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Should You Worry About Your Body's pH?
Have you ever heard someone talk about alkalizing their body? Or avoiding a food because it's too acidic? Did you think to yourself: "Wow, that health-nut has reached a new level of crazy!"? There was a time I would have agreed with you, that spending time worrying about your body's pH was going too far down the road to orthorexia, but after more time and research I've discovered that maintaining a balanced pH should be more than a blip on your radar if you're looking to create an environment for optimal health. (Am I the only one who just imagined a futuristic, sleek, blinking health-radar? I am? Never mind, then...) And aren't we all looking for a way to live a longer, happier, disease-free life?
Have you ever heard someone talk about alkalizing their body? Or avoiding a food because it's too acidic? Did you think to yourself: "Wow, that health-nut has reached a new level of crazy!"? There was a time I would have agreed with you, that spending time worrying about your body's pH was going too far down the road to orthorexia, but after more time and research I've discovered that maintaining a balanced pH should be more than a blip on your radar if you're looking to create an environment for optimal health. (Am I the only one who just imagined a futuristic, sleek, blinking health-radar? I am? Never mind, then...) And aren't we all looking for a way to live a longer, happier, disease-free life?
What's pH again?
If it's been a while since high school, you may have forgotten all about pH. And that's ok! (That's what I'm here for.) pH measures the hydrogen ion concentration of a given solution. High concentrations of hydrogen ions result in a low pH rating and low concentrations of hydrogen ions result in high pH rating. If that sounds backwards to you, you aren't alone. But it all makes sense scientifically, I promise!
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acidic, 7 is neutral, and 14 is the most basic (or alkaline). See below for examples of different substances and their pH value.
Image from schoolofpermaculture.com
What is your body's pH?
The optimal pH for human blood and tissues is in a very small range, between 7.35 and 7.45 on the pH scale (slightly alkaline). Unfortunately, the average modern diet results in a slightly acidic body of around 6.6 or lower. While 7.4 is the perfect pH level for many tissues in the body, there are some areas that require different levels to properly carry out their function. As you can see in the graphic above, stomach acid is a 1 on the scale, requiring tissue ranging from 1.35-3.5 on the inside layers to 6.9 on the outer layers of the stomach to prevent injury. We see a similar phenomenon in the vagina, where a pH of less than 4.7 protects against microbial overgrowth.
When we are born our bodies are perfectly balanced, but as we grow and make our own food choices our pH shifts. Unfortunately for us, any shift away from the small range of ideal pH values results in negative effects on our health.
Why is body pH important?
The human body has evolved to exist in an alkaline state. It can't thrive in an acidic one, and when it remains in an acidic state for too long many health problems start to develop. An acidic body causes insulin sensitivity (which leads to weight gain), reduces the amount of oxygen delivered to cells, accumulates cholesterol in arteries, causes tissues to regenerate more slowly (resulting in early signs of aging), and backs up the body's elimination system (keeping toxins in the body for longer than they should be). Luckily for us, there are controls in the human body that resist swinging too far in either direction. But even a small change in either direction can cause unpleasant side-effects.
The acidic body
The average person of today eats a diet low in magnesium, potassium, and fibre while rich in saturated fat, simple sugars, and sodium. This kind of diet can result in metabolic acidosis (an acidic body). The effect is exaggerated in the aging population, as there is a gradual loss of renal acid-base regulatory function over time (the kidneys lose their ability to balance the body's pH effectively).
Why should you care about metabolic acidosis? Because it can lead to osteoporosis as well as fatigue, headaches, insomnia, breathing difficulties, heart palpitations, hot and dry skin on the hands and feet, increased stress and anxiety, inflammation (which can result in arthritis), and supported growth of abnormal cells. To explain how acidosis can lead to osteoporosis, let me quote my post Building Strong Bones with Plants:
"So what happens when the animal protein in milk lowers our pH below the optimal level? Your body, recognizing the need to alkalize, goes in search of a substance to do the job. It finds phosphate, which is great at neutralizing strong acids and bases. And where does your body find phosphate? In the calcium phosphate salts that are the structural component of your bones and teeth. The body pulls the calcium phosphate stored in the bones out into the blood to alkalize it, using the phosphate for that purpose and excreting the calcium in the urine.
