Alkaline Diet Isn't All-or-Nothing

The alkaline diet is quickly gaining fans because it's a healthy way to lose weight, gain energy, and prevent or even cure many chronic health problems. But one reason that people often hesitate to try the alkaline diet is that they are under the impression that it will require them to give up all acidifying foods. And they correctly suspect that many of those acidifying foods are among their favorite meals, snacks, and desserts.

Changing from the standard American diet to the alkaline diet can take some getting used to. Many people want to have their cake and eat it too, but the simple truth is that there's no way to eat a steady diet of hamburgers, pizza, ice cream, and soft drinks, and somehow magically make up for it by taking a nutritional supplement or by following a certain exercise program.

No, to reap the benefits of an alkaline diet, you have to do the hard work of changing how you eat. Junk foods can actually be addictive, much like alcohol or even hard drugs. If you've ever struggled to put down a bag of potato chips, even though you weren't really hungry, you won't find this analogy far-fetched.

But what's the best way to switch from the standard diet to the alkaline diet, without feeling deprived or losing your sanity? Here you have a choice to make: You can either try to phase in the alkaline diet gradually, or you can make a dramatic shift and give up junk foods cold turkey.

After years of trying unsuccessfully to give up junk foods, I went cold turkey. Nonetheless, I believe that most people will probably find it easier to gradually replace unhealthy foods with alkaline alternatives. An alkaline diet doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition.