Water is the healthiest liquid for the human body. It is even called the elixir of life. It is also one of the most important elements needed by the body. Nowadays there are many choices for even water. Flavored water is one kind of popular water prevalent in the market. Alkaline or ionized water is another kind which has lured a lot of people.

What is Ionized Water? Ionized water or alkaline water is a special type of water that is carbonated. With a lot of minerals infused and dissolved into the water, alkaline water is now a new health product. It contains a lot of minerals, salt, sulfur compounds and gas.

Therapeutic effect: Alkaline water is very therapeutic. It restores the body pH balance and maintains it at the desired level of pH. It can cure acidic environment an d in the long run, prevent you from feeling tired, gaining weight, experiencing aches and pains. Also, it can help avoid heartburn or an upset stomach.

Ionized water, a natural antioxidant: Ionized water is a natural antioxidant.  Antioxidants fight elements in the body that cause cancer, aging, and chronic diseases. Rich in hydroxyl ions, ionized water is better than most antioxidants as it is liquid in nature and dissolves readily into the body climate, working immediately.

A pH balancer: Ionized water balances the body’s pH levels to a remarkable extent. Due to the acidic nature of our food, the pH level of our body tends to fall on the acidic side. It is crucial to restore the pH to alkalinity as an acidic pH can create a degenerative body climate and become a breeding ground to diseases. Ionized water is a great pH balancer. It helps flush off all the acidic waste in the body and restore natural balance in the body environment.

Antibacterial Nature: Clinical research on Ionized water has proved that it kills over 99% of all forms of bacteria, including E.Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus etc. In certain cases, it protects against bacteria, viruses, helps in sterilization of wounds and treatment of diabetic ulcers.

Ionized water hydrates more: Ionized water helps in cell hydration than conventional or filtered water. Ionized water molecule cluster is smaller in size and makes hydration of body cells easier and effective.
Improves Stamina and Strength: This water boosts energy levels of any individual. It increases oxygenation at the cellular level and especially good for athletics.

Anti-toxin Agent: Alkaline water is a great anti-toxin agent and increases oxygen in the body. It helps the body absorb nutrients better and hydrate cells in the best way. With more oxygen, the water protects cells well and stabilize blood flow in your body’s circulation.

In short, the easiest way to restore pH levels in the body is to drink alkaline water daily. You can include it in cooking. It makes boiling faster and also enhances cooking on account of its acid-iron base.

Acid-Base balance is essential for your body to be functioning well. The base or alkalinity of your body determines the proper functioning of your organs, reduces weight gain and puts your body in good health mode. There is a shift happening in the food culture of the world. Realizing the harms of acidic body environment, people are shifting to more of an alkaline-rich diet. Dietitians consider this as new and enlightened approach to food and life.

1. Watch your pH levels: Your body pH is the most important factor in maintaining your health. The ideal pH for a body is 7.4 and above. If your pH levels fall, you might be prone to a series of troubles including, several ailments, continuous weight gain, result in chronic fatigue, small skin irritations, back pain, depression, arthritis, ulcers and osteoporosis. Keep a watch over your pH level and maintain a healthy pH.
2. Avoid acidic foods: Our body becomes imbalanced with diets that are excessive in acidic nature. Acidic foods can deplete the alkaline minerals in the body and create a pH imbalance. Avoid acidic foods like sugar, caffeine, processed foods and animal proteins as they will disrupt the balance of pH.
3. Take a lot of minerals: Take a lot of alkaline rich minerals like potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium as  they would restore bone health and prevent chronic diseases. Magnesium is critical in maintaining your natural balance.
4. Vegetables are a source of alkaline: Vegetables are a great source of alkalinity. Cucumber, wheat grass, barley grass, broccoli sprouts, alfalfa spouts, parsley, kale, sea vegetables, bell peppers, beets, cabbage, ginger, green beans, garlic, mustard greens, lettuce, onion, tomato, spinach.
5. Take fruits with alkalinity: Fruits are high in alkalinity. Some of the fruits that are rich in alkaline content are grapefruit, coconut, lime, lemon and other citrus fruits. It is a great plus if you take ionized water.
6. Take foods with moderate alkaline content: If you are afraid of overt alkalinity, take foods with moderate amounts of alkaline content – including legumes, soy beans, white beans, lima beans, lentils and tofu. Nuts, seeds, oils including pumpkin seeds, almond, borage oil, cod liver oil, evening primrose oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil, sesame seeds, olive oil etc.
7. Take lower acidic foods: Lower acidic foods are better if you are not for alkaline foods or cannot avoid acidic foods. Dairy products are good if you take the ones with small amounts of acidity. Rice milk, cow’s milk and soy milk are less in acid. Animal meats with moderate levels of acid include organ meat, pork, turkey, veal, poultry, gelatin, lobster, seafood, pheasant, squid and others. Apricot banana, apple, berries, figs, grapes, honeydrew, mango, peach, tangerine, watermelon, papaya, pineapple etc are vegetables that come with moderate amounts of acid. Even flaze seeds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pecans, sunflower oild and grape  seed oil.
8. Hydrate consistently: Drink as much water as you can. Ideally 8 glasses of water intake a day restores pH balance. Drink water whenever you find time, instead of taking too much of caffeine and acidic drinks to quench your thirst.
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EcoPure Coral Powder

