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Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Alkaline Diet Plan



Alkaline Diet Plan Without referring to it as an alkaline diet, doctors and nutritionists in generally tell us to eat more fruits and vegetable and cut down on processed foods, meats, and sweets for better health. Essentially, they are telling us to have more alkaline-producing foods and reduce our intake of acid-producing foods.

How much alkaline food should we eat?
But how much more of the alkaline-producing foods should we have and how much less of the acid-producing foods is ideal? Of course, you can check your own pH level or ask a doctor to do it for you. If you want to do it yourself, you can place a litmus strip under your tongue. The color of the strip will change according to the acidity level from your saliva, after which you can match the color to the color on the chart that comes with the litmus strips.
Some doctors, or even non-doctors, can perform a live blood-cell analysis right in front of you. The test consists of taking one or two drops of your blood, placing it on a slide, and setting it under a magnifying glass or microscope connected to a monitor.

Signs that you may be acidic
There are likewise telltale signs in your body that reveal how much of those acid-forming meats and sweets you should “cut back” on. These are uncomfortable and painful signs that appear as weight gain, joint pains, heartburn, poor digestion (irregular bowel movement and intestinal cramping), fatigue, muscle weakness, urinary tract problems, receding gums, kidney stones, bone loss and skin problems. If you have three or more of these symptoms, then it may be time to shift to an alkaline diet.

What you should eat
Remember that an alkaline diet does not imply that you eat only alkaline-producing foods. It simply means that you eat 80% of your foods from the alkaline-forming group, while the other 20% should be protein-rich and other acid-forming foods. When your pH balance has improved, then you can lower the alkaline-forming part of your diet to around 65%.

An alkaline diet consists of whole foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, and root crops. This may also include nuts, seeds, spices, whole grains, and beans. Alkalizing beverages, like spring water and green tea, are also essential elements of this diet. Avoid processed and artificial foods, caffeine, white sugar, and white flour when possible, but don’t be afraid to use real butter and full-cream milk. For cooking purposes, use only virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil.

These are daunting tasks, considering that American diet invariably includes meat, dairy, saturated fats, sugar, alcohol and caffeine. They can cause a build up of acid wastes in the body that is likely to become a perfect nesting ground for yeasts, fungus, molds, bacteria, and viruses. As you grown in age, too much acid in our body could result into adverse consequences, such as overweight, allergies, fatigue, diabetes, heart problems and cancer.

The principle of behind the breakthrough alkaline diet, also known as alkaline ash diet, is to produce a healthy balance between acid and alkaline in our system, not to eliminate them altogether. There are no shortcuts in doing this, unlike certain fad diets that encourage extreme starvation to attain their desired results.

Its principle is not anchored on extreme diet or heavy eating, but rather on eating food in moderation. In this light, an alkaline diet plan encourages healthy and moderate eating for the growing number of people using this principle.

A high alkaline diet is helpful, plain and simple. Although there will always be those who want to debate the validity of the supporters of such claims, the truth will speak for itself. An alkaline diet is a basic hunter gather’s diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and with an emphasis on legumes and nuts. To understand more about the alkaline ash diet, you must first understand the differences involved in maintaining a healthy body that is not acidic or acid forming.

Checking your PH will show how acidic or alkaline you are. Keeping your PH between 7.3 and 7.45 is considered to be ideal. A PH of 7 is considered neutral and anything above 7 is considered alkaline. Anything below 7 is considered acidic. Fruits and vegetables are alkaline foods and almost everything else is acidic including, meats, dairy, soda, sugary snacks, caffeine and processed foods. In other words most of the American diet and lifestyle.

How to Check Your PH
The easiest way to check your PH is first thing in the morning using a PH strip. To monitor more exact, you can measure your PH one hour before the meal or two hours after the meal. The strips are quite inexpensive and can be purchased at most pharmacies. The PH will normally be lower in the morning and higher in the evening due to normal or abnormal eating habits. The urine strips measure the PH between 4.0 and 9.0.

Can Disease and Cancer Live in an Alkaline State
The main reason to stay on high alkaline food diets is to be free of disease and cancer. Cancer will be destroyed in a matter of hours when the body achieves an 8.0 PH reading. Most all cancer diets are free of meat and are mainly vegetarian diets. As meat is acidic and damaging to the body, meats and acid forming foods should be minimized. By eating fruits and vegetables, the body maintains a healthy PH and therefore in most cases avoids disease and cancers.

