Your Five Simple Steps to Get Started, Get Alkaline & Start Thriving Today

Simple Steps to Get Alkaline & Thrive

Having a lot of information can be a great thing…

And it can also be overwhelming…

That’s the last thing I want – because overwhelm is the fastest way to giving up, putting things off and losing your motivation and personal power.

In this guide I want to give you a clear path, with simple, easy-to-understand steps to getting started (or re-started) with your health journey.

After reading this guide you will know exactly what to do next, and what things to focus on to move you rapidly and effortlessly towards your health goals – no matter what they are.

Getting Incredible Energy & Health Is a LOT Easier Than We’ve Been Led to Believe…

Because, getting healthy and energized…feeling light, centred, connected, strong and feeling vibrant…

Getting to the health and body of your dreams is easier than you’ve been led to believe.

The challenge that 99% of people have (and if you’re anything like me – you’ll have had this too) is actually applying and sticking to your healthy lifestyle. Most of us know at least SOME of the stuff we should be doing – but sticking to it is the hard part…

When most people try to stick to a new healthy lifestyle they commonly feel:

  • Overwhelm
  • Frustrated by conflicting information
  • Restricted & deprived
  • HUNGRY
  • Stressed
  • Worried they’ll never be able to eat/drink xyz again
  • Worried they’ll never be able to socialise again
  • Like they’ll maybe be able to do this for a few days, but forever? Forget about it!

This is not uncommon.

In fact, at least 9 out of 10 of the folks who join my Alkaline Base Camp membership report at least one of these feelings in their on-boarding survey.

So if you’re in this camp – if you feel like you know you need to do it but you just can’t stick to it – you’re going to LOVE this guide. It simplifies and takes it all down to the five most important steps, and then gives you the strategies you need to make these steps happen.

So Let’s Make Your Journey an Easy, Fun and Stress-Free Lifestyle… That You Can Stick With Forever!

STEP-1-ADD-GOOD

Simple Step #1: Focus On Getting the Good In First!

This is probably the most important step. While starting out (or starting again) I want you to focus solely on getting the good stuff in first. Don’t worry about giving the bad stuff up.

From your Acid/Alkaline Food Charts you know what is classified as ‘good stuff’ and ‘bad stuff’ – but as a quick refresher:

Good Stuff: leafy greens, salads, veggies, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, low-sugar-in-season fruits (in moderation)…

Bad Stuff: sugar, gluten, sweets, processed foods, fried foods, alcohol, dairy, trans-fats, refined foods, packaged foods and so on…

BUT, even though we know we shouldn’t be having those ‘bad’ foods – for now I want you to focus on getting the good stuff in first.

This removes all of the stress, all of the restrictions, all of the anxiety and deprivation that normally comes with changing your diet – and instead makes you focus on the positivity, the good stuff and how you can get more good stuff IN!

This works so well because the more alkaline you get the more alkaline you WILL get.

It’s like the ‘rich get richer’ analogy. It compounds and snowballs.

You can start as slowly as you like with this approach because the best part is – as you focus on getting the good stuff in you will NATURALLY start to remove the bad stuff. There will be a combination of conscious and subconscious motivation at play:

Conscious: the better you feel the more likely you will be to WANT to make the right choice. After a few days, or a few weeks – or even a few months, you will find yourself WANTING to say no to certain foods or drinks because you’re feeling so great and you don’t want to change that. You’ll get more picky with your treats and save your blow outs for social events that matter rather than a casual random dessert of bottle of wine for no apparent reason.

Subconscious: your subconscious is a fast learner and it works on rewards and the longer you do this the better and better you’ll start to feel. Your brain will notice the action equals positive response in your body and it will put two and two together very quickly. The best part of this is – it will then start to act as a ‘healthy filter’ for you – you’ll stop noticing temptations, you’ll stop being drawn towards them.

Have you ever been in a good healthy place in your mind and at the grocery store and as you head down the chiller aisle you are so focused on finding the tofu or healthy section you don’t even SEE the ice cream freezer? 

This is your brain filtering FOR you. This approach is fantastic for this – it allows you to cut foods out and make healthier choices on autopilot – with no pain, hard work, anxiety, stress or willpower needed! You just get gradually more and more alkaline and more and more healthy, energised and full of vitality!

This is why this works so well and why it has worked every single time I’ve coached someone to implement it. 

