Acid-alkaline balance, or pH, is a widely discussed topic in the natural health and medical media today due to mineral, vitamin and oxygen deficiencies. However, there remains a great deal of misunderstanding and misinformation about both the facts and importance of pH level, including how it is best measured. The following information is intended to provide you with the technical understanding necessary to assess and evaluate the remarkable new method of testing your own pH balance.
pH 101
As you know, the Potential of Hydrogen (pH) in relation to the body means the body’s internal environment in terms of acids and alkalines. On the pH measurement scale neutral is number 7. Acids have a lower number and alkalines a higher number. Even though research about how diet affects body pH dates back as far as 1914, it’s only recently that we’ve begun to seriously consider the fact that long term health is favorably influenced by a pH of neutral or slightly alkaline.
Acid-Alkaline Balance (equilibrium)
Human life and the health of the body depend on the maintenance of its organs and internal environment. That’s why the body has internal monitoring systems in place. For example, the body’s temperature, hormones, water, electrolytes (specific minerals), and acidity and alkalinity are closely linked to each other and influenced by each other. Ideally, the monitoring system keeps the internal environment within a range that enables the body to function in a healthy way. The metabolic process constantly produces acids. For example, uric acid is a by product of protein metabolism. However, it is vital that hydrogen-ion-concentration, the acidity characterized by the pH value, does not deviate from the normal range. Even small deviances outside of the normal range, including a healthy pH range, can result in health problems.
The regulation of pH takes place in mainly three ways: through buffering, breathing, and well functioning kidneys. Most people, unfortunately, pay little attention to bodily functions and seldom consider their pH balance when making their food choices. The onset of one or more of the several chronic diseases prevalent today then is often met with surprise. Even young people are affected today, despite what parents believe is a good diet and lifestyle.
It is important to realize that chronic diseases, that is disease that develops over time, develop first and foremost when the body’s pH regulatory mechanisms are over burdened, resulting in drastic imbalance and dis-ease.
Enzymes
Special protein molecules called enzymes are like spark plugs for every chemical process in the body. The entire metabolic process of a living organism, such as a human body, is dependent on effective enzymes. For enzymes to be effective they depend on hydrogen-ion-concentration. In other words, enzymes develop their optimum effectiveness at a certain pH value and are quite sensitive to changes of pH in the body.
We can optimize the effectiveness of enzymes by ensuring a proper pH measurement. One way we can influence this relationship is through food choices.
Acid-Alkaline Diet
While many people simply don’t worry about their diet and their acid-alkaline balance, others become obsessed and blame all physical ailments on acidity and avoid what they call “acidic” food. The truth probably lies somewhere in between not caring and caring too much and in either case, the topic of acidity and alkalinity can be confusing.
Understanding Over-Acidity
The main source of confusion in discussions about acidity in the body is the difference between extracellular (outside the cell) and intracellular (inside the cell) fluids. Body tissues have different pH values for optimal functioning while fluids have different optimal ranges.
Over-acidification usually correlates with blood pH values. To keep the blood’s pH value within the normal balanced range, alkaloids may be withdrawn from the tissue or may even be extracted from bone. Only when the pH values of the blood go beyond the standard range will a compensation mechanism involving respiration takeover.
When the body is in a state of over-acidification, metabolism takes place in less than favorable conditions. This puts a strong burden on many of the body’s organs, such as the kidneys, liver and skin.
One way the body attempts to keep the blood pH value consistent is to temporarily deposit any surplus non-volatile mineral acids into the connective tissue during the night.
This procedure is influenced by the bio-rhythm of the liver (which is why people who work a night shift are more negatively affected due to the upset of their natural bio-rhythm).
Symptoms of Over-Acidity
Over time excess acid can develop into exhaustion of the buffering capacity of both the blood and tissue, resulting in metabolic disturbances that may lead to a number of complaints. Initially, one may experience one or a combination of the following:
 |
sleep disturbances |
|
hair loss |
|
dental caries |
|
irritability |
|
periodontosis |
|
racing heart |
|
heart rhythm disturbances |
|
skin blemishes |
|
constipation |
|
depression |
|
muscle cramps |
|
cellulite |
|
allergies |
|
intervertbral disk pain |
|
sour burping |
Advanced metabolic disturbances caused by long term acid excess may result in:
|
rheumatism |
|
gout |
|
stroke |
|
cardiac infarct |
|
ulcers |
|
diabetes and other chronic diseases |
Reversing over-acidification involves a holistic view of the body with changes to both diet and lifestyle.
Causes of Over-Acidity
|
A deficiency of vitamins, minerals and trace elements will result in a low pH value. |
|
Lack of exercise leads to insufficient oxygen supply in the tissue resulting in lack of body cleansing. Without sufficient removal of combustion water carbon dioxide, lactic acid and other metabolic waste, pH values are lowered. |
|
Extreme sport activities or excessive physical demands lead to oxygen deficiency, which results in a significant rise of lactic acid, leading to low pH values in tissue. The pH level will become even more acidic if minerals lost through sweating are not replaced. |
|
Lack of calories, hunger and fasting can lead to ketone acidosis. |
|
Insufficient protein intake promotes acidity. |
|
Nutrient imbalance such as that caused by eating too much meat, refined white flour, sweet foods, alcohol and coffee will lead to over-acidity. |
|
Too much stress, which is connected with shallow breathing, the release of stress hormones and constriction of the blood vessels, causes acidity. |
|
Unhealthy lifestyle including smoking and alcohol intake leads to acidity. |
| |
|
Ongoing efforts to transition to a natural, healthy diet along with regular, moderate exercise will, in most cases, eliminate over-acidity, provided chronic organ dysfunction is not a factor.
Measuring Acidity and Alkalinity
Determining the pH value of the body is possible. However, standard acid levels vary in different areas of the body. For example the normal pH in the intestines is 8, while the stomach is 1.2.
Until recently, the common pH measurement methods included: blood testing, which measures pH between 7.35 and 7.45; saliva testing, which measures from 6.35 and 6.85; and urine testing for a measurement between 4.8 and 8. If a laboratory does the urine test it is quite precise; however the self-tests using litmus paper strips often result in unreliable readings since so many factors affect urine pH throughout the day.
Some of the main categories of factors that affect urine pH include: excessive or prolonged exercise, disease, drugs, dehydration and diet. The result is a body that is required to excrete a certain amount of acid each day. For example, excessive
exercise generates lactic acid, which is excreted in the urine, in turn lowering the
pH of the urine. Therefore a urine measurement is not a true reflection of the state of the overall body.
Another example of why the self-test using urine is not accurate is the timing of the last meal. The typical Western diet includes food rich in animal protein, refined and processed foods, fast foods, white sugar and flour, coffee, soda pop and alcohol. Chronic disease, such as diabetes, is associated with increased acid production, such as may deplete one’s water volume, which stimulates a reflex mechanism for the kidneys to conserve water and excrete acid.
|
|
