3 Ways To Fuel Your Beautiful Body And Limitless Mind

A reader commented on 11 Bits of Knowledge From Following A Plant Bsed Diet, asking me to post about foods that will help with information retention.  This reader shared that he engages in study sessions and would like to incorporate foods into his diet that will aid in his ability to focus during those hours of study.  A request for what supplementation I would suggest was requested as well.

I will address these topics in this post today.  Before I begin, I would like to state that I can only offer suggestions based on my experience.  Telling from experience is an honest way to share information that may help others.  At the same time, please understand that each individual is responsible for his/her own actions and choices.  What works for me might not work for others.  Our bodies are uniquely ours and it is incumbent upon us to explore with care how the choices we make affect our inner workings.

Please also note that I am not paid to endorse any products mentioned in this post.  I mention certain products because I feel compelled to share what has been working for me and what I feel may work for others as well.

Now then, let’s get started!

As I read through this reader’s comment, the first thing that came to mind was the importance of maintaining an alkaline condition within our bodies.

For anyone not familiar with the PH body craze, I will attempt to sum it up in an easy to understand, basic way.  The foods we consume all have different PH levels.  The PH scale spans from 1-14, 1 being extremely acidic and 14 being extremely alkaline.  From what I have read, learned and understand, 7 is neutral alkalinity and we should strive for a ph level between 6.5 and 7.5 in order to attain a balanced, alkaline environment for our cells.

For an in depth easy to understand article on the PH scale, click here.

How do we attain this level of alkalinity?

By consuming foods that are alkaline in nature.  Consuming in ratios can help.  While starting the alkaline journey, aim for a 60/40 ratio.  60% alkaline food, 40% acidic foods.  Once you are comfortable and adjusted, aim for an 80/20 ratio.  80% alkaline food and 20% acidic food.

Which foods are alkaline in nature?

You guessed it…whole plant based foods and grains!

The S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) typically consists of acidic foods such as soda, meats, dairy, sugar, and processed/packaged food.  Our bodies attempt to neutralize the acidic environment within our blood by releasing much needed minerals and vitamins from our bones and tissues.  This makes for an unhappy and depleted body.

So what are the benefits to being alkaline?

Well, there are many!

One of these benefits is the oxygination of our cells that results from consuming plant based foods, resulting in an alkaline and calm environment.  Diseases such as cancer cannot strive and grow in an oxygenated environment.

Another benefit is the anti-inflammatory effect an alkaline diet has on our cells.  Inflammation of the body can lead to disease and an overall lethargic state of being.  When our blood is at an ideal alkaline level, we are better equipped to fight off foreign invader cells and protect ourselves from the strain of everyday body stressors such as pollution and common germs.

In addition, our brains function in a more fluid way when our bodes are alkaline.  Telling from experience, when I focus on alkalinity in my diet, I feel the difference.  I sleep like a baby, I wake up early, energized and alert.  I feel grounded in conversation and interactions with others, I am focused on the task at hand, I am emotionally stable when confronted with stressful situations.  My skin glows, my hair is shinier and fuller and my body feels flexible and graceful.

A wonderful source of information for the benefits of attaining an alkaline environment within our bodies can be found at Crazy Sexy Life.  I have learned so much from the the Crazy Sexy Life community founded by Kris Carr, the awesomely inspirational chick from the Crazy Sexy Cancer documentary.  Click here for an article that will help you ease your way into a more alkaline way of eating.

So what is the next step?

An easy and tasty way to get on the alkaline bandwagon is to start drinking fresh green juice.  Green juice is all the rage and has become kind of trendy in NYC.  Juice bars keep popping up all over the place and I am proud to be part of the green juice walking population of New York City.  Juicing fresh organic veggies will provide you with a burst of minerals, vitamins and nutrients in a delicious drink form.  Most green juices also include a fruit such as apple or pear in order to naturally sweeten the taste.  The juicing process strips away the fiber as well.  Consuming the amount of fiber contained in all the veggies that go into a green juice would be way too much for our bodies to process all at once.  Fiber is essential for us but we can get all the fiber we need from eating actual food throughout the day.

The other day at work, my co-worker commented that within the hour after drinking a green juice, she feels as if she has consumed nature’s version of a red bull.  My jaw dropped when she said this and and I let out an enthusiastic “yes!”

Juicing before a study session will keep you calm and focused on the information while retaining what you are learning.  Green juice provides a super dose of oxygenation and anti-inflammatory properties, delivered straight to your blood cells and brain.  I have no doubt it will have a noticeable, positive effect on your study sessions!.

I highly recommend drinking green juice as often as you can.  You can purchase your own juicer or find a great juice bar in your area to frequent.

For a great, informative article on green juice from Crazy Sexy Life, click here.

Moving on, I would like to discuss the importance of the vitamin B-complex family.  As an enthusiast for the plant based lifestyle, I quickly learned that vitamin B-12 is vital for our health.  Omnivores get B-12 from consuming animal products since the B-12 grows in the intestines of animals.  I learned from reading The Kind Diet that B-12 grows in bacteria and humans used to be able to get B-12 from the soil that vegetables were grown in.  Sadly, today’s soil has been “cleaned” to the extent that the B-12 can no longer thrive and therefore our veggies no longer provide us with adequate amounts of B-12.

Instead of taking a B-12 supplement, I go for the full shebang and take a B-complex which includes all the vitamins in the B family.  I highly recommend the B-complex vitamin as it is great for stabilizing our stress levels.  I find that it also increases my concentration abilities and over all well being.  I get mine from Trader Joes and I am very happy with it.  Click here for further information on Vitamin B-complex.

If you are looking to take it up a notch on your alkalinity journey, I recommend checking out E3Live.  The website provides plenty of information on their products.  The E3Live website states:

I personally use E3Live Brain On which helps with mental clarity and focus.  Take a spoonful in the morning or add to juice.  I buy mine at Whole Foods in the freezer section.

Since my health and wellness journey began, I have gone through phases of taking many supplements to taking none at all.  Through trial and error, I have carefully eliminated the supplements I feel I can substantially absorb from my food intake.

Here is a list of what I am currently taking:

Zinc

Vitamin B Complex

Vitamin D (only in the winter months)

E3Live

I hope this post provides useful information and resources for the alkaline curious readers out there.  If you are already on the alkaline path, please feel free to share any tips or stories about your experience.  I would love to read about your journey! 

Anybody have any tips for increasing focus and concentration?  Please share!

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