Why is an Alkaline diet good for performance?
January 13, 2022
The idea behind an alkaline diet is that the food you eat can affect the pH levels of the body. When these pH levels are out of balance, your overall health and wellbeing becomes affected too, often leading to those side effects we’d rather avoid - fatigue, weight-gain and mood-swings.
pH is a measurement from 0-14 with 7 being neutral. 0-7 is considered acidic and 7-14 considered alkaline. The school of thought is that by leading a more alkaline lifestyle, health and mental clarity will significantly improve. So, let’s take a look at why an alkaline diet is thought to be so powerful and how it can improve performance both in mind and body.
The alkaline diet consists of eating an array of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils. Other foods can be eaten of course, such as a packed-full-of-goodness smoothie consisting of nut butter, avocado and leafy spinach as well as any chia seeds and pumpkin seeds you may wish to throw in. The diet does however mean staying clear of any acidic foods and beverages, such as alcohol, honey, oats and shellfish to name a few.
In eating these alkaline rich foods, the body is kept in an alkaline state, defending against potential illness. A good example of this is to take a look at inflammation. Alkaline rich foods work to reduce inflammation, and, while we’re all prone to a little inflammation here and there (it is the body’s natural response to injury after all), chronic inflammation can lead to DNA damage and cancer. By eating alkaline foods, we’re reducing the acidity in the body which cancer thrives off, and increasing the body’s pH levels to a more alkaline level. This makes the body a poor environment for cancer. In the same manner, many medical professionals recommend alkaline nutrition to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
As well as the physical, an alkaline diet plays a huge part in the mental. By absorbing the essential nutrients and healthy fats found in this plant-based diet, the body finds a new type of sustained energy. The mind experiences more motivation and drive. Clarity is increased and confidence asserted. As we find that desire to move more, our bodies release endorphins which are chemicals the body naturally produces to either cope with stress or in this case act as a happiness booster. Ever heard of ‘runner’s high’? It’s this endorphin rush of a happy achievement.
The idea behind an alkaline diet is that the food you eat can affect the pH levels of the body. When these pH levels are out of balance, your overall health and wellbeing becomes affected too, often leading to those side effects we’d rather avoid - fatigue, weight-gain and mood-swings.
pH is a measurement from 0-14 with 7 being neutral. 0-7 is considered acidic and 7-14 considered alkaline. The school of thought is that by leading a more alkaline lifestyle, health and mental clarity will significantly improve. So, let’s take a look at why an alkaline diet is thought to be so powerful and how it can improve performance both in mind and body.
The alkaline diet consists of eating an array of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils. Other foods can be eaten of course, such as a packed-full-of-goodness smoothie consisting of nut butter, avocado and leafy spinach as well as any chia seeds and pumpkin seeds you may wish to throw in. The diet does however mean staying clear of any acidic foods and beverages, such as alcohol, honey, oats and shellfish to name a few.
In eating these alkaline rich foods, the body is kept in an alkaline state, defending against potential illness. A good example of this is to take a look at inflammation. Alkaline rich foods work to reduce inflammation, and, while we’re all prone to a little inflammation here and there (it is the body’s natural response to injury after all), chronic inflammation can lead to DNA damage and cancer. By eating alkaline foods, we’re reducing the acidity in the body which cancer thrives off, and increasing the body’s pH levels to a more alkaline level. This makes the body a poor environment for cancer. In the same manner, many medical professionals recommend alkaline nutrition to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
As well as the physical, an alkaline diet plays a huge part in the mental. By absorbing the essential nutrients and healthy fats found in this plant-based diet, the body finds a new type of sustained energy. The mind experiences more motivation and drive. Clarity is increased and confidence asserted. As we find that desire to move more, our bodies release endorphins which are chemicals the body naturally produces to either cope with stress or in this case act as a happiness booster. Ever heard of ‘runner’s high’? It’s this endorphin rush of a happy achievement.
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