• Mineral Supplements
• Green Foods
• Enzyme Supplements
• Antioxidants
• Prebiotics and Probiotics

Mineral Supplements
The alkaline diet needs the following supplements to be most effective:

1. Calcium (Ca) - it makes up the skeletal system - you need that.
2. Potassium (k) - helps with cellular exchanges - low levels mean low energy.
3. Magnesium (Mg) - calms the nerves and boosts the immune system.
4. Iron (Fe) - carries oxygen in the blood.
5. Manganese (Mn) - catalyst in biochemical reactions.

Look for supplements that contain all 5 of these minerals. These supplements may also be paired with other minerals such as sodium (Na) and silica. Each of these has their benefits but if you already have high blood pressure you will want to avoid the supplements containing sodium.

Green Foods
Green Foods are usually found in the form of a powder that can be added to different beverages or a capsule. They are not usually what we eat but are highly nutritious greens made of the young sprouts of cereal grains and forage plants. The four major kinds are:

1. Wheat Sprouts - contains more alkaline minerals than any other sprout or green vegetable and is also higher in iron than spinach. Also contains more chlorophyl than any other plant source which has tremendous benefits.
2. Alfalfa - high levels of protein and minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium)
3. Barley Grass - recognized by researchers as the most nutritious plant in existence.
4. Kamut - very nutritious - higher content of certain minerals

Look for commercially prepared green products to contain these varieties. Look for the powdered form of the juice which is more potent. When reading the ingredients look for the word juice for as many ingredients as possible.

Enzyme Supplements
Enzymes are key for the body to function properly. They are found in foods however are damaged or destroyed by heat. It is important to incorporate raw vegetables into two meals per day. Many snacks can be made up of raw vegetables as well.

Enzyme supplements are essential to work in conjunction with those being ingested via regular diet in order de-acidify the body effectively. These will help restore the body’s pH more quickly.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants serve to neutralize free radicals in the body. A free radical is a substance with an odd number of electrons looking for one more to make it even. It will aggressively pursue its search and take an electron from somewhere it shouldn’t thus causing damage and stress on the body.

There are many natural sources of antioxidants (such as green tea, berries, grape seeds, etc.). There are also commercial varieties of antioxidant combinations that will address the body’s needs on a daily basis.

Prebiotics and Probiotics
Probiotics are microorganisms that live inside the body that work harmoniously together to fight invaders by releasing antibiotic substances. Prebiotics are the food in which the probiotic organisms eat. These make them stronger and better able to ward off invasion by foreign microforms. Yogurt is a good source of Probiotics and usually indicates their presence on the label. Prebiotics are found in fruits, vegetables, cereals and beans.

Using these supplements in combination with eating according to the alkaline diet should see you quickly achieving your healthy living goals.

Here are some Alkaline Diet approved snack ideas:

Carrots
A carrot stick is a great snack. Look for organic, locally grown produce for the best quality. Make sure that you are using whole carrot sticks as opposed to the baby carrots that are peeled and ready to go. If you think about it, something unnatural is being done to preserve them in a ready state. You want to eat foods that are as close to picking them out of the ground as possible.

Almonds
Have a handful of almonds. Make sure they are as close to plain as you can get although they can taste pretty bland. You could add your own Sea Salt or look for flavored almonds but avoid ones that have added sugar and long words on the ingredients list that give you chemistry class flashbacks.

Raisins
Raisins are tasty and sweet treat that show up on the alkaline food section of the food chart. Raisins have phenols and boron which have various health benefits. Not too many foods on the Acid-Alkaline Food Chart taste this sweet so enjoy them guilt free!

As part of the Alkaline Diet it is important to eat raw foods twice a day. Snack time can be a wonderful opportunity to do so. Another idea is to put out carrot sticks before meal times for people to munch on while they’re waiting for the main course to be ready. The following website has a list of many foods and their health benefits: World’s Healthiest Foods.

This is what your dinner plate should look like in terms of portion sizes. Your plate should also be 8 inches or 20 centimeters in diameter for proper portion control. Is your plate 8 inches? I’ll bet it’s not. Following a template like this using an 8 inch plate is one of the most effective ways to control your diet, lose weight, and keep it off! This is general nutritional advice but also is consistent with the Acid-Alkaline Diet because vegetables are have an alkalizing effect on the body and they are the greatest proportion.

The proportions are as follows:

50% - Vegetables. This may not look appetizing and probably not representative of what your plate usually looks like. However, vegetables are easy to prepare and there are lots of tasty recipes to help you fill half of your plate.

