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I'm trying to make my diet more alkaline so I'm drinking water with lemons squeezed into it. I think the timing of this would be quite crucial; drinking just before having a meal - but maybe that's not right. What do you think ladies? (and men)
Osteopenia Cancer Heartburn Allergies Prostate cancer Osteoporosis Stress
Check out Susan Brown's website and book. She says to drink lemon water first thing in the morning and during the day. Not sure about before meals. You could probably email her and ask. I keep a mug filled with ginger soaking in water and drink that during the day, but I'm wondering if that's just as good as lemon. I find that lemon can erode my teeth a bit, so was looking for another alkaline alternative.
Catkin,
Isn't the lemon juice acidic? How can that make you more alkaline?
Tom
Hey, Tom
The lemon is acidic, but once it's in your system it turns to an alkaline ash, making you more alkaline. The trick to eating alkaline is not how the food behaves outside your body, but what it becomes in your... digestive tract, I guess? Your blood? So sometimes it seems counterintuitive. Cheese is extremely acidic. Lemons and apple cider vinegar (not regular vinegar) are extremely alkalizing.
Catkin, I don't know.
I have a very acidic system, even though I cut out red meat, cheese, milk (all dairy, really), coffee and alcohol. I drink fresh green juices (kale, spinach & apple) twice a day, I drink fortified OJ and lemon water, eat nuts and fruits and vegetables and I can STILL run acidy (according to the PH test strips).
But -- I have had some success when I drink the lemon water AND take my calcium supplements at the same time, and then eat (and drink another full glass of lemon water with the meal). I'm literally sloshing sometimes. But when I do that, I'm alkaline. (Maybe most of the time my problem is that I'm dehydrated?)
I also added (I don't know how much of this is new age hog-wash) curcumin tablets to my diet, since I was reading that if your body has inflammation going on (as a result of stress or allergies) that could make you acidic, and curcumin is a natural anti-inflammatory. Sometimes that seems to help; sometimes it doesn't.
Sorry for the novel. I must learn to be brief.
Raye
I wonder if anyone else has anything to add to this. I would be helpful if anyone had any tips for helping the body to become more alkaline.
I use lemon or lime and ginger, and use cider vinegar.I often wonder if this is enough along with plenty of fruit and veg.
I have intersticial cystitis and citrus is a no no for the bladder. Too acidic. Maybe it eventually turns alkaline in the system but it has to go through the bladder first.
do you mean kidney? pee is in your bladder at the end. faye
This is what Dr, weil has to say about Oxalic acid, and green veggies:
acidhttp://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400344/Avoid-Vegetables-with-Oxalic-Acid.htm l
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This is from a different web-site:
QUESTION ABOUT OXALIC ACID
“I've been reading your newsletter for a while and find it very interesting every time. I find myself eating a lot more raw greens lately, but than arose again a concern I had when I was full on raw, oxalic acid. Can you help demystify this substance, like what it does if taken in too much and how it affects our system. I read that it is found in green leafy vegetables like kale, collards and chards and can be detrimental if accumulated in too high concentration; it would precipitate the calcium and become toxic. I'm not too sure but it would be nice to hear about it in your newsletter.” - Francis
ANSWER: Oxalic acid, a chemical found in many plants. This substance binds with calcium to form calcium oxalate, an insoluble salt. Too much oxalic acid, in spinach for example, can be detrimental.
Here are the vegetables that are too high in oxalic acid and that we should not eat on a regular basis: amaranth, beet leaves, parsley, purslane, spinach, chard.
MORE ON OXALIC ACID
“Your item on oxalic acid in your last newsletter might explain why a recent sports injury I sustained is healing so slowly. I have been eating lots of wild sea spinach every day! Can you tell me if wild dandelions, mustard and sorrel are also high in oxalic acid?”
ANSWER: Here's a table that will answer your question.
HIGH OXALIC ACID CONTENT:
Lambsquarters, beet leaves, purslane leaves, spinach, swiss chard (leaves & stalks), rhubarb, parsley, amaranth leaves, sorrel.
LOW OXALIC ACID CONTENT:
Dandelion greens, most fruits, kale, watercress, escarole, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, asparagus, cabbage, and most greens not mentioned.
Frederic Patenaude &
Raw Vegan
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I made a pot of Chili the other night. My husband hates Kale. I put the Kale in my food prosesser, then put it into my chili..You can not taste it, and my Hubby thought it was parsley or a seasoning!.My Grandson doesn't like kale either, and he could not tell by the taste that kale was in the chili...I think its a good way of eating some veggies, that are healthy, but we don't care for. I also do the same with soups.
Dr. Oz says, when you drink Green Tea, put a few drops of fresh lemon in your cup, as it will double or more, the Antioxiodants in green tea.
Since I don't want to be throwing out a good fresh lemon every time I need a few drops, I keep it covered with plastic wrap , Now I'm wondering if the plastic wrap is not such a good idea (not healthy)?
Any comments?
April
Lilrayosun
HOW could you be dehyrated girl with all those drinks! I've just bought some PH strips myself today so I'll be doing the drinking and peeing experiment now.
Can't believe I never thought of juicing kale and brocolli to make drinks; what a great idea.
