Why Food has to have the right pH?

It is important to eat the right balance of food. pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Pure water is said to be neutral. The pH for pure water at 25 °C (77 °F) is close to 7.0. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are said to be basic or alkaline.

Well, that is Chemistry we learnt in school. It can be applied in the kitchen too. To keep the body healthy, the cells and tissues needs to be maintained at normal levels. Normal levels are slightly alkaline.

Food that break down to acids are harmful as they attack tissues and damage cells.

To keep the pH levels balanced you need to take 70% alkali-forming and only 30% acid-forming foods.

Examples of alkali-forming foods are:

• fresh fruits -: citrus, melons, pineapple, mango, kiwi, papaya,
• fresh vegetables-: spinach,,celery, carrots, onions, potatoes, cauliflower,

Examples of acid -forming foods are:

• meats, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese
• bread, rice, oats, cereals, lentils, sugar, nuts

It is believed that keeping your body in an alkaline state will encourage good moods, high energy levels,good sleep quality and reduce aches and pains and headaches.

Exercise and deep breathing help keep the body in a normal pH state and makes you feel good.

I can vouch for the above because as a diabetic, I would feel great and alert when my sugar level is under control and feel sleepy, lethargic and lazy whenever my sugar levels are up .

Therefore, during the period of detox you are encouraged to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables as they can neutralize the acid in your blood.

Water is absolutely essential for healthy body function as it promotes chemical reactions, lubricate joints, and is a medium for the transport of nutrients. The function of all body systems especially the lymphatic, urinary, vascular and gastrointestinal system depend on water.

During detox, water is needed to wash out the toxins from the body. You need to drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water on normal days but during detox you may have to increase to 3 litres a day. To make the water taste better, you may add a squeeze of lemon juice.