Not all fruits are alkaline though. In order to understand more, it is important to understand glycemic index foods and how food is rated. Some fruits will fall into high glycemic ratings such as bananas and mangoes and must be limited. Lemons are acidic but are alkaline forming on your body and therefore allowed. You should stick to low acid fruits – See the acid alkaline food chart for more explanation on alkalizing foods to eat. For protein, the alkaline balance diet suggests legumes and nuts rather than acidifying proteins such as red meat.

High Alkaline Diet
When considering the low acid high alkaline diet compared to other health improving diets look at the basics of the diet and ask yourself if it is a diet that fits into your lifestyle and taste. Health is a main consideration for any diet and this diet is a diet without any processed and canned foods. It is a diet that will bring you back to nature and improve your chances of longevity.

Cacao Wow Smoothie


A chocolate flavored… cauliflower shake? YEP! And it’s so darned tasty. This is a great way to have your veggies and drink them, too!
  • 24 oz of almond milk (it’s so easy to make your own!)
  • 2 cups frozen cauliflower
  • 1 frozen banana (make sure your banana is ripe for full sweetness)
  • 2 pitted dates
  • 1/4 cup soaked chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Throw it all in a blender, spin, and DRINK!

http://rawrawlife.com/2012/03/11/cacaowowsmoothie/ 

The Strawberry Smoothie Sensation


  • 24 oz of almond milk (it’s so easy to make your own!)
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup frozen spinach
  • 2 cups frozen cauliflower
  • 1 frozen banana (make sure your banana is ripe for full sweetness)
  • 2 pitted dates
  • 1/4 cup soaked chia seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
See what I mean? That’s a lot of nutrients packed in to just one smoothie, and the taste is phenomenal! Throw it all in a blender, spin, and DRINK! 


http://rawrawlife.com/2012/03/18/strawberrysensation/ 

Plant-Based Diet Benefits



Plant-Based Benefits!


  • Enjoying as much food as you desire, while easily maintaining your most vibrant and healthful lean body weight
  •  Looking and feeling as if you had reversed the clock on aging
  • Creating lifelong habits that provide the easiest and best way to build your health, immunity, love of self and others
  • Halting and even reversing conditions such as Cancer, Heart disease, diabetes, depression, arthritis, asthma, skin conditions, candida, fibromyalgia, anxiety, eating disorders, emotional problems, greying and thinning hair, sleeping disorders, have all been documented by following a low-fat raw plant-based lifestyle
  • Learning to deal healthfully with emotional issues without numbing yourself with food, and/or alcohol and drugs
  • Saying good-bye to old allergies, sinus, and lung problems, which in-turn increases oxygen uptake
  • Smooth blemish free skin that has that glowing look
  • Improve eyesight, even to the extent of making glasses unnecessary
  • Greatly reduced pre menstrual symptoms with little to no flow, more natural rhythm, while maintaining regular healthy ovulation
  • Farewell to colds and flu symptoms and ailments, increasing productivity and clarity of thought
  • Regaining your bodies natural ability to fight off infection without the use of dangerous overly prescribed antibiotics
  • Increasing your fitness and energy levels beyond your highest expectations, think energizer bunny
  • Quicker athletic recovery while constantly increasing endurance, flexibility, agility, strength and reaction time
  • Enjoying sports and fitness activities at a much higher level with more frequency at a much older age
  • Increased ability to tolerate hot temperatures such as environmental, and/or from exercise
  • Becoming a happier more joyous positive person
  • Letting go of laziness and regaining the youthful desire to move jump and play (or if you prefer exercise)
  • Increased mental, emotional, and spiritual awareness
  • Shedding of old patterns of depression, moodiness and listlessness
  • Saving time on preparation of elaborate meal-plans, not to mention doing dishes
  • Huge savings on lack of doctor bills, unnecessary supplements, beauty or hygienic products
  • Increased quality of sleep, often resulting in feeling more rested on less sleep
  • Waking up bounding out of bed filled with energy and positivity for the day
  • Top-notch circulation, yep that’s great for sexual function boys and girls (whoo hoo hoo… LIBIDO!)
  • Best lifestyle for the well-being of the planet
  • Provides the greatest amount of the highest quality food with the least planting space, energy, and environmental damage
  • Less waste as little to no packaging is needed, organic waste is biodegradable, and composting is great for your garden and environment
  • Little to no need for soap, toothpaste, or deodorant (think about it; clean inside, no offensive smells outside!)
  • Quick and easy bathroom breaks with little to no offensive smell
  • Increased ability to take sun and retain tan without harmful and costly sunscreens or creams

