pH Level, short for the power of hydrogen, refers to a measurement of the concentration of hydrogen ion in the human body. Maintaining balanced pH levels in the body is extremely important to achieve optimum health and to keep away from problems and diseases.
The range of pH levels varies from 1-14, where 1 to 6 is acidic, 7 is neutral and 8 to 14 is alkaline. The ideal balance for the human body is considered to range between 7.30 to 7.45, which is slightly alkaline. But this balance gets affected due to numerous factors, hence it is very difficult to achieve the desired pH balance.
The major issue or the key problem that disturbs the pH balance is due to the food we eat. Our gut is already highly acidic with a pH balance ranging from 2 to 2.5 to aid in the process of digestion. On top of that, our modern dietary habits that include processed food, dairy items, junk food, etc. play a major role in disturbing the pH balance and making it more acidic.
A highly acidic body is termed to be going through acidosis, and it leads to various health issues. These include acid reflux, bad breath, gas, bloating, burping, ulcers, infections, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), and even inflammation which can be very harmful.
Negative inflammation refers to the inflammation caused in the body by an immune system reaction without there being a need for it. While positive inflammation is what happens in case of an injury, illness or even an infection. It helps in healing the body naturally, negative inflammation takes place due to acidosis, bad eating habits, lack of exercise and constant stress that triggers the immune system to react. If not attended timely, negative inflammation can also lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's, etc.
It is extremely important to address the factors that cause acidosis and inflammation. You need to implement ways in your lifestyle that will lead you towards attaining the perfect pH balance in the body and the good health that comes with it. But how do you do it?
How to maintain the optimum pH balance in your body
The food you eat is the most important factor that determines your pH balance. To move away from the state of acidosis and increase alkalinity to reach the desired pH level of 7.30 to 7.45, you need to change your dietary habits and move towards a new lifestyle.
To state the obvious, to increase alkalinity, you have to consume alkaline food and drink alkaline water. In simple terms, alkaline food refers to all ingredients and items that have a pH level of more than 7. Similarly, alkaline water refers to water that has a pH balance of more than 7, which is its neutral level.
Fresh fruits, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and a few other food options form a big chunk of the alkaline diet. But many people struggle in forming a diet plan to include these in their meals. Also, a lot have doubts about shifting to an entirely alkaline diet. Will the diet work for them or not, or will lead to alkalosis and negative effects?
What many people are unaware of is that even when you shift to an alkaline diet. The diet is composed of 80% alkaline food and 20% acidic food, and a proper structure has to be followed to get the desired results. Additionally, most of the food in an alkaline diet is completely natural and provides multiple benefits to the body.
Besides treating inflammation and restoring pH balance, it can also aid in losing weight, making your bones and muscles stronger, fighting against diabetes and cancer, providing energy, treating headaches, high blood pressure and reducing the chances of heart disease.
Below, we will provide a structure that you can easily follow and rebalance your pH levels while reducing negative inflammation.
7-Day Alkaline Diet Plan
Before we proceed ahead and have a day by day plan for eating an alkaline diet, we need to understand which food we will need to stock, and which food we have to completely ignore.
Food to be included:
Fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, peas, legumes, various types of oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnut, flaxseeds, cashew, and other items such as beetroot, figs, dates, fennel, lemon, artichoke and asparagus.
Food to be excluded:
Processed and packed food, dairy items, sugar, caffeine, soda, sunflower oil, soy, processed corn, grains, meat, eggs and alcohol.
Here is your 7-day alkaline diet plan. Besides the dishes, do remember to drink alkaline water throughout the day. To get alkaline water wherever you go, you can get the DYLN Bottle. It comes with the VitaBead Diffuser it enhances regular water into alkaline water within minutes. The bottle is easy to carry around, with it you can have access to cold alkaline antioxidant water whenever you want.
Day 1
Breakfast
Scrambled eggs and few bite-size pieces of tofu
Ingredients:
2 eggs, 1.5 ounces of Tofu cut in equal pieces, salt and fresh herbs.
Directions:
Beat your eggs and blend them well. Heat a non-stick pan and add some olive oil and salt to it. Pour the eggs over and stir, move and mesh while it is being cooked. Add some herbs on top and eat alongside tofu pieces.
Afternoon Snack
Eat a pear at noon, as a snack.
Lunch
Avocado wraps with black beans
Ingredients:
Tortilla, black beans, avocado, yogurt, tomato, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
Directions:
Cook a mixture of black beans, onions, tomatoes, garlic and avocado in a pan. Saute them thoroughly. Place a tortilla on a flat surface and put the mixture prepared above on top. Add yogurt cream and lime on the inside of the tortilla and roll to make a wrap.
