Modern day lifestyles that are more inclined towards materialistic gains have led to a situation where spirituality, diet and health are ignored at the cost of making it ‘big’ in life. What we fail to realize at times is that comforts and facilities are relevant and pleasurable only if we are in good health and are able to enjoy them.

Any unbiased dietitian will tell you that our diet today is more inclined towards being acidic. It is no surprise, then, that the increase in incidence of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular problems and diabetes is highly correlated with the intake of acid forming foods; foods that are part of our daily fast-food diet. These foods contain high levels of sugars and saturated fats. The human body is naturally alkaline and therefore high levels of acid-producing foods upset the acid-alkaline balance.

However, just because the human body is alkaline, it does not mean that all foods that we intake should be alkaline in nature. Good health basically depends upon striking a healthy balance between the acidity and alkalinity produced in our body.

The human body performs best in an internal environment that as a pH level of 7.39. pH refers to power of hydrogen, which is arrived at by calculating the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14.

Pure water has a neutral pH of 7. A pH between 7 and 14 indicates an alkaline environment while a pH between 0 and 7 indicates an acidic one. Since the human body should have a pH level of 7.39, it means that the internal biochemical environment, as a whole, should be slightly alkaline. The range between which the body can function efficiently is also very small.

To maintain the ideal pH levels, it is essential that we understand the acidity or alkalinity of various foods to be able to balance the overall effect that our diet has on our internal flora. All foods are classified as acidic or alkaline. This is done on the basis of the ash that they leave behind after they go through a metamorphosis during the process of metabolism.

Since one of the causes of specific diseases is understood to be based on the level of acidity or alkalinity of the human body, many ‘so called’ healthy weight loss plans recommend all acidic or all alkaline foods to treat the specific disease. However, eating optimally to achieve the ideal pH level is a more recommended option.

Generally speaking dairy products, meat, seeds, legumes and nuts leave behind an acidic ash. On the other hand, most fruits and vegetables have an alkaline residue. Citrus fruits are generally understood to be acidic in their natural state but turn alkaline once they have been metabolized. Moreover, cranberries, plums and prunes fall under acidic fruits as the acids they contain cannot be metabolized by the human body.

If you want to lose weight and feel that you want to opt in for those ‘quick weight loss’ diets, make sure that you know the overall pH levels of the diet plan. It is also necessary to learn how supplements touted as healthy weight loss supplements affect your internal biochemistry.

Drink filtered tap water instead bottled water
You cannot be sure that your bottled water is pure and natural: EWG found 38 contaminants in 10 popular brands.

Learn about your tap water
Tap water suppliers publish all their water quality tests. Read their annual report and learn what’s in your water. If you have a private well, get it tested regularly.

Filter tap water

• Carbon filters reduce many common water contaminants, like lead and byproducts of the disinfection process used to treat municipal tap water.
• Reverse osmosis filters are more expensive than carbon filters, but they remove contaminants that carbon filters can’t eliminate, like arsenic and perchlorate.
• Choose a filter that removes contaminants found in your water.
• Old water filters aren’t safe – change them regularly.

Carry water in safe containers
Plastic bottles can leach harmful chemicals into water. Make sure that your plastic bottle is BPA-free, or choose stainless steel bottles instead. It is safer not to reuse disposable water bottles.

Source: ewg.org/reports/bottledwater

Food Inc

An unflattering look inside America’s corporate controlled food industry.

King Corn

A great story of two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.

Tapped

This documentary examines the role of the bottled water industry and its effects on our health, climate change, pollution, and our reliance on oil.

Who Killed The Electric Car?

The movie explores the creation, limited commercialization, and subsequent destruction of the electric cars in the United States, specifically the General Motors EV1 of the 1990s.

The Cove

“Cove” is one of the most talked about films of the summer. A crack team of divers, activists and special effects experts infiltrate a secret cove in Japan to expose one of the most shocking and unimaginable crimes against nature.

• Avoid processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar and salt. Instead of using salt, substitute herbs and spices, such as oregano, basil, coriander, thyme, parsley, paprika or cayenne pepper, and season with lemon, garlic or vinegar, all of which support the detox process while adding flavour.

• Fresh, raw vegetables (e.g., broccoli, beets, leafy greens, cauliflower, onions, etc.) and fruits (e.g., lemons, grapefruits, tomatoes, pineapples, etc.), and whole grains (especially, oat) are a great food for detox since they help the body flush out toxins.

• Exercise regularly. Exercise (e.g. swimming, walking, yoga, dancing, etc.) is an effective method of cleansing many of your vital organs simultaneously.

• Drink plenty of pure water. You can also add some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, which have great detoxifying properties.

• Herbal teas are used as part of many detox programs because of their healing properties.

• Try this cleansing tonic to help strengthen your liver:

1 cup of pure water
juice of a lemon
pinch of powdered ginger
1 tbsp flax seeds.

• Make a purifying herbal tea from:

1 tsp nettle
1 tsp peppermint
1 tsp dandelion root
1 tsp clover
3 cups cold water
Combine everything in a saucepan, bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten with apple juice if you wish.

• Detoxify your body by adding half a cup of sea salt to your bath as it fills up. Not only will it stimulate your skin, you’ll float better in it, taking the strain of muscles.

You can also make apple cider vinegar or ginger detoxifying baths. Add 1-2 cups of pure apple cider vinegar or 2-3 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger in your bath and soak in the tub for about 20 minutes. Hot water works better for detoxification (But be careful, if you have cardiovascular system diseases!).

• Dry body brushing before showering has also been shown to stimulate lymphatic flow and circulation and remove dead skin cells.

• Other effective methods for detoxification include sauna, massage, reflexology, acupuncture and acupressure.

Related post: Herbal teas that detox

- Studies have shown that drinking at least five glasses of water a day can significantly decrease the risk of cancers of the colon, bladder and breast.

- A mere 2% drop in your body’s water levels results in short-term memory impairment, trouble with basic maths and difficulty in focusing.

- When dehydrated, your body produces cholesterol, which surrounds the cells to protect the fluids within them. In the long term, this can damage general health.

- Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Dehydration can slow down metabolism since it springs the body onto starvation mode and holds onto fat cells that contain high levels of fluids.

- Drinking water helps maintain muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract.

- If you allow your body to become dehydrated during exercise, you lose the ability to sweat and cool off, which can raise body temperatures to dangerous levels.

- Feeling of anxiety and confusion, having dry skin, increased heart rate, and decreased blood pressure can all be signs of dehydration.

Aim to drink little and often throughout the day so you never get to the stage where you feel thirsty. Alcohol and drinks that contain caffeine cause, rather than protect against dehydration. Choose plain water! Also, you can supplement your fluid intake by eating soups, and raw fruits and vegetables, containing high levels of water, such as broccoli, lettuce, carrots, watermelon, and apples.

Reference: Floyd, E. (2005). 1001 little health miracles.