Alkaline diet is defined as a diet program which helps to maintain the blood Ph levels in it's natural state between 7.35 and 7.45, thereby helping our body in absorption in vitamins and minerals resulting in weight loss. Today, our diet contains more acidities leading to chronic illness and loss of health. By increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, it helps to reduce the intake of meat, salt, and refined starches,thereby benefiting our health. It is recommended by some practitioners if a person has the following symptoms of lack of energy, excessive mucous production, nasal congestion, over weight, etc. Please consult your doctor before applying.
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The Alkaline Diet Strategy
Say Good-Bye To Low Energy, Poor Digestion
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The Secrets Behind Curing Your GERD With an Alkaline Diet
Is it really possible to cure your GERD with an alkaline diet? Here's some stuff that your doctor or gastro-enterologist probably failed to tell you, or spoke in a soft squeaky voice enough for you not to pay any attention to it.
If you have done careful research on conventional methods vs the natural methods of treating GERD or Acid Reflux, you probably know that what conventional medicine is more after is treating your symptoms and masking the pain. More commonly known as the "band aid" approach, rarely does it look for the root problem.
People who are suffering from this condition or any digestive disorder for that matter know this. They visit their doctor, receive a consultation, get a series of tests (e.g. ultrasound, blood test, endoscopy - which is normal and highly recommendable), come up with an accurate diagnosis, and then what?... You guessed it right. Here come the endless prescriptions, ranging from antacids to purple pills, and liquid stuff that's supposed to keep your acid locked up where it should be, and out of the esophageal area.
And the cycle repeats itself until either one of two things happen. You are "cured" from your GERD, only to find it re-appearing later in your life and at a far worse condition than when you started treatment. Or the medicines don't work, you rush back to your doctor and what does he do? He gives you a stronger dose of the same medication, and/or adds to that another pill that he claims will do so and so, and aid this and that. Yup, the "band-aid" approach. Never worked for me.
The natural approach on the other hand focuses on just what exactly is the problem, and addresses it head on. An alkaline diet is just one of the many tried and proven treatments that are available to cure your GERD, because in reality, it is not a disease but a condition. You can't cure a disease, but you can most definitely cure a condition.
Here are some things that can help you cure your GERD with an alkaline diet -
1. For the first few days, go on a soft liquid diet. This is to allow your esophagus time to rest and heal itself. Avoid eating all spicy and fried foods. Don't worry, this isn't forever. Drink one tablespoon of honey before bedtime, and if experiencing any symptoms of reflux.
2. Make it a habit to avoid all forms of highly acidic foods. There are food charts available that list groups from slightly acidic, to acidic and highly acidic.
3. Likewise do the exact opposite. Go for foods that are highly alkaline. Here's a list of some very alkaline foods to give you a headstart: asparagus, broccoli, grapefruit, lemons, mangoes, onions, parsley, spinach, ginger tea, fresh vegetable juices, watercress, and yellow beans
4. Practice proper food combining consistently - let's face it. It's hard to eat one type of food group alone. That's what this is for. Proper food combining shows you what types of foods are compatible with each other, and help you experience painless digestion (something that you may have missed already, if you have been suffering from acid reflux for a long time).
Proper Food Combining is key in curing most, if not all Digestive Disorders, which incidentally, are the #1 reason people visit their doctors today.
Find out how you can enjoy almost any food and indulge in it painlessly by visiting http://painlessdigestion.info right now before you're stuck with cereal and cabbage for the rest of your life!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Alden
Recommended Reading
The Alkaline Diet Strategy
Say Good-Bye To Low Energy, Poor Digestion
, Extra pounds, Aches and Pains, and Diseases
You might not know it...but that orange you ate with breakfast was alkalizing to your system. And that's a good thing.
Let's forget for a moment that you just added some much needed vitamin C and thousands of phytonutrients to your body. But did you know that you've actually taken a step in maintaining a healthy pH balance? .... But that orange had an acid pH, didn't it?
It is little known that the the acidity of the orange itself (or any citrus fruit) has nothing to do with the residue in the body after digestion. The potassium and calcium found the orange are essential minerals that are left behind to balance the the body's pH.
The body's pH is that of its tissue and fluids, after all of the digestive processes are complete. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium that are extracted through this process help the body balance the pH levels against too much acidity or alkalinity.
