Afternoon everyone!!

For the last week I have been reading a lot on certain celebrities following the alkaline diet - which is the lastest healthy trend to hit the UK!
This latest weight loss craze seems to have the backing of celebs like Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow.
The alkaline diet was originally developed by Dr Robert Young, an American scientist who has been researching the impact of alkaline and acidic foods on the body for more than twenty years! Dr Young claims we should be living almost entirely on foods that will supposedly make the body's internal environment less acidic such as vegetables, fruit, beans and pulses. Although, as with most diets, it has its fair share of critics - Dr Christian Jessen, presenter of Channel 4's Supersize vs Superskinny, has called the diet 'rubbish' as he says our intestines alkalise everything anyway.

Dr Young suggests we cut out on foods that make the body more acidic such as meat, dairy, sugar, white flour and pasta as it apparantly puts you body under stress as it tries to digest these types of foods, leading to a heavy, bloated worn-out feeling. I am all for reducing the bloating, worn-out feeling but I dont know about you, I dont like the sound of cutitng out my weekly bowl of pasta with the family! Everything in moderation, surely? I can barely go a day without some form of pasta, potato or bread which are all acidic.

Fans of the diet say that they have more energy and feel better inside and out, as well as seeing kilos drop off. Although reading some of the feedback of followers of the diet, I get the impression that it doesnt seem to be purely about dropping a dress size but more about eating healthier and feeling happier.

So, as I have had a sluggish January, feeling run down and sleeping poorly (my previous blog; apparantly restless sleep could also be a sign of an overly-acidic state), I have decided to give this alkaline diet a go. However, I will not be completely cutting out certain food groups (pasta) I will just limit them, especially bread as I seem to have a lot of that daily.
Read more on http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2008851/How-cheese-meat-make-body-dangerously-acidic.html
I will try these 5 simple ways to alkalise my diet
1. Add lemons to everything! As I am keeping meat and fish in my diet - If I want chicken/fish, il have chicken/fish but I will cook it in lots of lemon juice and squeeze lemon and/or lime on salads and spinach instead of dressings. If you are going to cut out the acidic foods then swap your bowl of pasta to quinoa, pulses and grains. I usually start the day with a nice cup of freshly squeezed lemon and hot water to alkalise myself first thing which makes me feel great! Especially before a workout.
2. Swap coffee and tea (which i rarely drink anyway) to herbal ones such as mint (great after dinner) and green tea3.There are also plenty of spices and herbs that fall into the alkaline category such as cinnamon (great in the hot water with lemon), coriander and cumin. Experiment with these in your cooking.
4.Milk is also acidic, perhaps you could swap to organic soya milk instead?!
5. Try filtering your tap water to remove it of any toxins and bring it closer to an alkaline level.

If you are always feeling bloated, worn-out, tired, getting a poor nights sleep and/or anixous or have bad body odour, suffer from bad breath and skin blemishes (which are signs when the body is carrying around excess acid) then why not join me and try adding alkaline products to your diet. I dont suggest cutting out pasta, potato, bread and meat and fish but just limit the intake of these foods and just increase the alkaline foods.

Let me know how you get on...
I would love to hear from those of you who either have tried the diet or are going to try it! Visit my site http://www.healthy-solutions.co.uk/  :L or comment below!

Remember, everything in moderation. It is small changes that make the difference.