Alkaline Diet

Principles of Alkalinity

Our blood is slightly alkaline, with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45. The theory behind the alkaline diet is that our diet should reflect this pH level (as it did in the past) and be slightly alkaline. An alkaline diet is a diet that emphasizes, to a varying degree, fresh fruit, vegetables, roots and tubers, nuts, and legumes.  Almost all foods that we eat, after being digested, absorbed, and metabolized, release either an acid or an alkaline base (bicarbonate) into blood. One of the keys to wellness is maintaining an alkaline base.  We can achieve this by drinking plenty of alkaline, or ionized, water or  eating an alkaline diet.

Tips for alkalinizing your Diet

1.  Eat lots of vegetables and fruits.  Most are alkalinizing
2. Drink the juice of half a lemon or lime in water as a beverage.
3. Eat 1 cup of alkalinizing greens daily (dale, collards, mustard greens or rapini) Rapini, is also known as Broccoli Rabe, part of the turnip family.
4. Eat millet and quinoa as an option to the acid forming grains (wheat, brown rice)
5. Learn to make a miso broth (1 tsp of miso dissolved in one cup of hot, not bo8iling, water.
6. Make blender drinks using alkaline juices, green powdered supplements and fruits.
7. Choose fish and lamp over beef and chicken for less acid forming animal protein.
8. Use olive oil as it is less acid forming than other vegetable oils.
9. Use buffered Vitamin C to alkalinze the system.

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, HEALTH AND YOU

Information and a solution!

Health and medical officials and literature talk individually about HDL – high density, and LDL – low density but do they talk about Total Cholesterol?  Usually, your Doctor tells you whether your scores are “normal” or not. This only provides you a brief sense of relief.  Normal is open to such a varying interpretation.  If you want to manage your health, then you need to know and understand your total cholesterol.

As I mentioned earlier, your Total Cholesterol consists of these two scores, HDL and LDL.  There are two different scales, one common in the United States and Europe and another in Canada. The majority of articles utilizes the US and Europe so we will use it. Step #one is to get your cholesterol checked.

Sometimes your Doctor orders a fasting blood test. If not then only the values for total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol will be usable.

No, you cannot subtract the HDL from the total cholesterol!

Logically, the reason why the LDL is invalid is because what you consume affects the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol level and triglycerides in your body.

HDL-bound cholesterol also called "good cholesterol", or HDL-C. HDL-C picks up cholesterol, carrying it internally from the cells.

Epidemiological studies have shown that high concentrations of HDL (over 60 mg/dL) have protective value against cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic stroke (lack of blood supply) and myocardial infarction or heart attack. These attacks occur when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted.  Low concentrations of HDL (below 40 mg/dL for men, below 50 mg/dL for women) are a positive risk factor for these atherosclerosis diseases.

Before considering these concentration figures, ask yourself what risk factors you may have.  For example -- how old are you? What is your family history? Do you smoke or do you have high blood pressure?  What are your eating habits?  Are you under stress?

If your Total Cholesterol, Blood (or Serum) Level is less than 200 mg/dL, then this is Desirable.

If your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels and you have no other risk factors for heart disease, then total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL puts you at relatively low risk of coronary heart disease.

If your Total Cholesterol, Blood (or Serum) Level is between 200–239 mg/dL, then your Total cholesterol is Borderline to High Risk 

If this is the case, then ask your doctor to evaluate your levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. It's possible to have borderline-high total cholesterol numbers with normal levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol balanced by high HDL (good) cholesterol.

If your Total Cholesterol, Blood (or Serum) Level is 240 mg/dL and over, this is a High Risk 

People who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or more typically have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is desirable (200 mg/dL). There is also a proven correlation between HDL and Alzheimer’s.  If your test didn’t show your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, your doctor should order a fasting profile.

SUMMARY

Your HDL (Good) Cholesterol Level

With HDL (good) cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. An HDL cholesterol of 60 mg/dL or higher gives some protection against heart disease.

Smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol. To raise your HDL level, avoid tobacco smoke, maintain a healthy weight and get at least 30–60 minutes of physical activity at least three times a week.

People with high blood triglycerides usually also have lower HDL cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone) also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Female sex hormones raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Your LDL (Bad) Cholesterol Level

The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it's a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. In general, LDL levels fall into these categories:

Your other risk factors for heart disease and stroke help determine what your LDL level should be, as well as the appropriate treatment for you. A healthy level for you may not be healthy for your friend or neighbour. Discuss your levels and your treatment options with your doctor to get the plan that works for you.

Even with a low risk, however, it’s still smart to eat a heart-healthy diet, get regular physical activity, and avoid tobacco smoke. Have your cholesterol levels checked every five years or as your doctor recommends.

Key points for managing total cholesterol are working with your doctor to create a prevention and treatment plan that's right for you. Make lifestyle changes, including eating a heart-healthy diet, getting regular activity, and avoid tobacco smoke.  

