Alkaline Water: Benefits and Risks
There’s a variety of “purified” or healthier-sounding waters available on the market today. Distinguishing between them can be complicated, so we’re here to give you the facts.
Have you heard the words “alkaline water” thrown around, but are confused as to what that actually means? At first, you might be skeptical, and we understand that. We were too, until we dug a little deeper.
All it refers to is the pH level of water and how that translates to our health when we drink it. There are many claims around alkaline water, some make sense, others not so much.
As it turns out, this type of water might be able to offer you a thing or two, but first, let’s see what the science has to say.
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THE SPRING DETOX
“This article is originally posted on HigherDOSE.com”
A totally doable detox with reenergizing, radiance-boosting results.
Feel that? That’s your senses coming alive as warmer, brighter days replace the bitter-dry remains of winter. Spring has officially sprung. And with the blooming florals and lush green grasses comes a renewed sense of vitality and the possibility of a fresh start. Springtime is all about new beginnings, which makes detoxing the perfect way to welcome the season.
The health equivalent of decluttering your closet and sweeping dust bunnies, a thoughtful detox works to cleanse and re-energize the body and mind. After months in hibernation mode, feeling sluggish and heavy from the winter blues, deprived of sunlight and the outdoors, take this transitional moment to effectively reboot your system, reevaluate your habits and defog your brain. During winter, we tend to overeat rich, heavy foods because this is when our bodies crave sustenance—a survive-the-cold instinct. Now it’s time to shed that winter coat, eliminate toxic buildup and beach-ready our bods in the process.
Infuse your day-to-day routine with these detox-focused tips to facilitate healthy cleansing with balanced, mood-boosting effects and beautifying results.
WORKOUT-SIDE. Create an achievable, yet robust exercise schedule complete with daily physical activity, stretching and breathing. If you’ve been cooped up in the gym, make it a point to get outside. From nature hikes to bike rides, going au natural unleashes tons of feel-good perks—such as vitamin D rays, which brighten our moods, help our bodies absorb calcium and reduce inflammation. Embracing open, outdoor air decreases stress hormone levels while perking up energy in the brain (like a cup of coffee), and some studies show that natural scents like roses, freshly cut grass and pine make you feel calmer and more relaxed.
MORE WATER. When it comes to flushing your system, water is essential. As H2O enhances the body’s detoxification process, it replenishes the skin, revs up your metabolism and keeps you from overeating (often, feelings of hunger serve as signs of dehydration). Make a commitment to staying hydrated, drinking 13–15 cups of water throughout each day. When you’re after something to complement pure water, sip on herbal teas or warm water with lemon.
EAT DETOXIFYING SPRING FOODS. Support your body’s revitalization by loading your diet with nourishing, yet simple foods. Mix fresh local greens, loaded with enzymes, vitamins and minerals, with essential produce such as carrots and cucumbers. Fiber-rich ingredients promote healthy digestion and increase the body’s ability to rid toxins—great options include lentils, beans, collard greens, grapefruit, asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower. Such easy, yet impactful combinations will ignite your cells with nutrients. Let them work their magic. And of course, eliminate processed foods, which are packed with harmful chemicals and sugars. Try not to eat after 7 pm, allowing your body to fully recover when you sleep. By allowing your stomach this time to process, you give it the space it needs to produce all your feel-good chemicals and healthy hormones—instead of digesting your late-night meal and waking up with a food hangover.
DAILY FASTING. Accelerate the process with intermittent fasting. An everyday practice, this fasting technique increases fat loss while also improving health and simplifying the detox life. What is it? Intermittent fasting (nicknamed IF) is a lifestyle pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating with an eating window of 8 – 12 hours. For best results, avoid scheduling meals near bedtime and ensure the body has ample opportunity to heal and recover when fasting/exercising is in full swing.
BRUSH OFF. For a sunbeam-spring glow, dry brush before your morning shower. Brushing awakens and stimulates the skin and helps keep the skin’s pores clear, thus supporting the body’s ability to perspire freely—this is important because if the skin’s pores get clogged, and the body can’t perspire freely, waste gets backed up.