No Bake Brownies







Somewhere between a brownie and a fudgy square, this fantastic dessert is made from just fruits, nuts, and superfoods. Better still, five ingredients + five minutes is all it takes to go from zero to brownie. There’s a very good reason why these are one of the most popular recipes from my book! Watch how easy it is to whip these up via the No Bake Brownies video. This recipe is from the Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods.
Makes 24 bite-sized brownies
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup soft Medjool dates (about 10-11), pits removed
  • 1 cup raw walnut pieces
  • 1⁄2 cup cacao powder
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon, or up to 1⁄2 cup cacao nibs (use quantity to taste)
Preparation:
Place walnuts in a food processor and grind for a couple seconds to form a coarse flour. While machine is running, add pitted dates, cacao powder and salt, processing until a moist, crumb- like dough has formed. Depending on the natural moisture of the dates, you may need to add a touch of water – a teaspoon at a time – to get the crumbs to “stick” when pinched together. Spread the crumbs into an 8×8 inch pan, sprinkle with cacao nibs, and press firmly into a solid brownie layer. Cut into bite-size squares.
Variation: Replace or add to the cacao nibs with hemp seeds, goji berries, or other superfoods.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/recipe-no-bake-brownies/

Healing Garlic Soup, when we are sick

Though it contains an entire head of garlic, this simple garlic soup is soothing, mellow and mild. Enjoy it regularly to support healthy immune function, or try it at the first signs of illness, to harness garlic's antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

Makes 1 to 2 servings.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
 


Ingredients:
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 head of garlic, cloves separated, smashed, peeled, hard ends trimmed
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste

Preparation:
Place the broth and garlic cloves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until garlic softens, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree the soup. Season to taste with pepper and sea salt.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Anti-Allergy Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 sliced cantaloupe, peeled
1/4 inch ginger root, peeled
1/2 apple
Optional scoop of green powder

Instructions:
Wash and dry all ingredients.  Juice.  Use within 2-3 hours.  Keep refrigerated.
According to Dr. Khalsa, "Cantaloupe, ginger and apple boost the immune system, detoxify the gastrointestinal track, and soothe the digestive system.  This rejuvenates the internal organs, which helps to alleviate allergy symptoms."

10 Best Natural Ways to Bring on Labour

  1. Massage or Acupuncture. Find someone who is specially qualified in this area. There are special points that can to massage that can induce labour (a reason why massage is not recommended during the early stages of pregnancy)
  2. Spicy Food. Many suggest spicy food, as it stimulates your stomach-and then in turn will stimulate your uterus!
  3. Raspberry Leaf. Raspberry leaf can be taken in tea or tablet form. Most women I know have suggested raspberry leaf tea to me, not necessarily induce labour, but to create for a speedy delivery. There is debate on whether or not this does induce labour, but it definitely strengthens the uterus so it should lead to a shorter labour as each contraction will achieve more.
  4. Walking. Many women walk in hopes to get the babies head down onto the cervix. The pressure of the babies head pressing down on your cervix could stimulate the release of oxytocin, a hormone that causes contractions.
  5. Squats or exercise ball. The up and down movement is said to help get baby down and ready. Doing regular squats or bouncing on an exercise ball will help get baby down and into position. Driving down a bumpy road could cause similar effects! Wink
  6. Sex, Sperm and Orgasms. If you feel up for sex, this is a great way to help bring on labour. Sex could trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone which causes contractions. The sperm help soften and dilate the cervix. Orgasms cause contractions by stimulating your uterus.
  7. Pineapple. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain which is thought to help soften your cervix and bring on labour. You will need to eat a lot of pineapple to help bring on labour as the amount of bromelain in a pineapple is not very high—but this extra food should also help stimulate your tummy, which could also stimulate your cervix.
  8. Walking up and down stairs. Some women swear by this one as well, this is one step further than walking (if walking isn’t doing anything for you). The bumping up and down should help get the baby into position.
  9. Stretch and Sweep of Membranes. Your midwife or doctor can perform this simple procedure. A finger is inserted into the cervix and a gentle “sweep” of the fingers lightly separates the uterus wall and the amniotic sac, sometimes bringing on labour within hours or days. Some say this is an easy procedure, while others say it is quite painful. The more dilated you are, the better this will work.
  10. Castor Oil. I don’t know how it works, but many women swear by it!! It is suggested not to be used until you are 41 weeks (one week over due) It is said that it can stimulate your tummy, which can stimulate your uterus (womb)- kick starting labour. One precaution is that castor oil may make you nauseous, and often gives you diarrhea.  Embarassed
Other claims to naturally bring on labour:
  • Chinese food
  • Get a sad/sappy video and have a good cry
  • Wear your best underwear, as Murphy’s law would suggest that your water will break while you are wearing them!
  • Thyme Tea
  • Yoga
  • Nipple Stimulation
  • Motherwort
  • Kneeling on all fours
  • Glass of wine
  • Visualization (having baby), or talking to baby–telling them to come out!
  • Balsamic Vinegar
  • Primrose or Borage seed oil-help to dilate, and soften the cervix
  • Swimming

