As per suggestion from her doctor, my friend from college went on the alkaline diet to help curb the symptoms of her dysautonomia. Daily for the past several years, Ashley has endured unwavering dizziness to the point of frailty and disorientation; a problem characterized by a malfunctioning autonomic nervous system in relation to one’s heart and muscles, Ashley’s dysautonomia wasn’t fully controlled by medication—despite her doctor’s attempts. It was devastating to watch my friend struggle despite using so many pills. “I can’t do this,” she’d tell me over coffee/play-dates with our young boys.
It wasn’t until about a year ago that Ashley’s doctor suggested the diet, which consists of foods with a pH level higher than 7—or in other words, foods low in acid. Ashley was like a new person; she began running again, lost the weight she had struggled with since the disease sprouted, and could function through a day without feeling like she was going to pass out.
Ashley’s new triumphs got me thinking about what the acid levels in foods meant for my family. My husband and I feel very fortunate that neither we nor our three boys have any major health issues—yet. However, I was nevertheless shocked by how much more we could be doing to stay healthy. After exploring how her alkaline diet was helping Ashley with her problem, I discovered that foods low in acid can prevent everything from heart disease to diabetes and acid reflux.
My husband and I decided we’d give it a try. We stick to non-processed foods: whole grains, organic vegetables and fruits, in addition to tofu and peanut butter for protein. The diet excludes meat, dairy, and eggs because of their acidic nature. While my husband and I are thinner and healthier than ever with our new lifestyle, we decided to only partially try it with our sons. They are too young to logically remove dairy from their diet, considering how many vital minerals and vitamins the group provides.
Ten weeks and fifteen pounds later, the diet was well at work for my husband and I. However, we took our new health kick one-step further after I saw this segment about water quality on the Today show. We tested our system with the at-home kit, and found that while our water was within the legal range for toxin levels, it was still higher than ideal.
We began looking at water filters, and through our research, discovered the benefits of alkaline ionized water. Systems that ionize water add antioxidants that replenish the body’s natural pH levels—or in other words, diminish the acidity that my husband and I have attempted to avoid in our diets. Drinking alkaline water was the next step in helping prevent unnecessary health struggles within our family.
You never know what is around the corner; my friend Ashley taught me that. But ‘taking the alkaline’ has already impacted my weight, mood, and energy levels to the point where I know that I am living a better life because of my newfound awareness of pH levels in what we consume.
