Healthy From the Inside Out: Alkaline Diet

After a long day at work, it is easy to get home, open the fridge and grab anything that looks delicious, quick, and simple to make. But we all know that the right choice is not always the easiest one.

In fact, our Western diet, as well as poor lifestyle choices (such as smoking, alcohol, and an irregular/absent exercise routine), can lead to a pH imbalance in the body.

An imbalanced pH is the precursor to health issues.

How is this possible? Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp offers a great analogy that underscores the importance of maintaining the correct pH levels. She states:

“Imagine this: Cynthia just hosted a big dinner party. The kitchen is a mess, there is food everywhere, but instead of cleaning up she leaves everything where it is and goes on vacation. When she comes home two weeks later, an awful stench greets her at the door, and she notices vermin and insects have taken over the household. Baffled, she calls an exterminator. The exterminator gets rid of the pests but warns her that if she doesn’t clean up, the insects and vermin will return. Had Cynthia just cleaned her house in the first place, this even bigger mess could have been avoided all together.”

This analogy effectively explains that if we don’t get rid of our bad eating habits, we increase our risk of illness. Even if doctors come along and solve our issue temporarily, the risk of re-developing an illness remains.

This is because pH imbalances cause the body to be in a highly acidic state. Generally, our body is able to fight off acidity thanks to our buffering system. However, when we perpetually subject our body to bad lifestyle choices, our body loses the ability to recover quickly from its acidic state.

Too much acidity can lead to chronic diseases (including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, obesity).

In her book “Hack Your Habits,” Dr. Nathalie Beauchamp, outlines some of the common signs acidity in the body:

• Weight gain
• Obesity
• Fatigue & Low energy
• Hormonal issues
• Osteoporosis
• Diabetes
• Joint Pain
• Slow Digestion
• Constipation
• Headaches
• The tendency to become easily sick

So, what can we do to prevent acidity in our body? The best thing we can do is eat alkalizing foods and drink alkaline water to support our optimal pH balance so we can feel our best.

How Alkaline Food Can Support Your Health

When our body is in an alkaline state, and therefore balanced, we feel strong, energized, and ready to conquer the world. When our body is out of balance due to excess acidity, we may feel sluggish, tired, and generally unwell. Food plays a huge role in the way we feel since it has the power to impact our overall pH balance.

As a consequence, eating alkaline foods (such as the ones listed in the chart below), can restore balance in our body and can help us feel more energised, strong, and healthy.

Alkaline foods support our health because they are full of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and essential fatty acids. Minerals are especially important because they work to perform hundreds of roles in the body, including buffering excess acidity that can otherwise lead to health problems.

Does this mean we have to avoid our favourite unhealthy foods altogether?

No! At Santevia, we do not believe in cutting out completely all your favourite (but often unhealthy!) foods. We live by the 80/20 rule. If 80% of your diet is alkaline, why should you refrain from dedicating that remaining 20% to comfort foods?

Take a look at the following list of alkaline foods and acidic foods so that you can plan and prepare your next alkaline meals. Trying out new recipes is always a great way to become familiar with the high alkaline foods. Check out our Creamy Zucchini Pasta to discover a simple and delicious alkaline meal.

Alkaline Food List

Acidic Food List

How Mineralized Alkaline Water Can Support Your Health

When we think of healthy eating, we don’t immediately think of healthy drinking. However, drinking healthy fluids is just as important as nourishing your body with healthy whole foods.

Although most of our minerals come from our food, they are still not enough to provide our body with everything it needs in order to perform at its best.

Many people take supplements, but did you know that you can also absorb minerals through your water?

Drinking mineralized alkaline water supports your body’s need for minerals and its benefits include:

1. Better hydration
2. The absorption of antioxidants (thanks to the added minerals)
3. Healthy skin
4. Increase in energy (thanks to the minerals that act as electrolytes)
5. Reduction of acidity
6. Balancing the pH of the body
7. Elimination of toxins
8. Improved focus and mental clarity

It’s important to take note of the type of water you’re drinking as most water filters strip water of the minerals that are essential to your health.

Drinking demineralized water can be harmful to your health as it increases the risk of developing mineral deficiencies. Other health risks associated with drinking demineralized water are:

1. Higher risk of mineral deficiencies
2. A decreased metabolic function
3. Electrolyte imbalances
4. A failure to replace minerals that have been lost through sweat
5. Fatigue
6. Muscle cramps
7. Headaches
8. Impaired heart rate
9. Organ failure

Of course, the symptoms mentioned above are extreme.

However, if demineralized water is paired with an imbalanced and acidic diet, as well as a poor exercise routine as well as bad lifestyle habits (such as smoking and an excessive amount of alcohol), the likelihood of incurring one of the issues mentioned above is much higher.

Support Your Health With an Alkaline Diet

Alkaline foods deliver the nutrients your body needs to thrive and stay in balance. It's best to avoid or eat fewer highly processed foods as these items contribute to excess acidity in the body, increasing your risk of illness.

Mineralized alkaline water supports your health by balancing excess acidity and delivering essential minerals that your body needs to feel its best. Drinking alkaline water is easy with a Santevia water filtration system. Unlike any other water filtration company, Santevia does not only remove contaminants from your water - it also adds back healthy minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other trace minerals which makes the water alkaline and raises the pH by up to 2.0.

So remember: getting and staying healthy doesn’t need to be difficult. You can easily prioritize your health by choosing to eat an alkaline diet and drinking mineralized alkaline water.