http://behappybehealthymommy.com/10-best-natural-ways-to-bring-on-labour/

Jamie Eason's Diet: Eating Clean

Think of these food lists as general guides to what you should include in your diet. The lists include examples of what can be included, but are certainly not complete lists. If you have a healthy alternative that's not here, give it a try.
You don't have to include everything in your diet either. Pick and choose what fits best for you according to taste, cost and availability. Preferences change from person to person, so choose what tastes best to you.
If you like what you eat, you'll enjoy the meal plan and stick to it.


Oils: use sparingly

 

Fatty proteins

Healthy fats are often built into the meals. In the event they are not, pay attention to the serving size. Males typically get a full serving and females, a half serving.

 

Lean proteins 

 Ladies: 6 - 8 oz portion, Guys: 8 - 10 oz portion

 

Flours

 

Sweeteners

 

Fruits

It's best to choose berries in the morning and a citrus or banana directly following your workout, to eat in conjunction with your protein.

acid (high water content, low cal):

Sweet (more calorie & nutrient dense)


These are to be used before a workout because they are more insulin-responsive.

Vegetables


Prepare vegetables by either steaming or grilling (may also eat raw). Stay away from anything sauteed or fried.

Seeds:

Leaf sheaths:

Stems:

Stems of leaves:

Whole-plant sprouts:

Note: Best options are fresh and frozen. However, if you choose canned, check for additives and high sodium.

 

Superfoods

 

Dairy

 

Condiments

 

Misc

 

Carbs/Starches

  • barley

    barley

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • corn tortilla

    corn tortilla (Food for Life brand is best)

    Ladies - 2-3
    Guys - 4-5
  • cream of wheat

    Cream of Wheat/Rice or Rye

    Ladies - 1 serving
    Guys - 2 servings
  • ezekial bread

    Ezekial bread (made by Food for Life)

    Ladies - 1 slice
    Guys - 2 slices
  • lentils

    lentils

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cups
  • oats

    oats

    Ladies - 1 serving
    Guys - 2 servings (1 cup)
  • whole wheat pasta

    whole wheat pasta

    Ladies - 1 cup
    Guys - 2 cups
  • potatoes

    potato (white, only occasionally)

    Ladies - 5 oz
    Guys - 7-8 oz
  • brown rice

    brown rice

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • rice cakes

    rice cakes

    Ladies - 3
    Guys - 4
  • sweet potato

    Sweet Potato

    Ladies - 4-6 oz
    Guys - 7-8 oz
  • Pinto

    Pinto

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • Chickpea

    Chickpea

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • Kidney

    Kidney

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • Adzuki

    Adzuki

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • Mung

    Mung

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • White Beans

    White Beans

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • Navy

    Navy

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • Black Beans

    Black Beans

    Ladies - 3/4 cup
    Guys - 1 1/2 cup
  • farro

    farro

    Ladies - 1/2 cup cooked
    Guys - 3/4 cup cooked
  • quinoa

    quinoa

    Ladies - 1/4 cup cooked
    Guys - 1/2 cup cooked
  • couscous

    Couscous

    Ladies - 1/4 cup cooked
    Guys - 1/2 cup cooked
Note: Always check the package for serving size!

 

Female Small Meal Options


Meal Option 1

Meal Option 3

Meal Option 4

Meal Option 5

Meal Option 6

Meal Option 7

Meal Option 8

 

Male Small Meal Options


Meal Option 2

Meal Option 4

Meal Option 5

Meal Option 6

Meal Option 7