Hong Kong-based ultrarunner Janet Shum believes running is an easy way to boost a person's physical and mental state. By keeping herself healthy and in shape with the help of the alkaline diet, she encourages everyone to try the fun of jogging, and feel its effect that can make them happy.
"After running, you feel more happy [sic] because you are more energized," she said, per the South China Morning Post. Shum started as a casual jogger. She took it seriously when she joined her first full marathon, the Hong Kong's Standard Chartered Marathon in 2012.
Originally, Shum only wanted to help her nephew to be out his "mental funk" by jogging. However, he later quitted, but she continued running and turned it into her passion.
Shum also encourages her sad friends to run to boost their optimism and make them happy, although she admitted that it is hard to get them out of their homes. "It's only when you are half motivated and not sure if somebody wants to go with you, that is when the person might give it a go," she said.
To maintain her health and racing shape, Shum revealed she is training with a running club twice a week. It even includes tempo runs for cardio exercise. She also does three to four hours endurance runs on weekends, and joins competitions and major races.
Shum believes yoga helps to improve her performance. She does this practice four or five times a week. She also thinks deep breathing helps "generate a more alkaline body state," which she gets from Canadian Ironman Brendan Brazier's book "Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and in Life."
Shum has been in a vegetarian lifestyle for two decades. The book claims that the more vegetables a person eats the more balance its blood pH level will be. A person eating meat, on the other hand, generates a "more acidic state" that results in fatigue, agitation, and sleep problems, among others.
According to NBC News, the acid or alkaline of the food you take is said to have an impact on your health. Eating fruits, veggies, and seeds generate "body-wide alkalinity," while consuming meats, fish, grains, eggs, dairy, alcohol, coffee, and carbonated water are believed to be acid-forming foods.
Food produce organically is reportedly rich in alkaline as its soil is loaded with alkaline-forming compounds. Research revealed that cells optimally work when taking high-alkaline food. Doing it also has good benefits. It can maintain lean muscles mass in aging adults, reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, reduce back pain, and even has bone health advantages.