Everyone who tries this approach ends up in the same place: incredible energy, incredible vitality, alkaline and full of health but with a social life, room for flexibility and social events, and a strong motivation that is ingrained within them that allows them to have treats without falling off the cliff and going backwards for three months. It breeds success, the more you do it the better it gets!

more alkaline foods

How to “Crowd Out the Bad”

You’re allowed to completely forget about eliminating the bad stuff BUT you have to get the good stuff in, in abundance. You have to eat your greens, you have to have salads, you have to have juices and smoothies, you have to have healthy fats and veggies. This is the deal.

To make this more real for you here are a couple of examples:

  • You could still have a steak BUT you have to have it with a gigantic salad, or some steamed veggies, dressed with omega 3 rich, healthy dressings.
  • You could still have a pizza BUT you have to have loads of veggies on top and serve it with a huge big salad
  • You could still have a dessert but your main course would need to have at least 5 serves of veggies with it
  • You can still have a coffee but you have to have at least 500ml of alkaline water first and after
  • You could have a sneaky treat for a snack, but only after you’ve had some raw veggies to snack on first or some nuts and seeds

This is keeping it very basic, and you’ll soon see how you can weave this into your life.

I’ve done a full training on this, and I’ll be emailing it out to you in the next few weeks, so keep an eye out for that!

But for now:

Takeaway: Focus on getting the good stuff in first before you worry about cutting out the bad. You just add in as much good as possible and let your mind and body release the stress and anxiety about restricting, cutting out, giving stuff up or going ‘cold turkey’. Just relax, enjoy your food – but make sure you add in a WHOLE LOT of good stuff too!.

STEP-2-HYDRATION

Simple Step #2: Proper Hydration

It sounds so simple, but almost nobody does this. Being properly hydrated is critical to almost every single function in your body.

I believe that this is one of those things that seems so simple that people put it in the ‘not important’ category – when in reality – it is probably the most important thing you can do.

You simply HAVE to stay properly hydrated if you want to have any chance of having the energy, body and vitality you deserve.

I’m not going to go on about how the body is whatever percent water etc.

Just know this – even a 5% drop in body fluids will cause a 25-30% loss of energy in most people

The TWO Challenges Most People Have with Hydration — And How to Overcome Them

To the hydration-aware, and even the most motivated water-sippers, there are two main challenges:

1) REMEMBERING to drink enough
2) PHYSICALLY BEING ABLE to drink enough!

Let’s address both of those…

Firstly, the question that’s probably on your mind is: “HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?”

How Much Water Should I Drink

The easy answer is 3-4 litres per day. I know this sounds a lot, but it isn’t really. And I also know that you might be thinking, that is too much for me, I’m only little, so the official calculator is:

1 litre of water per 40lbs (18k or 2.85stone) of body weight

For example, 12st = 4.2 litres per day

This, I have found, accurately works out to between 3-4 litres for most people each day. And if you stick to this, every day, I promise you there will be a massive increase in your health, energy, mental clarity and vitality.

HYDRATION CHALLENGE 1: REMEMBERING to drink enough

This is probably the biggest of the challenges when it comes to hydration – and I have been through this too! You get to the end of the day and think “NOT AGAIN…I forgot to drink any water!”…

At this stage trying to down four litres before bed is not smart. You can try, but it won’t work out too well for you, or your bed mate!

If this happens to you – just have a big glass of water and put in to place a couple of the reminders and tips I’ll give you below.

HYDRATION CHALLENGE 2: The BLOAT & The TOILET FREQUENCY!

The second concern is physically feeling able to drink that much without needing to go to the toilet every two minutes and feeling as bloated as a whale!

My advice here is to just take it slowly and build up…

Don’t try to go from zero to four litres (a gallon) in 24 hours.

Set yourself the target of 1.5 litres (50 fl oz) for the rest of this week…then 2 litres next week, 3 litres the next…

The more you build up, the more your body will get used to it. The more you get used to it, the more your body will be able to USE the water you consume. It won’t just wash straight through into your bladder.

An analogy I like to use is to imagine your body like a dried up sponge. When you first start drinking water it’s like running a dried up sponge under a faucet. The water just runs straight over it and down the sink. But little by little, the more you run the water over the sponge the more it begins to absorb…and after no time at all the sponge is now able to hold an incredible amount of water to do it’s job.

Your body is just like this. The more hydrated you get the more your body will be able to hold comfortably. You won’t feel bloated at all. And the more hydrated you get the LESS frequently you’ll need to go to the toilet.

Everything will get easier the more you do it, so just ease in, take it a day at a time. If you mess up one day, don’t worry about it! Just have a glass of water then and there and get back on with your plan the next day!

