Alkaline Diet and Weight Loss

Weight loss. It is a multibillion-dollar industry. Scarcely a day does not go by where there is not some new 'Diet Revolution' or 'Celebrity Diet' that claims to be the be all and end all in the 'Battle of the Bulge'. While there are many less than truthful claims being made out there about losing weight, one thing is certain, Obesity is a disease, and it is one that is reaching almost epidemic proportions in this country. The other truth is that amongst all the hype there really is a safe and effective natural approach to weight loss - ph balance.

Alkaline diet helps restore the pH balance inside your body.

pH is the measure of how Acidic or Alkaline something is. The human body is slightly alkaline, or more basic than acidic. Therefore the closer we stay to the proper pH balance for the human body, which is approximately 7.3 - 7.5 the healthier we will be.

Unfortunately the diet of most Americans is highly acidic, and throws this balance way off. Interestingly enough the foods that have traditionally been seen as those the least healthy, refined sugars, refined flours, coffee, fast foods, all are highly acidic, and those that nutritionists and conventional medical practitioners find 'healthy' i.e. fruits, vegetables, fish oils, all tip to the alkaline side. However, once again finding balance is what is important because some foods traditionally considered 'healthy' like protein, can also be acidic foods. You need to examine the foods you eat in order to experience optimal weight loss following alkaline diet.

There are many symptoms of excess acidity, not the least of which is being overweight, and having trouble loosing weight. People with too much acidity in their diets will likely experience:

* Low energy
* Chronic fatigue
* Nasal congestion
* Frequent colds
* Frequent Flu and infections
* Nervousness, stress, irritability, anxiety, and agitation
* Weak nails, dry hair, dry skin
* Headaches
* Joint pain or arthritis, muscle pain, leg cramps and spasms
* Hives
* Gastritis, acid indigestion

Physician and Coauthor of the book 'Gut Solutions' Dr. Leonard Smith, has seen the benefits of a proper alkaline diet many times. A patient of Dr. Smiths, Florence Vellan de Robinson was overweight and suffered from chronic pulmonary disease. She recently underwent a 3-week program that included a diet rich in raw fruits, vegetables, juices and higher alkaline foods. Says Florence, 'I started doing so much better; even after 4 days here I could see the difference... I am beginning to be totally alive again and it's not just the quality of my life and how I feel but now I am able to perform and get back to being useful to humanity and to my society.'

The other important aspect of the pH balance for weight loss is hydration. But it is not only drinking enough water but the type of water that matters, according to Dr. Robert O. Young, PhD, author of The pH miracle for weight loss. Says Dr. Young, 'Practically speaking, getting to-and keeping your ideal weight requires eating plenty of high-quality, healthful fats and focusing your food choices around green vegetables. The biggest secret of all is actually in what you drink, and keeping your body sufficiently hydrated with the right water makes all the difference.'

And while in well documented studies, thousands of individuals have lost weight and recovered from devastating illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, even cancer by detoxifying, correcting their pH Balance by following alkaline diet and maintaining it through proper hydration - anyone can benefit from the rejuvenating effects of being alkaline.

According to Dr. Smith, 'this lifestyle certainly adds life to your years and probably years to your life. Any diet, but especially a diet, that decreases the level of free radicals in the body and decreases acidity, has been proven to be beneficial. 'In the process of taking in oxygen in our food, we actually make what are called free radicals, its kind of scientific term, but everyone's heard of it now, and free radicals basically raise the acid level like a fire in the body. Medical science has certainly supported the fact that as we eat more green vegetables, fruits seeds and nuts we increase the anti-oxidants in our body which are basically a way to put out the fire.'

According to Drs. Smith and Young and those that share their philosophies, we don't catch diseases; we allow them to develop within our body by the choices we make, and that includes the disease of obesity. Specifically when it comes to being overweight we are speaking about the choices involving stress and the ways we deal with it, the choices we make in the water we drink, and the foods we eat. And while certainly there is a genetic predisposition towards certain conditions, and weight and body image itself is largely due to genetic factors, according to Dr. Smith while we can not change our genes we can; '...change the environment that's washing over those genes and causing them to either express as an illness, or express as average health, or better yet express as excellent health.'

Or put another way 'an apple a day keeps the doctor a way' and 'we are what we eat' - may actually be a lot more than just a couple of well-worn cliches.

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