Coming to The Farm Spa in San Benito, Philippines, was not an easy task!  I asked the Spa to arrange for car pick up at airport, but they got the dates mixed up so they were not there to meet me.  I took a regular taxi, but before I got in, I repeatedly asked the driver, “You definitely know where this place is, right?”  He said, “Yes, of course!”  Well, turns out that he knew how to get to Lipa City, which is where the Spa is located, but he had no clue where exactly it was.  It took one hour to get to Lipa City and another hour and 30 minutes to figure out where in Lipa City the Spa was located!  So I didn’t check into the Spa until 1:30 am.  By which time, I was exhausted, grumpy and extremely agitated — not a great way to start the spa experience.

In any event, next day, during breakfast, they gave me alkaline water to drink, and then they suggested that I take an alkaline bath at the spa followed by a body massage.  I think they knew that I was extremely agitated from last night, so they wanted to calm me down as quickly as possible.  Did the alkaline help?  YES!!  I felt so much better after that!

Why alkaline?  Many studies show that an alkaline-balanced body makes our cells healthy and this promotes the natural flow of oxygen in our body and improves energy and metabolism. It also contains antioxidant properties (anti-aging and anti-disease); cleanses the colon; rejuvenates the skin; and lubricates muscles and joints.  I’ve read that having too much acidic foods increases the chances of cancer.  Side effects associated with consuming foods that are too acidic include listlessness, depression, headaches, acne, dry skin, mood swings, poor digestion, brittle nails and hair, and sensitive gums.  Living in Asia for over 20 years, however, you learn that everything is about balance (Yin and Yang).  So you shouldn’t completely remove acidic foods from your diet, it is more about getting the balance right.  According to various studies, we should strive for a diet of 60-80% alkaline-forming foods and 20-40% acid-forming foods.

Most fruits and vegetables, soybeans and tofu, and some nuts, seeds, and legumes are alkaline-promoting foods.  Dairy, eggs, meat, most grains, and processed foods, like canned and packaged snacks and convenience foods, fall on the acid side.  Wine and caffeine are also acidic.

But my favorite alkaline drink is warm lemon water.  I’ve been drinking that every morning for the last 10 years.  I know you are thinking that lemons are acidic so why would I say it is my favorite alkaline drink, but it’s important to remember that fresh lemons are also anionic (meaning, once you drink the acidic lemon water, it will become alkaline as your body reacts with the lemons’ anions during the digestive process). It also has a lot of vitamin C, helps with weight loss and is good for our skin –how awesome is that?  Check out the link below.

http://liveenergized.com/alkaline-diet-resources/lemon-water-alkalising-superstar/