Alkaline nutrition for beautiful skin

Radiant skin with good blood circulation, healthy hair and strong nails, strong bones and the absence of chronic diseases are the best indicators that your acid-base balance is in balance.

The smooth functioning of all body organs (liver, kidneys, intestines, etc.) is crucial for your skin health. Each organ has its specific pH value at which it can function optimally (1). The pH scale is between 0 and 14, with values ​​between 0 and 7 being referred to as acidic and pH values ​​between 7 and 14 as alkaline or basic (2). Your stomach ideally has a pH value of 1.0 to 4.0 and is therefore acidic, while the pH value of the intestine is 6.0 to 7.0 and is significantly more alkaline (1).

If your body’s overall environment has a balanced acid-base balance, every organ can regulate itself and carry out its tasks smoothly (2). However, if your body is acidic, your overall health will suffer. One of the first signs of hyperacidity is pale, impure and poorly supplied skin (3).

How do you find out your pH level?

The easiest way to determine possible hyperacidity is to use urine strips, which show how acidic your urine is. In the morning, urine is usually acidic because the kidneys are excreting the acid that has built up overnight. Over the course of the day, the strips should show more alkaline values ​​if you eat alkaline foods. If the values ​​are in the acidic range throughout the day, this can be a sign that your body is too acidic.

You can find out the pH value of your stool, for example, by doing a stool analysis. It is very crucial for healthy intestinal flora and should be between 6.2-6.8. A blood test will always show a pH value of 7.4 because your body does everything it can to keep this value constant (otherwise it is life-threatening). Therefore, a blood test does not make sense.

Regulate your acid-base balance through diet

But how can we regulate our acid-base balance? One of the ways this happens is through our diet, because every food brings acids and bases into our body in different proportions. In today’s acid-base theory, foods are divided into two groups: alkaline foods and acid generators (4).

Alkaline foods

Alkaline-forming foods include:

• Fruit (all types)
• Vegetables (all types)
• Sprouts (all types)
• Herbs and leafy vegetables (all varieties)
• Mushrooms (all types)
• The only alkaline legume: lupins
• The only alkaline nut: coconut
• Also: almonds and tiger nuts
• Alkaline sweeteners: Stevia and xylitol

These are usually easy and quick to digest and do not put any strain on the body. When alkaline foods are metabolized, an excess of alkaline minerals remains in the body.

During alkaline fasting, in which only alkaline foods are allowed for a certain period of up to six weeks, the light digestive work in the body frees up the body’s capacity for self-healing. Thanks to the flood of valuable alkaline minerals, acids and slags can be neutralized, broken down and excreted (5).

Nutrient-rich good acid generators

Nutrient-rich acid formers include whole foods such as:

• Whole grain cereals (rice, spelt, einkorn, emmer, etc.)
• Pseudograins (quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, etc.)
• Legumes (lentils, peas, beans, etc.)
• Seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, linseed, etc.)
• Nuts (Brazil nuts, pistachios, etc.)
• Animal foods from organic farming in small quantities

When they are metabolized, slags and acids are created in the body, but they also supply our body with valuable nutrients. These nutrient-rich acid-formers can be part of our diet, but make up a smaller part in relation to the alkaline-forming foods.

In this case, one speaks of a permanent diet with excess alkaline content, with a ratio of 80% alkaline foods and 20% nutrient-rich acid formers (6).

Nutrient-poor bad acid generators

Acid generators with low nutritional value include:

• Animal products from conventional factory farming
• Highly processed finished products
• White flour products
• Industrial white sugar
• Alcohol and soda drinks

These foods hardly provide any nutrients, but leave acids and waste products in the body. These foods “pollute” our bodies and should be avoided if possible (6).

In order to maintain our health, the deposited acids must be neutralized, broken down and excreted by bases. If not enough alkaline foods are consumed, the body draws the necessary alkaline minerals from other parts of the body such as hair, bones, teeth and organs, causing our body to become unbalanced.

That’s why hyperacidity is one of the biggest risk factors in the development of osteoporosis (1). Non-degradable acids are also deposited as waste in fatty and connective tissue, which can lead to obesity and chronic illness. Stress and medications can make this condition even worse because they are also acid-producing (7).

Detox symptoms during alkaline fasting

If you do an alkaline fast for the first time and have previously eaten mainly acid-producing foods such as grains, animal products and ready meals, you may experience severe detoxification symptoms.