Manufacturer: Coral LLC

Description: Consisting of 100% plain coral powder, EcoPure Coral Powder helps in raising pH levels and building bone strength. On an average, one gram of EcoPure Coral Powder contains 375 mg of bio-available coral calcium with 73 trace minerals. Finitely powdered, the coral powder requires does not require the patient to swallow it as a small amount placed on the tongue absorbs it into the body through the mouth. The powder is popular with many people, especially senior citizens and children who resist taking pills.

Magnesium and Potassium – Cardiovascular Energy Support (120 capsules)

Manufacturer: Roex

Description: As we all know, Magnesium and Potassium are essential minerals for alkaline balance. Magnesium is helpful in maintaining bone health, supplying protein, fatty acid formation, creation of new cells, activating B vitamins, muscle relaxation, blood clotting and formation of ATP for energy supply throughout the body. Potassium, as we know it, is needed for water and acid balance, neuromuscular functionalities and in transmitting electrical impulses to the heart. This pack of pills supply the Magnesium and Potassium needed for enriching the body with alkalinity. It also enhances overall health and well being.

BELL Acidic Stomach Alkaline Balance (60 cap)

Manufacturer: BELL

Description: pH balance is crucial for body’s overall health and for prevention of many discomforts and diseases. To cure an acidic stomach, to alleviate stress, prevent fatigue, depression, obesity, vascular diseases and even treat cancer, one needs to one’s body in proper alkaline balance or pH levels. Bell’s Acidic Stomach Alkaline Balance fuses the right combination of alkaline enriching elements into capsules to help people restore their acid alkaline balance and regain lost health.

Acid Redux – Natural Acid Neutralizer – Chewable Tablets

Manufacturer: Swiss Natural Sources

Description: Acid Redux from Swiss Natural Sources contains five ingredients that help naturally neutralize acids in the body. The pack of 60 cherry-flavored tablets consists of a unique blend of alkaline-inducing elements that provide fast relief from acid indigestion and heartburn. The pills comfort the digestive system and help in maintaining the body’s alkaline balance.

Vitamin C Mineral Ascorbates Powder

Manufacturer: Roex

Description: This gentle and non-acidic vitamin C  powder three times the potency of alkaline minerals. Gentle on the stomach, this new and improved Vitamin C Ascorbates Powder Formula supplies 3000 mg of buffered vitamin C as part of the four mineral ascorbates – calcium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbate, potassium ascorbate and sodium ascorbate. This powder is easily absorbed by the body. Added to this, the non-acidic and neutral pH formula is smooth on the digestive system.

Navita USA Coral Calcium Fossilized (90 Caps) for Bones & Heart

Manufacturer: Navita USA

Description:  Calcium intake is essential for bone health and heart, especially for maintaining alkaline balance and regulation of blood pressure. Navita USA’s fossilized coral calcium has higher content of trace minerals than other calcium powders, thereby assisting in bone health, pH balance and heart health. This coral calcium powder is works wonders in the body as it is a highly absorbable form of calcium which promotes alkalinity of body fluids for gaining a stronger immune system.