It has been widely accepted for some time now that many chronic conditions may be caused or exacerbated by over acidity. This is not at all a recent finding. As a matter of fact, A New Health Era, by Dr. William Howard Hay, stated that most diseases were caused by acid buildup in the body. This book was published in 1933.
Many books have been published since, which either address or focus on the topic of over-acidity as it relates to disease. Another well known book is Alkalize or Die, by Dr. Theodore A Baroody, which states that the cause of countless illnesses is 'too much tissue acid waste in the body!'.
Now here's the disturbing part:
Did you know that most Americans have an acid body pH due to the Standard American Diet (SAD)? There is most definitely a correlation between what we eat and the large percentage of our population having chronic health issues.
Even mild acidosis can lead to weight gain, premature aging, low energy, arthritis and joint pain, muscle pain, diabetes, cardiovascular damage, kidney stones and disease, osteoporosis, immune deficiency, and acceleration of free radical damage, even contributing to cancer.
Acid waste accumulates in the blood and then the kidneys, which then become overtaxed leading to kidney disease. Acid waste in the blood causes imbalanced pancreatic fluids which then impairs the production of insulin, resulting in diabetes. An acidic pH balance also causes the inability of cells to burn energy efficiently, causing toxic residues around the cell, and related inflammation. This results in obesity and can cause a host of other inflammatory conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune disorders, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, (stay tuned for the next report on Inflammation and Disease).
Acidifying foods include meats, dairy and grain. Additionally, sugar, coffee, and soft-drinks, and especially artificial sweeteners, are extremely acidifying. Even prescription drugs, on which 80% of our population depends, leave a trail of acid waste in our bodies.
Is it no wonder we have such widespread illness in our country?
While our diet consists primarily of the most acidifying foods, the FDA has increased the recommended daily intake of fresh fruit and vegetables per day to 5-9 servings from the previous 3-5 servings.
But Americans eat only 1.5 servings of fruits and 4 servings of vegetables per day. And less than 25% meet the minimum recommended 5 servings each day.
According to this FDA report, "Every fruit and vegetable has a unique assortment of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber". And, "consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables is superior to eating a narrow range of these foods for health maintenance and disease prevention."
Even bearing in mind the total proportion of fruits and vegetables you eat in a day, be aware that fresh fruits and vegetables provide far more nutrients, while cooking them destroys vitamins, breaks down phytochemicals, and kills live enzymes essential to healthy digestion and absorption.
What to do?
Balance your diet with alkalizing foods. Try to make fresh fruits and vegetables at least 50% of what you consume every day. What you eat will pay off in prevention.
Sure, you might think, Tums, Rolaids, or even baking soda would be alkalizing, but going that route would mean you'd be missing out on a ton of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that your body needs!
Alkalizing foods include fish, fresh fruits (and yes, lemons, limes and oranges!), vegetables, herbs, nuts, and seeds. Many acid/alkaline food charts area available, but consult a couple to get a complete picture. One that I like to consult is http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm.
Test yourself
Healthy pH levels are between 7.35 and 7.9. If you are unsure of your body's acid / alkaline balance, you can easily find this out using some home test kits.
Very affordable pH test strips can be found in many drug stores and online pharmacies or vendors. These should be used a couple of times a week, testing an hour before and a couple of hours after a meal. Both Urine and Saliva pH tests produce indicators which can help you determine how you are doing in your efforts to achieve your pH balance.
Balance your body's pH and detoxify!
You may think it unreasonable to fit so many fruits and vegetables into your daily diet, but if you make small changes over a period of time then you can at least improve your habits. For example, if you replace the chips you have with your sandwich to baby carrots (still crunchy!) or fruit, and do this for 21 days, then you have created a new habit.
For a convenient way to a pH balanced body, and to boost your body's immune system against free radical damage, try the convenient liquid delivery system of a scientifically blended Limuplus, which contains the extremely beneficial sea kelp Limu Moui, with Russian adaptogens. Your body will thank you!
Eat well, live well!
Vicki Berry
I am a nutrition nut, and I am driven to help educate others in the persuit of good health and wellness through nutrition. I believe that prevention is worth 100x the cure, and no matter what, our bodies are designed to heal themselves given the proper nutrition.
For many other articles on general nutritional topics which I may not yet have transferred to eZine, visit my blog at http://NutritionToWellness.blogspot.com
To Your Health!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vicki_Berry
Recommended ReadingThe Alkaline Diet Strategy
Say Good-Bye To Low Energy, Poor Digestion
, Extra pounds, Aches and Pains, and Diseases
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