That's right, when you eat or drink animal products, including cow's milk, you cause calcium to be pulled from your bones and peed out.
Over time, this drawing on calcium phosphate reserves to neutralize the acid-forming effect of animal protein can lead to structural weakness in your bones and teeth (or osteoporosis). Not only that; increasing your calcium excretion through the genito-urinary system can raise your risk of developing calcium-rich kidney stones."
It is estimated that the amount of calcium lost in urine in humans eating the average modern diet over 20 years could be as much as 480gm, or half the skeletal mass of calcium. While urinary calcium loss is not a direct indicator of osteoporosis, this number is staggering.
Are you starting to worry about your pH yet?
The alkaline body
With an interest in keeping perspective, I feel it's important to mention that while an acidic body is not healthy, neither is a body that is too alkaline. Alkalosis (a body with a pH over 7.45) can cause confusion, light headedness, nausea, and twitching or numbness of the muscles.
Which foods promote a healthy pH in the body?
As you can see from this list, all of the alkalizing foods are vegan, while all animal products cause acid formation in the body. Choosing a vegan diet automatically shifts your pH closer to ideal by way of eliminating animal protein, and reducing your consumption of grains, simple sugars, alcohol, and processed foods will improve your pH balance even further! Hopefully this post has demystified body pH for you and shown you how very easy it is to improve your pH balance, especially on a plant based diet!
Until next time,
Have any questions or opinions about pH? Speak your mind in the comments below or on social media!
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How To Start Your Day Off On The Right Foot! Becoming a Morning Person
Everyone wants to start their day off on the right foot, right? You want to wake up refreshed and energetic, ready to go! Unfortunately I'm not a morning person, and often when I need to wake up earlier than 10 am my whole day can get a bit thrown off by grouchiness and brain fog. Most of the time I don't get high quality sleep and wake up often throughout the night, every night. But no more! I've gone on a rampage lately reading all of the articles on becoming a morning person and getting better sleep that I could possibly find and making lists of things that I've noticed help me to wake up feeling more rested and ready to start my day. I decided to compile these things into an article for myself and anyone else who may be struggling with the same issues as I have, with the hopes that it will help at least one other person. I hope not only to be able to wake up at 8am every single morning, but to want to! If that's you, too, read on!
Everyone wants to start their day off on the right foot, right? You want to wake up refreshed and energetic, ready to go! Unfortunately I'm not a morning person, and often when I need to wake up earlier than 10 am my whole day can get a bit thrown off by grouchiness and brain fog. Most of the time I don't get high quality sleep and wake up often throughout the night, every night. But no more! I've gone on a rampage lately reading all of the articles on becoming a morning person and getting better sleep that I could possibly find and making lists of things that I've noticed help me to wake up feeling more rested and ready to start my day. I decided to compile these things into an article for myself and anyone else who may be struggling with the same issues as I have, with the hopes that it will help at least one other person. I hope not only to be able to wake up at 8am every single morning, but to want to! If that's you, too, read on!
Prep the night before.
Set out your clothes and pack your lunch.
Whether you're working out first thing, heading into an office, or working from home, set out your clothes the night before so that you can quickly get dressed and start your day! Packing your lunch the night before, if you'll be away from home for the midday meal, will save time in the morning for more important tasks. I like to pack my lunch from leftovers from dinner. As soon as we finish eating, I'll split the leftovers into tupperware for myself and Jason. Quick and easy!
Do the dishes.
I know you don't want to, but do them. Not only will they be easier to clean right away, but when you wake up in the morning you'll have a clean kitchen to eat breakfast in! If that isn't a mood booster, I don't know what is.
