4 Steps to Reducing Inflammation & Reduce Cancer Risk

One of the concepts I have referred to in previous Blogs, was the topic of Inflammation and whether foods were Acidic or Alkaline. The bottom line is that the more Acid you have in your system the more “Acidic” your system will be and therefore inflamed. The best way to think of Inflammation is to think of it as an internal “Bruise”. Inflammation is what causes us discomfort, pain, bloating, gas and many other ill health effects. Many times we rely on prescriptions or over the counter drugs and medicines to treat our ailments(such as Advil and Tylenol). This is simply treating the symptom and not treating the underlying cause of the inflammation. I have outlined below what has worked for me in becoming more Alkaline and thought I would start with a simple introduction to the topic.

What does Alkaline or Acidic mean?

When you hear the term Alkalinity, you likely think back to your high school chemistry days. In simple terms your Alkalinity or Acidity is measured on the pH scale which ranges from 0-14. Ideally you want to be at a pH level of  7 or higher. The body naturally reacts and counteracts high or low levels towards homeostasis however we can also impact it by what we consume. When I had my pH first tested prior to making changes in my daily diet, I found out I was highly Acidic on a daily basis. The result of this is inflammation in the system which means the body is working “overdrive” to try to counteract the acidity and inflammation. There is a simple test that can be done over a few day period by simply using saliva or urine on PH paper.

Another mind boggling thing I read was in Brendan Braziers book, Thrive Diet where he outlines that Cancer cannot survive in an Alkaline environment. When I first read this a few years back, I had to re read it a few times as I never heard this and the first thing that came to mind was why doesn’t the whole world know this? Cancer cannot survive in an Alkaline environment – Wow! When I read this I made note of it and have told as many people about this as possible and personally wanted to do everything I could to ensure I was more on the Alkaline side of the equation than the Acidic side.( You may want to pass this blog on to friends and family so they are aware of this important fact).

What can You do to ensure You are more Alkaline?

What we consume on a daily basis has an impact on our Alkalinity. In simple terms, the easiest thing to think of is that Fruits and Vegetables, Nuts and seeds lead to a more Alkaline state. Here are some things you can do to ensure you are more on the Alkaline side of the equation.

1. The Morning Shake – As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I believe this is the single most important item that altered my overall health and Alkalinity levels. When you start your day with a blender full of healthy food (mainly Fruits and Vegetables) it puts you in an Alkaline state right off the bat and counteracts other things that you consume during the day. If you are a person like me that does not particularly like to eat Vegetables, I find this is a way to get more than my share of Veggies and they actually taste good in a shake! I personally started to feel much better and have much more energy when I started having my morning shake each day. See The Morning Shake  if interested in more –

2. Start your day with lemon water – I mentioned in my last Blog (8 Morning Secrets To A Great Day) a great way to start your day out alkaline is to have a fresh lemon squeezed in water to start the day. I know this confused me when I first read this as you would think lemons are acid, however as soon as we digest them they become alkaline. This is a way to not only cleanse the liver, kidneys and your system but also a great way to start your day in an Alkaline Way.

3. Avoid Sugars, Soft Drinks and processed foods – These are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to Alkalinity. Sugars, soft drinks and processed foods are very Acidic and put your system in an Acidic state. Do I follow this rule all the time? Of course not but once again I try to live by the 80% rule which means I try to only eat or consume these items as little as possible (Previous Blog on 80% rule if you want to learn more)

4. Avoid Meats and Dairy As Much As possible- Once again, these items are very acidic to our system. It seems the things that many of us like the most are detrimental to our system. Therefore, the more you avoid these items the better it will be for you and your Health. Personally, when I do have meat and dairy, I always try to have Grass Fed or Organic when possible.

Once again, I try to personally live my life by the 80% rule and try to avoid these things as much possible and try to eat as much Plant based as possible. I think the key thing is to be aware of what we are putting into our bodies so we can try to be as healthy as possible.

There has been a lot written about this topic however one of my favourite “go to” Web sites is Mindbodygreen. Here is a link to an article they featured on pH and inflammation if you would like more information. http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6243/How-to-Balance-Your-pH-to-Heal-Your-Body.html

Yours in Great Health, Kev

P.S. – I feel this is such an important topic to share, please feel free to pass on to all the people in your life that you care about.