Diabetes is a serious condition. Fortunately, proper self-care can go a long way in managing it. In addition to proper eating and exercise, a holistic approach might include natural supplements and mind/body techniques.

Alkaline foods are beneficial for the body’s pH level because they help neutralize acidity in cells. These foods also keep the pH level around the optimal level of 7.4, which is beneficial for the body’s functions. If the body’s cells become acidic, the cells will begin to deteriorate. Alkaline foods help the body maintain high energy levels while promoting weight loss. Alkaline foods also produce mental clarity, help the body detoxify and maintain a healthy heart.

If you have problems with your kidneys, you probably need to alter your diet. Because your kidneys have decreased functionality, you may not be able to process the same kinds of foods you could prior to having kidney disease. By changing your diet, you can help ensure that your kidneys are not overly taxed by the foods you eat—one positive thing you can do to slow the progress of kidney disease or degeneration.

While some foods are obviously less healthy than others, even healthy foods can come in tiers. The following ten foods are at the top of the list of healthy foods, as they are full of nutrients and they also may help fight off disease and other effects of aging.

Fad diets come and go, one that sticks around is detoxing. Detoxing the body is cutting out unhealthy parts of a diet and replacing it with certain foods to remove all excess, harmful waste from the body. Many celebrities use it to shed pounds quickly, others use it to start a fresh life with whole, organic foods. One type of popular detoxification is detoxing the liver. However, there are many risks with any type of detoxing, especially of the liver.

According to the American Heart Association, one out of every three U.S. adults suffers from high blood pressure (hypertension). Also known as the silent killer because it often displays no symptoms, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, and heart and kidney failure. Though there are medications available to treat high blood pressure, these are often not necessary; in fact, simple lifestyle changes are all that are needed to lower blood pressure and keep it in check.