5 Easy Steps To Clean Up Your Diet

Kris Carr, as featured in Hungry For Change, is a huge fan of a cleansing, alkaline diet. In her top 15 Crazy Sexy Diet Tips, her second most important tip is to:

"Learn about pH, the acid/alkaline balance, and say goodbye to the acidic standard American diet (SAD), in favour of alkaline foods."

What is pH and Acid / Alkaline?

5 Easy Steps To Clean Up Your Diet

1. Keep Hydrated

Research has found that about 90 percent of people are chronically dehydrated which is having a massive impact on their quality of life. It amazes me that people say they don't often drink water! How they do they get through the day?

Getting properly hydrated will make a huge difference to your health, energy, vitality, and immunity. Everything is influenced by the quantity and quality of the water you drink.

Hydration Action Steps

• Drink 6-18 cups of water each day. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day.
• Drink lemon water: 2 cups of luke warm filtered water with the freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon. It helps cleanse the digestive system, ignite your metabolism and buffer excess acids. Despite the lemons being acidic in their natural form, lemon water is alkaline forming to the body once consumed.
• Enjoy organic herbal teas such as Rooibos, peppermint and nettle.

2. Go Green!

There is conflicting information about which foods are alkaline and which are acid-forming. This simple rule covers 90 percent of foods:

Alkaline foods are those that you already know are good for you: fresh vegetables, salads, leafy greens, low-sugar fruits, nuts, seeds and healthy oils, unrefined, organic, high-water content foods.

Acidic foods are those that you already know are not great for you in excess: refined foods, fast foods, trans-fats, meat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, white bread, white pasta and rice, condiments, alcohol, chocolate, chips, ice cream and pizza.

Aim for a ratio of 80/20: Consume 80 percent alkaline foods to 20 percent acidic foods. For a full list of alkaline foods visit Food Matters here: http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/heartburn-indigestion-acid-reflux-how-to-kick-and-over-acid-diet

3. Adding

Take it slowly! People who try to be perfect from day one miss the chance to learn, experiment and find meals that work for them and their family. They end up feeling hungry, fed up and restricted. It is far better to transition and get there slowly, by sticking to it for the long term rather than being perfect for a day or two and then crashing. Keep the focus on adding more and more alkaline foods each day!

4. Oxygen

A simple breathing exercise once or twice a day will give your body a huge helping hand in removing excess acids from your bloodstream. Plus it allows you to stop, focus your mind, visualise and relax, which is also nice.

Sit comfortably, close your eyes and follow this simple breathing pattern:

Breathe in for the count of 4.


Hold for a count of 8.


Breathe out for a count of 4.


Repeat 10 times.

5. Supplements

There are so many supplements out there, all promising different things and all claiming they are better than the others.

Here are some core supplements that are particularly important for cleansing and alkalising your bloodstream:

• Green powder: This is a combination of powdered grasses, fruits, vegetables and sprouts with a focus on wheatgrass and barley grass.
• Alkaline water: You can make alkaline water in a number of ways including using a water ionizer, pH drops or adding freshly squeezed lemon.
• Alkaline minerals: The primary way that your body buffers acids is through the alkaline minerals: sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Cleansing your body is simple when taken slowly when you focus on adding rather than perfection and when you still allow yourself treats and fun. Take it easy, have a sense of humor with it and enjoy it. Keep it simple and if you mess up, don’t beat yourself up! Go for a walk, refocus and just start again! The rest of your life is a long and interesting journey, so enjoy it with the health, energy and vitality you deserve!

By Ross Bridgeford on kriscarr.com - source: http://kriscarr.com/blog/5-easy-steps-to-an-alkaline-diet/

Featured Teacher: Kris Carr

Kris Carr is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, health advocate and wellness coach.

Her diagnosis of a rare stage four cancer in 2003, for which there is no treatment or cure, inspired Kris to learn everything she could about proper nutrition and self-care and in the process, she stabilized her cancer. She is the director and the subject of the documentary, Crazy Sexy Cancer and the author of the revolutionary Crazy Sexy Cancer book series. Kris lectures regularly at medical schools, hospitals, wellness centers, corporations, and universities throughout the United States.

For more on Kris Carr visit www.kriscarr.com

In this short video, listen to Kris Carr explain:

• The amazing health benefits of following a pH balanced diet using the 80/20 principle
• Why the Standard American Diet (SAD) is the perfect environment for disease and illness to thrive in
• How you can balance your consumption of alkaline and acid foods in your daily diet for optimal health