As promised, I’m continuing my review of the best, the worst and the downright ugly nutrition programs available on the market today.

Honestly, I could go on and do this for months. I remember what it was like many, many years ago, before I lost my weight, to sift through magazines, books, TV (the internet was not really all that big back then…but that doesn’t mean I’m old!). It was pretty exhausting.

Just when one new diet told me they were the ticket to a gorgeous body, some magazine article would tell me otherwise.

So, based on several reader requests, here are a few facts about 2 other diet and nutrition “schools of thought.”

The Acid/Alkaline Diet

The theory behind the acid/alkaline diet is that our bodies thrive and are healthier with an internal pH that is more basic than acidic. Just in case you slept through your chemistry classes, a pH of 7 is neutral, a pH below 7 is acidic, and a pH above 7 is alkaline. Pure water has a neutral pH of 7 and your blood has a normal pH level around 7.4…slightly alkaline. (Gotta love that high school chemistry).

Promoters of the acid/alkaline diet recommend we eat around 70-80% alkaline foods and 20-30% acidic foods. I couldn’t agree more. If you are already following the meal plans in the Diet Solution Program, you are pretty much already following these guidelines.

Good examples of alkaline foods are: green and most vegetables, avocados, almonds and a variety of nuts, and healthy oils like Coconut oil and Olive oil. Examples of acidic foods are: most meats and poultry, white bread and pasta, alcoholic beverages and sugary foods (I know, I know…mostly the foods I always tell you to stay away from.)

I don’t really think it’s necessary at all to calculate the exact ratios daily. What I do is make sure I have 2-3 alkaline foods on my plate for every 1 acidic food on my plate. A perfect example would be: a turkey burger (acidic), over sliced tomatoes with avocado slices on top with a bit of olive oil drizzled on top (all 3 alkaline). (I think I just made myself hungry.)

There is a great chart available for download at http://www.acidalkalineplan.com that you can post right on your fridge so you can quickly reference whether a food is alkaline or acidic. Actually, their whole book is really good and they even have some great recipes right on their website, http://www.acidalkalineplan.com .

Colon Cleansing

Oh no, is she really going to talk about poop? Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I’m going to go there.

Without going into too many explicit details, there are many diets and, now, websites that tell us if we do not completely cleanse our colons of impacted waste that has been sitting there for some time, we may never be able to lose the weight we are working so hard to lose.

Well, yes and no.

It is extremely important for your body and your digestive system that you expel waste each and every day, a minimum of 2 times per day. Anything less than that is considered constipation. That means, every other day is not acceptable and neither is once per week!

Although I do believe that some (not all) of the natural products available for colon cleansing may assist some people get rid of some stingy stuff that has been sitting around in their colon for a long time, there are many, many actions you need to take before you attempt any of these cleanses (otherwise, they may cause more harm than good).

For example, if you are not properly hydrated, your body will not eliminate. If you are not eating enough natural fiber, your body can not “clean” up and expel the waste. If you are not eating enough healthy fat, your elimination will be hard and difficult to pass. And if you are eating a ton of unhealthy food (like sugar, white breads and pasta), everything is just going to stick to the colon wall and not go anywhere.

You have to make sure you are…

1. Drinking ½ of your body weight in ounces per day (200 pounds should drink 100 ounces of water.
2. Increasing your fiber intake via fruits and vegetables and high fiber foods like ground flaxseeds.
3. Eating healthy fats like coconut oil, olive oil and avocados.
4. Eliminating “junk” foods from your meal plans

If you are not doing these, it does not make any sense to start one of these cleanses. If your body is dehydrated or is not getting the foods it needs to actually expel the waste, no amount of herbs is going to do the trick (Well, I guess a mega dose, but do you know how painful, uncomfortable and potentially dangerous that would be?)

I highly recommend you implement the above 4 steps and then think about investing your time and money into a good colon cleanse.

Like, I said, I really could go on and on about the thousands of diets on the market and I will continue in the future to provide you with the most current and up to date info on each.

Have a great day!

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com