Tips for Remembering to Drink Enough / Making Hydration Delicious & Easy

Step One: Carry a Big Bottle

This is the best tip – because it makes sure you always have your water on you to sip. I personally like to have a big 1 litre bottle at all times and when I do this I always drink my 4.2 litres! Really simple, but SO effective. How many times are you sat at your desk, thirsty as hell, thinking – when I finish this task I’ll go get a water…and then 2 hours later you’re still sat there thirsty?

Step Two: Set a Reminder

This isn’t something you will have to do forever, but I recommend you set an hour reminder on your phone or watch to beep and remind you to have a big gulp or a glass of water every hour. It is amazing how often you suddenly realise it is lunchtime and you’ve not really had anything to drink!

Step Three: Substitute

For every other drink you go to have, be it a tea, coffee or juice – substitute in water. You will be surprised at a) how good it
makes you feel and b) how much of a pat on the back you can give yourself afterwards. This simple tip can lead to some really good,
positive reinforcement that yes, you can say no and it makes you even more healthy!

Step Four: Always Have Water At Your Desk

Building on Step One – simply having a bottle at your desk at all times means that when you do remember you can tuck straight into it, rather than thinking “oh yes, water, now let me just finish this email first”.

Step Five: The Power of Tea!

Herbal teas are alkaline! Mostly. You only really have to avoid green and white tea and the rest are caffeine free and alkaline. I find this is a great way to beat the boredom of plain water and it gives me at least a litre of hydration per day. My favourites are peppermint, Rooibos, caffeine-free chai, ginger and orange. Delicious hot or cold!

Step Six: Flavour!

Water is water and it’s pretty dull. That’s ok. Try to see hydration as a source of health and energy rather than a source of flavour. However, remember – you can add lemon, mint, lime, grapefruit…all manner of fresh stuff added in to make water more enjoyable. I’m personally loving lime and mint at the moment. Mint grows like nothing else in the garden too – so you can get it in abundance for free (or in a pot if you’re living in a unit). Genius.

Step Seven: Know your Outcome and Plan your Route to Success

Set goals. Write them down. Track your progress. Read your goals aloud day and night. Honestly, being hydrated is THE most important part of any health goal and will get you a long way towards where you want to be, whether that is weight loss, weight gain, muscle growth, more energy, better digestion, better skin……

Is Tap Water OK? What Kind of Water Should I Drink?

This is a BIG question and fills a guide all by itself.

The easiest thing for me to do is to give you some basic guidelines here and point you to my free guide to Alkaline Water:

At the very least you should be looking to filter your tap water – a simple countertop jug type filter is a good start. Look for one that removes bacteria and chlorine. These simply can’t properly remove fluoride so don’t believe it even if it says it can. It can’t.

Bottled water is held to less strict standards than tap water for contaminants, bacteria and toxins. Plus it’s water that’s been sat in toxic plastic for up to 12 months or more. Plus it’s terrible for the environment. Plus bottled water is acidic and oxidising to your body (i.e. it kills cells).

So I’d rather you drink filtered tap water than bottled and this is a good start for most people.

To take it up a notch there are a few different ways to make your water more alkaline, more filtered and better for you.

I cover all of these – the pro’s and con’s of each and the honest truth on each in my Definitive Guide to Alkaline Water here.

Takeaway: work out how much you need to drink each day, and set a target for this week, next week and the week after to build up to your goal amount of water/day. Use a combination of 3 or more of my tips above to help you to remember and keep it enjoyable! Remember – it doesn’t have to be plain ol’ water!

STEP-3-G0-GREEN

Simple Step #3: Go GREEN!

The one thing that would have the biggest difference to most people’s health & energy is to get an extra few serves of GREEN FOODS each day.

A lot of talk focuses on the five-a-day mantra – five serves of fruit and veg…but I think this is doing us a disservice.

I believe that if the guideline was ‘Five-Serves-of-Green-Foods-a-Day’ we’d be a heck of a lot healthier as a society – and health care costs would plummet.

Research published in 2014 out of William Paterson University compiled the list of the world’s most ‘powerhouse fruits and vegetables’ based on the nutrient density and bioavailability of 41 different foods.

Foods were awarded “powerhouse” status by providing, on average, 10 per cent or more of the daily recommended intake across 17 nutrients that have been proven to prevent and reverse chronic disease.

SO out of all of the fruits and vegetables in the world, they published the top 41.

Of the top 41, 38 were alkaline forming foods (the three that were not were strawberries, blackberries (very very mildly acid forming) and oranges (acidic, but nutrient dense).

So of the top 41, 38 were high alkaline foods…and of those the TOP FIFTEEN WERE ALL LEAFY GREENS.