Magnesium Citrate – 300 mg (60 caps)

Manufacturer: Swiss Natural Sources

Description: Fibromyalgia is quite common in people with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is a mandatory mineral for the healthy functioning of all muscles and nervous system. Though minerals, when taken through pills or supplements, take time to be absorbed into the body, this particular pill pack is easily retained by the body. Each pill consists of 300 mg of Magnesium Citrate with the pack containing 60 caps.

Wheat Grass – 500 mg (500 tablets)

Manufacturer: Now Foods

Description: Wheat Grass tablets manufactured by Now Foods are rich in many nutrients that help in anti-aging, curing iron deficiency, indigestion, detoxification, liver disorders, hypertension, kidney disorders and maintaining acid alkaline balance. High in antioxidants, Wheat Grass is made of organically grown produce that has the capacity to restore the body’s pH balance.

Magnesium Hydroxide (Magnesium and Malic Acid) 50 mg – 90 caps

Manufacturer: Swiss Natural Sources

Description: Clinically shown to relieve symptoms of Fibromyalgia, this caplet pack from Swiss Natural Sources supplies the body with Magnesium Hydroxide with the addition of Malic acid. Apart from relieving one of rheumatic disorder Fibromyalgia, this pack also cures one of arthritis, migraines, immune disorders, muscle strains, rheumatoid neuralgia, back pain and also in maintaining acid alkaline balance.

Magnesium Oxide – Hi Potency – Yeast Free - 835 mg (90 tablets)

Manufacturer: Swiss Natural Sources

Description: Magnesium Oxide activates enzymes necessary for metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids and thereby, helps regulate the acid alkaline balance in the body. Almost equivalent to 500 mg of elemental Magnesium, this pill pack is powerful in treating bone disorders, curing tooth enamel problems, boosting calcium absorption and checking the functioning of nerves, muscles and liver and glands.

Alcabase (without pH Paper Wheel) – 90 tablets

Manufacturer: Homeocan

Description: Alcabase, a natural alkali mineral salt product, helps restore the pH balance to the alkaline side in the body. Curing us of our acidic pH levels, Alcabase re-balances our body climate by eliminating acidic toxins from the body. For suitable use of this product, one should use pH indicator to check the pH progress of the body daily.

Calcium Carbonate – 500 mg – 250 tablets

Manufacturer: Webber

Description: Calcium Carbonate, one the most common minerals in the environment, is a natural anti-acid. This pack can help you neutralize your stomach acids, relieve yourself of heartburn, and stomach upsets. Added to this, calcium carbonate also supplies your alkaline reserves by providing calcium. Cardiovascular disorders, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, bone disorders, nervous system and acid alkaline balance – calcium carbonate is a great cure for all these conditions.

Acid-Alkaline Imbalance: Though symptoms of diseases are treated, root causes of the same are hardly thought of. Health studies today reveal that most of the human ill-health conditions are results of Acid-Alkaline imbalance in the body. Smart New Yorker William Howard pointed at the crucial need for maintaining proper acid-base balance in the body as early as 1933. He termed that all diseases are caused by “autotoxication” or “self-poisoning” due to acid accumulation. Another scientific genius named Theodore A. Baroody believed that illnesses came from “too much of acid waste in the body”.

The terminologies  may differ, but the truth is nailed – Alkaline balance is crucial to good health in any individual. Because imbalance in the acid-alkaline levels will result in development of acute and chronic sicknesses, even life-threatening conditions like cancer.

Need for balance in body pH levels: Body pH is the deciding factor in determining whether your body is acidic or alkaline. pH is a measure of hydrogen ion activity in a liter of water. An acidic body has pH anywhere between 0 to 6.9 whereas, for an alkaline body, pH values range from 7.1 to 14. Water is neutral in pH and stands at 7. A healthy body should have an alkaline pH, that is, high pH. Low pH levels indicate the body is in acidic state and needs care.

Acidic body – A graveyard in the making: Acidic environment is very harmful as acidity is a signal to decompose. When a natural plant body dies, its acidity increases and decomposition sets in, assisted by bacteria, viruses, fungi and mold. The same happens when the human body turns acidic. An acidic body is lower in oxygen, becoming a fertile ground for microbe activity. Gradually, the acidic body will develop a condition called acidosis which would result in fatal health conditions like cancer or osteoporosis.

