By: Adekunjo Ahmed | From: Freelance Writer If you are not sure what pH is and how it relates to your body it might be a good idea to read this article. pH stands for the potential of Hydrogen and it is a scale used for measuring acidity and alkalinity. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, 7 being “neutral” and anything less than 7 is acidic. Battery acid is a good example of a chemical on the low end of the spectrum, and bleach or drain cleaner would be on the top of the scale.
For us humans, the ideal pH value for all tissues and fluids in the body (except for the stomach) is slightly alkaline and is within the range 7.35 and 7.45. If the pH is more or less than the values in this range then you really are asking for trouble. A body with an acidic pH influences the blood and makes it acidic, in turn, the blood tries to balance itself by taking alkaline forming elements from the enzymes in the small intestine to stay balanced. This increases the acidity of the small intestine and affects its ability to digest food optimally. As a result, the gallbladder, pancreas, and liver are forced to make up for this deficiency. This series of adjustments causes severe strain on your body and can cause fatigue, digestive problems, lowered immune function, and hormonal imbalances. When the body seeks alkalinity to correct pH, elements like calcium (which is an alkaline mineral) are leached from available sources in the body, usually from the bones. This will lead to reduced absorption of supplemental minerals and bone density problems. Numerous other problems like overproduction of insulin, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, poor metabolism, constipation, heartburn, frequent urination, hypoglycemia, sore muscles and other issues can occur. So what causes an imbalance in pH? The quick answer is a lot. Stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, environmental pollution, diet, and even the kind of water you drink. An easy way to begin to realign your pH is to drink lots of water, but not just any water. There are basically three different types of water you have access to on a daily basis. You have your standard tap or faucet water, bottled/purified water, and alkaline water. Unfortunately, the quality of tap water has deteriorated over the years, partially due to the increase in population, which is putting a strain on water supplies, and the aging of pipes and other delivery systems. Because of this it has become necessary to add chemicals like chlorine to the water supply to help kill bacteria. The addition of this chemical increases the acidity of tap water and reduces the pH value. If this is your source of drinking water, your pH level may be low. The other common option is the bottled/purified water. This is usually treated water stripped of, not only, the chemicals in tap water, but also the natural trace minerals that made water useful to the body due to the purification process. The better and the healthiest choice is alkaline water. It is pure, gentle and easily absorbed by our bodies. It is very effective in neutralizing the acid in the stomach and flushing the waste. Replacing your drinking water with alkaline water can help to correct your pH imbalance. Another effective way of improving pH balance in the body is by adjusting your diet. Avoiding over consumption of meats, alcohol, eggs, soft drinks, pasteurized milk and white sugars is recommended. Some nutritionists and dietitians also recommend adding more vegetables, ripe fruits, figs, raw milk, onions, bean sprouts, soybeans, beets and carrots to your diet. If you are not a fan of fruits and vegetables you may want to look into a fruit and vegetable juicer as juicing your vegetables and fruits can make it easier to consume and take less time to absorb these nutrients. Researchers have linked a healthy body pH level to better health and more energy. So if you have health problems and want to try a natural way to remediate your issues try balancing your bodies pH. After all, diseases and viruses thrive mostly in an acidic environment. By eliminating the environment, you eliminate the disease. |
Current News
|