When the body is heavily detoxified and many acids are released at the same time, our detoxification organs such as the intestines, liver and kidneys can no longer keep up. The dissolved acids and toxins then circulate freely in the blood.

That’s why I recommend that you proceed carefully and perhaps start with individual fruit and vegetable days until you can do an alkaline fasting treatment lasting several days.

During my first alkaline fast (six weeks) I had severe, stabbing headaches for the first 2-3 weeks. During alkaline fasting you may also experience dizziness at times.

Another symptom can be diarrhea. Depending on how you ate before, it may be that your intestines are not yet used to the water-rich, alkaline foods such as fruit and vegetables and your stool may become liquid. At the same time, your intestines are also cleansed thanks to the amount of fiber.

When our liver, kidneys and intestines are overloaded and cannot keep up with the excretion of toxins, they are also excreted through the skin. The result is pimples, very greasy hair and sour-smelling sweat.

A positive detox symptom is significant weight loss. During my first alkaline fast, I lost over 10 kilos within 2 months. This is because the body releases old acids and toxins from the fatty tissue and the body can then finally let go of the fatty tissue. It previously served as a “landfill” for substances that could not be neutralized and excreted.

The more often you do alkaline fasting, the fewer detoxification symptoms you will feel because your body will become cleaner and cleaner. New, healthy tissue is created that is free of acids and toxins.

What experiences have you had with alkaline fasting? Feel free to write in the comments below!

Deacidify your body through alkaline baths

In addition to alkaline fasting or long-term alkaline nutrition, it is really wonderful to take an alkaline bath once a week, especially in the cold season.

When you bathe, your skin pores open so that acid can pass through the skin from the body into the bath water. Acid excretion begins after 30 minutes, so the recommended duration for an alkaline bath is at least one hour, but two hours would be even better! So make yourself comfortable with relaxing music, candles or a good book.

The water temperature should always be around 37 degrees and similar to your natural body temperature. If you have a long bath, you can add warm water and some bath additives if the bath water has become too cold.

With regular alkaline baths and an alkaline diet, you will notice that your skin becomes as soft and velvety as a baby’s. After a certain amount of time, you will no longer need creams to keep your skin supple.

If the body is very acidic after exercise, alkaline baths are also a wonderful way to prevent muscle soreness.

Alkaline baths can be carried out up to three times a week when you are under a lot of stress or during a deacidification treatment. After that, it is enough to take time for an extensive alkaline bath once a week.

Alkaline foot baths can also have a very relaxing and deacidifying effect, because our feet are our third kidney and the excretion of acids also works great. Foot baths are an alternative for those who don’t have the time for a full bath or don’t have a bathtub at home (8).

Which bath additives should you use?

Even though people often talk about “bath salts”, salt has no place in an alkaline bath additive. Many manufacturers like to use sea salt or other salt compounds as a basis, which mainly consist of sodium chloride. But NaCl always has an acidic effect in water. The acidic pH value is then shifted to alkaline through the addition of carbonates. But that doesn’t mean that the additive has a deacidifying effect, because the free bases are often used up immediately upon contact with the acids on the skin and the osmosis between the body and the bath water, and therefore the detoxification, doesn’t even start.

The same applies to baking soda, which is very cheap and is therefore often used for alkaline bathing. Unfortunately, the neutralization potential of baking soda is not enough for the osmosis to really start. It only neutralizes the acids that sit directly on the skin, which makes the skin feel pleasant, but nothing more. That’s why I recommend special alkaline bath additives, for example from the Bioleo brand. 200 g is recommended for a full bath, so the cost of an alkaline bath is around 4 euros.

The pH value of the bath water becomes strongly alkaline due to the bath additive. If you measure the pH value of the water again after bathing, you will notice that the pH has dropped because acid has come out of your body.

The opinion of conventional medicine

Conventional medicine argues that the body can sufficiently neutralize acids through its buffer systems and detoxification organs. It relies on the constant pH value of the blood, which is always 7.4. Even a slight deviation in the pH value in the blood can lead to acidosis and thus death. But at what price does our body keep this value constant?

As previously described, the body draws the necessary bases to neutralize the acids from other parts of the body. The blood cannot therefore be used to determine whether your body is acidic. Even by measuring the urine, no reliable statements can be made as to whether your body is acidic. The urine values ​​only show how many acids are excreted (9).