Carolee Bateson-Koch in the book Allergies: Diseases in Disguise says that “Survival depends on the blood remaining at the slightly alkaline pH of 7.4.” Anything less is critical and needs to be attended to immediately.

Need for Alkalinity: A number of diseases and health conditions like insomnia, water retention, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, diabetes and even cancer are associated with an acidic environment. In case of low pH, the body may go to great lengths to maintain an ideal pH. There would be calcium depletion in the body as a result of this as calcium will be pulled out of bones to neutralize the body’s acidic condition. On the whole, an acidic body is a sick body while an alkaline-rich body is a healthy one. Hence, alkalinity is the need of the hour.

There are a number of factors that induce acidity in the body. Some of them include stress, dehydration, obesity, aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. We should steer clear of all these scenarios and work towards improving body’s alkalinity. Some remedies to restore pH balance are:

• Eat lots of alkaline rich foods – raw foods like vegetables, citrus fruits, green drinks etc.
• Drink plenty of water. Add squeezed lemon juice to your water
• Take mineral supplements to neutralize acids
• Avoid lot of protein intake.
• Avoid too much of pharmaceutical drugs
• Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and de-stress often

Stay rich in alkalinity. That is the way to good health!

Healthy To Go – Go Green Fruit – 6 Packet(s)

Manufacturer: Healthy To Go

Description: Healthy To Go Go Greens Fruit is a tasty, natural, instant drink mix consisting of ingredients like organic fruits, vegetables and many such antioxidants. The drink is high in organic alkalizing metals and in phytonutrients that aid in detoxification of acids in liver and other important organs of the body.

Erom Zion™ Alkaline Water Ionizer

Manufacturer: Erom Zion

Description: Erom Zion Alkaline Water Ionizer uses state of the art ionizing technology to ionize ordinary tap water through seven steps of filters with electrolyzing in electrolytic bath, toward the end of the filtering process. The Ionizer uses Platinum coated Titanium electrodes and is operated by MICOM. The product’s automatic water control flow and quality help user find optimal operating conditions, thereby making the ionizer the simplest solution of alkaline ionized water for your family.

Tyent MMP 7070 Water Ionizer

Manufacturer: Tyent USA

Description: This MMP water Ionizer features seven large platinum mesh plates and has the answer to all your alkaline ionized water troubles. Being one of the best ionizers in the market, brand Tyent has made this product simple and easy to use. A touch-type system, one single touch enables you to start and stop water supply without having to do any other operations. The ionizer divides and displays acid and alkaline water by seven color codes, thereby making your water highly pure and pristine.

NewCell Water Ionizer and Alkaline Water Machine

Manufacturer: NewCell

Description: NewCell Water Ionizer makes ionized water in seconds, thanks to its advanced technology and trendy design. Built-in with superior ionization technology, the NewCell ionizer produces water with a pH range of 3.2 to 10.0 and an ORP range of +600.00 mV to – 420.00 mV. Added to the premium quality water, the machine’s LCD screen allows user to keep a watch over the process as it displays the real time information on how the water is being electrolyzed.

Alkazone pH Booster Alkaline Drops

Manufacturer: Alkazone

Description: Alkazone pH Booster is a kind of alkaline drops that provides valuable minerals to the body. The drops can be added to ordinary water and is colorless, odorless and tasteless. Just by adding  3 to 4 drops, a patient can increase his or her pH by 8-10 as the minerals in the drops can ward off acidic wastes from the body. Made from organic substances like potassium bicarbonate, potassium lactate, potassium citrate, Alkazone also has 79 trace minerals from marine deposits.

Earth’s Balance 61010 Fitness Fuel Alkaline Water - 32 Ounces     

Manufacturer: Earth’s Balance

Description: This product is made to energize your body and improve its alkaline balance. Ideal for detoxification, the Fitness Fuel Alkaline Water fights against aging, delivers essential nutrients and supplies you with ample energy to defend yourself from acids.

