Why Being More Alkaline is Better

We are now well into mid-March and although I’m sure everyone’s most likely off their January detoxes by now, I wanted to talk to you about the importance of being more alkaline. I know you’ve probably seen alkaline water everywhere and have maybe even heard of the alkaline-based diet, but do we REALLY know what being more alkaline means? I didn’t.

A few months ago, my editorial team went to an event that focused on the importance of sleep, skincare, self care, food and how everything’s interconnected. One of the questions asked was “why is alkaline so important and what does it really do for our bodies?” and that left them wondering what that truly meant.

So, my team and I put in some work and did some research to get to know the importance of alkaline and what it means to keep our bodies in a more alkaline state.

What does that mean? Your body’s pH balance is the measure of acidity or alkalinity in it and that plays a key role in your gut and overall health. Overly acidic foods will make your body have to work much harder for it to reach its natural pH balance. Our bodies are constantly trying to maintain its equilibrium at a pH of 7.2 – 7.4 which is slightly alkaline. On a scale of 0 to 14, 0 is the most acidic and 14 being the most basic.

When your body is in a very acidic state, it will seek balance elsewhere and may do so by drawing nutrients from your bones which is something you don’t want. When you’re putting damaging acids into your body with bad foods or drinks, your body has to work overtime to maintain its delicate pH balance which can result in draining your energy while affecting your body’s ability to heal itself. Kind of scary when you think about it that way, right?

And since your skin is the largest breathing organ in your entire body, health care is skin care because everything’s affected by what you eat/do. The more alkaline your body is, the better chance it has to fight off inflammation and cancers. When you opt for alkaline-rich foods (think: lemons, limes, grapefruits, avocados, pomegranates, and coconuts, cucumber, celery, broccoli, and red bell peppers), you’re making sure your body and your gut is in a more happy, normal, alkaline state.

PIN IT

On top of eating alkaline foods and drinking alkaline water, it’s also important to consider reducing acidic foods in your diet (i.e. meat, refined sugars, dairy, highly processed grains…and a lot of you may hate me for saying this but also, alcohol). Now I’m not telling you to cut out ALL of these foods and alcohol completely, but it’s all about seeking the right kind of balance that best suits your lifestyle.

So, if you happen to be suffering from skin issues, are low in energy or have been feeling overweight, becoming more alkaline might be helpful for you. Not only will it help fight inflammation within the body, but your body will also thank you for balancing out your pH levels with alkaline-rich foods full of healthy minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium bicarbonate.

Now, I’m no doctor but I love sharing new findings and teachings with you all. What are your thoughts on alkaline? Let me know what your first step is to becoming more alkaline in the comments below!

Photography by Emi Rose Website | Instagram | Hair & Makeup by Archangel Chelsea
Location: NoMad Hotel DTLA