Evening Snack
Eat a few pumpkin seeds as an evening snack.
Dinner
Green salad with sweet potatoes and parsnips
Ingredients:
Broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, radish, bell pepper, mushroom, cucumber, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, sweet potatoes and parsnips.
Directions:
Take all the ingredients and saute them with olive oil in a pan and add salt per taste. Meanwhile, roast sweet potatoes and parsnips separately. Coat the salad dressing with apple cider vinegar. Serve hot and have a fulfilling meal.
Day 2
Breakfast
Strawberry Coco-Chia Quinoa
Ingredients:
Cooked quinoa, chia seeds, coconut milk, sliced strawberries, almond pieces and coconut flakes.
Directions:
Put cooked quinoa, strawberries, and almond pieces in a blender and puree them. Add chia seeds on top of it and mix well. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and allow it to cool. Serve your meal cold and enjoy the delicious flavor.
Afternoon Snack
1 peeled orange.
Lunch
Asian Sesame with Noodles
Ingredients:
Sesame butter, 2 tbsp of tamari, lemon, minced garlic, chopped scallion, 1 tbsp of raw sesame seeds, sliced carrot, sliced red bell pepper and zucchini noodles.
Directions:
Boil the zucchini noodles in a pan for 10 minutes. Combine the other ingredients and mix them well with the noodles, using a spoon. Once cooked, take it off the heat, add sesame seeds and scallions on top to get a rich and tasty alkaline dish for your lunch.
Evening Snack
½ cup roasted nuts.
Dinner
Alkaline Kidney Beans and Lentil Chili
Ingredients
Kidney beans, lentils, any of your favorite vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, kale, etc, salt and pepper.
Directions
Steam the vegetables you desire and place them on a plate once done. Place the cooked kidney beans and lentils on the green bed of steamed vegetables and sprinkle salt and pepper on top for taste. Your healthy dinner meal full of taste is ready.
Day 3
Breakfast
Overnight chia breakfast recipe
Ingredients
Unsweetened almond or coconut milk, 4 tbsp of chia seeds, vanilla, cinnamon, shredded coconut flakes, chopped nuts – including almonds, cashews and hemp seeds.
Directions
This needs to be prepared overnight. Add milk along with chia seeds in a jar and add vanilla, chopped nuts as well as cinnamon to the mixture. Cover the jar with a lid and shake well to mix the ingredients. Refrigerate it overnight. Shake again the next morning. Pour it in a bowl and add fresh fruits, coconut flakes, and more chopped nuts on the top to have a wholesome breakfast.
Afternoon Snack
1 sliced mango.
Lunch
Sweet Salad
Ingredients:
Lettuce, sliced cucumber, pomegranate, small pieces of avocado, handful chopped pistachios, apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic.
Directions:
Toss all the ingredients into a bowl. Tear lettuce head with hands. Use olive oil and apple cider vinegar for dressing. Eat fresh.
Evening Snack
A cup of dry fruits including almond, cashew, peanuts and walnuts.
Dinner
Kale Pesto pasta
Ingredients:
1 handful of kale, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, fresh lime, tomato, spinach leaves and zucchini noodles.
Directions:
Soak walnuts overnight. Put all the ingredients along with the soaked walnuts in a blender and blend them. Keep blending until you get a creamy consistency. Once done, add zucchini noodles to it, garnish with spinach leaves and tomato. Mix well and enjoy this delicious meal.
Day 4
Breakfast
Apple and Almond Butter Oats
Ingredients:
2 cups of oats, 1 ½ cup coconut milk, almond butter, grated green apple, 1 tbsp of cinnamon.
Directions:
Add coconut milk, almond butter and oats in a bowl, mix them thoroughly. Add the grated green apple on top, place the mixture in the refrigerator overnight after covering the bowl with a lid. Add some more coconut milk in the bowl if the mixture gets too thick in the morning. Garnish with cinnamon powder and have a satisfying breakfast.
Afternoon Snack
1 sliced mango
Lunch
Apple Parfait
Ingredients:
Handful soaked cashews, coconut milk, ½ tbsp vanilla, chopped apples, gluten-free oats, 1 tbsp hemp seeds
Directions:
Put cashews, coconut milk, and vanilla together and blend them to form a smoothie, and pour it in a small cup. Put cashews, apples, oats, and hemp seeds on top and enjoy a delicious meal.