MORE SLEEP. LESS STRESS. Dedicate at least 7 hours each night to sleeping and make a conscious effort to destress. Tiredness and crankiness are both responsible for higher cortisol levels, a stress hormone responsible for retaining unwanted fat.
THE DETOX DOSE. Nothing kicks a detox program into high gear like the power of infrared. As infrared heat gradually increases your blood circulation, vibrating molecules loosen deep-stored toxins through sweat, pushing out heavy metals, radiation, environmental pollutants, fat, cholesterol, alcohol, nicotine and more. In addition to purifying your system, infrared will also enliven your state of mind—elating your mood with feelings of happiness and lightness while boosting creativity and productivity. Come by 3–4 times per week, scheduling the sauna sessions between workouts for maximum impact.
Does Stevia Help with Weight Loss?
Written by: Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN
The bottom line is that the only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than your body burns for energy.
There are many ways to accomplish this, and targeting added sugars and replacing them with stevia is an easy and tasty fix.
Research has shown that subjects given stevia-containing foods or beverages consumed fewer calories throughout the day. (2,3)
The Truth About Added Sugars
It seems like everything we read talks about avoiding carbs and sugar.
In the U.S., the average intake of added sugars reaches up to 270 calories or more than 13 percent of calories per day based on an average 2000 calorie diet.
Not surprisingly, the largest source of added sugars in the typical diet is beverages, including soft drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, and flavored waters. They account for almost half (47%) of all added sugars consumed by the U.S. population.
The other major source of added sugars is snacks and sweets.(1) Most people don’t realize how much sugar they consume from other sources like marinades, sauces, salad dressings, yogurt, crackers and other items that don’t “seem sweet.”
The 2015-2020 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting added sugars to less than 10% of total calories or about 50 grams per day based on 2000 calories.
If your body needs fewer calories based on size, age, and activity level, the gram limits are even lower.
To take it a step further, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to 24g grams per day (6 teaspoons) for women and 36 grams per day (9 teaspoons) for men.
It’s obviously an area of concern in our standard American diet as the term “added sugars” appeared 138 times in the dietary guidelines report!
Knowing Your Limit for Added Sugars
Simply put, consumption of added sugars can make it difficult for people desiring to lose weight to meet their nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits.
Whenever anyone restricts total calories, everything eaten needs to contain more nutrients to make sure you get what you need for proper fueling while limiting total calories.
One of the simplest strategies is to limit added sugars.
Why? Because they are more often found in foods that do not provide quality vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that we look for to help prevent lifestyle diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancers.
That’s where products like stevia fit in.
Can Stevia Help with Weight Loss?
Since stevia is a plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener with a taste 50-350 times sweeter than sugar, a little goes a long way. By substituting stevia for sugar in your daily routine, there are many ways to cut total calories and sugar grams.
Using stevia to sweeten your coffee or tea (hot or iced), saves 16 calories per teaspoon over sugar. A few cups per day with a few teaspoons each can really add up quickly. Each stevia packet is formulated to equal the sweetness of 2 teaspoons of sugar. Take some with you to your favorite coffeehouse or restaurant and add your own.
Instead of eating pre-sweetened Greek yogurt with up to 20 grams of sugar, start with the plain variety and add your own stevia, vanilla extract, cinnamon and fruit.
Swap stevia for sugar, honey or maple syrup in your oatmeal, homemade salad dressings, baked goods and other recipes that call for sugar. Even subbing in ½ the amount in a recipe can make a big difference.
We would love to hear your sugar swap success stories. How do you enjoy Pyure Organic Stevia?
References:
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015- 2018, 8th edition, Added Sugars page 54: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/resources/2015-2020_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf
Anton SD, Martin CK, Han H, Coulon S, Cefalu WT, Geiselman P, Williamson DA. Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Appetite 2010;55:37–43.
Tey SL, Salleh NB, Henry J, Forde CG. Effects of aspartame-, monk fruit-, stevia- and sucrose-sweetened beverages on postprandial glucose, insulin and energy intake. Int J Obes (Lond) 2017;41:450–7.