Did you know that too much acid in your body can cause weight gain? Or, that high protein “weight loss” diets can be harmful to your health, due to their high levels of acidity? Even the glands and organs that help keep our metabolism strong can start to malfunction thanks to our highly acidic diets and lifestyle. Here are a few of the health building and weight balancing tips from my book, The Ultimate pH Solution:
1. Buy a Sack of Lemons
If you run only one errand today, make it a trip to your local health food or grocery store to buy a sack of lemons. Yes, a sack. Once you get home, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a tall glass of water and drink immediately. This one step will help you to quickly reset your body chemistry.
2. Load Up on H²O
Drink at least 8 more cups of water throughout the day, preferably with lemon juice added to each. Lemon juice breaks down acid waste in your body and restores your blood and tissues to slightly alkaline levels.
3. Breathe Deeply
Take a few deep breaths. Oxygen will not only energize your brain but it will quickly help to balance the chemistry of your cells -- and healthier cells mean a healthier body.
4. Take a Walk
Boost your oxygen levels even further by bundling up and heading out for a brisk walk. Exercise helps to quickly oxygenate your body. More oxygen in your blood means its better equipped to nourish every organ and tissue, which increases energy, mental clarity and moods.
5. Turn to Peppermint Tea
Instead of reaching for a caffeine jolt from acidic coffee, or cola, drink some peppermint tea. Research shows that peppermint provides a quick boost of energy that won't send your energy levels plummeting a few hours later.
6. Eat Your Veggies
Make vegetables the focal point of your lunch and dinner meals. If you absolutely hate broccoli, don't take it out on the entire veggie kingdom. Who wouldn't enjoy some delicious mashed sweet potatoes or rich guacamole?
7. Take an Almond Break
Snack on raw, unsalted almonds every few hours. Not only are they loaded with calcium, magnesium, protein and other important nutrients, their high fiber and protein content help to stabilize blood sugar levels.
8. Smoothie Nation
Enjoy a delicious smoothie instead of a sugary snack or breakfast. Start with some almond milk and add frozen berries, half a frozen banana and a heaping teaspoon of green powder like barley juice, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, or other green food supplement.
9. Go Green
Eat at least one large salad a day but be sure to avoid store-bought dressings full of rancid oils, preservatives, additives, and sugar.
10. Take a Cue from Vegetarians
Cut back on your meat consumption. Choose beans, fish, or raw nuts or seeds instead of acid-forming meat. Add beans to soups, stew, chili or wraps, or make them into delicious dips for a high-fiber, high-protein, high-nutrition source of energy.
Michelle Schoffro Cook, DNM, DAc, CNC is a best-selling and six-time book author, whose works include: The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, The Brain Wash, and Healing Injuries the Natural Way. She is a doctor of natural medicine, doctor of acupuncture, holistic nutritionist, and energy medicine practitioner. Her work has been featured in/on: Woman's World, First for Women, Dr. Roizen's YOU: The Owner's Manual Radio Show, Gaiam Life, Yahoo! Shine, and The Huffington Post. www.TheLifeForceDiet.com.
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