Meal plan for alkalising the body

Many common symptoms of ill health are indications of acidity building up in the tissues. Symptoms of acidity include insomnia, a sour stomach, cold sores, acid sweat (which can discolour jewellery), arthritis, skin problems, headaches, aches and pains, fatigue and tendency to get infections.

An acidic person may also be grouchy and overly sensitive.

Balancing pH

The body uses minerals from food to alkalise the tissues. Once food has been digested it leaves either an acid or alkaline ash. This does not necessarily relate to the pH of the food before it was digested. For example, lemons are acidic before being eaten but leave an alkaline residue in the body after digestion.

Foods high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and manganese and low in protein will leave an alkaline ash.

In order to alkalize the tissues the aim is to eat a diet consisting of 80% alkalizing foods and 20% acid forming foods.

Acid forming foods to decrease or avoid include meat, dairy products, eggs, sugar, refined grains, liquor, wine, beer, coffee, tea, soft drinks, drugs and tobacco.

Fruits and vegetables tend to be alkalizing. Other alkalizing foods include millet, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, almonds, Brazil nuts, coconut, chestnuts, sprouted pulses and seeds, fresh green beans and peas, fresh vegetable juices, green superfoods such as wheatgrass and spirulina and herbal teas.

 

Lifestyle tips

Excessive exercise can lead to acidity in the form of lactic acid. Drugs and stress also tend to lead to an acid state.

Deep breathing, meditation and relaxation techniques are alkalizing. Bathing in Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate), dead sea salts or alkalizing herbs can help to alkalise the skin and tissues.

Chewing food thoroughly increases alkalinity as saliva is alkaline.

It’s a good idea to have some pulses sprouting throughout the week for use in salads and stir fries and as snacks; so get sprouting. Good choices include mung beans, puy lentils, green lentils, brown lentils, alfalfa and chickpeas.

 

Week 1

MONDAY

Breakfast
Buckwheat porridge with miso*

Snack
A few almonds with toasted nori strips

Lunch
Broad bean soup* with Beet and sesame salad*
Make enough soup for tomorrow.

Snack
Hummous* with celery sticks
Make enough hummous for tomorrow.

Dinner
Baked wild salmon with steamed kale, broccoli and carrots.

Snack
An avocado
 

Tuesday

Breakfast
Fruit salad with ground flax seeds

Snack
Brazil nuts with radishes

Lunch
Broad bean soup with grated vegetable salad*

Snack
Hummous with carrot sticks

Dinner
Millet and sprouted lentil bake* with green salad
Make enough millet bake for tomorrow’s lunch

Snack
A grapefruit

 

Wednesday

Breakfast
Put some sunflower seeds to soak for later.

Berry smoothie: blend a banana, a cup of blueberries, a cup of strawberries and ½ tsp of spirulina along with 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds.

Snack
A few hazelnuts and cucumber slices

Lunch
Millet bake and coleslaw*

Make extra coleslaw as a snack for later

Snack
Salad from lunch

Dinner
Quinoa with aduki bean sprouts* and roasted vegetables.
Make extra quinoa for breakfast tomorrow

Snack
Soaked sunflower seeds – rinse them before eating
 

Thursday

Put some red split lentils to soak for later

Breakfast
Wheat grass juice or 1 tsp of wheat grass powder in water.
Quinoa porridge – heat up last night’s left over quinoa.

Snack
A cup of raspberries

Lunch
Mackerel salad*

Snack
Pumpkin seeds

Dinner
Lentil and vegetable dahl with brown rice*

Snack
A baby avocado
 

Friday

Soak some Hunza apricots for later

Breakfast
Re-heat last night’s brown rice and stir in 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds once served

Snack
An apple and pear

Lunch
Lentil dahl from last night with red cabbage and celery salad*

Snack
Soaked Hunza apricots. Crack open the stones inside and eat the kernels.

Dinner
Chestnut loaf* with green salad
Make enough of the loaf for tomorrow.

Snack
A Grapefruit
 

Saturday

Breakfast
A shot of wheatgrass juice or wheatgrass powder mixed with water
A galia melon

Snack
Fruit and nut truffles*
Make enough for tomorrow.

Lunch
Chestnut loaf with salad

Snack
Vegetable juice: juice 2 green apples, a beetroot and a couple of kale leaves.

Dinner
Stir fried vegetables with tempeh* and almond sauce*
Save some almond sauce for later

Snack
Celery sticks with almond sauce

Sunday

Breakfast
Avocado and pear smoothie

Snack
Fruit and nut truffles

Lunch
Carrot and almond loaf* with tamari-ginger gravy*
Make enough of the loaf for tomorrow

Snack
Cannellini bean dip* with cauliflower florets

Dinner
Wild rice with vegetables and sprouted puy lentils*

Snack
An apple
 

Week 2

Monday

Breakfast
Millet and coconut porridge

Snack
Celery boats* – make enough for tomorrow as well.

Lunch
Carrot and almond loaf with rocket salad.

Snack
Cannellini bean dip from yesterday and cucumber sticks

Dinner
Baked Trout with almonds and roasted fennel*, pea puree and sauerkraut.

