Jenny Crissman MS L. Ac.
When it comes to pH, balance is the key! pH is the measure of how acidic or alkaline something is and our blood pH needs to maintain a slightly alkaline level to keep us healthy. If we are not eating enough alkaline forming foods then our body may pull minerals from our bones, teeth and organs to keep the balance. If we are too acidic this can lead to a compromised immune system, fatigue, inflammation and make us vulnerable to disease as we age.
We can help our bodies by eating more alkaline forming foods and fewer acid forming foods.
A quick reference:
Alkaline: most fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and herbal teas
Acid: grains, beans, meat, dairy, fish and processed foods.
There are many detailed list available online: http://greenopedia.com/alkaline-acid-food-chart *one of my favorites.
I find that in the busy world we live in one way to keep the balance is simply to add some “green juice” to your diet!
My favorite recipe:
1 Bunch of Kale or Collards (slightly sweeter)
1 Whole peeled Lemon
½ Bunch of Parsley or Cilantro ( more detoxifying for heavy metals)
1 Whole peeled Cucumber
3-4 leaves of Dandelion Greens (very bitter so adjust according to your taste)
1/2” piece of fresh Turmeric
1/2” piece of fresh Ginger
2 stalks of Celery
This is a combo of cooling and super alkaline juice- best used in the warmer months and well tolerated by most constitutions.
Some additional thoughts on Juicing:
Keep it ORGANIC
Keep it Fresh- do not juice more than two days servings at one time.
In TCM and Ayurvedic Practices strong Stomach and Spleen Qi/ Digestive Fire are necessary to fully benefit from the effects of Green Juice. If you experience bloating or gas post consumption consider having less and/or increasing the warming properties of the juice by adding additional ginger!
If you would like to expand the recipe- please do. But be conscious of the fact that carrots, beets and fruits can greatly effect your blood sugar and can cause counterproductive spikes in insulin. The sweet flavors of these vegetables and fruits also cause damage to digestive fire or create dampness in your digestive system and possibly cause more bloating or even diarrhea.
If this seems like too much work, you an always keep it simple and add a little prepared “alkaline love” to your diet with these supplemental drinks-
Juice is a simple addition that goes a long way to creating wellness!
GET YOUR ALKALINE ON- DRINK UP!!