Holli Thompson

Your Body’s PH and YOU

Craving more meat and animal protein in the colder weather? You’re not alone. Many people do this time of year. And yet venturing too far down that path may not be the best for your health for many reasons.

Excessive meat consumption has been linked to higher cancer rates, heart disease, and digestive disorders. Meat takes longer than most foods to digest, and has a longer transit time in your digestive system than plant-based foods, like vegetables, fruits or seeds.

And then there’s the pH theory of nutrition. Animal proteins create an acidic environment in your body as they are digested, and your body neutralizes in order to maintain the slightly alkaline environment it prefers.

Because your body likes to be slightly alkaline, if you eat too many foods that are acidic, it will scramble to return itself to the right pH balance. Your pH is the number that measures how acidic or alkaline something is (A pH of 7 is neutral). Maintaining a proper pH is important for digestion, energy, clear skin, and your overall well being.

It’s surprisingly easy to re-balance, however, so don’t despair. If you’ve been splurging this season, try to incorporate the following alkaline foods into your diet on a regular basis:

Avocados
Fruits
Leafy green veggies
Nuts
Quinoa
Root vegetables
Sea vegetables
Beans and Legumes

Here’s a good rule of thumb: try to eat alkaline foods 80% of the time, and allow for acidic foods for the remaining 20%. (See why I’m always sharing green smoothies?)
That means avoid too much of the following acidic foods:

Alcohol
Animal proteins, ie beef, chicken, pork, etc.
Coffee and black tea
Dairy products
Processed foods
Soda
Sugar of any kind (including honey)
Vinegar

The pH theory is a bit controversial. Skeptics argue that the body maintains its pH in the healthy range, no matter what you eat, except in extreme circumstances.

That’s probably true, but why not help your body out, and allow it to spend it’s energy doing more important things, like fighting off disease? There’s no disputing that adding more vegetables while minimizing alcohol, meat, dairy, and other animal proteins is a healthier way to live. The positive results will reflect back in your overall health.

The pH concept is a great way to monitor where you’re getting your nutrition, so I say, give it a go. It supports minimizing those BAD BOYS like processed foods and dairy, after all.

Ready to get started? One easy thing to do is incorporate more Superfood meals into your diet. Start your day in an alkaline way with this new recipe for Quinoa and Chocolate Breakfast Pudding. Delicious, too!

And, for a great snack, check out my favorite recipes for Crispy Kale Chips here, and here.

What do you think? Is this a helpful way to look at things?
Here’s to a balanced 2015,

Holli