If youve been learning about the benefits of the pH miracle diet youve probably run across the phrase green drinks before. In fact, a quick search of reviews on Robert Youngs book The pH Miracle Diet shows that many people who use the program also use green drinks to boost the level of alkaline in their diets. What are green drinks and how are they beneficial to those following the pH diet?

Green drinks are a simple and easy way for people to get more nutrition and alkalinity into their diet. The pH miracle diet approach offers people a simple and basic understanding of why their bodies are out of balance. The key problem in health and excess weight is the presence of too much acid in the diet. That acid builds up and causes problems in the functioning of your cells. Over time, the acidity builds up in your body and makes a negative environment for your cells, organs and tissues. The solution is to eat an alkalizing diet that has a calming effect on the system. This will get your body pH back into balance and allow your cells to function as they were meant to.

You can simply and easily infuse your body with alkaline foods by using green drinks one to three times per day. Green drinks are made from grasses, sprouted grains and other green vegetables. These will help your body become more alkaline and they have the vitamins, minerals and amino acids that your body needs to repair itself.

There are many different green drinks available on the market. Most come in powder form and each day you mix a few spoonfuls with water. They are available at local health foods stores or on the Internet. Since there are so many brands to choose from the choice might be overwhelming. The main thing to look for in a green drink is the presence of alkaline vegetable ingredients. Make sure to read the label of ingredients carefully. Although all green drinks are different, most contain a few common ingredients.

Kamut grass can decrease cholesterol levels, help with weight loss and add protein to the diet. Broccoli is a strong anti-cancer food and it also helps boost the immune system and improve digestion. Dandelion greens help with weight loss and cholesterol levels. They are also a good source of iron and calcium. Kale contains vitamin C, A, Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium. Alfalfa sprouts can help redistribute your body weight after you lose weight. These are just a few of the powerful ingredients contained in green drinks. Some have lists of dozens of ingredients.

Another thing to look for in your green drink is notification that the ingredients are organically grown. Make sure the green drink contains no algae, mushroom or probiotics as these are acidifying ingredients. Finally, check the label carefully for non-nutrient ingredients and fillers.

The directions for taking green drinks depend on the manufacturer. Most green drinks are taken mixed with water up to four times daily. Some are available in capsules and should be taken with plenty of water. When you first begin taking green drinks, it is recommended that you take half a dose for one week in order to get your body used to the effects.

Green drinks help with instantly alkalizing your body. They neutralize the excess acids that are in your system. Many people report feeling instant increases in energy and a reduction in cravings for sugar and caffeine. If you are the type of person who cannot get moving without your morning cup of coffee, give green drinks a try for a week and feel the difference. Green drinks also help the immune system and can reduce the amounts of yeasts and toxins in the body.

You can feel the effects of the pH miracle diet instantly when you use green drinks. Research your options and then select a green drink brand that looks good to you and fits the alkalizing criteria. Green drinks are an instant way to alkalize your body and improve your health.

The pH miracle diet is a revolutionary new way to look at how you eat. The essentials of the diet are to keep the ph balance of food intake at 80% alkaline with 20% acidity. The goal with this diet is to match the ph level of the bloodstream, which runs on the alkaline side. This task can be daunting for many because foods that most people love to indulge themselves on are considered high in acidity. The goal in adding more alkaline into your diet is to identify good sources of alkaline. Creating a comprehensive list of alkaline producing foods will help you make the most of the pH miracle diet.

Alkalizing foods have a tonic effect on the body. By neutralizing the acidity in the bloodstream, alkaline foods act as a breath of fresh air to the system regenerating and restoring damaged cells. Diets high in acidic foods cause the body to break down prematurely, the bloodstream carries these acid bombs throughout the system wreaking havoc in their wake. By determining what foods have an alkalizing effect on the body, we can incorporate them into our diet in larger amounts, setting the pH levels in the bloodstream to the optimum level. On average, the pH level of human blood is between 7.35 and 7.45; levels 7 and above are considered alkaline.