My experience with the alkaline diet

During alkaline fasting I experienced an incredible boost of energy and felt light and alive. After eating only fruits and vegetables for 6 weeks, I lost 10 kilos and felt energetic, fit and beautiful. Here you can see how my body has changed:

After I switched to the alkaline diet, my skin became very soft and velvety and I no longer needed skin creams. My nails became strong and shiny, as did my hair, which I was finally able to grow long. Before I changed my diet, my hair always broke off at shoulder height and had to be cut off.

Other positive changes affected my menstruation, which became light and painless. All PMS symptoms such as acne and cramps disappeared. Morning bad breath, plaque and tartar are a thing of the past. My sweat also became odorless and I no longer needed deodorant. I also had a lot of excess energy for sports and a real urge to move. I needed less sleep at night and got out of bed more easily in the morning.

That’s why there was no way for me to go back to my old diet. What positive experiences have you had with alkaline fasting? Feel free to write in the comments below!

During this time, I also began to connect more with my feelings, work on my communication, and make radical life choices to gradually release emotional stress. It’s important to remember that a basic body environment isn’t just about nutrition, it’s also about mental and psychological health. Emotional stress is extremely acid-forming and cannot be adequately balanced by an alkaline diet.

Conclusion

• In order to maintain your overall health and thus your skin health, your acid-base balance must be in check.
• In order to achieve an alkaline body milieu, you should avoid emotional stress and eat a diet that is permanently alkaline-rich.
• An alkaline fast of up to six weeks, during which only alkaline foods are consumed, is suitable for deacidification.
• Base-formers include fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, sprouts and seedlings. These should make up at least 80% of your permanent diet.
• Nutrient-rich acidifiers include seeds, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. These can account for up to 20% of your permanent diet.
• Low nutritional acidifiers include ready meals, empty calories in the form of refined flours, and industrial sugar.
• The result of an alkaline body milieu is beautiful hair, nails and skin as well as the absence of chronic diseases and obesity.

Alkaline recipes

All recipes on this blog are either purely alkaline or contain excess alkaline. Have fun cooking and enjoying!

Warm greetings from Nicole

Sources

(1) Säure-Basen-Ratgeber (o.D.): Übersäuerung (Azidose) und Organe, URL: https://www.saeure-basen-ratgeber.de/grundlagen/azidose-uebersauerung-organe/ (Abrufdatum 19.5.2023)

(2) Probst, Dr. med. habil. Dr. Karl J. (2022): Der natürliche Weg zu Heilung und Gesundheit, Ein Wegbegleiter – Schätze aus der Praxis eines jahrzehntelangen Naturheilarztes, 6. Auflage, Trier: Telomit GmbH

(3) Basenbox (o.D.): Übersäuerung – 6 Anzeichen wie Du sie erkennst, URL: https://www.basenbox.life/blog/6-anzeichen-fuer-uebersaeuerung (Abrufdatum 19.5.2023)

(4) Rehberg, Carina (2023): Saure und basische Lebensmittel, die Tabelle, URL: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/ernaehrung/ernaehrungsformen/basenueberschuessige-ernaehrung/saure-und-basische-lebensmittel (Abrufdatum 24.2.2023)

(5) Rehberg, Carina (2023): Basenfasten: Die Anleitung, URL: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/bibliothek/abnehmen/fasten-uebersicht/basenfasten (Abrufdatum 24.2.2023)

(6) Rehberg, Carina (2023): Basische Ernährung, darum ist sie gesund, URL: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/ernaehrung/ernaehrungsformen/basenueberschuessige-ernaehrung/basische-ernaehrung (Abrufdatum 3.2.2023)

(7) Meier, Susanne (2023): Entsäuerung der Zellen, URL: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/bibliothek/ratgeber/entsaeuerung/entsaeuerung-intrazellulaer (Abrufdatum 24.2.2023)

(8) Rehberg, Carina (2023): Basenbad zur Entsäuerung, URL: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/bibliothek/ratgeber/entsaeuerung/basenbad (Abrufdatum 18.11.2023)

(9) Rehberg, Carina (2023): Übersäuerung aus Sicht der Wissenschaft, URL: https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/bibliothek/koerper/koerperfunktionen/uebersaeuerung-wissenschaftlich (Abrufdatum 24.2.2023)