Acid-Alkaline Balance
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The concept of acid/alkaline imbalance as the cause of disease is not new. Many experts have written books on the subject and how important this concept is in achieving good health. Let us define the terms acidity and alkalinity and get familiar with some basic chemistry. In terms of chemistry, when one talks about acidity or alkalinity, one is talking about hydrogen. An acid is a substance that releases hydrogen into a solution and an alkali removes hydrogen from a solution. The amount of free hydrogen is measured on a scale ranging from 1 to 14, called pH that denotes the exact level of acidity or alkalinity. A pH value below 7 is considered acid and above 7 alkaline. It is important to understand that we are not talking about stomach acid or the pH of the stomach. We are talking about the pH of the body's fluids and tissues. It is, therefore, vitally important that there is a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in the diet. The natural ratio in a normal healthy body is approximately 4 to 1 -- four parts alkaline to one part acid, or 80% to 20%. When such an ideal ratio is maintained, the body has a strong resistance against disease. Your body is also able to assimilate minerals and nutrients properly only when its pH is balanced. Therefore, you could be taking healthy nutrients and yet be unable to absorb or utilize if the pH is imbalanced. Many enzymes and chemical reactions in the body works best at a particular pH. A small change in pH can have a profound effect on body function.
Symptoms of over acidity or alkalinity When the blood is too acid, symptoms include drowsiness, cold sores, herpes, arthritis, rheumatic conditions, parasites, candida, insomnia, headaches and migraines, water retention, bladder infections, constipation or diarrhea, stress, cravings for certain foods, allergies, asthma, skin disorders of all types and gastric problems, cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen, weight gain and diabetes, bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones; immune deficiency, osteoporosis, weak and brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs, Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup. low energy and chronic fatigue, acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations and premature aging. There are many more ailments related to acidosis, but this gives you a general idea about the long reaching effects of excess acidity. Acidic conditions forces the body to borrow minerals—including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium—from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body. When the blood is too alkaline, symptoms include cramps, muscle spasms, irritability and hyper-excitability. Acute alkalosis may be caused by impaired kidney function, hyperventilation, and vomiting or gastric drainage. Because of the importance of the acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues, the body has a number of mechanisms for regulating this balance. Many body functions are involved in the regulation of acid-alkaline balance including respiration, excretion, digestion and cellular metabolism. One way that pH of the bloodstream is kept under tight control is by pumps in the cell membrane that cause hydrogen to enter or exit from the cell. Many of these pumps require phosphorus and magnesium to function so that micronutrient is a factor affecting acid-alkaline balance. It is generally acknowledged that the food that is eaten is a major source of acid and alkali for the body.
Test Your Body's Acidity or Alkalinity with pH Strips You can easily determine your pH balance by purchasing pH Test Strips (nitrazine paper). The paper changes color and indicates an acid or alkaline state. Best to take this test before eating, using two strips, one for saliva and the other for urine.
Urine pH The results of urine testing indicate how well your body is assimilating minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. If acid levels are too high, the body will not be able to excrete acid. It must either store the acid in body tissues (autotoxication) or buffer it—that is, borrow minerals from organs, bones, etc. in order to neutralize acidity.
Saliva pH The results of saliva testing indicate the activity of digestive enzymes in your body, especially in the liver and stomach. This reveals the flow of enzymes through your body and shows their effect on all the body systems.
Acid / Alkaline Food Chart Alkalis neutralize the acids. Therefore in the treatment of most diseases it is important that the patient's diet includes plenty of alkaline-ash foods to offset the effects of acid-forming foods. Alkaline-ash foods are those that contain large quantities of magnesium, calcium, potassium and/or sodium, minerals that form alkaline compounds. Most fruits and vegetables are considered alkaline. The exception would be plums, prunes, cranberries, rhubarb and sour cherries since they contain either oxalic or benzoic acid, and organic acids, which are not completely broken down in the body. Acid-ash foods are those that contain chloride, phosphorus, or sulphur, minerals that form acid compounds. These acid-ash foods include meat, fish, poultry, legumes and grains, which all contain high levels of phosphorus, while mustard and eggs contain sulphur. Individual digestion and metabolism also plays a role in determining whether a food leaves an acid or alkaline residue. For example, certain foods containing organic acids, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, which normally leave no acid residues, may be incompletely metabolized in some people and are acid-forming for these individuals. This is quite frequently the case where stomach acid is low or thyroid activity is subnormal. Metabolic and life style factors also affect the acidity of the body and the reactions of foods. Exercise will tend to make the body more alkaline, but if continued beyond a comfortable level it can become acid forming, as lactic acid levels build up.
There are a variety of ways you can start to re-balance your pH, including diet, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, herbs and supplements: MSM; increased potassium and phosphorus; Probiotic Eleven; pH Green Zone provides high-alkaline nutrition; Food enzymes; Anti-oxidants, such as Alpha lipoic acid; green tea extract, Olive leaf extract and Vitamin E. Zinc is necessary both for secretion of acid in the stomach and for excretion or retention of acid by the kidney. In addition, many other nutrients, the B vitamins as an example, are necessary to completely oxidize carbohydrates and fats. Adequate magnesium and phosphorus are necessary for cellular pumps.
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