Understanding Your Body’s ‘pH’
First things first: body pH is vitally important to your health! That’s why we hear so much talk about ‘acidity’ and ‘alkalizing.’ These things matter.
So what is pH?
pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution–as in the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The scale ranges from extemely acidic (a pH of 0 and lower) to extremely basic or alkaline (a pH of 14). If a solution has a pH of 7, it is considered neutral. Pure water, for example, has a pH of 7.0.
The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that the difference in one pH unit–say from 6.0 to 7.0–represents a solution that is actually 10 times more alkaline. (This is similar to the Rickter scale which measures earthquake magnitude–an earthquake of 4.0 is 10 times stronger than one of 3.0.)
Great! Now that we have a basic (pardon the pun!) understanding of pH, let’s look at how pH is regulated in the body.
Body pH is a measure of certain fluids of the body. A healthy pH for these fluids is: 7.4 for blood, 7.0 for saliva, and 6.0 for urine. Because the body seeks homeostasis, it tries to maintain healthy pH levels.
However, if you partake of the standard North American diet (high levels of sugar, processed foods, and protein from dairy and meat), your pH values are definitely lower–toward the acidic side.
So what, you might be saying! Well the ’so what’ is worth your investigation. Did you know that many diseases actually prefer an acidic environment? Cancer, bacterial infection, diabetes, and fatigue are all associated with a low pH. Further, low body pH creates a hospitable environment for colds and flu, promotes heart disease, as well as creating sensitivities to foods and common allergens. Some of the extreme pH advocates suggest that ALL disease has a component of pH imbalance.
Does everyone agree?
The notion of body pH is still pretty new and there are many who immediately discount its importance.
Critique: Our stomachs use acid to digest and, therefore, whatever we eat becomes acidic in our body.
Our response: Not true. When food mixes with our digestive juices and nutrients are absorbed, what remains is similar to ash from a fire. It is the ash from digestion that dictates if a food is acid or alkaline forming, and contributes to our pH level. And every food does not turn into acidic ash!
Critique: The body can compensate for the fluctuations in pH.
Our response: This is partly true. The body does seek to maintain balance and has ways to manage acid load. However, neutralization comes at a cost. Calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, glutamine, and magnesium are stripped from our bones and muscles in the body’s attempt to maintain homeostasis.
For example, when we drink a glass of milk, the body leaches calcium from the bones during digestion in order to offset the acidity. Surprising, isn’t it! As such, drinking milk is actually a poor way of obtaining usable calcium (opposite to what the dairy industry would have us believe!). Did you know that though North Americans are some of the largest consumers of dairy, we also have one of the highest instances of osteoporosis in the world? The acidifying effects of dairy are eating up our calcium during the digestive process creating brittle, fragile bones. Calcium is better obtained through other sources!
So what exactly affects my pH?
Body pH is affected by the food you eat, emotional stress, as well as environmental toxins and pollutants.
How do I know what foods are acidic and what foods are alkaline?
Acid Forming:
- Animal products including meat, dairy and fats
- Sugars, preservatives and food chemicals (i.e. artificial sweeteners, colors flavors, fillers, thickeners)
- Most grains, nuts and fruit (because of high sugar content)
Alkaline Forming:
- Most vegetables (exception: potatoes)
- Some fruits (lemons, limes, tomatoes, avocados, sour cherries, coconut, grapefruit)
- Almonds (best if soaked for an hour or more prior to eating)
How do I promote alkalinity in my body?
- Eat more plants! In general plants are alkalizing and still contain good amounts of protein, as well as a wealth of nutrients and minerals not present in animal products…all without the cholesterol!
- Drink lots of water. Balance the pH in your water by adding lemon or baking soda. Or if you have some money to spend, invest in a reverse osmosis water filtration system which removes impurities that contribute to disease and fatigue.
- Reduce stress in your life through meditation, friendship and laughing.
- Eliminate household products that add to your toxic load. Go green. Use natural cleaners and do away with those intense fragrances that mask smells and damage health.
- Interestingly, though a lemon seems like an acidic fruit, the ash it produces in the body is, in fact, alkaline. Take advantage of the lemon! Add it to water, squeeze it on salad or fish, juice it with a handful of carrots. Delicious!
*Resources: The Ultimate pH Solution: Balance Your Body Chemistry to Prevent Disease and Lose Weight by Michelle Schoffro Cook
