2008 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 73 million adults were obese in that year. This trend appears to be slowing down but the high numbers are still a concern.
Diets rich in alkaline foods and low in acidic foods require consuming whole foods that are unprocessed. You must also reduce sugary and fatty foods from your diet. Alkaline-rich diets contain fewer calories than acidic diets and will allow your body to burn off more of the calories you consume. Alkaline diets can help you attain your weight loss goals.
What Alkaline pH is in Your Body
The power of hydrogen, otherwise known as pH, is your body’s internal scale of measurement. The scale measures how much hydrogen is in your body and will range from acidic to alkaline. A neutral pH is 7.0, but Peter Shepherd, author of Transforming the Mind, indicates you should keep pH slightly higher at 7.35 – 7.45.
Eating alkaline-rich foods will help raise your pH levels. Reducing how much acid is in your diet will also help raise your alkaline levels. Shepard recommends having a diet with 60 percent alkaline foods and only 40 percent acidic foods.
Types of Alkaline-Rich Foods For Your Diet
Raw fruits and vegetables are often found as alkaline foods. Examples of some alkaline-rich fruits are:
- lemons
- watermelons
- limes
- grapefruit
- mangoes
- papayas
- grapes
- kiwi
- blueberries
- pineapples
Some alkaline-rich vegetables are:
- asparagus
- onions
- raw spinach
- broccoli
- garlic
- green beans
- beets
- lettuce
- peas
Lose Weight By Burning Off More Calories Than You Consume
You must burn off more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. A certain amount of calories are required for normal body functions and digesting your food. Using exercise to burn calories is one approach to weight loss. The other way is to reduce how many extra calories are in your diet.
Benefits of Losing Weight and Having an Alkaline-Rich Diet
USA Today reported that being overweight is hazardous to your health. If you don’t have a healthy weight you run the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancers and other diseases.
Dr. Robert Atkins, author and health and diet expert, says diets rich in alkaline foods have many health benefits. With a slightly higher pH level, your body can neutralize and dispose of toxins better. A higher alkaline pH enables your body to fight more diseases and illnesses.
Too Much Alkaline Leads to Health Hazards
You should not have too high of an alkaline pH level though. Alkalosis is a medical condition that occurs when your pH is too alkaline for a long period of time. Symptoms of alkalosis are:
- confusion
- hand tremors
- light-headedness
- muscle twitches
- nausea
- vomiting
- numbness in extremities
- muscle spasms
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
References:
USA Today.com. "U.S. obesity rate leveling off, at about one-third of adults "(accessed October 20, 2010)
TheAlkalineDiet.org." Course"(accessed October 20, 2010)
Everydiet.org. "Acid Alkaline Diets "(accessed October 20, 2010)
Trans4mind. "About the people at Trans4mind.com "(accessed October 20, 2010)
Trans4mind. "Balancing Acid/Alkaline Foods "(accessed October 20, 2010)
MayoClinic.com. "Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories "(accessed October 20, 2010)
University of Maryland Medical Center. "Alkalosis – Overview" (accessed October 20, 2010)
Tamara Laschinsky - Health and wellness advocate, author, researcher and owner of Natural e GREEN: Natural Health & Wellness store!
Join the Conversation