You probably know that healthy skin starts on the inside but what does that actually mean? Talk to just about any nutritionist or dermatologist and they’ll tell you it means that the key to healthy skin is a balanced pH level.
Here’s how it works, in simple terms: The lower the pH, the more acidic our bodies. The higher the pH, the more alkaline our bodies. In an acidic state, your body will store this acid in your fat tissue to protect the other tissue in your body from damage. When your fat tissues are full of acid, the body then takes nutrients, such as minerals like potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium, to reduce the acid, stealing these nutrients from other parts of your body that need them. This loss of nutrients is what can cause tiredness, headaches, inflammation, bloating and weight gain. The body can also eliminate the acid through the skin, which is what causes skin issues, such as dry skin, oily skin, acne and rashes.
Every food we eat has either an acidic or an alkaline effect on our body. Foods such as meat, fish, milk, cheese, sugar, coffee and alcohol make our bodies more acidic. On the other hand, foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, coconut oil and avocado make our bodies more alkaline.
So, ready to eat a more alkaline diet? You don’t need to swear off red wine and chocolate cake for good. Eating a diet that is about 70 per cent alkaline and 30 per cent acidic is the best way to go about it… or 80 per cent alkaline and 20 percent acidic if you want to go all in.
Another easy way to make your body more alkaline is to drink lemon water. Yeah, we know, you’re tired of hearing that tip but there’s a reason that so many people swear by it. Your body does most of its detoxing while you sleep at night, which means that when you wake up, your body is in its most acidic state. Drinking a cup of lemon water first thing in the morning will bring your body back to an alkaline level and drinking it throughout the day will help keep it there.
Turns out, the secret to perfect skin might just be a little lemon water and some green juice after all.