Homay Alkaline Water Ionizer

Manufacturer: Homay

Description: The Homay water ionizer is a digital water ionizer with a lot of functions that includes possibility of getting water in your prescribed range of pH (low to high). Using a special chamber of 5 Titanium Platinum alloy plates, this ionizer functions the moment you start the machine. The ionizer has also got a neutral setting for producing only purified water without ionizing or alkalizing it.

Trimedica, AlkaMax, Alkaline Booster

Manufacturer: Trimedica

Description: A natural alkalizer, this alkaline booster is a great dietary supplement that provides natural and long lasting relief from acid indigestion and heartburns. A unique blend of essential antacids, new AlkaMax neutralizes excess acidity and avoids premature aging and degenerative conditions. The product does not have harsh chemicals, additives or preservatives and can be added in anything from ordinary drinking water to coffee, tea, soda or any other beverage and taken. 8 to 10 drops is the ideal dosage.

We have tried our best to give a synopsis of the books by listing the Title, Author, Publisher and Short summary of each and every book. However, these books are not listed in any order of importance or popularity.
The Acid Alkaline Balance Diet: An Innovative Program For Ridding Your Body of Acidic Wastes

Author: Felicia Drury Kliment

Publisher: Mcgraw-hill

Description: The Acid Alkaline Balance Diet explores the possibility of curing disorders through acid alkaline diet and pH balance. Inspired by Eastern medicinal practices, The Acid Alkaline Balance Diet advocates an innovative diet program to get rid of the toxins and acid wastes in the body. The diet that this book prescribes is an easy-to-follow food combination program which is in conjunction with herbal medicinal therapies to balance acidic particles with the alkali particles in the body. A diet plan which redefines the notion of a well-balance diet, it helps cure various medical conditions, including, chronic and serious illnesses like arthritis, hepatitis, insomnia, alcoholism, diabetes and kidney diseases. The book is filled with inspiring evidence and anecdotes to prove that this dietary change really works.

The Acid Alkaline Food Guide: A Quick Reference to Foods & Their Effect on pH Levels

Author: Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD., Larry Trivieri Jr.

Publisher: Square One Publishers

Description: The Acid Alkaline Food Guide is a great resource for people who want to try healthy food options. The book explains the acid alkaline environment of the body and details on how an upset in acid alkaline balance can lead to several disorders. Above all,  The Acid Alkaline Food Guide presents a list of thousand food items – including single foods such as fruits, vegetables and combination foods like burgers, pizzas, fried etc – with their acid alkaline ratio and side effects. It gives a thorough picture of the acidifying or alkalizing nature of each food and how it affects the body, during and after digestion. There are also informative data on which food is the right choice for you, considering your acid alkaline balance.

Naturopathic Way : How to Detox, Find Quality Nutrition, and Restore Your Acid-Alkaline Balance

Author: Christopher Vasey and Jon E. Graham

Publisher: Healing Art Press

Description: This Naturopathic Way explains that diseases stem from unbalanced and dysfunctional biological terrains and how they can be treated through fasts, diets, and detoxifying cleanses. Toxic wastes accumulate in the body when the internal environment becomes clogged with unwanted elements and lacks vitamins, minerals and nutrients. The book lists a set of natural supplements and naturopathic ways in which the body can restore its acid alkaline balance and regain deficient nutrients. To provide optimum health through natural ways is the ultimate aim of the book.

The PH Miracle for Diabetes: The Revolutionary Diet Plan for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetics

Author: Shelley Redford Young

Publisher: Warner Books

Description: The pH Miracle for Diabetes is a remarkable book for diabetics. It provides a revolutionary diet plan, including exercise regime, right foods, stress-free lifestyle and insulin elimination methods to diabetics. The book explains how diabetes is caused by or intensified by acidifying foods and how it can be controlled if the body’s acid alkaline balance is restored. Complemented by a guide with numerous recipes, the book is truly a helpful resource for both Type I and Type II diabetic patients.

Body Balance: Vitalize your Health with pH Power

Author: Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa

Publisher: Twin Streams

Description: Herbalist and educator Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa explains the pivotal role of pH in maintaining body’s health through this breakthrough book, Body Balance: Vitalize your Health with pH Power. The author notes how one can restore pH balance in a natural, easy way with minimum amount of fuss. The book also reveals why most Americans are acidic and what are the short term and long term methods to balance pH for proper cellular function. The book also lists foods that provide specific relief for common ailments such as asthma, indigestion, hypertension, joint pain and much more.