To reach incredible health you need to be eating an abundance of leafy green foods!

It really is as simple as that.

BUT, as with hydration – knowing is one thing – being able to DO IT on a consistent basis, without it being a pain in the neck – is another.

That’s where I can help, and here are my top tips to getting more green foods in every day:

How to Get the Greens In Tip #1: Have a Side Salad With Every Meal

This is a really simple one – but it works SO well. We’re talking super-simplicity here – two handfuls of leaves dressed with olive oil/flax oil and lemon juice. Just doing this would bump your green food intake by 4 serves a day!

And if you’re using flax – it would also give you 2/3 of your omega 3 intake for the day too (see below about smart supplementation – don’t skip that – you could save yourself a lot of wasted cash and expensive urine).

Any leafy green will do here – rocket (arugula), spinach, watercress, kale, chart/silverbeet, lettuce – anything will do and all I suggest doing to make this super-fast is to wash the leaves as soon as you get them home – dry and put in the fridge in an airtight container.

Then when it comes to meal-time, make your meal as normal and then grab another bowl – two handfuls in, drizzle with oil and lemon juice and bingo. You’re done.

How to Get the Greens In Tip #2: Get into Juices & Smoothies…Daily!

Having a daily green juice or smoothie is the easiest way possible to guarantee you’ll get the greens you need each day – and before you’ve even left the house!

How awesome would it be to be leaving the house each morning knowing you’ve already ticked that box?

Don’t stress too much about the right juicer or blender – whether to juice or smoothie – what to put in it – how long it will keep etc. Just follow these simple rules:

  • Don’t juice fruit: removing the fibre from the fructose means the body will go into a blood sugar/hormonal tailspin once you consume it.

    You only want to be having 25g of fructose per day and most juice recipes with fruit contain double that amount – without the fibre!

    If you want to add fruit to smoothies that’s fine, but I recommend keeping it to 1/2 piece per person/serve and only in-season fruits.

  • Use any of the following: kale, spinach, carrot, cucumber, beetroot, silverbeet/chard, herbs, turmeric, ginger, lettuce, tomato, broccoli, bell pepper….plus add liquids such as coconut water, coconut cream (great in smoothies), filtered water, lemon/lime squeezed in, almond milk etc…plus any superfoods you want (or you can keep it simple).

    For juices, don’t use avocado – doesn’t juice too well…

    For smoothies don’t use celery – texture is not so good, and you might want to rip the kale leaves from the stalk too.

    For the most simple of juices I recommend:

    1 cucumber
    2 stalks of celery
    Handful of spinach
    Handful of lettuce
    1/2 inch of ginger
    Water to taste

    For the most simple of green smoothies I recommend:

    1/2 avocado
    Handful of spinach
    Handful of kale
    1 cucumber
    Handful of lettuce
    1/2 bell pepper
    Liquid to taste (water, coconut water, coconut milk, nut milk etc).

    Both of these will serve two.

  • Don’t Stress Over Your Equipment! Just get started with whatever you have. And if you can only afford a £30 ($50) juicer from Argos/Kmart – that’s fine. Getting started is the main thing. If you only have a juicer – just make juices. If you only have a blender – just make smoothies.

    My ultimate suggestion (no affiliation) is:

    – Juicer: Hurom brand
    – Blender: Vitamix

    The NutriBullet is fine, but only makes smoothies – no matter what the marketing says. If it isn’t removing the fibre it’s not a juice, it’s a smoothie.

  • Make TWICE AS MUCH As You Need: this is so worthwhile. The additional workload is about 5% more work than making just the amount you need now – BUT – you get to have your juice/smoothie now AND then another later or the next day!

    Just keep it in the fridge in an airtight container and you’ll be good for at least 24 hours.

    Smoothies will freeze pretty well too.

  • Here are some green juice & smoothie suggestions:

    Fat-Flusher Juice
    Kidney Rejuvenation Juice
    Big Bad Green Juice
    Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

    Last month, my Alkaline Deep-Dive Masterclass for my Alkaline Base Camp Members was the Ultimate Juices & Smoothies Guide – and everyone absolutely loved it. It discussed in depth the difference between juices and smoothies, the right ingredients to use and why, the best equipment to use PLUS a week-long menu and itemized shopping list to get you into the right habit of having a juice or smoothie every day.

    And of course a HEAP of delicious juice and smoothie recipes!

    If you want to get this Masterclass (plus all of my others, including my Alkaline Breakfast Masterclass and more) and click here to find out more about how to join the Alkaline Base Camp here.