Go to bed early.
This one is so hard for me, but makes the biggest difference. Go to bed early! It doesn't have to be before 10, but if you're regularly up past 1 am you're probably not going to be feeling energetic and awake by 7 or 8. Start incrementally adjusting your bed time earlier until you reach a time that works for you: not so early that you feel it's interrupting your life, but not so late that you can't comfortably wake up at the time you want to. What would you rather spend your time doing? Staying up late watching Netflix or waking up early and feeling focused enough to get things done? Give it a try. The results may surprise you!
Don't drink caffeinated beverages too late in the day.
Different people react differently to caffeine, but no matter what it acts as a stimulant. Drinking coffee or caffeinated tea too late in the day can really affect your sleep, making the next day a drowsy one. I've tried to avoid all caffeine past 2 pm after some sleepless nights, but for you the cut off time may be different. If you're having trouble getting to sleep or sleeping well try reducing caffeine and/or moving its consumption to earlier in the day and you may notice an improvement!
Stop eating 12-16 hours before you want to wake up.
Need to reset your biological clock? Try fasting for the 12-16 hours before you'd like to wake up! New research from Harvard Medical School has shown that this method is very effective in quickly adjusting a person's sleep-wake cycle. Read more about why this works here.
Set your alarm and mean it.
Set your alarm for the time you actually want to get up, not earlier to allow for snoozing. Doing this will help train you to get up when your alarm goes off, rather than struggling to get out of bed after hitting the snooze button 3 times and almost being late to work!
Put your alarm across the room.
Put your alarm across the room so that you have to get up to turn it off. Any time I've done this in the past I've found myself falling back asleep much less frequently! It's a great, simple, way to get yourself up and moving right away, with no snooze!
Stay off electronic devices an hour before bed.
I know I don't have to tell you, but I know that I can always use a reminder on this one. I can be pretty attached to my devices, and have fallen asleep with my phone in my hand more times than I'd like to count... But, I'm starting a new rule for myself: no phone, iPad, or laptop an hour before bed. I can set my alarm on my phone and put it across the room from my bed and just focus on spending quality time with my fiancé, with no distractions. Give it a try! The light from our devices is proven to reduce melatonin production and throw off sleep cycles. Try setting your phone to airplane mode to discourage you from using it. Following this rule just might make your mornings brighter!
Make your bedroom an ideal sleeping environment.
Keep it dark, and slightly cool for the best sleep possible. You'll also want to make sure that your mattress and pillows are supporting you properly while giving enough support. Try Loom & Leaf for incredible plant based memory foam mattresses!
Related Blog Post: 5 Steps for Setting Great Goals
In the morning...
Don't hit snooze.
First things first. Don't hit snooze! Once you get up to turn your alarm off (you did put your alarm across the room, right?) stay up. Don't let your warm, comfy bed call you back. You have things to do and a life to live! So get to it.
Smile.
When you smile, you get happier. Use this to your advantage! When you wake up early and need a kick to get going, get your smile on. It's guaranteed to make you feel a little bit peppier, and isn't that the only real difference between a morning person and a not-so-morning person?
Drink water.
If you're anything like me, you wake up dehydrated. I always fill a large glass of water and drink the whole thing before I even get out of bed! Many people are chronically dehydrated, causing them to feel weak, lightheaded, constipated, and to struggle with headaches. Try getting yourself a large glass or water bottle and tracking how many times you refill it in a day. Challenge yourself to drink more than you did yesterday! You'll quickly notice an improvement in your focus and energy when your water consumption reaches appropriate levels.
I have two of these 32oz Mason Jar Tumblers and LOVE them!
Keep your phone on airplane mode.
