How an Acidic pH Can Impact Your Body and What You Can Do About It
7 minute read
Depending on who you ask, you will get different answers as to how important body pH is. Some experts believe it is very important to overall health, some say it is essential, and others would rather promote certain medications for all your illnesses rather than identify a potential cause.
With most people having a body pH that is too acidic and the high number of health issues we face today, it seems there is a true link after all.
The pH level in your body refers to the measurement of hydrogen ion concentration in your body. The scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH less than 7 is considered to be acidic and above 7 is alkaline. The ideal pH for the human body should lie between 7.30 and 7.45. An overly alkaline pH in the body can interfere with your immune system, and too much acid can cause a host of problems to be discussed below.
You can easily test your pH levels with litmus paper. Testing your urine or saliva every morning before eating or drinking anything will give you an accurate reading of your pH. If you find that you are too acidic, this could be the reason for certain health issues you may be facing.
In order for your body to function at optimal levels, the ideal pH range needs to be in place, so it is understandable if functions vary along with your changing pH.
How pH Impacts your Body
By understanding how pH impacts your body and your health, it becomes easier to avoid an acidic body and to bring your body back to optimal health and vitality.
Digestion
Excess acid in the body is the number one cause of digestive disorders such as acid reflux, heartburn, and gastrointestinal discomfort. When there is more acid present than alkaline minerals along your intestines, the pancreas becomes overworked as critical enzymes are missing.
Once your pancreas is tired, it is unable to efficiently tell your body what to do with the foods you consume. As a result, you end up with inflammation as the digestive organs become confused and unable to perform their functions.
Immunity
Acidic environments are the ideal breeding grounds for pathogens, whereas alkaline environments inhibit pathogen activity. The pH of your body will dictate whether harmful pathogens in your body become active or remain dormant, so maintaining the right pH balance is essential to your body’s ability to effectively protect you from infection.
Circulation
While fats get most of the blame, acidity is actually a significant player in heart disease. Healthy fats are necessary for promoting heart health as they can heal inflammation associated with arterial plaques.
Arterial damage as a result of fatty plaque buildup causes inflammation, which is a direct result of too much acid in the body. Your blood vessels respond to acidity by lining themselves with fatty plaques, and these contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Reducing your body pH, will allow blood vessels to heal with the help of healthy fats in your diet, and can protect you from heart disease.
Respiration
When your tissues and organs become flooded with acidity, the transport of oxygen is disrupted. This means that your cells are not able to breathe, and carbon dioxide can build up, causing cells and tissues to essentially choke.
Too much acid can also cause mucus to accumulate in your respiratory airways, and this can lead to bronchitis, colds, and other respiratory issues.
Skeletal
Arthritis is linked to chronic inflammation, and the two most common types of arthritis, rheumatoid, and osteoarthritis are linked to high acidity levels in the body.
Accumulated acid damages cartilage and causes dryness to the joint areas, leading to excessive inflammation. Uric acid can also build up in the joints and form crystals, which severely affects movement and can cause a lot of pain. Reducing acidity levels is one of the best ways to prevent arthritis and skeletal issues, and certainly can help relieve pain if you already have these conditions.
Muscles
Acidity in your muscles disrupts your metabolism, which means your muscles perform poorly. Your muscles prefer slightly alkaline condition for optimal function, so it is important to keep acid levels low in order to keep your muscles strong and healthy.
What You Need to Know to Improve Your pH
Understanding how acidity affects the body is only part of the problem; you also need to know what to eat to correct this. The foods listed below are the most common acidic and alkaline foods we eat, so you can be sure to add enough alkaline foods to prevent acidity.
Be sure to get the right mixture of both categories because a pH that is too low or too high will be a problem. You need to get a range that is just right.
Acidic Foods
♦ Carbonated beverages and energy drinks
♦ Popcorn
♦ Cheese and cream cheese
♦ Pork and beef (red meats in general)
♦ Beer and wine
♦ Pasta
♦ Oats
♦ White bread and pastries
♦ Sweetened fruit juices
♦ Wheat
♦ Peanuts, nuts and roasted nuts
♦ Soy milk
♦ Barley
♦ Black tea
| Related: How Probiotics Can Help Alkalize Your Body |
Alkaline Foods
♦ Tap water or spring water (even sea water if you want)
♦ Apples, blueberries, lemons, grapes, strawberries, bananas, and kiwi
♦ Mushrooms, olives, avocados, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts
♦ Seaweed
♦ Soybeans
♦ Wild rice
♦ Sweet potatoes
♦ Kale and collard greens
♦ Almonds
♦ Green tea
The Bottom Line
Your pH level is important to your health as it impacts every system in your body. Without the right pH system, body functions can fail, and your body will not be able to perform as required.
Simple dietary changes can help prevent this and can allow you to maintain optimal pH levels. A neutral pH is key to balancing all the systems in your body and will help you achieve optimal health.
