Body Balance

Well, technology and I are becoming friends again. It was a tough, but we worked through it. Lets just hope we stay friends.

So there’s my technology update. Lets talk about my Amazing Grass 2 week challenge update. I’ve really enjoyed all the wonderful emails and nutritional information. As a Nutrition Manager, I am bombarded with health fads, diets, etc. so it’s nice to finally see some real ingredients in their products, which is REAL FOOD, REAL WHOLESOME FOOD! But how does real food “balance” us out? Have you ever wondered that? Today’s key point in my 2 week challenge talked about body balance, PH Level balance in fact!

As a wife of a professional athlete (aka the hubs), I’m always looking for foods that might balance his training, keep him nourished, and well recovered! So many factors play into this. Lets take a look at how we become “off balance” and what we can eat or do to get back “in balance.”

Common factors which disrupt the alkaline balance:

 source http://amazinggrass.com/2weekchallenge

“Our thoughts, emotions and stress-levels are very strong factors that are often overlooked when trying to reach alkalinity. They physically create large amounts of acid in our blood when being experienced. Your thoughts are creative and will have a physical manifestation. This is a saying that is very true. Stress can cause serious breakdowns and problems within your body no matter how healthy you are eating. That is why stress-management and deep-breathing exercises are so important and can change the state of your body.

All natural foods contain both acid and alkaline forming elements. In some foods, acid-forming elements dominate and vice versa. Such acid-forming foods include animal proteins, cooked oils, alcohol, pasteurized dairy, caffeine, refined/processed grains & carbohydrates, and most cooked nuts & legumes that have not been soaked and/or sprouted first.

Other prevalent factors that induce an acidic state within us are: tap water, most bottled/spring water, distilled water, smog, radiation, pesticides, chemical preservatives, food dye, and additives.

Lastly, over-exercising your body can actually create an acid state in the body. When people are so concerned about losing weight and go to the gym 2-3 hours daily and are not losing the weight, they get frustrated and stressed. This state of being can create too much acid (lactic acid) in the body. Exercise regularly but moderately.

Identify choices to create a target balance of 65%-80% alkaline-forming food; 20%-35% acidic foods; and a minimum of half your body’s weight in ounces of alkaline water.”
Example categories of alkaline-forming foods and beverages include:

• All organic fresh fruits and vegetables
• Sea vegetables such as kelp and nori
• Fermented foods such as Kombucha Tea, miso, tempeh, unpasteurized yogurt
• Raw, sprouted nuts & seeds (almonds are the most alkaline)

You can refer to the Acid-Alkaline Food & Beverage Chart below:
 

Alkalizing Foods – Goal 70-85%

VEGETABLES Garlic Alfalfa Artichoke Asparagus Avocado Fermented Veggies Watercress Beets Broccoli Brussel sprouts Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Chlorella Collard Greens Corn, raw Cucumber Dandelion Greens Eggplant Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Dulce Dandelions Edible Flowers Onions Parsnips Peas Peppers Pumpkin Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spinach Spirulina Sprouts Squashes String Beans Swiss Chard Alfalfa Barley Grass Wheat Grass Wild Greens Nightshade Veggies

FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana Cantaloupe Cherries Currants Dates/Figs Grapes Grapefruit Guava Lime Melons Nectarine Orange Lemon Lime Mango Peach Pear Persimmon Pineapple Plum Pomegranate Prune Raisins All Berries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Watermelon ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Maitake Daikon Dandelion Root Kelp Shitake Kombu Reishi Nori Umeboshi Wakame SWEETENERS Stevia Honey, Raw & pure

PROTEIN Sprouted beans Almonds Chestnuts Tofu (fermented) Flax Seeds Flax Oil, cold-pressed Pumpkin Seeds Tempeh (fermented) Squash Seeds Sunflower Seeds Millet Sprouted Seeds Raw Nuts-Soak 1st Young Coconut meat OTHER Apple Cider Vinegar Agar Bee Pollen Lecithin Granules Probiotic Cultures Green Juices Veggies Juices Fresh Fruit Juice Organic Milk (Raw/un-pasteurized) Mineral Water Alkaline Water Green Tea Herbal Tea Dandelion Tea Ginseng Tea Banchi Tea Kombucha Young Coconut Water Alkaline Water SPICES/ SEASONINGS Cinnamon Curry Ginger Horseradish Mustard Chili Pepper Sea Salt Miso Tamari All Herbs

So what’s a wife to do for this hard training hubs? Make a good balance snack but of course! I use this snack for post workout for him and/or along with breakfast.

Key ingredients:

and my secret ingredient that makes it taste delish!

blend all together, and now you’ve got a perfect alkaline “balancing” green goodness! Yes, I know it green, but its what’s inside that counts, right?

And yes, I always make extra for me!!

What foods do you use to keep “in balance?” Name one food from the list that your willing to try, if any? I have yet to try AGAR but I think I’ll pick it up next time I am at Natural Grocer.

Alrighty, stay warm out there!!!! Oh and HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY! Please, no more winter Mr. Punxsutawney Phil.

Cheers,
LC
p.s
Don’t forget enter the Amazing Grass giveaway. I’ll announce the winner Friday along with a workout, YEA!