    Alkaline Base Camp Member Extra

    Access your ‘Juices & Smoothies Masterclass’ in The Alkaline Base Camp Members Portal

    Learn how to make juices & smoothies the RIGHT way to make them a part of your daily life, which ingredients are best for which goal, PLUS access your 7-day Juice & Smoothie Menu & Itemized Shopping List, get the lowdown on which equipment is best and so much more.

    MEMBERS: Click here to access this Juice & Smoothie training

    Not an Alkaline Base Camp member? Click here to learn more about the Alkaline Base Camp

    How to Get the Greens In Tip #3: Sneak In Greens

    Disguising green foods in your regular meals is a great way to sneak in the nutrients. It’s especially good for sneaking the greens into the meals of your kids/partner if they’re not as keen as you.

    Some ideas are: you can shave broccoli heads with a knife over foods or into pasta sauce giving you heaps of broccoli, but you can’t see, taste or smell it.

    OR wilt spinach down with a little butter, salt and pepper – this gives you a HUGE amount of spinach in just a couple of mouthfuls.

    OR make pasta sauce by blending tomatoes with steamed pumpkin, broccoli, spinach, watercress etc. When it’s all blended down it still tastes very rich and tomato-ey, but you’ve got a heap of green foods in there too!

    OR blend raw veggies into your soups:

    How to Get the Greens In Tip #4: Get into Sprouts:

    Sounds weird but it’s SO worth it – sprouts are sprouted seeds of plants such as broccoli which, when harvested at the sprout stage, contain all (or more) of the nutritional content of the fully grown plant – this means you can easily eat one handful and get a HUGE hit of nutrients. I’ve blogged heaps about sprouts (and have a guide coming) so click here to read all about sprouts.

    How to Get the Greens In Tip #5: Liquid Chlorophyll In An Emergency

    This is a great one to have in the back locker. Liquid chlorophyll can give you a boost of an ‘extra serve’ whenever you need it. You can simply have it in a glass with water and voila – you’re good. Or you can supercharge your juices/smoothies or even soups and sauces with that extra shot.

    I do recommend looking out for a brand that contains as few ingredients as possible, does not contain flavourings or sweeteners and isn’t watered down.

    I personally use Nature’s Sunshine brand (again, no affiliation).

    Takeaway: be sure to have a side salad with at least one meal per day, every day. Look at ways to sneak greens in – maybe just start by wilting spinach in whenever you can. As a backup, get a bottle of liquid chlorophyll (it’s pretty cheap). Finally plan in to have a green juice or smoothie at least 4-5 times per week. You can get a whole lot of amazing recipes in my Alkaline Recipe System here.

    STEP-4-GO-NATURAL

    Simple Step #4: Go Natural & Unprocessed

    The simplest of rules, to be your guiding principle is to stick to natural and unprocessed as much as possible.

    As a rule of thumb – processed food is acidic and devoid of nutritional value.

    By this definition, processed foods would be things like: packaged sauces, microwave meals, biscuits, ready-meals, takeaways, condiments, ice-creams, frozen meals and so on.

    This basically means shopping only in those first two aisles in the grocery store.

    In a way, that freaks some people out. In another way – it makes it all so simple and easy. If you eat fresh and unprocessed you’re going to be avoiding 99% of the ingredients you should try to avoid, you’ll be eating totally alkaline, you’ll be Paleo-friendly, nutrient rich and thriving.

    To keep it simple, the main things you want to be steering clear of are:

    • Gluten & Grains: there is just too much overwhelmingly conclusive evidence to ignore this. You just gotta. Gluten causes so many issues in the body – particularly in terms of your digestive system, brain, blood sugar, immune system, liver, kidney and lymphatic system.

      Like hydration – this is another one that is a guide in itself, so here is my guide to gluten & inflammation.

    • Sugar: you know this – but you might not know quite how bad it is. Sugar is pretty much one of the substances at the root of pretty much every degenerative condition we’re aware of. Particularly cancer, and of course type II diabetes.

      Click here to read more about sugar and how to quit it.

    • Fat-Free: I recently laughed at this:

      fat-free-ship-storm

      [Follow me on Instagram here @liveenergized]

      But I only laughed because it’s so darn true. The concept that we need to avoid fat is long dead. Completely undone by a ridiculous amount of research with millions of subjects to show that we NEED fat to survive, that healthy fats (including saturated fats) are critical to our health and that a fat-free diet contributes to all manner of degenerative conditions.

      BUT perhaps, more importantly, is exactly the point the image makes – when the food companies remove fat they have to replace it with something. Flavour – in most processed foods – comes from a balance between sugar, salt and…yep, fat. So when they take out the fat they have two choices:

      1) more sugar
      2) chemical sweeteners/flavourings.

