When we talk about clean eating we often hear the word alkaline. What does it mean to be eating alkaline foods and why should we do it in the first place? The main idea behind eating an alkaline diet is to reduce the possibility of cancer cells in the body. It has been shown that cancer cells can thrive more easily in an acidic environment so fueling the body with alkaline foods help to counteract that.
Once you start to balance your pH levels with more alkaline foods you’ll notice immediate results like more energy, better digestion, easier weight loss, better mental clarity, less pain from inflammation and ultimately better long term health.
So how is it done? It’s so simple. Increase your intake of raw veggies and foods that are “alive” and eliminate foods that are “dead” such as processed foods and anything with sugar. Minimizing dairy and meat is ideal as well, as these foods are very acidic.
Dark green leafy vegetables are high on the alkaline list. Foods such as kale, spinach, and broccoli are a great way to start adding more alkalinity to your diet. They are also easy to use in almost any recipe.
You want to remember that keeping your veggies as close to raw as possible is ideal. This will keep the nutrients in your food instead of cooking them out. Most people however, much prefer to eat their food cooked. So when you are tired of salads try this easy example of a cooked alkaline recipe; simply lightly sauté spinach, kale and broccoli with a few cloves of garlic in some coconut oil and enjoy over zucchini noodles!
Once you start to include more alkaline foods in your diet and begin to feel the difference it makes in your everyday health and energy, it will become second nature to include these foods on a regular basis.
Health and fitness coach, runner and blogger at Montreal Runner Mom, Jennifer’s easy and simple approach to clean eating makes living a healthy lifestyle manageable for busy moms on-the-go. Follow Jennifer to learn how making basic changes in your meal planning can be both delicious and nutritious.