This is a REALLY hard one for me, but it can really change the course of your day. If you followed my advice for the night before, your phone SHOULD already be on airplane mode. This makes it easy! Just leave it like that until your finished with your morning routine. For me that means getting up, having a coffee, spending time with my fiancé, eating breakfast, working out, doing some yoga, and having a shower. I try to get all of these things done before checking emails, going on social media, or responding to texts. It's nice to have dedicated time each day to be in the present moment, with my man, without distraction. I find that when I succeed at this step I am a much happier person all day long!
Have a cup of coffee.
Opinions on coffee vary, but I find that a nice black cup of joe in the morning is a great pick me up with no noticeable ill effects. There is even evidence that coffee helps to burn fat and reduces muscle soreness when consumed before a workout! I like to add some cinnamon to my coffee for a bit of flavour and lots of positive health benefits, then hit the mat!
Workout.
We all know that physical activity is good for us. So why do so few of us do it? It can be so easy to fall out of a workout routine, but regular exercise keeps us fit, happy, healthy, and energetic! It also improves your sleep at night, which in turn improves your days, making you more likely to workout! (See how awesome this cycle is?) If you're out of shape or not a fan of exercise, try a morning walk with your significant other, kids, or pet. On days I'm not feeling up for a tough resistance workout or extended cardio I like to roll out my mat and escape into yoga. The great thing about practicing yoga is that it can be whatever you need it to be, and however strenuous you want! I love to buy nice workout gear for motivation. Give it a try!
Meditate.
Try meditation! It can reduce stress, improve brain functioning, increase happiness, improve metabolism, increase attention span, and so much more! Give it a try, even for only 5 minutes a day, and see if it impacts your life for the better!
Eat a great breakfast.
Make sure to fuel your body properly, right from the get-go. I like to fill up on lots of fresh fruit like bananas and apples for energy and a whole host of nutrients!
Play music you like.
Still not enjoying your earlier mornings? Try creating a happy, upbeat playlist of songs you love to put on as soon as you wake up, or even as your alarm! Music can really effect your mood, so use its power for good and get your morning vibes on!
I hope these tips help you on your journey to becoming a morning person. I'm on that path myself, and will be checking in to let you know how it's going and share more tips and tricks as I discover them!
Until next time,
Are you a morning person or a night owl? What's your favourite part of your morning routine? Let me know in the comments below and on social media! (@elizabethturn on instagram and twitter!)
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How Much Wedding Can You Afford? Choosing The Big Number for Your Big Day
Weddings cost a lot. A whole lot. A put-away-every-extra-penny-for-your-entire-engagement-and-only-eat-rice-and-beans-and-don't-buy-anything-that-could-be-considered-a-want lot. When I read that the average wedding in Canada costs over $31,000 I got very close to giving up and eloping with Jason right then and there (we were in Costa Rica, after all. Not a bad locale if you ask me.) But I have always dreamed of a wedding including my closest and dearest, and so had he. We decided to stick it out and go with a traditional wedding. But at what cost?
Weddings cost a lot. A whole lot. A put-away-every-extra-penny-for-your-entire-engagement-and-only-eat-rice-and-beans-and-don't-buy-anything-that-could-be-considered-a-want lot. When I read that the average wedding in Canada costs over $31,000 I got very close to giving up and eloping with Jason right then and there (we were in Costa Rica, after all. Not a bad locale if you ask me.) But I have always dreamed of a wedding including my closest and dearest, and so had he. We decided to stick it out and go with a traditional wedding. But at what cost?
That is the exact topic I'd like to explore today. How much should you really be spending on your wedding? There are a whole host of factors, and every couple will be different, but I hope that these talking points that Jason and I spent time over will help you and your soon to be spouse figure out the big number for your special day.
Who's paying?
This is the first thing you want to figure out. Are you and your fiancé paying for everything yourselves or will you be getting help from family? Is your family paying for the entire shindig? You need to know who's contributing to footing the bill.
How much outside contribution can you count on?
