A growing body of evidence supports the fact that maintaining the proper ph balance in our bodies is essential to our health. Sound complicated? Actually, it’s quite simple once you understand the basics.

All of the food we eat influences our bodies’ ph levels, for better or worse. We function best when our bodies have the correct amounts of alkaline and acidic foods in our diet. Alkaline foods include vegetables such as asparagus, artichokes, lettuce, peas, spinach, green beans and broccoli. Alkaline forming fruits include tomatoes, avocadoes, and grapefruit.

For optimum health we should maximize the alkaline foods in our diet and minimize the acid forming foods like meats, dairy products, sugar, white bread, white pasta, carbonated drinks and many oils. Acid forming foods should comprise no more than 25 percent of our diets. If our diets contain foods that leave acidic residues in our system the body has to work hard to neutralize those residues. When that happens the kidneys will use key nutrients like calcium, magnesium and potassium to neutralize those acids and as a result those nutrients are depleted from the bones and vital organs. Eating too many acidic foods leads to a condition known as acidosis which can lead to weight problems, allergies, arthritis, heart disease and other maladies.

Water is an essential element in maintaining ph balance and our bodies need at least eight glasses per day. For optimum benefit, drink alkaline ionized water. Because ionized water has a negative ORP (oxidation reduction potential) it serves as a powerful antioxidant. Ionized Water is considered to be six times more hydrating than conventional water.

So how do you know if your body’s alkaline/acid balance is healthy? Inexpensive ph strips, which can be purchased online and at many health food stores, measure ph levels through samples of saliva, urine or other bodily fluids. The strips are usually made of plastic or litmus paper and most come with easy-to-understand color charts to simplify the process.

If the strips indicate that the body’s ph balance is unstable, green food nutritional supplements can help. As the alkaline forming nutrients in the supplements enter the body, cells are regenerated. This results in higher energy levels, a stronger immune system, smoother skin, fewer allergies and enhanced brain function. Green food supplements are highly recommended for people whose hectic lifestyles make it difficult for them to eat the right foods on a daily basis. Talk to your holistic practitioner about the green food supplements that best meet your personal needs and enjoy the energy and vibrance that comes from a properly balanced body.

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