Are you around 7.4 Alkaline? Do you eat foods which are low pH (1-5)? Why is it important to think about this?
And did you know Sugar is eight times as addictive as cocaine?
In this article today from www.thebodycamp.com in Ibiza, we will cover the dangers of the “drug” sugar and think about your pH levels.
Being addicted to sugar and flour is not an emotional eating disorder, it’s a biological disorder, driven by hormones and neurotransmitters that fuel sugar and refined carbohydrate cravings, which can lead to uncontrolled overeating.
This is not a limited phenomenon. It’s the reason why nearly 70 percent of adult Americans and 40 percent of children in that amazing country are overweight.
In one study, Harvard scientists found that a high-sugar milkshake not only spiked blood sugar and insulin and led to sugar cravings, but it caused huge changes in the brain.
The sugar lit up the addiction centre in the brain like the sky on the fifth of November! Think “cocaine” cookies, “morphine” muffins, or “smack” energy drinks.
The Standard American Diet (SAD) tends to be highly acidic, containing lots of processed foods, sugars, meats, dairy, grains, fast foods, coffee, and sometimes alcohol.
A typical anti-inflammatory nutrition plan (like 7.4 Alkaline) on the other hand, contains lots of fruits, greens and veggies, which are more alkaline or based in nature – therefore reducing the risks of disease, low energy and cancers etc.
While the human body needs to remain on the slightly alkaline side of neutral (7.4 pH), it’s important to remember it’s all a balancing act. If you strive for a low acidic diet for your health and eat only alkaline foods, your body can actually become too alkaline, or in a state of alkalosis. This can lead to a host of other symptoms ranging from light-headedness to confusion.
Many foods that you might think would be acidic, like lemons and limes, are actually alkaline once metabolised. So it’s important to take into account which foods are acidic versus alkaline after they are metabolised, as that’s what matters to the body.
Sugar and artificial sweeteners are highly acidic foods, which is one of the reasons the consumption of sweets has recently been linked to so many health ailments.
Here is a range of foods from the highly acidic (pH2) to the highly alkaline (ph10). We are aiming to eat foods which are high on the pH scale (above pH6). Note how pH 1-5 are foods are mostly processed.Look how pH 10 are the king of all healthy foods!
Move away from these…
Highly Acidic: Vinegar (pH 2)
Highly Acidic: Sodas, energy drinks, carbonated water, sweets, cakes etc (pH 3)
Medium Acidity: Alcohol, coffee, black tea, cheese, milk, yogurt, distilled water, chocolate, flours, roasted nuts, beef, pork, wheat, pastas, pastries, breads, crackers (pH 4-5)
Move towards these…
Low Acidity: Fresh fish, beans, coconut, brown rice, coconut milk, wild salmon, wild oats, cooked spinach (pH 6)
Neutral: Clean water (pH 7)
Low Alkalinity: Apples, almonds, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, pineapples, strawberries, bananas, cherries etc (pH 8)
Medium Alkalinity: Avocados, lettuce, celery, peas, sweet potatoes, blueberries, pears, grapes, kiwis, beets, melons, mangos, papayas (pH 9)
Highly Alkaline: Spinach, broccoli, artichoke, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, cucumber, carrots, seaweed, asparagus, kale, most greens, onions (pH 10)
Testing Your pH Levels
One indicator of the body becoming too acidic is an increased respiratory rate. In fact, if your body is too acidic, you won’t be able to hold your breath for more than about 20 seconds.
The most common pH test is a urine test. While you can test your own urine using pH litmus test paper, it’s more accurate and recommended to have your doctor do a urine test for you.
Think natural, eat natural and don’t get S.A.D!
Rick Parcell
Mindful Master Coach & Programme Creator
Some concepts have been sourced from www.success.com and this website is definitely worth looking at.