Vegetables and fruits are the easiest ways to get more alkaline into your diet. Vegetables that are alkalizing are: alfalfa, barley grass, beets, beet greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard greens, collard greens, cucumber, dandelions, eggplant, garlic, green beans, green peas, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, nightshade veggies, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, rutabaga, sea veggies, spinach, sprouts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watercress, wheat grass, and wild greens.

Fruits that have an alkalizing effect are: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, blackberries, cantaloupe, cherries, coconut, currants, dates, figs, grapes, grapefruit, honeydew, lemons, limes, muskmelons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapple, raisins, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tangerines, tomatoes, tropical fruits, and watermelon.

Protein can be a problem when attempting to add more alkaline into your diet. All protein derived from animals is acidic. It is possible to add protein to your diet that will have an alkalizing effect in your bloodstream. Proteins that are alkaline are: almonds, chestnuts, millet, tempeh, tofu, and whey protein powder.

Food is nothing without the spices, herbs and sweeteners that give it that extra bit of character. You can add these alkalizing additions to your culinary efforts to bring your PH levels into balance. Alkalizing condiments are: cinnamon, curry, ginger, mustard, chili pepper, sea salt, stevia, miso, tamari, and all herbs.

Minerals are essential to optimum health. Paying attention to which minerals have alkalizing effects can add the proper balance to your blood pH. Minerals that have an alkalizing effect on the body are: cesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium.

There are other incidentals that can make adding alkaline to your diet even easier. Other ways to add alkaline to your diet are: apple cider vinegar, alkaline antioxidant water, bee pollen, lecithin granules, molasses, probiotic cultures, soured dairy products, green juices, veggie juices, fresh fruit juice, and mineral water.

Knowing which foods and supplements that add alkaline to your pH levels is just the beginning. Implementing them is the next step which takes planning and commitment. After adding these healing foods to your diet you can test your bodys pH levels with a saliva strip test available at most health food stores. Keeping your pH level between 7 and 8 is the target for good health.

Remember the goal of the pH miracle diet is to have the alkaline intake higher than your acidic intake. This does not mean that you cant enjoy the foods that are higher in acidity, quite the contrary; the balance of your diet should be geared toward alkaline producing foods. By maintaining a proper pH balance you can ensure that your body is performing at its optimum level.

Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Even more chilling, it is the first leading cause of death for children. The rising rates of obesity in this country have also led to rising rates of type II diabetes (also called adult onset diabetes). Today, one in 12 adults are afflicted with the disease. This means that over 16 million people have the disorder, with 6 million of them walking around undiagnosed and unaware of their sensitive insulin condition.

Type II diabetes is created by increased aging, obesity, poor nutrition, high stress and physical inactivity. All of these conditions can be traced back to one sourcehigh acidity. Over-acid lifestyles and food choices have negative impacts on health, which is shown by the rapidly increasing diabetes rates in the country.

Diabetes is an old disorder. It has been known about for thousands of years and yet it is only today that it has become an epidemic. Part of the problem is that the nature of diabetes is a mystery, even to educated adults. People do not understand what insulin does in the body and how the insulin metabolism affects the health. Even current medical science has some misconceptions about the true nature of the disorder.

For example, many in the medical establishment believe that obesity is the cause of diabetes. However, obesity is a result of increased consumption of complex carbohydrates and simple sugars. The high rate of consumption of these products (which are made from the acidifying foods of sugar and processed wheat) leads to high acidity in the body. The body attempts to deal with the increase of waste acids by using fat to neutralize the acid. The fat is then stored as a safeguard for the cells in the body.

There is also a belief that insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels in the bodies. The term insulin dependent was created in the 1950s to create the impression that muscle and fat require insulin to take up glucose (the sugars created by eating high carbohydrate and sugary foods). However, current studies show that many different things in the body transport glucose. Cells require glucose for their cell respiration process. The body makes sure that the cells receive that, no matter how much insulin in present.

Insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type II diabetes, is brought on through a highly acidic lifestyle and acidic food choices. It occurs in the liver, muscles and fat cells. Excess caffeine, chocolate, sugar and carbohydrates stimulate these bodily organs and tissues. As the body is stimulated, the cells begin to release their glucose and this leads to the elevated levels of blood sugar that people see when they do blood sugar testing. The body cells are disorganized and the highly acidic state can lead to a host of problems overtime including premature aging, high blood pressure, inhibition of the release of glycogen from the liver, and the inhibition of the burning of fat.

Over stimulation of the bodily tissues through acidic foods can cause a lot of damage, and type II diabetes is just a symptom of an acidic lifestyle. In order to bring the body back into balance, you must include alkalizing green vegetables, green drinks and good fats in your diet. Plant proteins from grains and legumes also help restore the bodys previous homeostasis. The pH miracle diet includes a balanced plan for eating with your body, instead of against it. With the application of the principles of the diet, controlling and preventing diabetes is a simple matter of alkalized eating and living.

The second phase of the Atkins diet is called Ongoing Weight Loss or OWL. After the rapid weight loss of the 2-week Induction phase, youll be slowing your weight loss down just a bit. Youll add in specific carbohydrates that will make your diet a little easier and your weight loss just a bit slower. However, you will continue to lose weight at a steady even pace with ease.

During the OWL phase you will boost your bodys ability to burn fats. Although youll be adding carbohydrates slowly, youll still remain in the state of ketosis. You will continue to use your excess fat as fuel for your body, and the pounds and inches will continue to come off.

The OWL phase will also teach you to make better carbohydrate choices. The recipes and guidelines for OWL will increase your knowledge about nutritious food. Youll replace the poor carbohydrate choices that you relied on in the past with new and better choices.

Youll also learn how many carbohydrates you can consume and still lose weight. The process of the OWL phase is an experiment in what your specific body does with carbs. During the OWL phase, youll gradually increase your daily carb intake from the 20-gram level that you used in induction. Each week youll try adding another 5 grams of carbs and then take note of what happens. When weight loss slows too much, youll know that youve exceeded your personal carb limit.

OWL also prepares you for your permanent weight management program (called maintenance). The habits and practices that you develop during OWL will go a long way toward your long-term success. Treat this period of your diet as training for the real test your post diet life.

During the OWL phase, youll still be getting most of your carbohydrates from vegetables (just as you do during Induction). Its important to continue to eat a wide variety of vegetables, as they are good for your overall health and good for maintaining intestinal health during the Atkins diet. You will be able to add more portions of vegetables, and then gradually be able to add nuts, seeds and even berries. However, the main focus of the diet will still be protein.

In a way, the Induction phase is easier than any of the other phases of Atkins. The strict plan always works and always produces weight loss. As you enter the OWL phases, youll need to be more mindful of your carbohydrate count and keep better track of your weight. Youll have more choice and that may lead to more temptations, which could result in a stalling of your weight loss or even weight gain.

Counting carbohydrate grams is critical in your OWL success. If you dont count, you will end up consuming more carbohydrates than you should. However, there are many tools available that can help you with counting. There are several handy, portable books that will tell you the number of grams of carbohydrates in certain foods. Over time, youll know the carb count for your favorite foods instantly.

Counting carbs is also essential during the OWL phase because you are playing detective. You are investigating to find your personal carb count, the amount of carbohydrate grams that you can eat daily and still lose weight. During the first week of OWL, youll move from 20 carbohydrate grams to 25. It is recommended that you add this in the form of more vegetables, like asparagus or cauliflower. Youll continue at the 25-gram level for a week, and then move up to 30 grams a day.

As you increase your carbohydrate gram level, watch your weight closely. If you experience too much of a slowdown, you know youve gone too high. Youll find your maximum carbohydrate gram level when you stop losing weight at all. When this happens, youll know youve reached your limit. Once you discover your personal carb count, drop down below that number if you want to continue losing weight.