07 Apr Eating to Produce Peak Energy and Vitality in Your Daily Life: Alkalinity and The pH Miracle
![]() |
|
Topics Covered:
- Living a healthy, energetic and vibrant life
- Understanding your body and what causes weight loss and gain
- The science behind eating more vegetables and less meat
- The importance of a healthy body in leading a successful life
- Choosing health and wellness as your number one priority
Review:
I started Reading For Your Success almost three years ago and as I write this post I cannot believe this is the first book I have reviewed on health. It is not from a lack of reading and learning, that’s for sure. I have read dozens of books and articles. I have attended seminars and taken classes on the subject–not to mention I am in a six-year relationship with a stunning yoga and fitness teacher and life-liver. There is nothing more important in my life, nor is there a higher priority to me than health and wellness. My family, girlfriend, friends, nothing comes above my health. Because without a healthy body I cannot do any of the other things that are so important in my life.
It’s amazing to me how many people do not take their healthy seriously. Do they not know, or do they just not care? Either way it is a tragedy to me. Don’t get me wrong, I am far from perfect when it comes to health, yet I do all I can to be fully educated on the subject and to make it my highest priority daily. Then if I decide to slip up on something, I can at least do it consciously.
Sorry for the rant, but this topic tends to run my life and I feel I am in a nice place because of it.
The pH Miracle deals mainly with the component of health relating to what we put into our mouth. It is not a diet but more of a logical (and proven) way of life. I was more than ignorant to this approach to eating until I attended a Tony Robbins event in Los Angeles last April. They spent a full day on health and energy. I was blown away. I have been reading and learning voraciously since then and have been surprised with how common these themes are among various schools of thought.
The pH Miracle approaches healthy eating in terms of the pH balance in your body. To keep it as simple as possible, according to the science mentioned, your body can either be acidic or alkaline (basic). For the most part, this is well regulated but when we consume large amounts of certain foods, we become predominantly one or the other. What we want to avoid at all costs is our body becoming too acidic. When our body is in this state, it retains fat cells to protect organs and artery walls from the excess acid. Excess fat cells often means gaining more fat pounds.
The striking thing about this occurrence is that even if you are consuming fewer calories, you may still keep excess weight and fat on your body since it is working so hard to protect from the acid. There are so many people who have said to me, “I just don’t get it. I am eating less and working out but I don’t seem to be losing the weight.” Often their problem may not be that they are eating too much but in fact that they are eating the wrong things and are much too acidic. On the other end of it, if your body is more alkaline then things tend to work as they should, no excess fat is stored and the result is a healthy and energetic body.
So the big question is, what are the foods that cause one or the other? I am going to be careful here because I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, and will leave that to the authors instead. Simply put, any type of animal protein is said to be highly acidic (meats, chicken, dairy) as well as alcohol, sugar, white flour and a number of others. Alkaline foods include water rich green and colorful vegetables (and most any veggies for that matter).
Now I know what you’re thinking…No, I am not a vegetarian nor a vegan, although I eat significantly fewer animal products now that I’ve learned the science behind it. Just think for a minute about the average American diet. How much acid is consumed vs. alkaline foods? Do you really think most people get enough veggies on a daily basis? That shouldn’t be a hard one to answer, and we already know what the result has been–our nation continues to get more obese. Not to mention the way that our food is processed these days means that it is filled with preservatives and chemicals which are of no nutritional value to our body. If any of you would like a much more in depth explanation of a more vegetable rich diet, my friend Tina has written an awesome article on her site, Think Simple Now, entitled Eating Our Way to Death, Literally.
The wonderful thing is that a healthy weight is only the beginning of the benefits of an alkaline body. Another benefit is that disease and viruses have a very hard time thriving in such an alkaline environment. Why do you think many cancer patients are told to eliminate all animal protein and stick to natural veggies and essentially become vegans? I have known people who have not been sick for 10, 15 or 20 years since they started eating this way. As for me, it has been over a year since I’ve had a cold. I have had a couple close calls but I also know what to do to prevent things if I begin to feel the onset of any symptoms. Not a bad side effect of a new way of eating. Try to think about how successful and productive you felt last time you were sick.
On top of all this, the most amazing result of alkalinity (eating more veggies) is the pure energy you’ll feel. One of the most tiring things our body has to do is digest food. And what foods do you think take the longest and are the hardest to digest? You got it, animal proteins and processed foods. Have you ever felt like a nap an hour or so after a big lunch? I know I have. It’s because the blood is rushing to your stomach to get to work on all that digestion. Or how about when you wake up after a long night sleep (say 8 or 10 hours) and you still feel sluggish or tired? Doesn’t make much sense until you realize you likely had a dinner the night before that your body had to spend the whole night trying to digest. Thanksgiving is the easiest example. That’s hard work.