25% - Starch. These are your rice, pasta, and potatoes. Seeing as potatoes are alkalizing you should choose these most often. Potatoes are versatile and there lots of great recipes to help you keep them exciting.

25% - Meat. The portion size of meat that you should be eating at dinner is the size of a deck of playing cards. You need to be choosing poultry and fish more often than red meats such as beef and pork. Fish contains omega-3 fats which are really good for you and your brain.

So after you finish your 8 inch plate, I’ll bet you’re going to be hungry.

• Starter Salads - You should have a bowl of salad to start each meal. This will help you to fill you up and also help you digest the food you are about to eat
• Seconds - You need to be choosing to eat more of the vegetables. You should limit yourself to the one serving of meat and this way you will have left overs for lunch the next day.

If you are going to be eating sandwiches and want to be on the alkaline side you will need to bear the following in mind:

1. Choose low and medium Glycemic index breads: pumpernickel is your best bet followed by whole grain and rye breads.
2. Fill the sandwich with alkaline toppings such as: cucumbers, sprouts, lettuce, spinach, sweet peppers, and other salad greens. Avoid tomatoes as they are acidic and will make your sandwich soggy.
3. The Meat: choose lean white meats such as no fat turkey and don’t overdo it.
4. Condiments: stay away from them. You can add flavor with italian or oil based dressings (add them just before eating).

Instead of a sandwich you can also make a wrap using corn, whole wheat, or spinach quesadilla shells. This will help increase the ratio of alkaline to acid foods.

Salads are a great way to fill up for lunch and the possibilities are endless. I would recommend for you to do the following each week and keep these in separate tupperware containers:

1. Slice and dice cucumbers into 1 inch chunks. (If you want some variety slice them thinly to be used on sandwiches so you can mix it up throughout the week)
2. Slice or dice red, orange, and yellow peppers.
3. Keep a bag of slivered almonds to add to the salads for protein and a bunch more nutritional value.
4. Keep a bag of greens handy as well.
5. Go down the list of Alkaline foods in the food chart section and choose what would be appetizing to you and add it to the mix for salads.
6. You can use various different dressings but stick to the oil based low fat and low calorie dressings.

Now you have all the fixings to make a couple of different types of salads and also have the toppings available for sandwiches. If you put the prep work into this (5 minutes) you can be set for the week and easily ensure you are sticking to your alkaline diet plan every lunch.

If you are eating out:
Like every other diet, it can be difficult to stick to the Alkaline Diet if you are stuck eating out for lunch. I would recommend using the following philosophy:

• Look for meal options that allow a side garden salad instead of french fries.
• Choose white meats - grilled chicken, turkey, etc.

Here are some examples:
Subway places - any lean white meat and load up on all of the veggies except tomato.
Fast Food - value menu grilled chicken ‘snack’ wraps with a side salad and ask for a milk to drink instead of the fountain pop options.

These are just a few ideas but the principles should apply to all lunch meals. Try to incorporate as many alkalizing foods into the meal as possible by taking the time to prepare for the whole week. You need to make it easy for yourself or else it won’t happen. Sticking to the diet at lunch will make you feel better and have more energy to make it through the rest of the work day.

Reasons why you should eat breakfast

1. It will make you smarter - well at least not dumber. After an 8 hour sleep you have likely gone without eating for 8 - 14 hours. This means that your body and brain are running on empty in the morning. You brain needs food (in the form of glucose) to refuel and start running again. Studies have shown that memory is improved for those who eat breakfast.
2. It will help you lose weight. Eating to lose weight? People who skip breakfast often overeat during the day. Also, once you are out of the house you are less likely to find nutritious things to eat. Most of what can be found in the office or at school are processed or refined foods which will leave you feeling hungry a short time after consumption. By eating your calorie intake early in the day you are also left with a better chance of burning the fuel you have consumed (as opposed to later in the day when you will likely be sitting on the couch before going to bed).
3. It will help you be healthy. Breakfast foods are usually high in fiber and low in fat (or at least they should be if you’re doing it right). This is a great way to keep your heart healthy as this will keep you cholesterol in check. It will also keep your digestive track on schedule.
4. It will help your mood. Hungry people are grumpy people. If your stomach isn’t rumbling your mouth won’t be either.

