Even though you are sporting a six pack, you might not be as healthy as you think.
Does your typical day looks like this? Black Coffee, Bacon and Eggs, Pre-Workout Drink, Recovery Protein Drink, and some deli meats to snack on throughout the day. Well, I hate to break it to you but you're most likely an Acidic Mess. To the left is a pH scale. The pH level in healthy individuals is 7.365. Unfortunately, we don't live like caveman anymore. All of the chemicals in the foods that we eat and toxins in the air we breathe are making us acidic. Whenever we consume food or drinks that are acidic,it gets absorbed into our blood stream resulting in acidic blood. So what does that mean for us crossfitters?
Acidic Blood results in having low energy and is a breeding ground for Cancer and Disease.
The Paleo Diet does a good job of helping or bodies stay at a healthy pH level but the water we drink is key. Let me ask you this, would you drink soda during a workout? Hopefully you said no but the reason I ask is because bottled waters, such as Dasani and Poland Spring, have almost the same amount of acid as soda with a pH level of 4. So let's talk more about alkalinity...
We are all born with Cancer Cells however, they only start to THRIVE and MUTATE when provided with an Acidic Environment. Cancer and Disease cannot survive or thrive in an Alkaline Environment.
At a pH slightly above 7.4 cancer cells become dormant. At a pH of 8.5 cancer cells will die while healthy cells will live (Barefoot, pages 66-67).
In 1931 Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Peace Prize for proving that cancer cells cannot exist in an oxidizing, healthy cell.
“Cancerous tissues are
acidic, whereas healthy tissues are alkaline. Water splits into H+ and
OH- ions, if there is an excess of H+, it is acidic; if there is an
excess of OH-ions, then it is alkaline.” -Dr. Otto Warburg, The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Cell Physiology
When we consume acidic products, we become acidic. So, how do we fix this? Simple.
Here are some Helpful Tips:
- Add More Greens. Dark leafy greens are your highest source of Alkalinity. Adding greens at each meal and green juicing will help significantly reduce acid levels in the body.
- Throw away ALL of your bottled water. Tap water has a pH level of 7 which is neutral. The issue with tap water is that it can contain bacteria, toxic heavy metals and runoff. Investing in a filtration system such as Brita or Pur will rid your water of impurities leaving you with clean and healthy drinking water. If you are on the go try and bring a glass or stainless steel water bottle with you. When plastic bottles are exposed to sunlight they can leach chemicals into your water making it toxic to drink so they should be avoided at all costs. The only exceptions to bottled water are Evian and Fiji because they have trace minerals and a pH level of 7.5 so when you are in a bind you can always go to these.
- Keep Meat Clean. Avoid all meats containing Nitrates. Nitrates are added to cured meats such as bacon, sausages and jerky to delay bacteria growth. Nitrates slow down the breakdown of fat in the body and are also known to be a cancer causing agent.
- Avoid GMO Fruits and Vegetables. Make sure to read the sticker labels when shopping for produce. GMO (genetically-modified organisms) fruits and vegetables have been modified in the laboratory. These modifications enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. If you have your own garden you're already ahead of the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment