7 Ways to Make Alkaline Diet Benefit You

The premise of an alkaline diet is that the nutrients found in supplements, alkalizing foods, and water can bring the body back to balance. These vitamins, minerals, and herbs infuse the body with new energy, vitality, and better health.
Alkaline foods and water must be consumed in order to provide nutrients the body needs to neutralize acids and toxins in the blood, lymph, tissues, and cells.
When pH balance inside the body is 'out of balance' the body tries to correct that sensitive pH balance. That process shows up as uncomfortable symptoms, including colds, flues, allergies, diseases, viruses, and bacteria.
When the pH level in our body is unbalanced, almost any area of the body can be affected. For example when the nervous system is effected as the result of unbalanced pH balance it shows up in the form of the depression. When cardiovascular system is effected we could have heart disease or experience other heart-related problems, including thickening and hardening of the arteries, coronary heard disease, pain or discomfort in the chest, stroke, high blood pressure, and heart failure. When muscles are effected we often feel fatigue and lack of energy. When skin is effected by improper pH balance we age quicker than normal.
When the body's pH level is in balance, the body reaches ideal weight and corrects negative health challenges naturally.
Transition to a more alkaline healthy diet requires a shift in attitude towards food. The important point to remember is that small changes go a long way. Add more alkaline foods to your diet gradually.
7 Sure-fire ways to make alkaline diet benefit you:
1) Reduce the consumption of sugar and products made from sugar, including soda pop, pies, ice cream, jello, jams & jellies, artificial juices, puddings, doughnuts, corn syrups, chewing gum, sweetened drinks, cookies, breakfast cereals, liqueurs, mixed drinks.
2) Avoid processed foods and condiments including ketchup, salad dressings, pickles, luncheon meats, canned fruits, breads, relish, cheese dips, peanut butter, prepared seafood, frozen vegetables, crackers, canned soups, hot dogs, sausages, sweetened yogurt.
3) Avoid cooking and heating foods and drinks in microwave.
4) Avoid dairy, meats, fried foods and fast foods.
5) Increase your consumption of raw vegetables and raw fresh fruits (without sugar). You should include raw vegetables in every meal. If your breakfast is so small that you only eat toast or cereal, stop eating toast and take fresh fruits or vegetable juices instead. If your lunches are usually consist of sandwiches try to substitute it with a raw salad or a vegetable juice. Have a large salad before you eat a heavy entree at dinner. This way, you will be sure to eat all of the salad instead of finding yourself too full to finish it.
6) Grains form the base of a balanced diet and are important in maintaining the alkaline balance in the body. Grains are great source of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients, including folic acid, fiber, carbohydrates antioxidants and phytoestrogens. The Department of Food and Science and Nutrition at University of MInnesota determined that consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of chronic diseases including cancer and cardiovascular disease. By eating grains you can eat less but feel full. Grains should comprise about 20% of your diet.
7) Don't forget to hydrate. Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of good quality of water each day. Add liquid minerals to increase the quality of water.

If you follow these easy 7 steps it will allow you to create the proper alkaline balance within your body.
Creating the proper alkaline balance within your body will bring you increased quality of life. You'll start seeing immediate improvements in your health. Your energy will increase, your concentration will be stronger. You'll build strength, stamina, and resistance to diseases. Your entire body will function more efficiently just like it was meant to do.

The Dangers Of Fad Dieting

Almost everywhere you turn, fad diets are appearing. They often deliver results, but at what cost? Is there a healthier but still effective option?

You’re joining your friend for lunch. She looks great. She’s shed the extra twenty pounds that she’s been carrying since college, and she’s dressed in a slinky black outfit that makes you a bit envious. When you question her about it, she tells you she’s been on the Atkins diet. She proceeds to recount how she ate a pile of bacon for breakfast, and some pork rinds for a mid-morning snack, and you feel your eyes widen in shock when she orders a double cheeseburger off the menu. Is this really a smart diet?

“Are you really going to eat that?” You stare in awe at the size of the two monster hamburger patties. She quickly peels the bread off her burger, discarding it on the side of her plate.

“Sure,” She quips. “I can eat all the meat I want, cooked anyway I want.”

With all the fad diets circling around, it’s important to evaluate a diet before signing on. Is it really a smart diet? Sure, your friend looks amazing, but can it really be healthy to eat a pound of bacon and greasy burger meat every day? It doesn't sound like a smart diet. The fact is that your body needs carbohydrates for energy, and people on the Atkins diet have reported fatigue and even experienced high blood pressure.