What you should eat for breakfast

I am a big fan of the Smoothie for breakfast.  There are lots of different recipes out there but what is important is to get fruits that show up on the alkaline list into the mix.  I find breakfast to be a difficult time to be eating a large quantity of alkaline foods because I am rarely in the mood for vegetables.  I also have more of a sweet tooth in the morning.  I also like to use breakfast as an opportunity to get my fiber in the form of Kellogg’s All Bran Buds which contain psyllium fiber.  I realize that a smoothie may involve a higher ratio of acidic foods to alkaline foods but as long as those acidic foods have other nutritional benefits you should be okay.

Kellogg’s All-Bran Buds
This is going to be your breakfast staple. You want to make sure you incorporate this into you breakfast no matter what you are eating. Make sure you take it slow at first with the fiber or else it will not be your friend. Gradually work your way up to 1/3 cup serving. This serving size contains 12 grams of fiber. This is also the only bran to contain Psyllium fiber which has many benefits. They may not look appetizing (especially if you have small mammals for pets) but you need to consider the benefits.

Vegetable Juice Base

You can find many different juices that have vegetable juice mixed in.  I like to use pure carrot juice with no preservatives added which should be available at most supermarkets.  Once the fruit is added to the smoothie I don’t even notice the taste of the carrot juice.  This gives opportunity to increase the ratio of alkaline foods into the mix.

Activia by Dannon
Put the Kellogg’s All-Bran Buds into the suggested serving of Activia Yogurt. It adds texture to the Yogurt while masking the unappealing appearance of the Buds. Activia contains Bifidus Regularis which is a probiotic culture that the stomach loves to help keep everything running smoothly.  Look for plain varieties to avoid added sugar.  The fruit in the smoothie will more than make up for the lack of flavor.

Bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S
Eat one of these with the meal - it’s alkalizing and filling. You can cut it up and put in the cereal or you can grab it on your way out the door.

Bananas are a high source of potassium. Potassium has many benefits such as helping to lower blood pressure.

Stash Premium: Herbal & Green Tea
Recently voted as best Green and best Herbal tea by Men’s Health Magazine (June 2008), Stash Premium teas are a great alternative to coffee and are alkalizing (coffee is acidifying). Stash has the highest levels of antioxidants compared to other brands.

This may sound like a lot of food but the preparation is really fast (2 minutes max) and if you stick to the suggested serving sizes it doesn’t add up to a lot of food. This combination keeps me satisfied until lunch time which helps me avoid the donut box.

Europe’s Best: 4-Field Berry Mix
These berries have lots of antioxidants that are great for you. Throw a cup of these into the mix. Europe’s Best also has many different combinations of fruits but this one makes some sweet Smoothies.

Once you have all of these in the blender, blend on the highest setting until smooth. You don’t need to add ice as the fruit is frozen and acts as rather tasty ice. Pour into a portable mug and off you go. Just rinse out the blender with hot water and blend another time and it should be good to go for the next day.

There you have it. Just a couple of breakfast ideas that should help you make it through until lunch while adding to your health and keeping you regular. If it starts to get boring try mixing up the different flavors of the products like Activia Yogurt, different Juices (try ones with vegetable bases), and Europe’s Best fruit combinations. You should be able to change the taste enough to keep you interested for a long time.

Water
It is very important to drink lots of water on a daily basis. This is one of the key components of the Alkaline Diet.The body is made up of 70% water which means in order to function properly it needs a continuous supply to draw from. The purpose of drinking water is two fold: to reduce the amount of acid the body produces and to aid the body in the elimination of acids.

You should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces per day of water. (More if you exercise).

Water comes from many different sources. Natural spring water is your best bet as it comes with various minerals and nutrients that help alkalize the body. You can also buy preparations that can be added to the water to raise its alkaline level.

Water ionizers are a good option for people serious about drinking water that is alkalizing. They work by splitting water into two streams - one being alkaline and the other being acid. The ionized alkaline water is what you would drink and it has many benefits such as extra electrons which are utilized by the body to neutralize free radicals. Drinking water is essential to detoxifying the body of acids and keeping the body running properly to ward off disease and illness.

Vegetable Juice
Drinking vegetable juice is another great way to ensure you ingesting the correct proportions of alkaline foods. In order to control you pH Level you may rely heavily on the juice forms of vegetables if you area picky eater. Make sure that you are not taking juice that is of a tomato base as tomato has shown up in a few areas as an acidifying food (it also shows up as alkalizing in other sources so it is best to treat as the worst case scenario to be safe).

There are multiple ways of getting vegetable into your system. There are wide variety of commercial brand juices that have a vegetable (usually carrot) base that are also mixed with various fruit flavors to make them more appealing.

