Why You Should be Drinking Alkaline Water and How to Make it

Sheleana Jennings | youngandraw.com

What’s in your water?

Image: valsocal.blogspot.com

When you think about your personal health and nutrition goals, what food or nutrients do you usually consider to be most important? Consider this: Our brains are made up of about 70% water, our bodies about 80%, surely water should be considered one of the most important things we put into our body on a daily basis. Each morning when you rise, you are already 2 cups dehydrated.

To enhance your daily protocol whatever it may be now, you can do 1 simple thing that will give you more energy, help you focus, and reduce cravings. Can you guess what that 1 thing is going to be? Upon waking, drink 1 litre of filtered alkaline water. This is something Caleb and I were  advised to do by Preet at Organic Lives in Vancouver, BC when we began our journey with raw foods.

Your Tap water is generally a mixture of chlorine, anti-biotics, hormones and other metals that will go straight into your system.

Impure water can cause a weakened immune system and an array of other illnesses that occur when the immune system is vulnerable. You’re also in danger should anything contaminate the public water sources. I’m sure from time to time you’ve heard or read about the acid/alkaline balance that’s so crucial to staying healthy. When our bodies are too acidic, we experience low energy, fatigue, digestive issues, weight gain and other side effects that are completely avoidable just by drinking pure water and eating fresh organic vegetables with a healthy acid/alkaline balance.

Alkalinity is the key to a healthy immune system

Use an alkaline water filtration system whenever possible. Alkaline filtration systems can be costly, ranging from 1-3k, however you are able to find personal alkaline wands at your local health food store for around $30. Ideally, fresh spring water is the absolute best water for you to drink. Find a Spring is a website that was created for the sole purpose of helping you find the closest springs near your area.

You can find a natural spring near you at this website.

Should you happen to be the resourceful type, we’ve shared a home made alkaline water recipe that was given to us by Preet Marwaha over at Organic Lives in Vancouver, BC.

Alkaline water recipe:

1 Pitcher (64 ounces) of clean filtered water (if tap water is all that is available, use that. The cleaner the better)
1 Organic Lemon, washed, cut into eighths
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt (this is optional and will mineralize your Alkaline Water)

Directions: Fill pitcher, add in Lemon wedges (do not squeeze!). Then add 1 tsp. Himalayan Pink Salt, cover, and let sit overnight (8-12 hrs.) at room temperature. Wake up and drink 3
glasses first thing for best Alkaline balance in your body.

Source: youngandraw.com

Here Are the 8 Most Alkaline Foods

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Image: Live Love Fruit

Pretty much every fruit and vegetable has an alkaline effect on the body, however, a select few (listed below) are those which rank highest among the plant family. It is also important to note that most of these vegetables and fruits are best eaten raw, because cooking raising acidic levels.

Our body is designed to be alkaline – our blood has a pH of 7.365, which is slightly alkaline and it will do whatever it can to regulate our pH levels. The Standard American Diet, consumed by a large portion of the population, is the main culprit causing our body to be in a constant state of acidity. Consuming highly acidic foods like processed foods, soda, junk foods, meat, eggs, and dairy, strips our bones from crucial minerals in order to buffer the acidity and do its best to keep our body in an alkaline state. This leads to things like osteoporosis and other degenerative diseases.

In fact, major illnesses that plague the majority of the planet are caused by a high-acid diet, leading to things like heart disease, stroke, cancer, skin disorders, auto-immune conditions, allergies – the list goes on. You might feel fine now but your body will eventually grow out of it’s optimal pH balance and you will become victim of some disease or illness.

Here is a list of 8 alkaline foods you should be consuming every day, or every second day!

Kale

All leafy greens are alkaline forming. Kale is especially high in alkaline-forming minerals like calcium and magnesium, and is one of the most mineral dense greens out there! Kale is a power food, and has a major chlorophyll component which attributes to it’s amazing alkaline properties. Thanks to kale’s glucosinolate compounds, it has the ability to fight off cancer too!

Lemons

You might be confused by seeing lemon on the high-alkaline list. Lemons are actually incredibly high in alkaline minerals like potassium, magnesium and sodium which have alkalizing effects on the body. The citric acid in lemons, in its natural state, is highly acidic. However, when consumed, this citric acid gets metabolized and has a wonderful alkaline effect on the body.

Broccoli

Broccoli is packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals which have alkalizing effects on the body. They contain vitamin’s C, K and A, as well as minerals like manganese, potassium, iron and protein (not to mention folate and tonnes of fiber!). They also contain sulforaphane which is a great cancer-fighting compound!

Celery

Celery is one of the most alkaline foods you can eat! It quickly neutralizes acids and is high in potassium and sodium which makes it a great diuretic (helps rid the body of excess fluid). Celery is also a very high-water content food, so it helps hydrate and nourish the cells in your body.

Avocado

Avocados are very high in potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium and copper (as well as a variety of vitamins like A, B, C, and E), making it a great alkaline forming food! They are rich in health-promoting essential fatty acids which actually help promote weight loss. They are not only healthy-fat rich, but they are water-rich too! This helps flush out acidic waste, and promotes a more alkaline environment in the body.

Red Pepper

Most peppers, including cayenne peppers, have a pH above 8 which helps transform acidic foods, raising the body’s overall alkaline level. Cut up some red pepper in your salad, or eat it like an apple! Consuming raw foods maintains an alkaline state in the body, whereas cooked foods are more acidifying.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are wonderful for the skin and are highly alkaline. They are composed of up to 95% water and packed with vitamin’s C and K as well as minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium and molybdenum. Most of the minerals are in the skin of the cucumber, so be sure to include the skin when you are consuming since the minerals are what keep the body in an alkaline state.

Spinach

Spinach is one of the top alkaline foods you should include in your diet. It is considered a dark leafy green, packed with nutrients like vitamins A, K, C, B1, B2, B3, B6 and E. It is also loaded with minerals that provide the body with amazing alkaline effects such as manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and folate. Spinach is very chlorophyll rich too, which acts as an alkalizer and brings your body back to the optimal 7.4 range.

Source: Live Love Fruit

Alkaline blood vs acidic blood

When the body has a low ph, or is acidic, pathogens thrive and cancer forms.

Try to eat alkaline foods, and if you are acidic, baking soda can lemon water are 2 good ways to balance out your ph and lower your chances of getting sick.  Also, try to avoid processed sugar and alcohol to help correct your ph.

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Why you should eat citrus regularly

From legendary antioxidant properties to fresh breath, citrus fruits have a variety of flavors and health benefits.  

Here are a few of the benefits of eating citrus fruits!

Oranges:  Oranges are packed with vitamin C, the detox vitamin, and flavanoids which remove free radicals and help reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

Grapefruit:  Grapefruit lowers cholesterol, helps lose excess weight, and helps prevent certain types of cancer.

Mandarins:  Hesperidin, a flavanoid present in mandarin oranges, works together with vitamin C to produce collagen making it a valuable snack for the beauty conscious.

Limes:  Lime juice can be used to help become more alkaline.  Limes have more vitamin C then lemons and are also helpful with constipation.  Limes are good for the skin and can be used as a natural deodorant.

Pomelos:  Pomelos help with digestion, fight cancer, and are potassium rich which also contributes to heart health.

Lemons:  Lemons detox your body, help prevent viral infections, and can help the body increase healthy LDL cholesterol.  Drinking water with lemon helps to balance out the body's PH.

Read more about healthy fruits and veggies:

Amazing healing power of lemons

Fruits and veggies that are good for detoxing

Cancer Fighting Foods

Natural Cures Not Medicine

Healthy Eating is Health Insurance!