|
July 21, 2004 |
||
|
Eat Right for Your pH Type
Cornerstones of the Alkaline Power Food Plan The following foods form the centerpiece of your daily diet, with some exceptions depending on where you fall on the acid/alkaline spectrum. Remember, your body is unique and what’s right for your neighbor may not be right for you. Let your body be your guide when it comes to choosing servings. The acidity and alkalinity of all substances are expressed in terms of pH. Pure water has a pH close to neutral, or 7.00. Anything above 7.00 is an alkaline substance; anything below is acidic. In its natural, healthy state, your body is slightly alkaline, with a pH between 7.35 and 7.45. With this in mind, try to choose foods with a higher pH level that are less acidic. Fruits (check pH) Fruits are a treasure trove of vitamins A and C, numerous minerals, natural sugars, fiber and water. Some even contain protein and fat. Helps with: Protecting against cancer, heart problems, lowering levels of bad cholesterol, reducing heavy menstrual flow, strengthening immune system, protecting against allergies, arthritis, and PMS symptoms. Good sources: Stick with fresh, dried, or frozen if possible. Try to eat locally grown fruits in season, as they’ll be fresher and riper, and be sure to wash all fresh fruits before eating them. Try and eat the fruits whole or thinly peeled so you retain the nutrients in the skin. Caution: Stay away from fruit juices, or only drink them in very small amounts. Fruit juice is loaded with sugar, with none of the nutrient-enhancing fiber and digestive enzymes found in the fruit itself. Commercially sold fruit juice undergoes a pasteurization process that inactivates these enzymes. Also, avoid highly acidic fruits such as lemons, limes, and berries. Vegetables (check pH) Like fruit, vegetables are outstanding sources of many of the essential vitamins and minerals we need, providing bulk and fiber to our diet. Helps with: Menopause and heart health, reducing risk of cancer, coping with stress, allergies, strengthening immune system, PMS, excessive menstrual bleeding, cramps. Best sources: Try to eat as many raw vegetables as possible. Though these contain the highest levels of vitamins, quick-frozen and canned vegetables also preserve nutrients fairly well. Wash your vegetables well, and leave the skin intact or pare it thinly, because the skin has large amounts of nutrients. Legumes (check pH) Think beans. Baked, dried, canned, frozen. Legumes are excellent sources of low-fat protein, particularly when combined with whole grains. They’re also great sources of fiber, and their complex carbohydrates are broken down slowly in the body, benefiting women with blood sugar imbalances or diabetes. Helps with: Perimenopause and menopausal symptoms, lowering risk of breast cancer, heart health by regulating cholesterol levels. Good sources: Black beans, black-eyed peas, green beans and peas, kidney beans, lima beans, soybeans, mung beans, split peas, Great Northern beans, Garbanzo beans, cranberry beans. Ready-to-eat products include hummus and soy-based foods.
Nuts and seeds. (check pH) Nuts and seeds provide valuable nutrients, including protein, B-complex vitamins, vitamins A, D, and E, and numerous minerals. The essential fatty acids found in many seeds and nuts are also extremely important. Helps with: Menopausal symptoms, PMS, headaches, heart health, arthritis, immune function, fatigue. Good sources: Walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, hazelnuts, pecans, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds. Caution: Nuts and seeds may be difficult to digest for people who have fat intolerance. Ground flaxseeds are an exception, and can be eaten daily.
Fish and Poultry (check pH) Fish and poultry are excellent sources of high-quality protein. Many types of fish are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for controlling numerous reproductive and inflammatory processes. But you should still use fish and poultry sparingly; make them your side dish with grains and vegetables the main dish. Good sources: Poultry: Free-range chicken, turkey, and duck, goose, guinea hen. Freshwater fish: trout, perch, pike, whitefish, catfish, bass, blue gill, crappie, crayfish, carp. Saltwater fish: salmon, tuna, swordfish, shark, mackerel, sole, bluefish, flounder, red snapper, sardine, herring, smelt. Shellfish: crab, lobster, shrimp, scallop, abalone, oyster, mussel, clam. Whole Grains (check pH) The seeds of various grasses, whole grains are often referred to as cereals. They contain fiber, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins such as B-complex and E, and numerous minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper and manganese. They are also excellent sources of lignans, plant chemicals that act like mild estrogens in women, helping with numerous reproductive problems. The high fiber in whole grains also binds to estrogen in the intestinal tract, removing excess from your body, which helps with reproductive problems, particularly during perimenopause. Helps with: Perimenopausal problems, heart health by reducing cholesterol, fatigue. Best types: Rice (brown preferred), barley, oats, rye, millet, quinoa, amaranth, hominy grits. Caution: Stay away from wheat-based grains since many women find they’re intolerant to or allergic to them. Beverages (check pH) Water, whether mineral or distilled, is always your best bet. If possible, try to ensure high quality of drinking water by installing a home filtration system, using purification systems, buying spring water or distilled water, or using a well on your own property. As for other liquids, substitute soy or rice milk for cow’s milk. For a hot beverage, drink herbal or green tea, or a grain-based coffee substitute. Recommended daily intake: While we get about half our daily water from food, you probably need an additional 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to maintain your fluid levels, even more during hot weather and exercise, or when you’re sick or otherwise physically stressed. (check pH) Because you should stay away from excess salt, you’ll find that seasonings such as peppers, garlic, and herbs become, truly, the spice of life. Many of these herbs and other seasonings contain valuable minerals and vitamins, although we typically use them in quantities too small to have much nutritive value. Good sources: Hot peppers, garlic, canned olives, tahini, flax meal, seaweed (e.g., kelp), basil, dill, oregano, tarragon, ginger, licorice, cayenne, black pepper, and celery, mustard and poppy seeds. Sweeteners (check pH) The typical American diet has too much refined sugar, which plays havoc with our energy levels and mood. There are sweeteners, however, that provide some nutrients. Molasses, for instance, contains numerous minerals, including calcium, magnesium and iron, and is rich in B-complex and E vitamins. Good sources: Molasses, honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia.
Read More on pH Balance: Getting Started Tending Toward Acidity or a High-Alkaline Producer? Quiz: Are you Overly Acidic or a High Alkaline Producer? Keep it SIMPLE pH Balancing Tip Baking Soda Nutritional Therapies Plan Substitutions for Acidic Foods Complementary Therapies
|
||
|
||
|
home | contact
us | disclaimer| privacy policy | terms and conditions | press room
|
||