You don't want to just assume that your parents will contribute as much as you need, you have to actually ask them. (You may think this is common sense, but common sense isn't really all that common.) Have a frank discussion, even if it makes you uncomfortable, and ask them how much (if any) they're willing and able to put towards your day. Don't go into it with any expectations, that way if they do agree to help you financially you'll be grateful no matter what the dollar amount is. Understand that they may not be capable of contributing at this point for various reasons and respect their decision. If they do want to help out, get a specific number from them so that you can plug it into your calculations. Things may change a little as the planning goes along, but you want to have the most accurate idea of what you'll be getting from outside sources right from the start.
How much do you have in savings?
Have an honest conversation with your fiancé and find out how much each of you has already saved and how much each of you is willing to contribute from those savings. You need to think about the amount you want to have remaining in your savings accounts AFTER the fact; you don't want to use your emergency fund to pay for your wedding! A wedding is wonderful, but it's just one day. Don't sacrifice your financial security for the foreseeable future for a party, no matter how special!
How much can each of you save leading up to the wedding?
Look at what each of you expect to make in the time leading up to your wedding, subtract your needs, and figure out how much each of you could save, under ideal circumstances. Don't include income that isn't guaranteed to come in. Any extra income can be a bonus booster to your wedding budget, if you need it! Make sure to leave a little wiggle room in your monthly living budget for wants - you don't want to deprive yourselves as you go through the (potentially stressful) wedding planning process. Keep enough fun money for a couple of date nights and treats here and there, you'll appreciate it later I promise!
Add up all contributions from family and friends, the amount you can allocate from your savings, and the amount that you can each reasonably put aside in the time left to your wedding to find your absolute max budget. You do not want to make this number your actual wedding budget! Look at the next series of questions to determine how much you actually want to spend, and keep any of the left over money as a buffer. Unexpected costs always come up and having money ready for that purpose reduces stress by approximately 500%.
Are you planning on a honeymoon?
Putting aside the funds for a honeymoon can be a big task. Ask yourselves if you need to go on a honeymoon right away, or even at all. If you do want to go right after the wedding look into options that fit within your means and shop around for the best deals.
How many guests do you REALLY need?
Make an initial guest list, then cut anyone you don't NEED at your wedding. This day is about you and your future spouse and your commitment to each other. Rather than thinking of the guest list through the lens of who you'd like to have there, think about who you'd be distraught to not see on the day. Who are those people who you and your spouse couldn't get married without? The number of guests has a huge impact on the final cost of your wedding, so think long and hard about how much you want your coworker's second cousin to witness your nuptials.
Do you need to get married near a major city?
On the whole, weddings near a city centre will be more costly than those further away. Do you need to be married in the heart of downtown Toronto, or will Barrie do just as nicely? Do your research on real costs in the area you're looking at to get a better idea of what you'll be parting with.
How much are you each comfortable spending?
Does the idea of spending tens of thousands of dollars on one weekend make you sweat? Or does a $50,000 budget sound just fine? You need to get a clear picture of what each of you is willing to spend so that you won't regret it in the years following your wedding. Keep in mind your other financial goals for the next 5 years. Make a list of where you'd like to be and make sure you aren't shooting the future you in the foot by overspending today.
Related Blog Post: 7 Ways Pinterest is the Best Wedding Planning Tool on the Internet!
Now that you've really thought about it, come up with a number that you both feel good about. Know that no matter how much you plan, your wedding day will likely pop up with unexpected costs. Don't beat yourself up if you end up a little off your goal! Remember, that's why you set your actual budget below your absolutely maximum budget, so that you had a bit of breathing room. Now get out there and start the fun part.
Until next time,
How did you and your spouse come up with a budget for your wedding? Let me know in the comments below! Share this post with your engaged friends to give them a leg up in the planning process and check out my wedding boards on Pinterest for a little wedding inspiration!