If you have LDL (bad) cholesterol, you may also need medication.  Ask your doctor how often you should have your cholesterol rechecked.

Regardless of whether your total cholesterol is good, marginal or bad, it is important to work with your doctor creating a prevention and treatment plan that's right for you. Make the necessary changes to continue staying healthy.

Throughout this article, I point out the need to work with the medical profession. However, I do want to stress that you are still in control of your health.  The Medical industry gives you the testing for total cholesterol as well as HDL and LDL. If the ratings are NOT what you desire, you can then search out NATURAL alternatives and remedies.  For information, go to    http://www.folkherbwisdom.com/nutronix.php  

ARTICLE:  Energize your body through Nine simple NUTRITIONAL steps

By Gayle Redfern, Nov 14, 2007

I discovered a simple way to eat a balanced healthy diet without trying to count my vegetables. Do you find measuring a serving as awkward as I do?  Western science thought they made nutrition guidelines simple by giving us the number of daily servings we need to stay healthy. Do you keep a measuring cup at your fingertips?  I don't.

Ayurveda philosophy evolved and developed over approximately 5,000 years on the Indian continent. Followers learned and taught the importance of the body, mind and spirit interaction. I believe this is something we need to apply to current living. What is important here though is how Ayurveda medicine looks at our food and nutritional consumption.  We can exercise, meditate all we want, but if we do not eat correctly for our body type, exercise and meditation become ineffective.

Over the 5,000 years, as the guidelines evolved, scientists discovered three ways that a body digests food. They (the guidelines) ensured all food is safe and devoid of bacteria. They also remind us to eat in a peaceful environment, not the rushed American lifestyle.  The guidelines at the bottom of this article reflect these principles.

Ayurveda is as simple or as complex as you choose.  My choice is simple. If I need a complex interpretation, I will call upon an Ayurveda Physician.

I wrote Ayurveda Demystified, with the intent of introducing the basic principles so the layman can begin applying primary concepts, working toward good health. Consequently, I used the underlined words I highlighted below rather than the official names of the energy doshas in my writing.  They seemed simpler yet still accurate. There is so much that we can personally accomplish without calling upon a physician, Ayurveda or Western.

As I mentioned, digestion is a cornerstone of health.  We depend upon energies within our body to move, process and store the nutrients in our body.  The movement energy is traditionally called VATA.  The processing energy is called PITTA. Finally, the storage energy is called KAPHA. 

While the human body must have all three for health, each body has a preponderance of one energy over the other two. Ayurveda physicians and philosophers discovered the importance and diversity a long time ago. They found that digestion of specific foods, various exercise and various illness varied according to the body type, what they call the constitution.  The following is a very brief overview.  For more details, I recommend our website – http://www.folkherbwisdom.com, Ayurveda Demystified – available through Amazon or other fine Ayurveda literature.

A VATA body needs foods that are sweet, sour and salty. Their body is very dry and cold. They are prone to bone and nerve disorders. They need to eat frequently and the mind learns quickly and forgets just as fast.

A PITTA body needs foods that are sweet, astringent and bitter tasting.  Their body is hot and moist.  They are prone to ulcers, acne, and anger.  They also need to eat frequently.

A KAPHA body needs foods that are pungent, astringent and bitter tasting.  Their body is cool and moist.  They would eat continuously, if allowed.  They are prone to chest and lung difficulties.

Whether you have predominantly a movement, processing or storage type of energy, you can successful follow these guidelines to aide digestion. They were developed many years ago and still apply.

GUIDELINES - According To Ayurveda Philosophy

1.      Food needs to be hot (usually cooked)
2.      Food needs to be tasty and easy to digest.
3.      Eat your foods in the proper amounts, not too much or too little.
4.      Eat food on an empty stomach, after your last meal has been digested, not before.
5.      Foods need to work together and not contradict one another in their actions.
6.      Eat your foods in pleasant surroundings.
7.      Eating should not be rushed, nor should it be drawn out.
8.      Focus on your food while eating.
9.     Only eat food which nourishes your constitution and suits your mental and emotional temperament. 

Many of the guidelines may seem illogical or inappropriate today but even in our busy world, they are correct and important.

As I reviewed this strategy, I realized just how often rules and discoveries occur out of necessity.

For example, #1 may have originated in response to the need to kill harmful bacteria.  Today, with refrigeration, this is not as urgent.

However, I find it exciting that out of a need to eliminate bacteria, citizens discovered that heating foods aided and stimulated digestion.  Residents needed to kill bacteria and as a result, they got improved digestion.  Also, cooking tends to moisten and lighten foods.

The Ayurveda research shows that some foods are inherently heating and thus can be eaten raw.  Some physical constitutions do not need the “hot” foods.  More information about this is found in books on Ayurveda.

By: Cindy Spencer

Article Source: http://www.go-see.info