If you are reading this, you are probably aware of the great work that is being done by people like Dr. Robert Young and Tony Robbins and others in regards to providing information about the importance of eating an alkaline diet. The authors are doing a wonderful job of informing the world (or those that choose to be informed) that Americans are eating their way to various different diseases and sickness. For example, the explosion in the number of cases of stage 2 diabetes is reaching near epidemic proportions in North America, and the sad thing is that the problem can easily be erased by taking simple steps to change the way you eat, drink, and live.

The culprit of so many of the nasty diseases and ailments that plague our society is “acidosis”, or the state of being acidic. It has become abundantly clear that getting our bodies alkaline is the key to good health. The question is how do we do it?

The alkaline diet pundits tell us that we should be eating a diet rich in alkaline foods… all that green stuff that our Moms told us to eat. We intuitively know that they are right, but it is a difficult task that is beyond the grasp of most of us, who are rushing around trying to survive in a busy world. However, there are people such as vegetarians and vegans who are much more disciplined with their pallet than I will ever be. They are able to turn the other proverbial cheek when it comes to taking the easy way out with food. But are they able to achieve a stable alkaline pH of 7.2 to 7.5 as measured by the saliva? In most cases, the answer is no.

So, if the health food nuts have difficulty achieving the promised land of a pH level of 7.346, how do people reach that lofty goal? According to the experts, it is a combination of food, water, exercise, and reducing the amount of stress in your life.

Let’s look at the components one at a time. While I find it admirable that vegetarians have the discipline to eat a predominantly alkaline diet, it will never work for me. So what can the average person do? For starters, reduce the amount of meat, sugars, flour, and processed food. Does that mean eliminate them? No. But 4 ounces of meat per day is plenty. Sugars are a killer. If you have a sweet tooth like me, trade in the chocolate and candy for fruits. Maybe they are not quite as satisfying, but they produce natural sugars that are much better for you. Reduce the amount of flour from breads and pasta. That doesn’t mean eliminate those items, but cut down. Another culprit is snacks. Most of the time that we eat snacks is to curb our cravings for salt. We need salt in our diets. Many of our junk food binges are sparked by a lack of minerals in our body. Consume the proper minerals, and a lot of your food cravings will go away.

Speaking of cravings and food binges, the cause of the problem is often created by dehydration. We often mistake our need for water as hunger. If you drink water with a proper balance of essential minerals, your need and consequently your cravings for will diminish. You should drink half an ounce of water for every pound of body weight each day to start working towards better health. That means that if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink 70 ounces of water. That is a lot of water. If you are working towards getting healthy, you should drink even more water.

Drink Water

Why water? Your body is made up of about 70% water, so water is the natural way to nourish your body. The greatest cause of aging is dehydration, so drink up. What should you drink besides water? Nothing else is required. It is as simple as that. What kind of water should you drink? Tap water from a city source is generally the best water around and it is free. Yes, tap water is better for you than virtually any bottled water. If you have the financial means to purchase a water ionizer, that is even better, but let’s leave that discussion for another day.

While it is essential to drink water, it is just as important to get off the sodas and coffee. If you drink one cup of coffee, research indicates that it takes 8 cups of water to cleanse the acid problems created by the coffee. If you drink a can of soda, it takes 32 cans of water to offset the damage done by the soda. Think about that for a minute. If you don’t take the Coke out of your fridges and pantries, you are just hurting yourself and your children. If you can’t do it for yourself, then at least do it for your kids. Alcohol is also bad, as it is very acidic. Hard liquor is worse than beer as it is more acidic – again, everything in moderation (except for soda, which is just terrible for you).

Exercise

What about exercise? We all know that we are supposed to exercise, but many of us find that we don’t have time. Take the time. Exercise gets your lungs working and your blood pumping. Exercise doesn’t have to mean hard physical exertion at a gym, or a long run. Get you exercise doing things that you like. Exercise doesn’t have to be torture. Get outside and work in the yard, or go for a walk, or let the dog take you for a walk. Go for a swim, or a bike ride around the neighborhood. You might find that you actually like your neighbors. Play with your kids, as they will give you a workout. Just make it enjoyable.

Exercise is simply a matter of moving around and using your body. It might seem like a huge undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. Just start doing things and you will be amazed at how much better you feel in a very short time. Get your blood pumping a bit and get your lungs working. Athletes and people who exercise a great deal don’t live longer. In fact, they usually have shorter lives, because they typically suffer from dehydration over their lives, and the body is not meant to be tortured.

Reduce Stress

Finally, let’s take a look at stress. Stress is a huge contributor to sickness. My kids like to tell me to “chill Dad”. It is easier said than done, but it not only can be done, it has to be done. Stress is a killer. Take the time to exercise or just take a break. No matter what you do for a living, it is only work. Work is a way to support your life, it isn’t your life. Don’t be fooling yourself by believing that you work so hard for your family. Your loved ones would much rather have down time for fun time with you, than see you slaving away so that you can “get ahead”. Another source of stress is often provided by the people in your life. It has taken me a long time to realize this one out, but I have finally started surrounding myself with people that make my life better, and removing myself from those that cause me stress. It sounds so simple, and it is. The trick is to just realize it.

So there you have it. You know what to do. Eating well can be achieved in small steps. Try to make lifestyle changes slowly as opposed to dieting. Drink water…lots of water! Drinking more water is the most important change that you can make to improve your health, and it is simple. You can cut your calorie intake substantially by drinking water to fill many of your cravings. Exercise! Make it fun, not torture. And finally, start getting rid of stress by excising, taking breaks, and avoiding the people or events in your life that create the stress.

© This Alkaline Water article was posted on Waterfy