      I’d rather have the fat.

    • MSG: this one can be tricky if you try and navigate around it – and so the easiest way is to stop eating processed foods as much as possible. In my guide to MSG (link below) I highlight that there are over 50+ different names given to MSG including:

      – yeast extract
      – Hydrolyzed protein
      – Soy & whey protein concentrate & isolate
      – Malt extract – especially in non-dairy milk
      – Textured protein
      – Maltodextrin
      – Malt extract
      – Gelatin
      – And so many more!

      You can check out my full list here – but the easiest way is to stay natural and unprocessed as much as possible!

      My recommendation is to eat 70-80% unprocessed at home – to give you the breathing space to enjoy yourself when you’re out and at social events.

      Keep it fresh, real foods, foods that haven’t been messed with – stuff that’s as close to the earth as possible. If you can do this most of the time, you’ll be rocking.

      Takeaway: The most nutrient-dense, alkaline-forming, antioxidant-rich, water-content-rich, life-giving foods are natural. Once we start to process foods they lose these benefits – and let’s be honest, once packaged food companies get hold of things, they tend to go for cost and longevity benefits over nutritional benefits. Avoid sugar, low-fat, MSG, gluten and grains where possible – and aim to eat unprocessed 80% of the time if possible.

      STEP-5-SUPPLEMENTS

      Simple Step #5: Smart Supplementation

      This one is SO important. Remember the golden rule – supplements are there to supplement. The clue is in their name.

      Don’t see supplements as a replacement. See them as a safety net. If you’re eating a well balanced, alkaline, natural, nutrient-rich diet you will need very few, if any, supplements.

      I recommend you just keep it simple and stick to these few basic supplements as your core. If you have a specific goal or condition you can add or take away – and of course, always check with your physician if you’re currently undergoing treatment or protocol before making any changes to your diet or regime.

      Ross’ Core Supplement Suggestions:

      1. Green Drink: oh yeah those greens again! Honestly though – this is an important one because once again, you need those greens and this is a great safety net. I always have green powder in the house – it’s quick and instant and you can take it anywhere. Look for a green blend of a few different grasses and veggies (doesn’t have to be too complex), that’s non-GMO and ideally organic. You can’t go too wrong with this so don’t stress too much.
      2. Healthy Fats: if you could only have ONE supplement I would choose healthy fats. They are SO important and the body cannot make them on it’s own – it relies on you to consume them…AND it’s pretty tough to get enough through a normal diet. Even if you ate oily fish every day you’d still not be getting enough omega 3.

        I recommend taking an omega 3 supplement daily – feel free to mix that up between various oils, and have flax oil on hand to use on your dressings, in smoothies etc too. You can’t really overdo the omega 3.

        I also strongly recommend having coconut oil daily as a Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil. Yes it’s a saturated fat – but the notion that saturated fats are bad for you was dismissed years ago (you can read my article on saturated fats here). MCT oils are critical for your brain, liver, metabolism, skin and so much more – and also help prevent cardiovascular disease by clearing out blockages and the bad cholesterols. Yep – you read that right.

        As a minimum I suggest 3tbsp of omega 3 and 1 dessert spoon of MCT.

      3. Alkaline Minerals: I recommend getting a teaspoon of alkaline minerals in their bicarbonate form – magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium. A great product is Tri-Salts which you can get from iHerb.com (again, no affiliation) and I believe they deliver globally. Alternatively in the meantime look out for a multi that has these in there.

        Magnesium and potassium are especially important as a lot of people are deficient in these.

      4. Anti-Inflammatory: if you are combating fatigue, excess weight, immune system issues, skin conditions, foggy brain, low libido, digestive disorders or basically anything else – you could be suffering from inflammation. In fact, you likely are.

        Turmeric is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory I recommend. The compound in turmeric that is so powerful is called curcumin and you can get this in capsule form.

        I recommend looking for curcumin phytosome as it is reputed to be the most bioavailable. Again iHerb is the place to go and I have been using Jarrow Formulas and Now Foods products and both have been good. You can also use ginger and turmeric in any juice, smoothie or soup too!

      This is it really! That’s all I recommend. If you want to add more proceed with caution (especially for your wallet’s sake).

      Takeaway: Keep it simple with your supplements – greens, oils, minerals and if needed anti-inflammatories. Make sure the supplements are totally natural, organic, non-GMO and ideally an ethical company too.

