Today in alternative medicine: The Alkaline Diet

I always try to avoid going to the pharmacy. I prefer trying different "natural" healthy alternatives that are more focused into preventing the illness instead of treating it. They are not as immediate as a pill, but in my opinion it's better to stay healthy than to be dependent on pills to feel okay. The alkaline diet sounded very interesting to me and I'm giving it a chance.

Almost all foods that we eat, after being digested and metabolized, release either an acid or an alkaline base into blood. We don't just have one pH level. For example, the stomach has a pH ranging from 1.35-3.5. It must be acidic to aid in digestion. However, blood must always be slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7.35 to 7.45. Our diet should reflect this pH level by being slightly alkaline. 

For most people, the typical diet is too acidic, which means the body will attempt to restore equilibrium by depleting certain minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium) from organs and bones. This imbalance is thought to make people prone to illness. By following the alkaline diet you could help your body to mantain these minerals and your immune system to focus back into dealing with disease.


According to some alternative practitioners, an acid-producing diet is the cause of a number of chronic diseases. They recommend the alkaline diet if a person has the following symptoms (and other illnesses have been ruled out).
Lack of energy
Excessive mucous production
Nasal congestion
Frequent colds and flu
Anxiety, nervousness, irritability
Cramps
Headache
Though this diet is not scientifically proven to cure any disease, it is definitely a healthy habit and will make you feel better in many ways.


Here's a chart that differentiates between food with acidic and alkaline ash:

If you can choose 80% of your daily food from the alkaline category and only 20% from the acid category, you will be on your way. In addition, you will be eating much healthier in general and you will most likely drop a few pounds.


I leave you a video that explains all this quite clearly:

Give Brown Rice a Chance

Being part of the few lucky ones with a vegetarian mother and an omnivore father, I have incorporated, since childhood, a variety of aliments that aren't very usual these days and in this part of the world. One of the most important, versatile and nutritious is brown rice.

Rice with zucchini, seeds and red onions :3

Lately I've learned that brown rice is more healthy than white rice, not only because almost any nutrients are removed in its process (white rice process destroys most of the the vitamin B3,  vitamin B1, vitamin B6, iron, manganese, phosphorus, and ALL of the dietary fiber and the essential fatty acids), but because it helps to maintain a healthy weight, lowers cholesterol and reduces the risk of several diseases.
Later I will talk about all these nutrients and why do we need them.


If you never tried brown rice and are interested in doing so, follow these tips for preparing and cooking.


1. Rinse it thoroughly before cooking.
2. Add one part of rice to three parts salted water, let it boil and turn down the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. You have to try it once on a while to check if it's already done. 3. Rinse it again, if you see the remaining water has a milky appearance.


Now you have cooked rice, you have to decide if you want to serve it cold (in salads) or hot, as a side dish, risottos, etc.
Personally, I like to mix it with chopped olives, red bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms and dried tomatoes :)

Rice with asparagus, carrots, bell peppers and eggplants :yum:

If you like it and you want to have a healthier diet, you can try like me, little by little, to replace all your white rice recipes with brown rice. It's not more difficult to cook than white rice, and it can be stored in the freezer for months.