The same is true of low fat diets. While you may drop weight fairly easily by limiting your fat grams, it’s not really a smart diet. Your body actually needs some fats. These fat-free foods are often loaded with extra sugar to make them taste better.

There are literally too many current fad diets to list. Most of them include loading up on a particular type of food while depriving yourself of other foods. In the case of diets like Atkins diet, you are not allowed to eat carbohydrates. What you aren’t being told is that this is not a smart diet. Not only does your body need carbohydrates, it also shifts into carbohydrate starvation mode when you finally splurge on one, storing it as fat. Your body doesn’t know when it will get this type of fuel again.

Most physicians will tell you that a smart diet consists of a variety of different food groups. This means incorporating every group (even carbohydrates) in moderation.

The bottom line is that to lose weight, you simply have to cut calories. Although most people acknowledge this would be a smart diet, they often crave the immediate results that some not-so-smart diets offer.

Perhaps you’ve tried smart dieting. You’ve selected the proper foods, you’ve even developed an exercise plan, but you’re miserable. The weight isn’t coming off all that quickly, and quite frankly, you’re just starving. That’s the reason you binged on the pizza from Dominoes last night, and it’s probably the reason you thought you deserved that extra helping of mashed potatoes. If only you could stick to a smart diet without feeling deprived.

The good news is that you can. I’m not talking about diet pills because you’re probably smart enough to know the dangers of those products. I’m talking about a vegetable… an all natural cactus-style plant literally changing the way people look at dieting. If you missed the specials on the Today show and 60 Minutes, let me fill you in. Hoodia Gordonii is a plant from the South African desert. Bushmen used it for centuries to ward off hunger. It tricks your body into thinking that you’ve eaten, limiting your consumption by up to 2000 calories a day.

Remember that a smart diet is one that limits calories, not one that tells you to avoid certain food groups entirely. With Hoodia Gordonii, you will have the extra willpower you need to commit to a smart diet. It’s easy when you’re not hungry. Best of all, this isn’t a drug. It’s a vegetable, so it’s healthy and safe. Say goodbye to fad diets and give something smart a try.

The 7 Destructive Habits Of Aging And How To Stop Them So You Can Live Longer!

The "Fountain of Youth" is still more myth than reality, but scientist say they're getting closer to understanding the secrets of the aging process that have eluded us for ages. While the dreams of always being young may still be years away, the dream of looking and feeling younger is here today.

Americans spend more than $1 Billion Dollars per year on anti-aging products, and the demand for anti-aging supplements and a variety of other products to help Baby Boomers live longer, healthier lives is growing rapidly as Boomers reach retirement age and beyond.

Baby Boomers for many years have searched for the 'elixir of youth' per say, pursued by those wishing to stay looking young and avoid the ravages of old age for as long as possible.

Premature ageing and degenerative disease are often the result of bad eating habits, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and environmental factors such as exposure to pollution, resulting in premature illness.

Experts on aging agree, there are positive steps you can take to make your "golden years" healthier and more enjoyable. And, they might just add as much as a decade or more to your life. To do this you need to eliminate all or most of the 7 destructive habits from your current lifestyle such as…

Destructive Habit #1 – Smoking

Destructive Habit #2 – Alcohol Abuse

Destructive Habit #3 – Lack of Quality Sleep

Destructive Habit #4 – Overweight and Obesity 

Destructive Habit #5 – Lack of Exercise

Destructive Habit #6 – Too Much Stress

Destructive Habit #7 – Internal Pollution & Lack of Essential Vitamins & Minerals 

Create a Diet and Supplement Regimen Right for You - Summary

We have also included a Vitamins & Minerals Guide to assist you with additional information.

For more free health information and the best prices on vitamins and supplements please visit www.CarolBond.com.

To read this entire article, please visit us at FreeOnlineHealthReports.com: http://www.freeonlinehealthreports.com/aging.htm

Summer Snacks Can Keep Kids Happy And Healthy

Summer typically means kids will be spending more time around the house. Idle time sometimes means kids will be poking around the kitchen in hopes of finding a quick and easy snack-often an unhealthy one. 

To help keep kids healthy, be sure to keep the refrigerator and pantry stocked with nutritious snacks that kids will enjoy. Start with a wide range of choices from the milk, fruit, vegetable and grains food groups. 

"Smart snacking is a great way to meet nutrient requirements that may be missed at mealtime," said Andrea Garen, a registered dietitian at Dairy Council of California. "If chosen carefully, snacks can promote good health without adding too many calories."

