So we’ve noticed that alkaline is a bit of a buzz word lately

And we love it!

We’ve been banging on about alkalinity for years, and it’s so good see that the message is taking off.

And even though we’d like to say that a couple of juice monkeys like us are responsible for all the hype, the truth is that there’s been a massive global shift and awareness towards Self-Care and healthy living.

What you need to know about being alkaline…

Your overall pH balance is crazy important when it comes to the state of your overall health. Your pH level will determine whether your body is in a state of “alkalinity” or “acidity”.

Now there’s no need to freak out too much, but if your body is acidic it likely means that you’re not experiencing the best of health and that you need to make some dietary adjustments.

The bottom line is that scientists have found that dis-ease cannot survive in an Alkaline rich environment.

How to know if your alkaline or acidic

The scale of pH ranges from 1 – 14, 14 being the most alkaline, 7 being neutral and 1 being the most acidic.

We like to make sure that we are sitting around 7 and up, but must of us will find ourselves below the 7 mark due to the chemicals in our environment, eating excessive meat and animal products, processed food and more.

If you want to know what your pH levels are, pop into your nearest health food store and you can grab a test kit quite easily.

6 easy steps to reaching an alkaline state

There are a bunch of things you can do to reduce acidity and the number one thing you can do is increase your intake of raw GREENS!

Some of my favourite (and the most effective steps) include:

1. Drink a fresh GREEN juice every single day

Green veggies are very alkalising because of their chlorophyll (green pigment) content. A juice packed with greens acts as a powerhouse of dense nutrients that help to cleanse and regenerate the body. You can chuck a bunch of greens in your blender and have a green breakfast, although we love to get our greens Cold Pressed so they are still raw and have the highest possible level of nutritional frequency (high speed centrifugal juicing creates heat and friction which damages the nutritional quality…but it’s still better than sucking on a milk shake for breakfast. Better still, be sure to get it done by throwing some raw greens into a blender with coconut water and frozen bananas to make a smoothie if you’d prefer).

2. Squeeze half a lemon and add the juice to 500 mls (at least of water) and drink first thing! 

Citrus fruits seem like they would be acidic, but in actual fact they are very alkaline! Lemon water is a double whammy, because it heats and prepares your digestive system for the rest of the day. I am a big believer in starting the day with a First Thing Booster (whenever possible).

3. Eat a diet full of nutritious and alkaline vegetables and fruits

Whether you’re paleo, eating clean, vegetarian or vegan, we think that veggies and fruits should be the super star of every meal. Make sure your plate is packed with them, and you can reduce acidity. Tip: eating all colours of the rainbow is great, but load up on GREEN to maximise your chlorophyll intake!

4. Stay away from all processed foods and fried foods which are extremely acidic

Seriously, I would avoid the stuff like the plague. Processed food isn’t just acidic, it’s also TOXIC to your system. We all fall off the wagon occasionally, but when you do try and stick to raw treats or plant based snacks (hellllloooooo organic corn chips).

5. Drink quality water (make sure you read on friends, this one’s important)

Water plays a HUGE role in your pH reading. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking AT LEAST 2 litres per day or better still, 1 litre per 22-25kgs of body weight. Be sure that you’re drinking a quality, filtered water.  

I know that these tips will help you to stay clean, live lean and be well.

Inga and The Cleanse Kitchen team 🙂