The best possible way to get vegetable juice is to use a juicer. There are many brands and types out there that use different technologies. By using a juicer you are able to control the quality and variety of the vegetables you are using. You also avoid any preservatives that may be in the commercial brands. I would recommend that you use organic vegetables that are locally grown to get the best nutritional value possible.

There are many different recipe books available for making vegetable juice. They actually do taste good and the benefits are endless. Make sure that you drink the juice as soon as possible after it is made as it does not taste fresh for long.

Herbal and Green Tea
Herbal and Green tea are another alkalizing option for beverages. These are great substitutes for coffee which many people drink multiple times per day. You do not have to give up coffee completely but you should balance it with herbal and green tea whenever possible.

I am sure you have been hearing of the benefits of green tea. Many of the products today are finding ways of incorporating green tea into their products such as Lipton Iced Green Tea. These would also be better choices than regular soda which are extremely acidifying.

Herbal teas are reported to be even more alkalizing than green teas. This is good news as there are a wide variety of herbal teas to choose from and have many different flavors which can be better tasting. Just avoid the herbal teas that are made with rose hips, fruit peels, and birch leaves as these would have an acidifying effect (although they do contain other benefits you should balance them with an alkalizing counterpart).

Fruit Juices
Fruit juices are beneficial and alkalizing in small doses however quickly become acidic in high quantities due to their sugar content.

Grapefruit and orange juice are acidic (think about it). They have great benefits but should be treated as something that needs to be balanced.

There are many commercial brands of juices out there. Look for pure fruit juice that doesn’t contain additives or preservatives. There are also many fruit and veggie blends available that contain the balance you need within the drink itself.

Soda
Pop is extremely acidic and has absolutely no nutritional value. It is completely worthless and damaging to your body. All of the calories derived from pop come from refined sugar. When it is no calorie it is a sugar substitute which is equally acidifying. If this is your beverage of choice you may as well throw your diet plan out the window - along with any other diet you may be trying. You are better off drinking water.

One study reports the following alarming statistic on pop consumption:
Americans drank more than 53 gallons of soft drinks per person in 2000. This amount surpassed all other beverages. One of every four beverages consumed today is a soft drink, which means other, more nutritious beverages are being displaced from the diet.

Yikes.

The Alkaline Diet states that there are 5 minerals which are extremely important for achieving and maintaining a slightly alkaline pH balance. They are as follows:

Calcium

• 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth. The other 1% is found in your blood helping to control muscle movement, nerve impulses, and blood clotting.
• Calcium may play a role in preventing cataracts, colon cancer, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney stones, osteoporosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, pregnancy induced hypertension and preeclampsia, and premenstrual syndrome.
• Food is the best source of calcium. Dairy foods are an excellent source of calcium along with spinach, almonds, sesame seeds, broccoli, turnip greens, mustard greens, and collard greens.
  Recommended intake for adults is 1000mg/day. One cup of spinach contains 25% of the recommended daily value.

Iron

• Iron plays a critical role in the distribution of oxygen throughout the body, enhancing the efficacy of the immune system, and helping the body to produce energy.
• Iron deficiencies can lead to fatigue, headaches, depression, decreased concentration, and hair loss.
• Excellent sources of iron include spinach, turmeric, soybeans, lentils, sesame seeds, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and navy beans.
• Recommended intake for adult men is 8mg/day and for adult women is 18mg/day. For women over the age of 51, the recommended intake is 8mg/day. The intake is 27mg/day for women who are pregnant, and 9mg/day for women who are nursing. One cup of spinach has about 6.5mg of iron.

Magnesium

• Magnesium helps build and maintain strong bones, regulates circulation, and calms and relaxes the nerves.
• Magnesium works together with calcium to help the nervous system function, and works with potassium to control its movement in and out of cells. Deficient levels of magnesium can mean other minerals do not do their jobs properly.
• Sources of magnesium include pumpkin seeds, spinach, soybeans, salmon, halibut, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, navy beans, and black beans.
• Recommended intake for adult males is between 400 – 420mg/day and 300 – 320mg/day for adult females. 1 cup of spinach contains about 160mg of magnesium.

Manganese

• Manganese is very important as it helps other nutrients to carry out their functions. Manganese also helps synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol, and protects cells from free-radical damage.
• Sources of manganese include spinach, pineapple, raspberries, maples syrup, collard greens, and romaine lettuce.
• Adequate intake of manganese is 2.3mg/day for adult males and 1.8mg/day for adult females. 1 cup of spinach contains approximately 85% of the adequate intake amount.