Garen adds that encouraging outside play, a refreshing dip in the pool and other physical activities are also part of the equation to keep kids healthy.

Some snacking tips that make a parent's job easier:

• Plan ahead and buy healthy snacks when you grocery shop for the week.
• Pre-portion your child's snacks into small plastic bags to grab on the go.
• Keep healthy snacks in a specific spot in your refrigerator or cupboard, and let kids help themselves.
• Combine snacks from two or more food groups, like raspberry yogurt, low-fat chocolate milk and a banana in a blender for a cool, refreshing treat.
  

The Dairy Council of California's meal-planning Web site (www.mealsmatter.org) contains hundreds of free and easy-to-make, kid-friendly recipe ideas, including the Apple Bagel Sandwich. Parents can try this and hundreds of other great-tasting recipes and snack ideas to help their children stay healthy during summer.

Apple Bagel Sandwich

Ingredients

1/2 Whole-wheat bagel (or bagel of your choice)

1 Slice Cheddar cheese

1 Apple (green is better)

A dash of cinnamon

Preparation

1. Slice the apple so that you make a round apple slice. Next, put the slice of cheese on top of the bagel half. Place the apple slice on top of the cheese and sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the apple.

2. Bake on a cookie sheet in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees, but watch to make sure you don't burn it. It's done when the cheese starts to melt.

Total Preparation Time: less than 15 minutes.

Raw Food Diet

Eating raw foods is natural. Our bodies thrive on all that is fresh and vital. A raw food diet (or increasing the amount of raw food that you eat) is bound to bring a feeling of increased well-being. 

Raw food diets are based on unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, preferably organic, such as a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, grains, dried fruit, fresh juices and purified water.

Why Raw Foods?

Basically a vegetarian diet, the raw food diet promotes eating and drinking 'living' foods. Living foods and juices contain the maximum amount of fiber found in raw produce, fiber that can be lost in processing. Such foods are easily metabolized and tend to be lower in calories than the average diet.

Heating food above 116°F destroys enzymes in food that aid in digestion and in absorption of food, diminishing its nutritional value.

Benefits of a Raw Food Diet

A diet of at least 75% raw food offers numerous health benefits, such as increased energy, improved skin appearance, better digestion, weight loss and reduced risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

A raw food diet contains little or no saturated fats, is low in sodium, high in potassium, magnesium, folate and fibre. 

Raw food diets are also excellent detox diets. Different combinations of raw, living foods and juices can be used for colon cleansing, liver cleansing, kidney cleansing and skin cleansing.

The Basics of a Raw Food Diet

Any fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, beans, nuts, legumes, young coconut milk – even seaweed – can be menu items of a raw food diet. Your choice of foods may depend on your reasons for dieting, for example: 

• sprouted brown rice slows glucose absorption and improves the metabolism

• cabbage supports healthy cellular function; radish leaves act as an anti-oxidant, as does Shitake mushroom 

• carrots are a great source of vitamin A as well as encouraging healthy vision and a healthy cardio-vascular system

You can use a sprouter such as the Easy Green automatic sprouter to sprout seeds, grains, beans – even wheat-grass  Sprouts could be called a 'super food' – organic sprouts contain enormous levels of proteins, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, chlorophyll pigments and enzymes, and are the ideal natural supplement.

Sprouts can be used in salads and soups, or can be juiced. Fresh juices are a great ready energy supply and a good quality juicer, such as the Kempo Greenpower juicer, produces living juices that are full of essential nutrients.

A great juicing recipe to complement a raw food diet is carrot juice with potato, fennel and apple. Simply juice 4 medium carrots, 2 apples, 1 small potato and 1 small stalk of fennel.

Fennel has been shown to reduce and control inflammation of arthritis, it evens mood fluctuation and depressive states and has the rare nutrient called manganese, plus zinc and vitamin B complex.

The nutritional value of grains and seeds is impressive. They contain most of the vitamins – particularly A, B, and E. They're also fantastic natural sources of unsaturated fatty acids and lecithin, and an excellent source of proteins.

You can even use soy milk makers (such as SoyQuick) to make non-dairy drinks from different beans, rice, nuts, seeds and grains to have with breakfast. If you want something a little more substantial than soy milk you can make your tofu (or, of course, visit a good health food shop).

Essentially, the idea of a raw food diet is to eat unprocessed foods for at least 75% of the time. If the idea of raw food isn't very appetising to you, you can warm the food a little as long as the food isn't heated above 116°F.

