The other day I wrote about what an alkaline diet is exactly. You can head on over to that article and read it if you’d like. But I’m going to summarize it again here, and add some additional information about the acid alkaline diet that I didn’t get to in that long post.
What is an alkaline diet? It is a diet based upon eating most of your foods from those food groups that leave an alkaline ash when burnt. Anything that gets burnt leaves behind an ash, and it is this ash which is tested for alkalinity or acidity.
As mentioned in my previous article, some things that we wouldn’t think of as being alkaline foods are actually quite alkaline. Citrus fruits for example are quite alkaline.
In fact, if you are serious about choosing an alkaline diet because you think it will help prevent or reverse cancer or rheumatoid arthritis then you should be on a vegan diet. You see, a vegan diet is an alkaline diet. And a high acid diet has been found to increase your cardiovascular disease risk as well as that of diabetes.
There is some reason to believe that part of what makes a vegan diet healthy is that it is an alkaline diet. Many people swear by using a vegan alkaline based diet in the treatment of many different cancers and other ailments like the aforementioned rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, there is some evidence that it is the alkalinity of a whole foods plant based diet that is beneficial in combating osteoporosis more so than calcium intake.
Although that might not be the whole story. More evidence is coming out to suggest that protein is indeed helpful to bone growth, along with vitamin D and the mineral calcium. It can be hard to read through all the research. So much research especially when conducted by scientists on animal products and especially upon dairy is funded by the dairy councils. I’m not saying all of this makes these studies biased, but sometimes it does. And sometimes our own bias can taint the lens through which we see.
If most scientists are omnivorous and probably more so, believe in the hype of suckling from bovine teats, then there is the chance they’ll see what they want… if only sometimes.
All of this is to say, that it is not health by which I wish to promote the vegan diet. For health can be a fickle mistress. You can do everything right and still be taken by heart attacks or cancer. See the vegan and vegetarian lights that were extinguished too soon – Rynn Berry, Jay Dinshah and Linda McCartney. As much as I am saddened to admit it, folks who choose a vegan diet for health reasons are more likely to slide back into their inhumane ways when their health has returned.
But don’t get me wrong. I applaud any reason that minimizes the use of animal products and their inherent suffering. But I find, like my dear friend Jack Norris, that the health argument is perhaps not our best approach. As Ginny has said, it is likely that one can be sufficiently healthy and still eat our murdered brethren occasionally. But when your concern is more than health, ethics will keep your hand steady from dipping it into that trough of gore.
But I do not wish to get morbid. I support minimizing animal suffering. And if you choose to use an alkaline diet to improve your health then more power to you. I hope these short blog posts can be helpful in that regard.
The alkaline diet, because it should be a vegan whole plant foods based diet is healthy. And because it is whole plant foods with an emphasis on many raw vegetables and fruits, it is my opinion that it will help you to lose weight, manage many ailments including arthritis, diabetes and perhaps even prevent cancer. So if you have been wondering how to alkalize your diet, choose a whole foods plant based vegan diet. Simples.
Coming up with recipes for an alkaline diet is easy. Think of raw, crunchy salads, lots of fruits of all kinds. If you eliminate animal products, especially dairy and cheeses as well as chicken and fish you’ll be on an alkaline diet. If you want to take it to the next level, then limit your grains and nuts and beans. Make your plate 50% or more vegetables and you’ll be well into reaping the maximum benefits from alkaline foods that you can.
Remember, we’re all just trying to eat the sun. The plants can do it. We can’t. So the next best thing is to eat the plants. Eating animals is not good for them, and it’s not good for you. It’s third rate protein, iron and calcium which the animals got from the plants anyway. Cut out the middlemen i.e. the animals and go directly to the source.
Eat alkaline for your health, for the planet’s and for the animals. We know it is not necessary to eat animal products for health. And if we agree it is uncivilized to cause unnecessary suffering, then why do we by our forkfuls condone the violence and murder of peaceful beasts. It is unnecessary, it is uncivilized to do so for the selfish pleasure of the palate. Are we not more, are we not grander souls than the barbarians of yore?