The PH Balance Diet: Restore Your Acid-Alkaline Levels to Eliminate Toxins and Lose Weight

Author: Bharti Vyas, Susanne Le Quesne

Publisher: Ulysses Press

Description: The pH Balance Diet by Bharti Vyas is an informative book that tells how to pH test one’s body, eliminate toxins and remove acidic waste through dietary and lifestyle changes. By detailing on the physiological changes involved during the digestion processes of acidifying foods like meat, dairy, wheat and sugar, the book explains how problems arise from pH imbalance. Excess acidic waste that result from pH imbalance cause low energy levels, poor skin, brittle bones, obesity and a few other serious conditions. The book has also listed highly alkalizing 80 super foods and 40 recipes for improving acid alkaline balance in the body (with a section on drinks called ‘juicing-for-superhealth’ program).

The Acid-Alkaline diet for optimum health: Restore your health by creating pH balance in your diet

Author: Christopher Vasey

Publisher: Jon Graham - Inner Traditions International, Limited

Description: This second edition of The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health opens a new leaf on the whole concept of acid alkaline balance. It discusses in detail on the role of enzymes, prebiotic and probiotic complexes, the role of antioxidants and water in neutralizing and eliminating acidic waste from the body. The book advocates a sample detoxification diet plan and explains how any food can be alkaline or acidifying according the body pH of the person who consumes it. It also details on how too much of acidic waste can cause havocs – right from minor skin irritations, fatigue, back pain to depression, arthritis, diabetes, nervous disorders, osteoporosis and even cancer.

Save Your Life With The Power of pH Balance

Author: Blythe Ayne Ph.D.

Publisher:  Emerson and Tilman Publishers

Description: The book consists of 9 plus chapters that explain in detail on pH balance and its relationship with Food, Water, Air, emotions, aging process, healing and all other health related things. Towards the end, the book also offers a complete acid alkaline chart, guiding readers how to choose the right foods for proper pH balance.

The Ultimate pH Solution: Balance Your Body Chemistry to Prevent Disease and Lose Weight

Author: Michelle Schoffro Cook

Publisher: Harper Collins

Description: “Beginning a healthier lifestyle can be as easy as starting your day sipping a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice” starts the book’s blurb. The book advocates on how to control the level of acid in your body, and reclaim health with a simple, step-by-step program. Prescribing an easy to follow diet plan, The Ultimate pH Solution gives anecdotes of people in real life who have succeeded in warding off diseases by adhering to a pH diet. Added to this, the book gives 50 recipes for delicious pH-powerful dishes for readers.

The pH Miracle for Weight Loss: Balance Your Body Chemistry, Achieve Your Ideal Weight

Author: Robert O. Young, Shelley Redford Young

Publisher: Warner Books

Description: Another bestselling book on how pH balance can help you lose weight and balance your body chemistry, paving way for optimal health. Consisting of 12 chapters, the book is an eye opener to many regarding the connection between pH and weight loss.  The information-packed chapters tell you how to think thin and achieve your ideal weight by getting rid of acidic wastes. A chapter also advocates seven steps to gain ideal weight with suggestions for an alkaline balance diet plan.

Alkalize or Die

Author: Theodore A. Baroody

Description: A great book that tells the A to Z of the need to alkalize the body. The book details on the different effects of acid-forming foods and alkaline-forming foods on the body and how it is easy to ward off diseases if we adhere to a proper alkaline diet. The book explains how one can prevent FMS, Arthritis and Thyroid Disease by cleansing the body of acidic wastes.

Carrots: You can swear on them! They are great alkaline foods when taken raw. Organic and rich in alkalinity, they make you feel fuller anytime you grab a bite. Take carrot sticks of raw produce. Try local variety. Take only whole carrot sticks and avoid baby carrot produce. The baby carrots may have been nurtured with some preservatives. So, better to go with the fully-grown sticks. Whenever you hear your stomach rumbling, eat a fresh, energizing carrot.

