Acidic or Alkaline? Know Your Foods

If you've ever practiced a martial art you'll be well aware of the importance of balance. I'm not referring to balance of the postural variety (although that's also important). I'm talking about the Chinese concept of Yin-Yang which is used to describe how contrary forces interconnect in the natural world (often to complement each other).

When it comes to health and nutrition, your body's tendency towards homeostasis should be your first sign of the role balance plays in biological processes. Unfortunately, the typical western diet is greatly OUT of balance. The foods we consume typically have an acidifying effect on the body, which over time can lead to less-than-optimal health.

Fitness Tip:

Below, is a chart detailing common foods and their pH levels. You can use this as a guide to alkalizing your diet.

Many of us with fitness or sporting aspirations will typically be consuming high-protein diets. Instead of giving these up completely, try using the chart to ensure that each meal contains a healthy serving of alkaline foods. Remove foods with a pH of 3.0 from the equation (as they're often harmful to more than just pH), and you'll find that you're left with an abundance of nutritious and energy-giving foods that can be used to balance pH in line with your performance / physique goals.

Try aiming for a 70-30 ratio between high alkaline vs. acidic foods.