6 MONTHS PLANT BASED ALKALINE

This week made 6 months plants based following an alkaline diet, and I have no regrets. For as long as we’ve been dealing with COVID-19 and quarantine, I’ve been plant based vegan. I made the decision before I knew what 2020 would look like. After about a week or two in, I worried that following a very specific diet would be really challenging. Sure it took some getting used to, but soon enough I found a groove. I was determined to make it work.

Going plant based and at the time that I did was probably the best decision I made this year. Deciding to follow an alkaline diet, Dr. Sebi’s model specifically, has had an even greater impact. If there was ever a time to be health conscious, it’s now. I ventured toward this lifestyle because I’ve had my own battles with health. The alkaline diet has saved me many tummy aches and yielded countless other benefits.

In this post I’m going to revisit some of the highlights from my 5 Week Check-In and share some new updates.

Curbed Appetite – In the beginning I was really hungry, often. That was definitely because I was figuring out what to eat, how to eat it, and when to eat it. I was eating mostly veggies and fruits with limited carbs. I’ve since increased my food intake and have incorporated more carbs. I have to be careful though, because goodness knows I love the carbs- breads, pastas, you name it!

Weight loss – My weight is still lower than what it was prior to starting but has increased a bit since the beginning. I’m happy with my weight. I don’t count calories regularly like I used to. Periodically I’ll track the nutritional value of my meals, but mostly I just kind of go with the flow.

Whiter teeth – I said that I thought my teeth were whiter, maybe, but this could still be in my head

Odor– I was nervous about sharing this in the initial post because it seems a little TMI, but it still holds true- various natural body odors are much milder to none at all. See the 5 Week Check-In for more on this and links to other alkaline enthusiasts who share their similar experience.

Digestion – When I’m following the Nutritional guide to a T, I don’t experience acid reflux at all, and there continues to be a significant reduction of mucus. When I stray just a bit, it’s possible that I’ll notice these symptoms, nothing too profound though.

Straying– What do I mean by straying… so there are a few ingredients that I eat periodically that aren’t on the guide – for instance some spices such as cumin and mustard, I also eat potatoes sometimes, have regular sized bananas, eat chickpeas from the can, and enjoy a glass of wine on occasion. None of the above is recommended by way of the guide. I’d say I follow the guide about 95% and I’m okay with that. The exceptions that I’ve allowed haven’t proven detrimental, from what I can tell at this juncture.

Paying Attention – Though the aforementioned hasn’t posed any noticeable concerns, what I’ve learned I need to be particularly mindful of, is my consumption of nuts. So remember the reason I sought out an alkaline diet was because I was dealing with severe stomach inflammation and gastritis that was causing all kinds of issues. I somewhat knew what my triggers were before but I’m more clear on them now. I knew that acidity was no good for me, so caffeine from coffee and chocolate always caused an adverse reaction. I kind of knew that nuts bothered me too, and now know 100% that they do. The only nuts on Dr. Sebi’s Nutritional Guide are walnuts and brazil nuts. You’ll notice that I use walnuts in a lot of the meals I share. I like the taste, but they can cause discomfort. While following the alkaline diet I’d noticed that I would feel crappy sometimes after eating nuts. I was like what the heck, I’m eating healthy alkaline ingredients so all should be good. Turns out that nuts with their many health benefits can be toxic in their natural state. They cause stomach issues for lots of people, google it. What makes the nuts tolerable is soaking them. Apparently the phytic acid on them makes digestion difficult. Soaking the nuts helps neutralize that. Now having a better understanding of what’s happening when I eat raw nuts, I make an effort to soak them first. I don’t always do it, and my body tells me when I don’t, but I have no one to blame but myself.