Acid Alkaline Diet For Dummies
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Sticking to an acid alkaline diet may seem overwhelming at first, but the health benefits are worth it. Figuring out how to make better choices for your pH — with food and lifestyle — is a great start. It’s beneficial to know which ingredients to embrace and which ones to avoid, as well as identifying the alkalinizing super foods that can help you regain balance quickly. Although you don’t have to test your pH, it’s a handy tool to measure your success on this diet.

How to make better choices for your pH

Your pH balance is inextricably tied to one factor – your choices. Everything hinges on this balance including your health, longevity, and even propensity for disease. Easy ways to make better choices every day include:

  • Choose white meat, seafood, or a meat substitute over red meat.

  • Rather than rolls or fries, choose yeast-free bread or wild rice.

  • Rather than cow’s milk, drink soy or almond milk.

  • Create meals around vegetables, rather than meat or starches.

  • Exchange alcoholic beverages for sparkling water.

  • Fill your plate with plant foods first, leaving little room for acid-forming options.

  • Choose veggies with dip or grilled fruit over prepackaged snacks.

  • Cook with cold-pressed olive oil, not saturated fats or butter.

  • Avoid hidden acids by requesting dressings, condiments, and sauces on the side.

  • Choose a 30-minute walk over a 30-minute TV sitcom.

  • Reduce stress. Take up meditation, yoga, or some other relaxing method to restore peace.

How to check your body's pH level

Testing urine pH is a simple way to monitor the effects of your acid alkaline diet. It’s not absolutely necessary, but readings can help you tailor the acid alkaline diet to your needs. Testing daily, in the early morning, is advised.

  1. Remove one test strip or rip a three-inch piece off of the roll.

  2. Begin to void and release about two seconds worth of urine (the initial urine stream is more acidic from sitting in your body).

  3. Place the piece of paper or strip directly in the urine stream until it’s thoroughly moistened.

  4. Check the results immediately by comparing the color on your strip or paper to the keyed color chart on your bottle or in the packaging.

    The pH number that best corresponds to your color is your urine’s pH measurement.

  5. Write down your results for future reference.

  6. Discard the used strip. They are not reusable.

Repeat the test as often as you desi

Alkalinizing super foods for your pH-balancing diet

Are some natural foods even better than others? When it comes to restoring the pH balance in your body to a more alkaline state, absolutely. The top ten super foods that can help combat acidity and restore your pH balance are

  • Lemon

  • Avocado

  • Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower)

  • Seaweed (think sushi)

  • Pumpkin seeds

  • Sea salt

  • Soy (think tofu)

  • Kale

  • Garlic

  • Mineral water

And now for the top five worst foods for your pH balance. Not only are they acid-forming in your body, enjoying these foods frequently can lead to chronic diseases such as a heart attack or diabetes.

  • Fatty cuts of beef

  • Processed or prepackaged foods (hot dogs)

  • Fried food

  • Soda

  • Beer

How to exchange common ingredients for better pH results

If you want to restore your body’s pH balance, you need to make your meals more alkaline. Use the substitutes here to move away from foods that form acid as they’re digested:

Instead of This Use This
Butter Clarified butter or cold-pressed olive oil
Canned fruit Frozen fruit (without additives)
Coffee Herbal tea
Condiments Fresh herbs and spices
Creamer Almond milk
Flour Finely crushed skinless almonds
Gelatin Agar –agar
Navy beans Lentils
Peanuts Almonds or chestnuts
Red meat Poultry or firm tofu
Soda Sparkling water
Sugar Stevia or clover honey
White potatoes Sweet potatoes
White rice Wild or basmati rice
Whole eggs Egg whites
Yeast Baking soda and lemon juice
Yeast breads Sprouted grains

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

A patient advocate and active registered nurse, Julie Wilkinson RN, BSN has achieved multiple commendations during her career, including the Meritorious Achievement Medal for Civilian Service from the Department of Defense. She is the Guide to Colon Cancer on About.com and writes for many healthcare publications as a freelancer, including LiveSTRONG.com.

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