Evening Snack
Dried Apricot flakes
Dinner
Lentil Carrot Soup
Ingredients:
Onion, garlic cloves, coconut oil, 1 sweet potato, avocado, spinach, lentils, bell pepper, and chopped cashews.
Directions:
Saute onions and garlic in coconut oil and then add sweet potato and carrots in it. Stir for a couple of minutes and add lentils. Cook on simmer for 5 minutes. On the other hand, blend avocado, spinach, bell pepper to form a puree and add it to the previous mixture. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot with cashews.
Day 5
Breakfast
Blueberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
½ cup Blueberries, almond butter, spinach, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, coconut milk, hemp seed powder
Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until it takes a smoothie form. Serve in a mug and get a lot of energy to start your day.
Afternoon Snack
1 banana in slices.
Lunch
Thai Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
1 tbsp sesame seeds, chopped garlic, 1 fresh lemon, apple cider vinegar, sesame butter, pitted date, salt, quinoa, arugula, sliced tomato and sliced onion.
Directions:
Add all the ingredients in a blender along with ¼ cup alkaline water and blend it. Keep 1 cup of quinoa in a steam or rice cooker and let it get cooked separately. Combine the blended mixture with cooked quinoa and add sliced tomato, onion, and arugula on top. Serve in a plate or bowl.
Evening Snack
Few Dates
Dinner
Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
Kale, Sunflower Seeds, 1/3 cup almonds, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, alkaline water from DYLN Bottle, 2 garlic cloves and salt to taste.
Directions:
Break kale into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. But rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend until they are smooth. Pour half mixture on kale, and add the remaining mixture with a spoon to coat the kale leaves entirely. Allow it to stand for 10 minutes, and then sprinkle sunflower seeds before serving.
Day 6
Breakfast
Strawberry and Spinach Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 cups spinach, ½ cup strawberries, 1 lime, 1 cup coconut water, and hemp seeds.
Directions:
Put all the ingredients (except lime) together in a blender and blend them for a few minutes. Once done, squeeze the lime juice on top. Mix well and have a delicious smoothie in a mug.
Afternoon Snack
½ cup blueberries
Lunch
Quinoa Porridge
Ingredients:
½ cup rinsed quinoa, coconut milk, 1 tbsp chia and hemp seeds and 1 tbsp of cinnamon.
Directions:
Leaving the hemp seeds aside, combine the rest of the ingredients and put them in a pan for 15 minutes on a medium flame. Once the liquid is absorbed, take it out of the flame and transfer to a plate, sprinkle hemp seeds on top for the ultimate taste.
Evening Snack
A handful of macadamia nuts
Dinner
Antioxidant Smoothie
Ingredients:
A handful of kale, spinach, broccoli heads, lettuce, 1 tomato, cucumber, garlic and ½ tbsp lemon juice.
Directions:
Blend the cucumber and avocado to form a paste and then add the other ingredients. Give it one more spin and your amazing smoothie is ready.
Day 7
Breakfast
Berry and Spinach Smoothie
Ingredients:
Fresh Spinach, almond milk, frozen berries, banana, coconut oil, almond butter and cinnamon.
Directions:
Blend Spinach with almond butter, to begin with. Once done add all the other ingredients and blend together. Your healthy smoothie will be ready in 10 minutes.
Afternoon Snack
Few cantaloupe slices.
Lunch
Quinoa Burrito Bowl
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa or brown rice, sliced green onions, 2 limes, minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp cumin, sliced avocados and chopped cilantro.
Directions:
Cook the quinoa or brown rice in a pan on low heat. Add green onions, lime juice, cumin, and lime juice on top and let it cook for 15 minutes. Take it out and top it with avocados and cilantro, and serve hot.
Evening Snack
Dry coconut slices.
Dinner
Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
1 cauliflower broken into bite-size pieces, turmeric, coriander, mint, ½ cup coconut oil, ground cumin, chopped coriander, mint leaves and Himalayan salt.
Directions:
Combine coconut oil, cumin, turmeric and salt and mix them well. Add cauliflower florets on top and spread the mixture on a baking tray. Put it in the oven at 428 degrees Fahrenheit, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. Transfer it to a serving bowl when done and add coriander and mint on top before serving.
Final Words
An alkaline diet can be very helpful in treating negative inflammation as well as rebalancing the pH level of the body. By just making a few changes to your diet and cutting back on a few items, you can heal your body naturally and protect it from various potential problems.
Besides, an alkaline diet has a lot of great tasting options, so you don’t even have to upset your taste buds. You can have a tasty meal every day that provides you energy, keeps you healthy and protects you from various potential chronic diseases.