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5 Favourite Vegan Restaurants in Toronto
Whether you live in Toronto (Hey, neighbour!) or are just visiting, it's always great to get restaurant recommendations from a friend rather than using ye olde google search and hoping for the best. Having lived in Toronto for my entire vegan life (except for 6 months on a cruise ship!) I've found a couple places that I love to take family and friends when they're in town or my fiancé on a date! Since I consider you a true friend, I thought I'd share my favourite places to get my nom on in the big Canadian city, free of charge! (Aren't I a gem?)
Whether you live in Toronto (Hey, neighbour!) or are just visiting, it's always great to get restaurant recommendations from a friend rather than using ye olde google search and hoping for the best. Having lived in Toronto for my entire vegan life (except for 6 months on a cruise ship!) I've found a couple places that I love to take family and friends when they're in town or my fiancé on a date! Since I consider you a true friend, I thought I'd share my favourite places to get my nom on in the big Canadian city, free of charge! (Aren't I a gem?)
5. Grasshopper, 310 College Street, $$
A tiny little casual dinning spot on college, Grasshopper is a nice place to grab lunch with a friend or a quick dinner! They have lots of yummy and innovative dishes to try, which means it always takes an hour for me to order. Sorry, Jason. I tried the Mushroom N' Rice Bowl recently and loved it! Be warned, they do have one or two items that are only vegetarian, but they are clearly marked on the menu. They also have a number of gluten and soy-free options, allowing everyone to enjoy their tasty creations!
4. Apiecalypse Now, 735 Bloor Street West, $$
Craving pizza? No problem! Drop into Apiecalypse now for some vegan comfort food including, you guessed it, donuts! (Ok, maybe you didn't guess it. But a one stop shop for vegan pizza AND donuts? Sign me up!) They currently don't offer gluten free crusts for their pizzas BUT they deliver to many parts of Toronto, so that makes up for it, yes? They're located right on Bloor for your convenience.
3. Live Organic Food Bar, 264 Dupont Street / 134 Atlantic Avenue, $$
Completely vegan, gluten free, organic, and sugar free, Live Organic Food Bar's menu is full of delicious plant-based goodness! They have two locations, in the Annex and in Liberty village. They offer quite a few raw dishes, so raw foodies out there you'll love Live! They also indicate which dishes are nut free, for those who avoid nuts in their diet. I used to eat here all of the time when I lived a 5 minute walk away from the Annex location and loved trying something new every single time! Definitely check them out if you're nearby.
2. Fresh, 326 Bloor Street West / 894 Queen Street West / 147 Spadina Avenue / 90 Eglinton Avenue East, $$
With 4 locations, Fresh is always a convenient option. I first began eating at Fresh as a vegetarian in 2012 and have frequented it ever since! They have a huge menu with lots of variety that pleases vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. I love grabbing the green detox smoothie and the macro greens bowl for a quick healthy meal! While they aren't completely gluten free, they have quite a few gluten free options. (I was gluten free and vegan for about 6 months and found it very easy to eat at Fresh.) Also, their entire menu is vegan BUT they do offer some non-vegan add-ons such as cheese and honey.
Related Blog Post: 10 Yummy Vegan Cake Recipes To Try!
1. Urban Herbivore, 967 College Street / Kensington Market - 64 Oxford Street / Eaton Centre - 220 Yonge Street, $
Plant based whole foods are made delicious and affordable at Urban Herbivore! They are peanut free and have many gluten free options. They source their ingredients from local farmers and offer to-go packaging made with biodegradable materials. What I love most about them is the option to create your own custom bowl, but I can't forget to mention how DELICIOUS their sandwiches are! If you stop by their location in Kensington you will probably spot me fuelling up for a grocery shop and listening to the Rich Roll podcast :)
So there you have it, 5 of my favourite vegan restaurants in Toronto to check out whether you live here or are just on a visit! I have a very long list of restaurants, bakeries, and coffee shops to check out or revisit before I recommend them to you, so stay tuned for further updates on this list.
Until next time,
What's your favourite vegan restaurant in Toronto? Let me know in the comments below! Never been to Toronto? No problem! Where do you get your vegan restaurant fix in your hometown?
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