It’s not a secret that different types of food have other effects on our bodies. But what makes food healthy, and how can we understand what makes it different from unhealthy options?

Our team at FinditHealth found that to determine the healthfulness of a food, it’s essential to look at it from an alkaline or acidic point of view. Keep reading to learn the difference between alkaline foods and acidic foods, and how to alkalize your body.

Acidic vs. Alkaline

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Looking at our bodies, many factors make cells and tissues work properly, such as hydration, temperature, availability of nutrients, and pH.

Ph balance refers to the potential of hydrogen and is the measurement of hydrogen ions in a solution.

This is an important term because our bodies are designed to operate within a very narrow pH range. This pH ranges from 0 to 14, with a pH of higher than seven in the alkaline range, less than seven being acidic, and a pH of 7 considered neutral. 

The goal is to stay in the alkalizing level or neutral and out of acidic terrority. Maintaining a healthy, balanced alkalize level ensures the body can properly function. Having an acidic body because of eating acid-forming foods can be very damaging and impairs the body’s ability to repair and detoxify. This further leaves you to be more susceptible to disease and illness. Common signs of acidosis are fatigue, brittle nails and hair, infections and allergies, arthritis, headaches, and heart problems. It’s also the reason behind many chronic diseases.

But not just the food we eat can cause an acidic environment. Acid is created by actions performed in our bodies. This can be digesting food, breathing, and even engaging and working muscles. Other factors that influence acid levels are toxins, pollution, stress, smoking, lack of sleep, or taking excess medications. 

Testing At Home

If you want to know whether you’re more alkaline or acidic, you can quickly test that at home. You should be able to find test strips at your local health food store or purchase them online. These will be used for your saliva or urine and typically show results within 15 minutes.

What To Drink To Alkalize The Body

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First, alkaline water and just a glass of water supports all your body functions and clears excess toxins.

Drinking half your body weight in ounces daily is recommended to keep your body hydrating and functioning optimally.

In addition to water, a cup of warm water with a squeeze of lemon first thing in the morning is a great drink to alkalize the body. Lemons are high-acid fruits that help make your body more alkaline and are an effective way to manage your pH levels. We recommend drinking lots of water throughout your day for optimal health.

Foods That Alkalize The Body: Alkaline Diet

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Food is alkalizing or acidifying based on the amount of acid waste produced when it’s digested. Our body is affected by these waste chemicals, not the actual acidity of the food.

Though we have our system to maintain alkalinity, we need to support it to work correctly and stay healthy.

A lot of us in the US especially have an acidic diet as our daily diet and this is due in part to the vast amounts of junk foods available on a daily basis.

This doesn’t mean that all we should eat are alkalizing foods. It’s commonly advised to opt for a balance of 80% alkaline-forming food and 20% acidic-forming food. The following foods are most recommended as alkalizing foods that should be eaten in abundance. 

• All green and raw vegetables
• Fruits like berries, grapes, apples, and melon
• Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and swiss chard
• Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower
• Root vegetables such as pumpkin, sweet potatoes, beets
• Grains like millet and quinoa
• Super greens such as wheatgrass
• Algae like spirulina and chlorella
• Spice such as onions, garlic, parsley, and ginger

Other ways to alkalize your body 

As mentioned above, our food choices are not be-all and end-all. Like other factors that can cause acidosis, there are also different ways of shifting yourself back towards alkalinity. So if you want to support this process further, here’s what you can do.

• Practice eating mindfully and be careful not to overeat. Eat slowly, and we recommend chewing each bite with mindful intention.
• Have a daily meditation and breathwork practice to reduce stress
• Throw away all makeup, shampoo, cleaning products, and even air fresheners that have toxic ingredients. Instead, find and use natural products with natural and minimal ingredients.
• Spend more time outside in nature and make walking a daily goal. Walking helps to move the acidic waste in your body so it can eliminate it better.

Alkalize Your Body: The Benefits 

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Numerous benefits of an alkaline diet impact you physically and mentally. By living a lifestyle that promotes alkalizing, you will have a more profound, more restful sleep and increased energy overall. You will also reduce infections such as candida and proper cell functioning.

Other benefits are improved mental acuity, enhanced memory and cognition, and better overall health in general. Lastly, with an alkalizing diet, losing weight and improving your cardiovascular health will be easier. 

It seems like following the guidelines of eating alkaline is also very similar to eating nourishing whole plant-based foods. Foods from the earth are full of high mineral and vitamin content that has a substantial positive effect on our whole body. By keeping our alkaline levels balanced, our body can speed up healing and help prevent future diseases.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What are the best foods to Alkalize your body?

The best foods to eat to alkalize your body are all vegetables and fruits especially leafy greens. In addition, root vegetables like pumpkin, beets, and sweet potatoes can be excellent for an alkaline diet. 

What can I drink to alkaline my body?

First, adequate water intake supports all your body functions and clears excess toxins. Drinking half your body weight in ounces daily is recommended to keep your body hydrating and functioning optimally. In addition to water, a cup of warm water with a squeeze of lemon first thing in the morning is a great drink to alkalize the body.

Does apple cider vinegar Alkalize the body?

Apple Cider Vinegar will balance your body’s pH levels and has an alkalizing effect on the body. While acidic, it promotes an alkaline environment inside your body with how it’s broken down and digested.

Conclusion – Research by Findithealth.com

The key concept here is that healthy, alkalizing foods are natural foods from the earth. It’s that simple and easy to keep the body alkaline and healthy. 

We suggest eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, getting sufficient sleep, and reducing your stress level to help restore and balance your body’s pH. By living in harmony with the above and including it in your lifestyle, you can reap the many benefits of an alkalizing diet.