Cautionary Note

As with any major change in diet, it's wise idea to consult your doctor before beginning a special diet. This is especially true for children, pregnant women, anyone with anemia and anyone with a pre-existing medical condition. 

Even natural foods can conflict with certain medications, so please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any medication.

Because a raw food diet is detoxifying some people suffer a mild detox reaction including mild headaches, nausea and cravings. These symptoms may last for several days and you'll get more enjoyment out of your raw food diet if you cut down on things like meat, sugar and caffeine a week or so before commencing the diet.

Last But Not Least…

A raw food diet is certainly a good way to improve your overall health and well-being  Like anything worthwhile it takes time, energy and commitment. Because many of the foods for this particular type of diet are made from scratch there is some preparation time involved. There are many great products on the market that can help you prepare your own living food and save you some time as well. 

Combined with regular exercise, a raw food diet is also an excellent weight loss method. If you've been feeling 'a little off', or just need a pick-me-up and some extra energy, then a raw food diet is certainly a good way to go.

Safe Drinking Water Saves Live

Water is one of the most fundamental elements of life. Yet an estimated 2 million children die each year from diseases caused by unsafe drinking water. But this grim picture is changing, thanks to the Children's Safe Drinking Water program and water purification technology by PUR. The program is taking a fresh approach to the global problem of contaminated drinking water and is helping prevent water-related diseases and death in children. The Children's Safe Drinking Water program, initiated by Procter & Gamble (P&G), includes emergency relief work related to natural disasters, education of local communities about the importance of clean drinking water, and the establishment of not-for-profit markets to distribute PUR water-cleaning technology to those in need.

Transforming Contaminated Water Into Clean Water

"This simple, cost-efficient sachet is as small as a tea bag but it makes a big difference," says Dr. Greg Allgood, the director of the Children's Safe Drinking Water program. "The contents of the PUR sachet are emptied into 10 liters of contaminated water, and following simple directions, contaminated water is clear and clean within 30 minutes."

Studies show that PUR sachets reduce diarrhea, a common illness and cause of death in children, up to 50 percent. To date, the Children's Safe Drinking Water program has distributed enough PUR sachets to provide 500 million liters of clean, purified drinking water to children around the world.

How You Can Help 

Procter & Gamble and PUR support the Children's Safe Drinking Water program. When you purchase a PUR pitcher or faucet-mount water filtration system at your local retailer, a percentage of that purchase will go towards the Children's Safe Drinking Water program efforts in Kenya. 

These donations go a long way to help children and expand the program. By choosing a PUR Water Filtration System or replacement filter to provide clean, great-tasting water for your family, you are also playing a vital role in providing clean drinking water to families and children in developing countries such as Kenya.

The Food Theme Diet

This is a very interesting diet concept that I think may work for many people. It is known as the “food theme” diet and allows you to eat the foods you like, while losing a good amount of weight naturally. The diet is centered on eating less overall rather than eating the healthiest and natural foods you can find, although this does help as well.

The basic concept of the diet is to choose a theme of food and to stick to that particular theme for a day. For example if you choose a theme of lemon, you should only eat foods with lemon in them for that day. Why? The concept behind this new diet is actually quite simple. Many people eat a lot because they are not completely full, even if they are not hungry. The body naturally likes to eat many different types of foods. This is one of the main causes of overeating. Even though you have eaten enough of a certain type of food and are no longer hungry, you still want to eat more of a different type of food. This new diet forces you to stick to a certain group of foods so that you cannot eat different types of foods and thus, you eat less and lose weight. This diet has been tried in many scientific case studies and has proven to be effective.

Now, if you choose this diet, just because you eat less, you still have to be aware of what you are eating and keep track of the amount of calories you are consuming daily. If you choose food categories such as “chocolate” or “cake”, this diet is obviously not going to be effective.

The Bottom Line of this Diet : Choose healthy foods that you like to eat as your daily “food theme” and make sure that you alternate your theme daily to get some variety in your diet. If you choose the same food group day after day, the diet will get very bland and mundane, and chances are you will not continue with it and it will not help you lose weight. Also, every now and then, you may want to take a break from your diet to eat some desert or a somewhat unhealthy food, but still try to make it correlate with your theme for the day. For example, on a day when you want to eat pizza, make your food theme “tomatoes”.

"Correct Your Acid / Alkaline Balance with the Water You Drink: What the Experts Say"