5 Common Misconceptions About Alkalising

Have you been searching far and wide for a diet that will provide you with an increased sense of wellness whilst being sustainable long term? The alkalising diet might just be the answer you seek! In all honesty, the alkaline diet really shouldn’t be referred to as a diet at all but rather a lifestyle. Living an alkaline lifestyle might sound like it’s extremely involved and might require a total overhaul but it really doesn’t need to be that complex or scary. Here are a few things you might not know about living an alkaline lifestyle to help demystify any doubts about the lifelong benefits you’re sure to reap.

The importance of eating greens

The reason for this isn’t completely one dimensional but for the most part it has to do with the major function of an alkaline diet which is aiding the body to maintain its natural pH balance. This affects everybody ALL OF THE TIME, as in every minute of every day. What does this mean for you, you might ask? Well to put it simply – the human body requires our blood to sit within a range of either acidity or alkalinity. This range is rated numerically on a scale of 1-14 – with 1 being most acidic and 14 the most alkaline. Our blood needs to sit nicely within 7.35-7.45 pH (which is slightly alkaline) to ensure our survival. Simply put, the alkaline diet enables our body to maintain this balance with ease by increasing our intake of foods that are rich in alkaline forming vitamins and minerals whilst restricting foods that strip our body of these nutrients. Therefore this diet is advised as a long term change that you can maintain for the rest of your life.

Alkalising isn’t just for sick people

It isn’t uncommon for people to turn to a new diet as an answer to an illness or as a last minute detox to get that bod summer ready. As much as the alkaline diet can certainly be of some help in these departments, this definitely isn’t where it ends. The alkaline diet is designed to increase the wellness of the human body which means if you’ve got a body and you’re human (even though it might not feel like it after a big night out) this diet is for you. However, people that do feel run down on the regular or are basically getting through their days on highly processed foods and acidic caffeinated beverages (aka. the majority of the western population) may particularly benefit.

You can still eat meat

There is a common misconception that following an alkaline diet is synonymous with being a vegan or vegetarian. Of course this isn’t true at all and in fact eating good quality lean-meats 3-5 days per week is encouraged. The difference is that in the typical western diet these days, it is not uncommon to consume meat at every meal. In fact, we are actually over consuming our daily requirements for protein which can have negative implications for our pH balance. A good way to stay on track is to limit meat-heavy meals to just once per day while incorporating some other light sources of protein such as a boiled egg, legumes or beans. This way you can be sure you’re fulfilling your daily protein requirements whilst increasing your alkalising minerals intake at the same time.

You can still enjoy an eventful social life

Living more alkaline certainly doesn’t mean you can’t eat out with friends or enjoy a cheeky ice cream date every now and again. However what it does mean is that you may have a different view point on menu items when you start to eat for wellness rather than illness. For example, if you’re eyeballing a juicy burger or eye-fillet steak by all means order it, but instead of getting fries on the side, swap them for a leafy green salad. That way, you’ll still be able to enjoy a treat, but the salad will help to balance out the acid load. This is a super easy tactic to use pretty much anywhere you go. Just think, even McDonald’s has a salad range! And at the end of the day it’s about constantly aiming to make the best choices for your body given the circumstances, not about being perfect. Having a thriving social life is certainly one the best parts of living an alkaline lifestyle. As you start to gain energy and a higher sense of wellness you’ll want nothing more than to be out sharing your love of life with others.

But if you really want to go all out and get the full chips and burger, be sure to take a serve our our Alkalising Greens to help counteract some of the acid from the meal.

Alkalising doesn’t have to be expensive

Alkalising doesn’t mean purchasing all of your foods from an expensive health food store. It means making wise choices and perhaps allocating food preparation time a little more specifically. The basis of the alkaline diet is increasing your intake of whole fruits and vegetables, particularly greens with some less acidic protein sources such as legumes, nuts & seeds. (We suggest following the 70-30 rule - consume 70% alkaline forming foods and 30% acid forming foods). All of these foods can be purchased at your local supermarket for convenience. Though if you would really like to go the whole kit and caboodle, you may wish to check out your local farmers market. Go later in the morning between 10-11am to get discounted fresh fruit and veg that is often a world cheaper than the supermarkets whilst supporting your local farmers in the process. By purchasing wholefoods you are not only feeding your body goodness but also your mind as it forces you to perhaps be a little more creative in the kitchen. This is where the “compromise” may be (if you don’t like cooking, that is) as you may need to dedicate some time to actually put the ingredients together to create your wholesome meals. If you struggle to think of recipes though and need a little extra inspiration, never fear as you can always check out our recipe blog where the recipes are simple, use wholefood ingredients and are most importantly delicious. Some of our favourite alkalising recipes include the Pina Colada Smoothie Bowl and this easy Kale, Carrot & Goji Salad.

You don’t need to cut anything out but include more

The word NEED here is used lightly. Certainly to follow the diet you don’t have to cut out anything you don’t wish to as previously explained – this diet is more so a lifestyle and that means everything in moderation still applies (because I think we can all agree life is too short). BUT in order to reap the most benefits from the diet there certainly are things that are better off omitted ie. soft drink, 4 coffees a day, red meat at every meal, highly refined cereals and grains (think biscuits and corn flakes), the list goes on. However the aim is to not actually cut everything out all at once but to more so add more alkalising foods into the diet. After some time of including more and more alkaline foods into the diet - there actually won’t be room for those acidic extras and the best part is you won’t feel deprived but rather energised and motivated to keep it up.

Ready to kick start your alkalising journey to wellness and clean energy? Check out everything you need to know about alkalising by clicking here.