Apples: Apple in juice forms or in raw fruit form – anything is good. High on alkalinity and rich in anti-oxidants, apples neutralize the acids in your body very easily. You can grab an apple and eat it anywhere -  when stuck in  traffic or on an elevator. Apples come handy for rejuvenating your body’s alkaline content.

Raisins: These are one of the most important sweet items on the alkaline food chart. Raisins  have phenols and borons that are highly beneficial to health. They also taste good to the palate. In fact, they can substitute many of your fatty, sugary acid items.

There are a lot of snack items other than listed here. Bananas, almonds and other fruits are some of them. You can choose what suits your palate. But before you do so, classify and identify to which of the below categories your snack belongs to. Weak acid foods or low alkalizing foods or fully alkaline foods.

Weak Acid Foods: Weak acid foods are not completely harmless. Of course,  they are low on acid and are not that acidifying. But they have a different effect based on your body’s metabolism. If you are already highly acidic, this will add up to your acid content and upset your pH more. One way to find out about the effects of these foods is to check your pH balance before and after the intake of such foods.

Low Alkaline Foods: These are not harmful. They have alkalinity in them, but again, they should not produce acid by-products when they digest. So, check before snacking on such foods.

Alkalizing Foods: All time best snack items. You can bank on them for energy also. If you are not a raw food eater or veggie, choose wisely. Eat what suits your palate. Check how your pH performs after intake of such foods and then make a snack diet plan for the week.

1. Become aware. Become aware of the harms of an acidifying diet. Learn how you can change your health for the better with an alkaline diet. Get to know the benefits of each and every alkaline food that you plan to include in your diet. Know the metabolic processes that happen in your body and the residue they leave during digestion.

2. Motivate yourself. This is very important. Read articles on the joys of staying healthy through proper pH balance. Motivate yourself by imagining how your life will change and how all your health ailments will dissolve if you alkalize your body.

3. Take it at a slow pace. Let the change happen gradually. Step by step. First stick to a breakfast and supper diet plan. Then, make changes in your lunch and snack plans too. When you stick to your plan, reward yourself with your favorite low fat, low acid diet. Gradually, change the way you reward yourself. Treat yourself once a month with your favorite acid food. But beware of focusing on the rewards alone. Remember that your ultimate aim should be to relish in alkaline foods.

4. To start with, choose foods you love. Take foods you love. Make them delicious without adding high fats or sugars. Take them raw. A fresh fruit smoothie is a great way to break your fast in the morning. Fresh juices or salads are great for lunch.

5. Don’t be carried away by labels. There are manufacturers who advertise processed foods as non-acidifying foods or alkaline rich foods. Don’t be carried away by such labels. Check before you take anything.

6. Try alternative foods: Don’t follow a stereotypical diet plan. Try variety. Change your diet plan every alternate week. Hunt for different recipes of alkaline foods. Count your alkaline intake and if you can afford, balance  them with your favorite low acid foods.

7. Eat before you go out. Sticking to your diet plan can be difficult when you go for a dinner or socialize with friends at a party. So, eat in advance, at home, before you go out. This is will make you less hungry at the dinner and you can resist intake of acidifying foods.

8. Replace with tasty substitutes. Sometimes you can feel an irresistible urge to eat your favorite donut, toast or burger. Do not give in to that urge. Instead, try alkaline foods that are tasty substitutes of your favorite foods.

9. Don’t stuff. Fill yourself with water. In an attempt to alkalize yourself fast, don’t eat too much of alkaline foods. Things cannot happen overnight. If you feel hungry, fill yourself with alkaline water. Water is a great solvent that can neutralize your acids and also add to your alkaline intake.

10. Clear your kitchen of unhealthy food. Essential. To avoid the urge to switch over from alkaline diet to acid diet, clear your home of all kinds of unhealthy snacks or food stuff. Don’t buy acidifying foods from now on.

11. If you give in, alkalize more. Yes, that is the way out. If you, by any chance, had to give in to acidifying foods, never fail to neutralize their effects with strong alkaline foods. Also make a decision to not give in the next time.

Whatever your relationship with caffeine, here are some reasons why you should quit your good-old coffee habit:

1. Highly acidifying: Caffeine is highly acidifying. A quick glance at all the alkaline food lists will tell you that coffee is not alkaline and energizing as you think.

