London, Feb 17 (IANS): International celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Miranda Kerr are big fans of the alkaline diet. It can bring in a “positive change” in people's life, says an expert.

“Our bodies are naturally alkaline, but our eating and drinking habits and the stress we endure, creates acidity. This can stress the body and cause weight gain, lethargy, bloating, bad skin, concentration problems and all manner of other complaints," said Ilona Wesle, an expert nutritionist.

“Our hardworking, long-hours culture is a contributing factor to acidity as well. Stress and tiredness can actually cause acidity in the body. Hence, eating a diet that combines both some acid and more alkaline - a 20/80 split, ideally - has endless benefits,” femalefirst.co.uk quoted Wesle as saying.

Acidic food and drink items are a key cause. Check on your consumption of coffee, alcohol, processed foods, sugar, salt, dairy and too much red meat to keep acidity away.

* Symptoms of an acidic diet: Digestive problems, ulcers, dull hair and split ends, weak nails, dental problems, fatigue, headaches, low body temperature, nervousness and even depression as some of the major side effects.

* How to alkalise diet: Introduce a greater concentration of fruit and vegetables to your diet, especially broccoli, fennel, kale, beetroot, lemon, grapefruit and dates. Alkaline foods take the least effort for the body to digest, which frees up the body to do more important healing work. The benefits of eating alkaline are countless, but some of the best payoffs are: mental alertness, clear and springy skin, fewer colds and bugs, sleeping deeply, good digestion, stronger bones, deeper energy reserves, and sustainable weight loss.