THere are very informative books out right now about how to eat so as to alkalinize your body. Limes are evidently better at this than lemons, green leafy vegetables (some more than others) are very good, some berries are very good, and some mineral waters (San Pelligrino, for example) are very good. Sweet potatoes are very good. It is also the case that most (all?) meats (including fish, fowl, etc.) are very bad. Milk is slightly acidifying but not as bad as meats. Wheat and other grains are also acidifying (as are soy products). Tomatoes are acidifying. So not everything that is good for you is alkalinizing, and not everything bad for you is acidifying. It's worth getting one of the books and figuring out what things you like that are alkalinizing and eat more of those, throughout the day. It could be that having lime juice in your San Pelligrino throughout the day will be enough, as long as you aren't eating a lot of meat, for example. I don't know yet if this is a sufficient tactic, because I haven't yet tried it.
I've discovered that some days I am acidic, and some days alkaline. It looks like you have to be careful if you want to not be acidic. But you also have to be realistic about what you will and won't do. I, for example, will have to be convinced to give up coffee. I'm not planning on it! But evening glasses of wine, on the other hand, I may have to give up. Seems when I have a glass of wine at night, my urine is acidic the next day. Oh well.
Check out
http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm
as one possible source of info.
Soprano.
Soprano
Very interesting, thanks. As another (former) San Pellegrino drinker have you seen my recent post querying carbonated water? Take a look if not.
Thanks
This is all very interesting information, but its also very restrictive and although someone might get into it in the beginning, I can see with it being so restrictive that one will easily fall off the alkaline/acidic wagon. Moderation in all things, including the kinds of foods we eat. I think I prefer Woody's suggestion - 50% fruit an vegetables is so much easier to live with - and it took a life time to develope osteoporosis, its not going to go away over night. Just my 2 cents worth - and to note, of all the information posted, no one actually answered the original question.... Lindie, aka deskjockey101
Does anyone know whether grapefruit or grapefruit seed extract is alkaline, I read that it was, I have been taking a grapeseed extract tablet every day!!
Thanks.
Catkin,
I've been doing the same, only with apple cider vinegar. I don't know what would constitute the best timing. I, too, would think before meals.
I had some concern about damaging my teeth with the vinegar since it is acetic acid. My dentist said in my dilution of a scant tablespoon per 10-12 ounces of water wouldn't do any damage. I do it a couple of times a day. I don't know if that's enough to do any good. I keep a small bottle at my desk at work and put a couple of capsful in my glass and add ice water. I don't like it at room temperature.
He said not to make a habit of chewing on lemon wedges, though. That can really mess up your teeth. He's seen some of that in his practice.
When I use up my current supply I plan to go out and get some organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
Deskjockey aka Lindie,
I don't feel restricted by this. It's just one more thing I've added to my arsenal. I don't freak out if I forget for a few days. I'm trying to drink more water, and why not add a little apple cider vinegar or lemon while I'm at it? I have the little jar right at my desk-it's easy and quick. I don't do it so much at home. I agree wholeheartedly with you, everything in moderation! I'm doing more veggies and fruit. Vinegar (or lemon) water does not replace them. I do occasionally go to Red Robin or Kid Valley and have a yummy cheeseburger.Mmmmm.
Soprano,
What kind of soprano are you? (lyric, coloratura, etc.) What kind of music? I guess I could read your bio, huh?
Take care, everyone!
Susan
Susan,
I'm a lyric soprano, but definitely an amateur!
Still, I like this pseudonym...
(And I sing Mozart, Faure, Schumann, Bach, and assorted... I would guess you are also a musician?)
-Soprano (in quotes)
Soprano ~
Yep. I am also a lyric. Mozart's my fave, but also love to sing Handel, Haydn, Bach, and sundry others. Depending on what day of the week it is, my favorite song is either "Exsultate, jubilate" by Mozart, or "Auf flugeln des gesanges" by Mendelssohn (I can't make an umlaut!). I've got a link to the Mendelssohn with Dame Kiri on my NOF profile. I'm an amateur and currently not singing anywhere. I've probably sung most all of the "major" choral works, all of the Handel oratorios (chorus), and zillions of Bach cantatas (chorus), and so on.
Thanks, I was just curious! Sopranos Rule!
I use a 'greens' powder (in a drink) which helps a lot with my alkalinity. Always inclined to be acidic on days I don't have it.
Hi Susan!
My favorite version of the Mendelssohn is VIctoria de los Angeles. Makes me feel like there's no point singing, given how she sings! And yes, Bach cantatas are great! (And then, even though I'm a soprano, listening to Bass arias written by Bach makes me wish I had a much lower voice...)
Keep singing!
Soprano
RAYE--
I am interested in hearing more about your daily green drink. Can you tell us the recipe? Also what sort of a blender or juicer do you use? And does your drink taste good , or is it just good for you?
I think it tastes good -- but that's so subjective. No. It's really good. I juice about 5 stalks of kale, 5-6 large leaves of lettuce, 2 large apples and a big chunk of fresh ginger. The kale alone is very bitter. And you don't get much juice out of kale.
If you'd like it a little sweeter, do three apples instead of two and leave out the lettuce.
Sometimes to mix it up (make it less sweet), I do a couple of celery stalks and one apple, instead of two apples. Or I substitute spinach for the kale.
I started out with an Omega juicer, but it didn't do very well on the greens. So for a while, I'd take some of the greens out of the hopper after juicing, toss the juice and the greens in the blender and give it another whirl.
It was so labor intensive and noisy, I finally broke down and bought what's called an auger juicer made by Hurom. Boy did that cost a lot of peanuts. But it is fantastico! And very, very quiet.
The blender is just a regular old Osterizer blender.
Soprano
I just read that raw tomatoes are alkaline but cooked tomatoes are acidifying as is any cooked fruit.
This is a shock as I regularly eat them cooked. I wonder if this info is correct. This is the first time I have read this and there are many contradictions out there.
The source:
http://www.iamnotobese.com/tomato-facts.php
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