Narelle Muller discovers easy ways to put more “vroom” into your day in this highlight from the Go Vita GO Magazine - May 2012... There’s no doubt as a society we are becoming increasingly health conscious. This rising awareness and the resulting lifestyle changes we make mean we are questioning our wellbeing more, especially concerning diet and how it impacts on our vitality. After all, it’s impossible to feel physically and mentally energetic if you’re under the weather and this is undoubtedly linked to the food and water we consume.

The right foods + water give maximum health

You simply can’t enjoy optimal health if you’re not eating and drinking properly. One major issue coming under close scrutiny these days is acidity versus alkalinity, or the body’s pH level. Again, the foods we eat and water we drink directly affects this. It is thought getting the acid/alkaline balance in our bodies right may be the key to our overall joie de vivre and good health. You may recall from high school science classes, the measure of acidity or alkalinity of any solution is referred to as its pH level, which stands for potential of hydrogen. It’s a topic close to the hearts of biochemists, but you needn’t be one to get the gist of how it works. In humans, an acid pH can add stress to the adrenal glands, resulting in lethargy. This is because the body has to work harder to try to right the acid/alkaline balance. Basically, in modern life, a diet which relies too heavily upon processed food and drinks means there’s a good chance you’re on the acidic side.

Get maximum energy when your body is alkaline

At your healthiest, your blood, tissue and body fluids are alkaline and as a result, you’re energised and operating at full tilt, you’re sleeping well and enjoy a clear, calm mind. Because you’re a living creature, however, the scales of pH balance are always readjusting. Almost everything you do affects your pH balance, from breathing air, to digesting food which creates energy, all results in acidic output, so the body works constantly to address this and set you onto a more alkaline path.

80% Alkaline food in your diet

It has been said maintaining the right pH balance is one of the most vital, yet misunderstood, areas affecting our health. The subject gets cloudy, as we’re often confused by what is and isn’t acid-causing. Foods such as tomatoes and lemons, for example, are known to be highly acidic, but when digested create an alkaline environment. Experts suggest that to ensure a healthy pH balance you make sure 80 per cent of your diet consists of alkaline foods such as fruit and vegetables especially greens, clean mineralised water, fresh raw vegetable juices and herbal teas. Steering away from processed foods, overcooking, too much dairy and animal products, sugar, salt, grains, alcohol, chemicals and microwaved meals should help maintain this equilibrium. A person with a high sodium and chloride diet, one where foods such as artificial sweeteners, packet soups, saturated fats, coffee, pasta, bread, meat, hydrogenated oils and fast foods are regularly consumed, is very likely to be acidic. Of course, modern living is full of grey areas and despite the very best intentions we sometimes lapse into unhealthy ways. If you know you’ve slipped a little, an easy way to up your greens intake and help reset the balance is to consider a supplement containing a blend of nutrient dense spirulina, barley grass and chlorella, such as Lifestream Ultimate Greens. A single serve offers a fast, convenient solution to potential missing nutrients which can help restore alkalinity. If you’ve been leaning too heavily on acid-producing foods, super greens can deliver a very high concentration of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids.

The Alkaline water effect

The other consideration for maintaining a positive alkaline balance is our water intake and the quality of the water we consume. Like our Earth, our bodies are 70 per cent water and we are advised to consume on average two litres of water a day for optimal hydration, toxin elimination and general good health. It makes sense then that the water should be as pure and alkaline as possible. A continually stressed body, one that is fighting to stay on the right side of alkalinity, can’t be a healthy invigorated one. Drinking alkaline water helps to take the burden off, by offering a free ticket to the alkaline side of the fence. There are many products that help mineralize and address the alkaline balance. Some are sachets that you simply drop into a container of drinking water, like a teabag, others are tap filters. The principles remain similar and result in a more alkaline body balance. Changing the oxidation-reduction potential of alkaline water means it can also provide more energy for the body to use. Products such as soluble crystals, which are added to drink bottles, similar to teabag infusion, are an easy solution. They remove acid, along with chlorine and the water is believed to hydrate the body better with added antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and scores of other trace minerals. Eko crystals transform water in just seconds and neutralise excess acids within the body. Another convenient option for alkalising water is to use a simple filtration jug that alkalises the water as you filter it. One such company, Cleansui, offers a chemical-free product, which is said to add valuable alkaline minerals to the water, along with powerful antioxidants. The antioxidants are believed to be a result of ionizing, which charges the water with negative hydrogen ions. Ionizing water helps change the pH level of the water and create smaller molecule clusters which allow us to hydrate easier. A positive result of improving the quality of our drinking water is that better hydration assists with improved detoxification and enhances delivery of nutrients to the body’s cells. With our organs operating at optimal levels and toxins being swiftly washed away, we can hope for renewed zest – and that’s something everyone wants.