We know how vital it is to maintain a balanced pH in our body, for our good health.
And we also know that our body pH should be between 7.3 to 7.4. The key to good health is to make an informed choice by knowing about the important facts like balanced pH and how it affects our body.
What is Acid-base imbalance?
When the level of acid builds up in our body it makes the blood more acidic. Our kidneys are responsible for maintaining the pH balance and also the electrolyte level. But in order to maintain this pH balance, it will use vital minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. It then starts to deplete minerals from our cells, tissues, organs and bones, which leads to the weakening of cells tissues, organs, and bones and also reduces their ability to effectively remove toxins, wastes or oxygenate. This will build up toxins in our body. This compels our body to work harder to maintain the pH balance. Due to this, our kidneys will excrete more minerals via urine. Even when you check the pH of saliva or urine with the pH tester you will not find anything wrong. But internally your body is constantly fighting a tough battle. All of this leads to what is called Acid-base imbalance in which our body becomes acidic in nature.
An acid-base imbalance is very dangerous for our body as an acidic body is like a breeding ground for diseases just like dirty standing water is a fertile ground for mosquitoes to breed.
An acid-base imbalance leads to :
Rigid and dry tissues
Hardened arteries
Hypertension
Arthritis
Gout
Kidney stones
Anxiety and insomnia
Osteoporosis
Skin disease and infections
Higher risk of cancer
Causes of acid-base imbalance ?
Consumption of :
Alcohol
Diary products
Medical Drugs
Low-nutrition food
GMO food - corn & soy
Excessive Sugar
High amounts of processed and refined food
Artificial sweetener, colouring and preservatives
Excessive meat
Processed and refined oil
Gluten
Coffee & tea
Overuse of antibodies
Smoking
Kidney disease or malfunction
Underachieving digestive system
Poor gut health
Inadequate intake of potassium, calcium, magnesium and other minerals
Low consumption of fiber
Sedentary lifestyle
Air and water pollution
Elevated stress level & negative emotions
No proper sleep
Not chewing your food enough or eating fast.
Pesticides and herbicides in non-organic food
Constipation
Exposure of chemical or radiation
Obesity or overweight
On the other hand, if alkalinity is on the higher side or is imbalanced, then we would experience :
Tissue deterioration
Hallucination and lethargy
Mental instability.
How do we maintain the pH balance in our body?
Lower intake of acidic food - Apart from the foods mentioned above, that need to be avoided, there are other foods that are acidic in nature but nutritionally very rich and which can be consumed moderately. For example- eggs, lentils, legumes, oats, brown rice and whole grains. Some foods are acidic in nature but have the opposite effect when consumed, for example, lemon. Whereas meat is alkaline but when consumed it produces acid in our body.
Consume an alkaline diet - include lots of green in your diet on a daily basis. It is particularly important to consume organically grown food as they help in alkalising the body.
Some of the alkaline recommendations which should be on your plate on a daily basis are :
Cucumber
Tomatoes,
Broccoli,
Green beans
Radish
Zucchini
Cabbage.
Other healthy fats like virgin olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds, organic butter
Fruits like grapes, citrus fruits.
Other food items like lima beans, navy beans and other beans
Superfoods like spirulina, apple cider vinegar, seaweed, oregano and garlic ginger.
Hydrate with alkaline water - Yes, the pH of water that you usually drink straight out of the tap drink is below 6.5 and quite acidic, unlike bottled water which is neutral. But it is best if our drinking water is alkaline in nature. How do we make water alkaline?
The ideal way to overcome the problem is to add pH drops or add baking soda.
The RO water we drink has pH value lower than 7 which is again difficult to measure with the ordinary pH strip or tester. An easy and convenient way out is to use a copper bottle or an alkaliser bottle, in which you can leave the RO water for 30 minutes to make it alkaline.
Lower the dependence on lifestyle drugs - various medications, chemicals, toxins, and pollutants can upset the pH balance. Alcohol, caffeine, opioids, sedatives, aspirins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and many more such medicines spike up the acid level. We have to work with our doctor and nutritionist to identify the root cause of a certain health condition that may be forcing you to be dependent on the drug for a long time.
Oxygenate - oxygen is required to burn the nutrients we consume. When there is an inadequate amount of oxygen in your blood, it leads to a lower absorption level of nutrients. This leads to acid build-up and acid-base imbalance. Doing pranayama helps to increase the oxygen levels to help the body alkalize itself.
Improve your digestive system - any food which we do not eat properly leads to acid build-up. Firstly, we have to make sure we chew our food well and not eat fast as the digestion mechanism begins to act as the food is chewed. Also, we should be eating the most nutritious and organic/high-quality food. Plant enzymes that are embedded in organic fruits and vegetables help to stimulate hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Higher hydrochloric acid in the stomach means better digestion. These plant enzymes can also be supplemented.
Lower stress - Our nervous system is made up of two branches- sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system activates more acid in our body when we are stressed. The parasympathetic nervous system helps in de-stressing our body by alkalising the body. In order to keep your parasympathetic nervous system active, you can listen to music, meditate, practise pranayama, yoga, do regular exercise, all of which act as natural supplements.
Benefits of balanced pH.
Reduces inflammation
Protects our body from heart disease
Prevents the formation of kidney stones
Ensuring stronger bone density
Prevents calcium buildup
Prevents damage to our cells, tissues, organs and bones
Relieve back pain and joint pain.
Protects from vitamin D deficiency
Overall good health
As we can see, maintaining a balanced pH is one of the most important ways to lead a healthy life. These are powerful changes to our lifestyle which will yield long term positive results.
All of these interventions work best as sustainable solutions to maintain body pH, and therefore good health if it is done with the help of a health practitioner or a nutritionist.
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