      Make THIS the CORE of Your Diet & Lifestyle and Vitality & Energy are Literally Just Around the Corner…

      If you can stick with these five simple steps as your core framework for your new healthy lifestyle you’ll be going fantastically. Just doing these five:

      – adding the good in to crowd out the bad
      – properly hydrating
      – getting plenty of greens & juices
      – focusing on natural and not processed
      – supplementing wisely

      If you do put those at the core of your diet and lifestyle you will be feeling AMAZING and vibrant in no time. In fact from JUST the hydration tips most people see a big improvement.

      In my Alkaline Base Camp membership we focus a lot on sharing real-life tips on how to make this all real and come to life – and the suggestions on how to get more greens have come directly from my Alkaline Base Camp members and a discussion we had a couple of months ago.

      If you really want to get support and take this to the next level you can find out how to join the Alkaline Base Camp here.

      It’s a wonderful, supportive community – plus I deliver monthly Q&A calls, monthly new menu plans, recipes & shopping lists, monthly interviews with experts (last month was Ocean Robbins, John Gabriel was the month before – next month is Mastin Kipp, and should be followed by Kris Carr…) – plus of course I’m in the community too helping out, answering questions and a whole lot more.

      You can check it out here.

      And that’s a wrap…

      I hope you’re able to take these five steps and make it real.

      In the next few days I’ll be sending you my next guide which is on integrating more alkaline recipes into yours and your family’s daily life and a clear and actionable plan of action for that.

      Until then – stay energised and if you have any questions – please leave them in the comments below!
      Ross

      Sources, References & Other Notable Mentions

      Check out Dr Mercola’s article on fructose & sugar here – it’s really eye opening and well worth a read.

      GreenMedInfo have written a LOT about turmeric in the past, but this article is perhaps the best

      Josh Axe is one of my faves and he’s written some good extra info on saturated fats and coconut oil here – particularly about the fallacy that saturated fat is bad for your health.

      If you’re interested in the juices and blenders I mentioned: Hurom is the juicer brand I love and Vitamix is my choice of blender

      I learned about curcurmin phytosome (and lots of other stuff!) from the brilliant Ben Greenfield here – the article is called “How to Know if a Supplement is Safe” – worth checking out. I believe in spending more on less supplements and getting the best you can afford. This is something you’re putting into your body remember – you get what you pay for.

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    1. Maria Reply

      When you say oils and Omega 3 for flax. Mist the flax be consumed in oil form only? I have been adding flax and chia seeds to my green smoothie? Please advice. Tnx

    2. Terrie Adamson Reply

      What perfect timing for this notice and what encouragement. I work in a retirement home kitchen where I scoop and serve ice cream at lunch and dinner and can eat or take home any leftovers. Just had a set back. Felt absolutely misserable and achey all over. When will I learn. The key is exactly what you said. Keep the focus!!!
      Thanks Ross
      Terrie ????

      • ross Reply

        Hey Terrie – just keep on keeping on – and don’t be hard on yourself. Day by day…step by step…!

    3. Sandra Broyles Reply

      Hi….Question I have is what to have for breakfast? I normally have toast and coffee or
      cereal…..I will also have scrabbled eggs. I did have hepatitis at age 10 ….this was in 1950…
      not a whole lot was know at the time what caused it and no one else in the area had it….
      I’m doing fine now but I am concerned as I am getting older…74…at this time I have no
      health problems except over weight….I do not take any medicate except occasionally an
      Ibuprofen one 200mg…..I am very excited about what I have been reading and definitely
      want to try this program….Thank you Sandra

    4. Zarina Bouyer Reply

      Hello
      I am on lévotyroid medicine 100 can I stop n go to healthy alkaline eating instead ? The médicament is for hyperthyroïdie n it’s about 10 yrs I am on it ! I would love to stop taking but am not sure as my Doc says I needed it for a lifetime. Also can I take green tea( mint green tea n naturel onés too).

    5. Anise Reply

      Hi,
      I’ve been sticking to an alkaline diet but my energy is so depleted. Given, I’m on chemo and always will be (stage IV breast cancer with mets), but I’m so drained from the minute I wake up. Red meat and caffeine were my go tos, but I haven’t had either for a while and just keep feeling increasingly fatigued. I’m also underweight and Aenemic, So there’s that. I’m going to try and up my intake of greens, but perhaps you have some other suggestions? Thanks.

      • ross Reply

        Definitely up your intake of healthy fats – omega 3 and saturated fats from coconut oil. I’d definitely recommend having a fresh vegetable juice, with plenty of greens in it, daily too. You can still have a little red meat if you feel it’s needed, and lots of oily fish.