2. Pseudo energy and mental acceleration: Of course, no one can ignore the energizing effects of caffeine. It gives you an instant mental boost and freshness. But remember, this comes with a cost of a lot of negative side effects.

3. Dehydration, nervousness and headaches: It’s hard to relax after a cup of caffeine. Your mental energy is that high. But if you observe carefully, caffeine never gives you proper hydration. Also, it causes lot of side effects like nervousness and headaches if you fail to get your daily dose of caffeine.

4. Health crises: Caffeine causes a lot of health related problems. It is one of the reasons for heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high inflammatory conditions like homocysteine, acid reflux, GERD etc.

Many of these reasons affect your body in the long run. Added to all these is the most crucial fact that caffeine is non-alkaline and leaves a lot of acid ash in your body. In fact, caffeine’s acid content is the cause of a few other conditions that make the body worse and caffeine an unhealthy beverage. Other reasons why you should quit caffeine:

5. Caffeine kills diet plans: Caffeine kills all your diet plans. It elevates your stress hormones, triggers hypoglycemia and improving your appetite. It also aggravates insulin resistance in the body, causing obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and cellular insensitivity.

6. Caffeine and Pregnancy: Caffeine is not healthy during pregnancy. It affects fetal development, decreases fertility and complicates infertility problems.

7. Aging, sleep disturbance and stress: Caffeine or lack of caffeine can cause a lot of other side effects like early aging, mood and sleep disorders and chronic stress. It can also affect bowels, causing intestinal cystitis. Fatigue is again a byproduct of caffeine consumption.

How to quit your caffeine habit: Quitting is easier said than done. As always, let the change happen gradually. Replace coffee with tea. Take tea that has less amount of caffeine. Then, slowly shift to tea that is caffeine-free. After sometime, take green tea or herbal tea. Alternatively, you can replace your coffee time with fresh juices. Take a lot of fresh, instant-energizing juices. If you feel a drain in your energy or side effects like headaches or migraines, persevere. Rome was not built in a day. Take your time, but quit caffeine as it is a highly acidifying beverage that you turn to frequently. Once you overcome your caffeine habit, quitting other acidifying foods will be darn simple.

Calcium
Calcium plays a vital role in bone health. It gives strength and sturdiness to bones. It is used by the body to solidify the acids to reduce their intensity. Calcium is stored primarily in bones and teeth. A minimal amount of it is found in your blood to help control muscles, nerves and blood clotting.

DEFICIENCY: Deficiency of calcium results in a lot of conditions like osteoporosis, cataracts, colon cancer, polycystic ovarian syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, high blood pressure, premenstrual syndrome, hypertension etc.

SOURCES:  Raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources of calcium. Though dietary supplements help, food is indeed the greatest source of the mineral. Dairy foods with spinach, almonds, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens etc. are rich in calcium content. Recommended calcium intake for adults is 1000 mg/day.

Magnesium
Magnesium is important for building strong bones, proper blood circulation and relaxation of nerves. It works together with calcium to moderate the function of the nervous system. In short, Magnesium is needed for proper functioning of minerals and deficiency of magnesium can mean that other minerals do not function properly.

DEFICIENCY: Magnesium deficiency can lead to improper functioning of the nervous system. It can also mean lack of bone health and muscle strength.

SOURCES: Pumpkin seeds, spinach, soybeans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, black beans etc are rich in magnesium content. Adult males should take up to 400 mg while adult females should take up to 300 mg of the mineral daily. On an average one cup of spinach contains 160 mg of magnesium.

Iron
Iron is an essential mineral in the human body. It accelerates a lot of functions, including distribution of oxygen throughout the body, activating the immune system and boosting energy production.

DEFICIENCY: Fatigue, headaches, depression, hair loss and stress are the results of iron deficiency. Premenstrual problems and anemic conditions in women can be due to lack of iron.

SOURCES: Spinach, turmeric, lentils, kidney beans, navy beans, soy beans are rich in iron. Recommended dosage: Adult men – 8 mg/day. Adult women – 18 mg/day. Women over 51 or after menopause – 8 mg/day. Pregnant women – 27 mg/day. Nursing women – 9 mg/day.