We all try our best to eat healthy, lose weight and stay active. The main premise behind most of our healthy living actions is to prevent chronic diseases from occurring, and one new trend is to eat a more alkaline diet.

Most of us don’t even think our regular diets can be acidic or alkaline; but, there is evidence to suggest that eating foods that are too high in acid forming ingredients, can put us at risk for chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Tumors and cancer cells survive better in an acidic environment, and they even produce acid in addition. This means that even people who have conditions such as fibroids may be consuming a diet high in acid forming foods
Acid forming foods have a pH of 4.6 or lower.

These include sugar, red meat, corned beef and processed meats, dairy products, certain grains such as white rice and wheat, some high protein foods and of course, processed foods, alcohol, soft drinks and sweetened beverages. Soft drinks and sweetened beverages in particular are very acidic coupled with the fact that they are not healthy for you.

The acid found in soft drinks has a pH of about 2.5, while battery acid’s pH is 1.0. This means you can rust a nail inside a bottle of soft drink or use the liquid to remove rust and tough stains from your toilet bowl! In comparison, the pH of pure water is 7.0.

A possible solution to this can be the alkaline diet. This diet is based on the concept that you can improve your body’s overall health, based on eating foods that are slightly alkaline. The idea is that acid forming foods put your body under more stress in an attempt to balance its pH when it is metabolizing the food. This in turn, puts you at higher risk for diseases such as brittle bones and cancer.

What types of food should one eat that are alkaline? For carbohydrates, try to eat root vegetables such as onions, carrots, sweet potatoes and our local Nigerian yam.

Good local grains to eat include fonio (acha) and millet. Ginger, sea salt, most nuts and seeds are also considered alkaline. Most green leafy vegetables such as spinach, cucumber, celery, ugwu and kale are alkaline as well. While fruits might seem acidic to the taste, they are actually alkaline once consumed. These fruits include watermelon, pineapple, honeydew melon, limes, lemon and paw paw. Lemon in particular is surprisingly highly medicinal and helps alkalinizes the body. A good health tip is to squeeze the juice of one lemon in a mug of hot spring/mineral water and drink it every morning on an empty stomach. This is in addition to eating a healthy balanced diet.

The benefits of an alkaline diet includes boosting the immune system, fighting cancer cells, weight loss, more energy, clearer skin, a better digestion and a sharper memory.

In general, alkaline foods tend to be focused on making healthier options such as eating more fruits and vegetables, so we are all urged to reduce eating foods or drinks that are of no nutritional benefit, and improve on our consumption of healthy, nutrient rich foods.

When you are eating your next meal, your plate should be 50-75% leafy greens and vegetables, 25% healthy protein and 25% complex carbohydrates. This reference can make it easy for you to make sure you are getting a balanced meal all the time.
Have a happy and healthy week!