meal plan.
Onion, Garlic and Ginger
Among the most important ingredients in Indian cooking,
onion, garlic and ginger are great flavour enhancers too. You can use them in
numerous other ways - garlic to spruce up your morning toast, grated ginger in
your soup or tea, freshly sliced onions in salads, etc.
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