Health related misfortunes are sometimes unavoidable – you can drink all the orange juice you want, but you may still catch a cold. Just because there are things in this life that you cannot control does not mean you should not take precautions to lessen your chances. “Buckle-up for safety,” right?
Recommendation #1: Keep your body’s pH balance more on the alkaline side of the tracks. Allowing your blood pH to become polluted with acidity is the beginning of many health-related issues. It all starts with symptoms of frequent sighing, insomnia, water retention, recessed eyes, arthritis, migraine headaches, abnormally low blood pressure, acid or strong perspiration, alternating constipation and diarrhea, halitosis, among others. Don’t let full blown diabetes be your wake-up call. Consuming alkalizing foods is the first step you can take to alkalize the pH balance of your blood. A basic rule of thumb is to consume 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid-forming foods on a daily basis. If you are trying to restore health, you may want to consume 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods. The American diet is far too high in acid producing foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks. We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweeteners which are extremely acid-forming. Avoiding processed, high-fat, high-calorie foods and consuming more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains will start you on the right path.
Recommendation #2: Get your daily recommended amount of minerals. Minerals are essential to your overall health. Most notably, minerals are the electrolytes that keep your body hydrated and in balance; not to mention their antioxidant effects for warding off degenerative diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, cataracts, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and diabetes (to name a few). You can easily get your daily amount of minerals in your diet by consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Recommendation #3: “Consume more fiber in your diet or get colon cancer and DIE!!!” Ok, so it’s not that serious; but fiber really is an important part of a healthy diet. Not only does dietary fiber move waste through the GI (gastrointestinal tract), but it also helps in efforts to control body weight; prevents heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Not to commit verbal diarrhea (pun intended), but it’s important to reiterate how essential fiber is to your health. Fiber is similar to minerals in that people are not getting enough in their daily routine. Both soluble and insoluble fibers are found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – something that is hard to find at the average fast-food restaurant. The recommended daily allowance of fiber for both men and women is between 25-35 grams consisting of both soluble and insoluble. An easy way to reach those numbers is by incorporating a fiber supplement like Fiberteq™ into your diet. Be aware that including more fiber in your diet will add bulk to your stool. To avoid constipation you must increase your fluid intake as well. Be sure to increase your fiber slowly, too much too quickly may increase intestinal gas and discomfort. Increase your fiber intake gradually to allow your gut time to adjust.
You are what you eat! If you eat like crap, you will look and feel like crap. Incorporating these simple recommendations in your daily routine will improve not only your health, but your life as a whole. This does not mean you have to change your entire life at the drop of a hat. Making gradual changes instead of drastic ones will help you make these changes into habits that will last a lifetime. Before you know it, you will be leading an all-around healthier lifestyle.