Snack
A pear
 

Tuesday

Breakfast
Fruit salad with cinnamon

Snack
Celery boats from yesterday

Lunch
Pea soup* with grated vegetable salad*

Snack
Chickpea sprouts

Dinner
Buckwheat and lentil slice* with green salad

Snack
Hulled hemp seeds and sunflower seeds

 

Wednesday

Breakfast
Peach smoothie: blend a peach, 3 apricots, a cup of raspberries and 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds

Snack
Almond dip* with vegetable crudités

Lunch
Buckwheat and lentil slice with green salad

Snack
An apple

Dinner
Quinoa with stir fried lentil sprouts, vegetables* and almond sauce
Make the almond dip from earlier into a sauce by adding more water or lemon juice.
Make enough quinoa for tomorrow as well.

Snack
A small pot of natural soy yoghurt
 

Thursday

Breakfast
Barley grass juice or powder.
Quinoa porridge – re-heat last night’s quinoa and serve with any left over almond sauce stirred in.

Snack
A handful of goji berries and an apple

Lunch
Cauliflower and coconut soup* with carrot and sprout salad*
Make enough soup for tomorrow

Snack
Seed balls* – make extra for later and tomorrow.

Dinner
Herby lemon sole with pea puree and steamed vegetables

Snack
2 seed balls

Friday

Breakfast
Buckwheat flakes mixed with water and natural soy yoghurt

Snack
3 apricots

Lunch
Cauliflower and coconut soup with sprouted wheat bread

Snack
Seed balls from yesterday

Dinner
Vegetable curry with rice
Make enough of both for tomorrow

Snack
An apple

Saturday

Breakfast
Barley grass juice or barley grass powder mixed with water
Re-heat last night’s rice in some rice milk.

Snack
Vegetable juice: juice 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery and a beetroot.

Lunch
Make last night’s left over curry into a soup by adding more water. Sprinkle with nori flakes.

Snack
Fruit and nut truffles*

Dinner
Sprouted bean and avocado salad* with sprouted wheat bread

Snack
A Grapefruit

Sunday

Breakfast
Fruit salad

Snack
Fruit and nut truffles

Lunch
Broad bean soup* with beet and sesame salad*

Snack
Green juice: juice 2 apples, a fennel bulb, 2 chard leaves and add ½ tsp of spirulina powder

Dinner
Red Dragon pie* with green salad
Make enough of the pie for tomorrow.

Snack
A small pot of natural soy yoghurt

 

Week 3

Monday

Breakfast
Creamy millet porridge*

Snack
2 slices of water melon

Lunch
Red dragon pie from yesterday with watercress salad*

Snack
Dried figs with hazelnuts

Dinner
Quinoa with sprouted lentils and steamed vegetables*

Snack
Mixed seeds

 

Tuesday

Breakfast
Pear and blueberry smoothie: blend a ripe pear with a cup of blueberries

Snack
Hummous* with carrot sticks – make enough hummous for tomorrow as well

Lunch
Butterbean and coriander soup* with red cabbage and celery salad*
Make enough soup for tomorrow as well.

Snack
An apple

Dinner
Baked plaice with corn on the cob, carrots and raw sauerkraut

Snack
Brazil nuts

Put some dried fruit to soak for tomorrow’s breakfast eg: figs, apricots, prunes, goji berries

 

Wednesday

Breakfast
Soaked dried fruit medley

Snack
Hummous with celery sticks

Lunch
Butterbean and coriander soup with coleslaw*

Snack
Hulled hemp seeds with toasted nori strips

Dinner
Roasted tempeh with roasted vegetables* and almond sauce*
Make enough almond sauce for tomorrow.

Snack
½ an avocado
 

Thursday

Breakfast
Sprouted rye bread with pumpkin seed butter

Snack
A galia melon

Lunch
Sardine salad*

Snack
Vegetable crudités with almond sauce from last night

Dinner
Rice and beans* with vegetables
Make enough for tomorrow’s lunch

Snack
An apple
 

Friday

Breakfast
Fruit salad

Snack
Sprouted rye bread with pumpkin seed butter

Lunch
Rice and beans from last night.

Snack
A handful of goji berries

Dinner
Sprouted Lentil and Millet Bake* with green salad

Snack
A pear

Put some nuts and seeds to soak for tomorrow morning eg: almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds

 

Saturday

Put some Hunza apricots to soak for later

Breakfast
Energy drink*

Snack
Vegetable juice: juice 2 carrots, some kale, and some romaine lettuce.

Lunch
Millet bake from last night with celeriac and carrot salad*

Snack
Soaked Hunza apricots – crack open the stone and eat the kernels

Dinner
Aduki bean stew with watercress salad*
Make enough of the stew for tomorrow.

Snack
A Grapefruit

 

Sunday

Breakfast
Vegetable juice: juice 1 apple, 2 carrots and a fennel bulb. Stir in 1 tbsp of ground flax seeds

Snack
Brazil nuts

Lunch
Aduki bean soup with grated vegetable salad* – make last night’s left over stew into a soup by adding extra water. Sprinkle on nori flakes once served.

Snack
Figs with almonds

Dinner
Sprouted bean and avocado salad*

Snack
A small pot of natural soy yoghurt.