    6. jess Reply

      Hi there,
      Can you recommend one of the green powders you use? I was searching on Amazon and it’s just a bit overwhelming!

      TIA,
      Jess

      • ross Reply

        Hey Jess

        I’m a big big fan of Organifi right now. I haven’t always been the biggest fan of the spirulina – but overall this product is really impressing me both in terms of flavour and the benefits it’s bringing.

        Here’s some info about it

        Ross

      • ross Reply

        Hey Jess

        Yep

    7. Bente Petersen Reply

      Step 1. I laughed out loud… your advice is spot on and true how conscious and subconscious help us.
      Step 2. Means 3 liter for me – I am on 1 1/2 … your advice to go step by step increasing and your analogy makes sense… I can see how 3 liters can be done within maybe 4 weeks.
      Step 3. Greens… all good data…. one serving with every meal also breakfast with my scrambled eggs… perfect !!!!
      Step 4. yes avoid packaged stuff…
      Step 5. I want to tout green algaes from BIONUTRITION International ….
      Question What about Vit D3, KeM7 in Winter !!! sun is waving here in DK no power now for next 6 month… !!!! and what about B12 ?
      That is all for me
      Thanks Ross !!!!!

    8. Sara Reply

      Hi I’ve been following Dr D’iamos Blood Type Diet for a while now. It’s very similar to yours as it’s alkaline but there are a few things he suggests I should avoid for my blood type (A) – sweet potato, all coconut as just a couple. Could you help or advise me with this please? Look forward to hearing from you 🙂

    9. Suzanne Harmston Reply

      Hello Ross,
      My husband who loves walking, has been suffering terribly from gout. He has tablets to ease his pain, but he is still struggling after using them. He has always enjoyed a beer and wine, but, I have started him with your advice, on a more alkaline, green diet, smoothies and salads and avoiding yeast. I’m hoping to get his head around what is not good and good for him. Would you have any more advice about gout that would help him?
      Thanking You,
      Suzanne Harmston.
      Australia.

    10. Anne Bramley Reply

      Hi,
      thank you very much for all this very useful information. What about rye instead of wheat?

      • Anne Bramley Reply

        Just found the answer in the PDF (sorry about that!), it is not alkaline unfortunately 🙁

    11. Normajean Reply

      What to put on salads for a dressing, so confused. what do you recommend?

    12. Vaness Reply

      Can you please let me know if nutritional yeast is healthy to add to a vegan diet or not, I am a little confused about that?
      Thank you
      Vanessa 🙂

    13. Cynthia Reply

      So if grains are not on the “good ” list, what can take their place? Is brown rice a grain?

      • ross Reply

        Brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, chia are all fine and healthy. You are trying to mostly avoid wheat and other gluten containing grains.

    14. Pam Reply

      What are your top 7 alkaline foods?

    15. Christine Reply

      Hi Ross.

      Is almond milk acidic or alkaline. i would like to try it but i’m not sure if its good for me.

    16. Kerry McNally Reply

      Hi Ross,

      In your healthy fats section above you state ” I recommend taking an omega 3 supplement daily”. I came across a July 2013 article in the Australian Daily Mail which states “taking omega 3 fish oil supplements may increase the risk of agressive prostate cancer by 70%”. The link to the article is below. Do you have any more recent information on this?

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2359466/Taking-omega-3-fish-oil-supplements-increase-risk-aggressive-prostate-cancer-70.html

      Thanks and regards,

      Kerry McNally
      Sydney, Australia

    17. Sue Davies Reply

      love to hear your thoughts on kefir and its place (if any) in a healthy diet

      • ross Reply

        Hey Sue

        I think probiotic foods have a place in our diet as part of a bigger picture. My position on fermented/probiotic-rich foods is that they should be used when we need to rebuild gut bacteria. I don’t personally believe using them daily is a necessary part of good health.

        Probiotics effectively help ALL bacteria, good and bad, so if you’re currently in a position of having a bad bacterial imbalance you need to go through a weed/seed/feed process.

        Weed: stop the supply of foods that cause bacterial imbalance (or finish the course of antibiotics!) – for foods this is things like grains, sugar and processed foods

        Seed: once the bad stuff has been starved and cleared, THEN add the good bacterias in through FOODS rather than probiotic supplements: kefir, saurkraut, kimchee, kombucha and powdered potato starch (which is a strong PREbiotic).

        Feed: once the good bacteria has been replenished you can cut back on the above foods and maintain/grow your intake of fresh foods, raw foods etc that will naturally maintain your good bacteria/bad bacteria balance over time.

        Hope this helps!
        Ross

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