Food, including the state you consume it in, is a perfect vehicle to help your body achieve alkalinity to help maintain healthy skin throughout the harsher winter months.  Striving to maintain balance in the body is a worthy endeavor when it comes to overall mind, body, and spiritual health.  (Stressing over it however, creates the opposite affect, so don’t drive yourself crazy here).  When we consume acid-forming foods to excess our blood pH levels work to get back to a state of equilibrium by releasing alkaline rich minerals, including; phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and calcium into our bloodstream.

The stress for our body arises when we aren’t giving it the ample resources of alkaline-forming foods to allow for this process to happen naturally.  Our bodies then need to locate the above mentioned minerals from elsewhere in the body.  Our body naturally holds higher amounts of these minerals in our teeth, organs, and bones.  This process of searching and resourcing these minerals to maintain balance in our system can cause a decrease in our immune system and subsequently decrease energy levels.

Eating a diet that supports alkalinity in the your body helps to maintain a balance of pH levels keeps you strong and healthy.  Maintain balance by including alkaline-forming foods; veggies, fruits, herbs, nuts, and seeds.

Help your body along by including the following key components.

Hydration 

Warm water specifically (add lemon for more alkalinity) will help to keep the body’s processes moving efficiently.  Lemon water  is helpful because lemon once inside the body it becomes alkaline and can aid the liver to detoxify more readily along with keeping the body well-hydrated overall.  Also consider, freshening up water with fresh herbs or  try different herbal teas to vary tastes.  Also consider, adding in more water rich veggies and fruits to your diet.  Soups and stews count too towards your daily quota.

Herbs and Spices

Turmeric and Ginger are a great addition to help your body stave of inflammation.  It contains a compound called curcumin that increase the level of immunity-boosting proteins in our bodies.  Ginger also contains a surprisingly high level of potassium as well as decreasing inflammation in the body, aiding with digestion, and help to ease pain in the body.  Chives, Cilantro, Basil, and Mint are just a few examples of herbs that can also contribute to maintaining more alkalinity in your body.

Garlic

Garlic has long been used as a cleansing food, one clove of garlic contains more than 100 sulfuric compounds that are powerful enough to wipe out bacteria and infection.

Winter Produce

Think orange food specifically this time of year; carrots, winter squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yams and apricots are a rich in flavonoids-natural pigments that give plants their color. They hold high amounts of antioxidants, have alkalizing properties as well as cell-protecting benefits.  All root vegetables have great alkalizing benefits, carrots work amazingly in the body to contribute to higher alkalinity with high levels of Vitamin A.  Other winter produce to consider; beets, parsnips, other tuber varieties, brussel sprouts, cabbage, eggplants, cauliflower, onion, collard greens, kale varieties, mustard greens, think rougher lettuce varieties this time of year.

Soup and Stews

Not only do they help aide your body in hydration, but the base to most soups and stews is a great start towards veggies rich in alkalinity.  Most soups beginnings include a base of olive or coconut oil, garlic, onion, carrot, celery, peppers, a nutrient rich broth and continue to play around with different veggie varieties.  Vary the beans you use and fresh herbs you finish on top- and you have a whole nutrient dense alkaline rich meal.

To your health!