Potassium

• Potassium plays a significant role in the function of the muscles and nerves. Potassium travels in and out of cells through channels maintaining the pH balance of the environment. When potassium channels are blocked or potassium is deficient, muscles and nerves do not function as well as they should.
• Potassium can be found in fruits and vegetables, especially bananas and spinach.
• Adequate intake of manganese is 4.7g/day. Spinach contains 800mg/cup.

I hope this list has proven useful to you. These 5 minerals are extremely important to maintaining and improving your health as part of an Alkaline Diet. You should be able to reach the recommended intake of these minerals through diet alone. As you can see from this list, spinach wants to be your friend. There is only 41 calories in a cup of spinach and that small amount will put you well on your way to reaching the recommended intake levels.

1. Soup and/or Salad and/or Sandwich = Soup and Salad

When you are out to lunch and you see this option on the menu - be sure the choose the salad and a vegetable based soup if available. Also, if you are deciding on what to take for lunch from home you should also choose soup and/or salad. These are the best ways to fill your stomach with lots of different kinds of vegetables.

2. Smoothie It Up

Smoothies are one of the best beverages on the face of the planet - so long as you are using the right ingredients. The basic smoothie recipe is one banana, a cup of frozen fruit, some yogurt, and some fruit/vegetable juice. The possibilities are endless because you can use all different kinds of yogurt, frozen fruits, and juices to vary the taste.

Smoothies are great because you can add protein powder and other supplements and you can barely notice they are in there.

3. If a Caveman Can Eat It…So Can You!

Have you heard of the Paleolithic Diet? To stick to this diet you need to ask yourself one question whenever you are about to eat something - could a caveman have eaten this? The food options in this diet are fairly limited and bland which makes it difficult to stick to.

The principles are good and in line with the Alkaline Diet as the food choices are natural and have an alkalizing effect on the body. I think a better question to ask before you eat something is would I know how to make this? Or, is there any word I can’t pronounce on the list of ingredients?

4. Go Green

Greens are great way to balance the effects of the not-so-good food choices we make. The greens we are referring to here are the grasses and sprouts. They probably aren’t the greatest to eat on their own and this why you can find powdered and capsule forms in many places.

Look for the greens products that are derived from juices as they are more potent and effective than those derived from just the plant. Take these as directed by the product you purchase. The powders can be added to the smoothies to make for a better tasting way to get them down.

5. Listen to William Shatner

Not the music but the bran. You want to be friends with fiber because fiber is a good friend to have. It will keep you heart healthy and the digestive system on schedule.

Look for bran buds that contain psyllium fiber as this is the healthiest kind to get. I know they look like something you would see at a petting zoo or rabbit cage but you can mix them in with yogurt or in your smoothie and they add some good texture.

6. Drink

You need to drink lots of water every day. The golden rule for drinking water is to drink half of you body weight in ounces per day. If you exercise you need to drink more. Drinking lots of water keeps the body working properly and will keep you feeling full so you eat less calories in a day.

7. Eat Breakfast

There are many different reasons to eat breakfast in the morning. People who eat eggs for breakfast are more likely to consume fewer calories throughout the rest of the day. Make your breakfast count and don’t think fruit loops fall under the fruit/vegetable food groups.

Breakfast is a good time to scramble a few eggs, pour some bran into some yogurt, wolf down a banana and go.

8. Chew Gum

Trick yourself into thinking your eating and you will consume less calories and be less likely to binge on the candy dish at work.

9. Be Prepared

This is an important part to your overall strategy. Eating salads, soups, and vegetables are all important eating healthy but you need to put in a bit of light work to make sure that you actually eat these foods.

Pick a day during the week where it is soup day and make enough soup to last you until the following week. Cut up things like peppers, lettuce, and cucumbers to that your salads are ready to go.
Make a menu plan and take out the food that you need in advance so that it will be available to cook. How many times has something not thawed in time so you’ve had to resort to ordering out?

10. Know the Three P’s, Avoid the Three P’s

Packaged, Processed, Preservatives. Avoiding these will make you healthier and you will find you produce less garbage as well.

The Alkaline Diet is a philosophy of food that states that foods either have an alkalizing or acidifying effect on the overall pH level of the body. You want to maintain a slightly alkaline pH level to be healthy and avoid illness. In order to do this you must eat a greater proportion of Alkaline foods which are made up largely of leafy greens and vegetables.

I hope this list has given you some ideas and I wish you the best of luck on your path to wellness through healthy eating.