Energy, excitement and enthusiasm are priceless and often rare, yet essential commodities. Many of us rely on caffeine for energy but the natural foods you put in your body can create immense natural energy. I have definitely noticed a boost of energy and I can link all kinds of success as a result of it. Just think of how much less intimidating the competition would be if you knew you had more energy than them. It’s like the race is won before the starting line. Something worth thinking about.
Key points to take away:
- Your energy levels are directly related to how easily your body digests what you eat
- An acidic body often retains more fat
- An alkaline body tends to stay lean and operate as it should
- Your body’s weight management is closely linked to its pH level
- Colds, flus, and other viruses and disease have difficulty living and thriving in an alkaline environment
- A diet high in water rich fruits and veggies is likely to lead to a happier, healthier, longer and more energetic life
Please keep in mind that this book is extreme at times, so please do not be offended. Just put yourself in a state of edification before you pick it up. Take from it what works in your life and leave the rest. The only thing I ask is that you think about what you read objectively and see if it makes sense and then decide if it’s something you’d like to work at incorporating into your life. The authors get very scientific at times, which some readers need. If you’re not that type, don’t worry about it and just keep making your way through it and absorb.
There are many books written on the subject. I have picked one for my focus but please contact us if you’d like more reading suggestions. So far the most digestible (no pun intended) and informative book on the subject is Skinny Bitch. I hate the name but what’s inside will blow your mind. I didn’t have the heart to post a review on it, mainly given the title. Either way, there is a wealth of knowledge out there and I encourage you to get empowered and educated. Tina’s article is also an awesome place to start.
When it comes to success there is no bigger success story than a healthy body and a life lived to the fullest every day. It does not matter how well your business is doing, how many friends you have or how wonderful your relationships are, if you don’t succeed with your body, odds are the result will be far from life success and happiness. Whether it comes in the form of anger, depression, disappointment, lack of motivation or simply being run down and out of energy; without health on your side it is very difficult to have true success. Yet so many of us do not consider this as we choose our mentors and the people we model for success. Take the fantastically wealthy investment banker (insert any high profile career here) who has enough money to buy a small country and never has to work another day in is life, but who also happens to be 60 pounds over weight, running on 4 hours of sleep a night, has a body full of constant anxiety, and has a few stiff cocktails to wind down each night? If you are getting into the finance industry, is he really someone you want to be modeling? He may be at the top of his career but who on earth would truly want to join him?
I don’t know about you but I would choose (and have chosen) calmness, happiness, energy and a healthy and fit body before any of that. A lot of us don’t even take the time to think about this so please take a moment to do so now.
Success is not a career term. It is not a money term. Nor a relationship term or a family term. It is a life term—a way of life. Everything we do goes into our success and fulfillment. We live just one life so be sure you keep your priorities where they should be. It’s not always easy, but nothing in this world can take the place of a healthy and energetic life. Happy eating.
How do you feel about health and energy? Is it a top priority? Have you attempted or thought of changing how you look at food but are having difficulties? Have you been successful? Please share with us in the comments section below. After all, this is a journey we should all be on together. Here’s to choosing health!
~Reading for Your Success
Other books and articles you might enjoy:
Chelsea
Posted at 13:45h, 08 AprilReally great review! And such an important topic. I am so glad you have added this topic to your website because I agree, without health success in other areas is very difficult! Thank you so much.
scott
Posted at 13:48h, 08 AprilAs always I love your support Chelsea and I had a feeling we’d be in agreement ;). I have you to thank for a great deal of what I’ve learned on this topic. Thank you and happy reading.
-Scott
pmark
Posted at 14:30h, 08 AprilThanks Scott. Some simple tips: avoid eating refined sugar, drink lemon juice in your water, drink apple cider vinegar.
Sometimes very simple and inexpensive practices yield huge compound effects.
scott
Posted at 16:32h, 08 AprilFor sure Mark. You would go a long way if you just focused on those simple things. Lemon juice in water, and dink a lot of it. I like to see you chunking things down in a way that is most usable for you. Makes things a ton more doable (and less intimidating). Let me know how you get on with it. Happy reading (and eating)!
-Scott
Tim
Posted at 21:49h, 08 AprilAwesome and inspiring review, Scott! You’ve made me very curious about pH-based nutrition. I have to admit, however, that I’m still a bit skeptical about the fasting routines and supplements that seem to come along for the ride. Especially the supplements. Do you have any good recommendations for resources that focus on which foods to eat and when without venturing into fasts and pills, or should I just get over it and jump in head first? Or is this book not as supplement-oriented as its website has caused me to suspect?
Many thanks!
Tim
Ross
Posted at 22:39h, 08 AprilHey Scott
Great review – that is a really nice synopsis of the alkaline diet. I’ve been alkaline for five plus years now and I feel fantastic (see my blog!)
You’ve done such a good job of summing this up I will definitely be referring my customers and readers to this post for a straightforward summary!
Have an awesome day
Ross
scott
Posted at 14:52h, 09 AprilGlad you liked it Tim! To be honest, you first got me interested in this type of eating when we used to go out to lunch every day in Santa Barbara. Perhaps you were onto something but you didn’t know exactly what ;). I finally stumbled across some of the science behind it.
As for the supplements and fasting, I agree with you. This book focuses about 80% on eating, 15% on exercise and 5% on supplements. From what I have read across the board, very few supplements are necessary with this type of eating. I stick to a multivitamin and that’s about it. Maybe an Omega 3:6:9 pill if I don’t get enough that day naturally. The book does talk about a lot of ones it recommends but the most important thing to understand is what is healthy to eat and drink from a natural food/beverage perspective. I would not worry to much about the supplements.
And the fasting is something that the more extreme alkaline eaters tend to do for a day or two every couple months. Although it is recommended more as a cleanse than a fast in that you still consume calories, they are just in liquid form (blended drinks, veggies, soups) and are ideally purely alkaline. Something to play around with if you are interested. I did the Master Cleanse a while back just to check it out. It was pretty interesting but in the future if I do any cleansing it would be more of the alkaline, liquid calorie type that I mentioned above. None of it is ‘necessary’. Just depends on how deeply you want to get into it. Again, most importantly is that you keep things natural, get a lot of veggies and understand why ;). I know you already do plenty of that.
If you are looking for more of a pure eating-related read, I recommend Skinny Bitch. That book will really make you think. Very quick read too.
Let me know how you get on with all of it.
-Scott
scott
Posted at 14:55h, 09 AprilHi Ross. Your website looks great. That is awesome that you have been so early on all this. I am really glad you stumbled upon my review and found some value in it. I too have felt great since slowly easing into the switch. And of course please send clients this way if they are interested in reading up on some of.
Thanks and happy reading!
-Scott
Pat
Posted at 00:00h, 03 JuneScott – not sure how I ended up back at your site but I was reading through this post late night last week and was suddenly inspired to take a fresh look at my diet. Your correlation between diet, energy, and overall success is so obvious but is also easy to lose track of.
I read a book a few years ago that centered on the ideas of food pairing and also the importance of only eating fruit before noon. I’m back on that track now and enjoying it. It helps me lighten things up a bit and also brings an overall increased level of consciousness to my diet.
Maybe it was the image of you bounding like a freaking gazelle up the hill past me on the last run that made me feel like I needed to dig a little deeper into what was keeping you going!!!
Anyway, thanks for the inspiration!
scott
Posted at 18:00h, 10 JuneSo glad you stumbled on this one Pat. I think the concept of health, eating and energy is the biggest success topic of them all. So hard to do other things well if you don’t have these.
I would love to chat with you more about the diet portion of things. I have been doing a lot of reading over the past year about it. The best book I have come across recently by far is In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. So simple and so right on. Inspiring and scary at the same time. I will be posting a review on that one soon.
I have heard/read the same as you regarding only fruits before noon. I have heard it is a toss up for that working well for people or not. Just depends on how your body takes to it. Sounds like it’s working for you and it has for me as well. Much easier on the digestion to get the day going. I usually do an all fruit smoothy with a couple other things in it right after my morning workout. Sometimes some toast and veggies to go along with it too.
This topic is wide and deep. Lot’s of digging to do. Let’s keep trading notes as we learn more.
And as far as the gazelle-like behavior, I have you to thank for teaching me how properly go after a Nite Moves. See you down there soon!
Scott
sandra742
Posted at 08:57h, 09 SeptemberHi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. 🙂 Cheers! Sandra. R.
brand
Posted at 23:04h, 22 DecemberHey its just me for a second time merely figured I should probably return back and learn which way the talk was in fact traveling.
brand
Posted at 09:39h, 23 DecemberaKwMaOiWySuD diamond watch tLkDwAyUbY diamond watch
brand
Posted at 22:34h, 24 DecemberHi, can snoring start when you are half asleep or not in deep sleep? the problem is sometimes when im trying to sleep i hear my own snoring & i wake up. Thanks.
brand
Posted at 22:34h, 24 DecemberWould you thoughts if I reference a few sentences out of your post? Im studying for venture for highschool. Thanks!
sac voyage longchamps
Posted at 10:22h, 01 JuneAhaa, its nice discussion concerning this article at this place at this blog, I have read all that, so now me also commenting at this place.
seiko スピリット
Posted at 19:11h, 14 Octoberカシオ ペンギン
Jen Loranger
Posted at 07:42h, 23 SeptemberGreat post! I have been a proponent of the Alkaline Lifestyle for years. I own a weight loss and nutrition business and find that my clients who choose to make more alkaline choices in their diet, reach their weight loss and health goals much faster. They have more energy and vitality and better mental clarity as well.