pH Balance
Indicated for conditions and symptoms related to dysregulation of the normal ph – acid alkaline balance.
excess acidity:
Low energy
chronic fatigue
aches and pains
cramps
Migraines
Memory and concentration difficulties-
Irascibility
Greasy, oily skin
Acne
Profuse sweating (for little effort)
Early morning bad breath
Difficult digestion
Waking up numerous times throughout the night-
Joint pain and arthritis
Thyroid problems
Candida and bacterial vaginosis
Osteoporosis (1) (3)
Since most of us tend toward an acidic pH level as a result of the acid/acid-forming foods and beverages featured in our diets such as meats, dairy, coffee and alcohol, help re-balance our pH levels by eliminating acidic toxins from our bodies.
Our natural physiological blood pH sits at about 7.2-7.4 and is carefully regulated by a range of intricate mechanisms in our body. The collective efforts of buffering agents such as hemoglobin in our blood system (an important transport protein that binds and carries oxygen through the blood to the lungs and tissues) and our powerful buffer systems (carbon dioxide-bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffer system and phosphate) help ensure that the desirable pH level is preserved in our bloodstream. Blood, the communicating agent governing our circulatory systems directly influences cellular processes in the body. Accordingly, the health of our blood is fundamental to a healthy body system and is regulated by and large by our pH level.
Acids, Bases and pH levels at the Atomic Level Important chemists such as Bronsted, Lowry and Lewis contributed to the development of working definitions for acids and bases that feature the processes of hydrogen ion/ proton (H+) transfer and electron transfer. Collectively, their interpretations suggest that acids are substances able to gain electrons and are equipped with a positively charged proton to donate to an accepting base, should conditions permit/ be conducive to the transfer. Conversely, bases are proton (H+) acceptors/ hydroxide (OH-) donors and electron donors.
Simply put, acids and bases act as chemical opposites. The strength of acids and bases play out in their ability to perform their respective roles in electron/ proton donation and acceptance. So, a strong acid (with a weaker affinity for its proton/H+) is more likely to donate this proton/ receive electrons than a weak acid. Similarly, strong bases have a stronger tendency to accept protons/ donate electrons than their weaker counterparts.
The pH scale is a way to conceptualize the relative pH values of different substances based on their determined acidity or alkalinity levels. The basic pH scale constructed below reveals that strong acidity and basicity measures are extreme points of reference on the scale that decrease as they approach neutrality centred at pH= 7.0.
Acidic —————– Neutral ————- Basic/Alkali
1.0 ———————- 7.0 ———————– 14.0
<<-- Increasing Acidity -------- Increasing Alkalinity -->>
Our natural physiological pH level of 7.2-7.4 that is represented figuratively above indicates that our bodies tend toward a slightly alkaline/basic pH for healthy function.
pH Relevance – Homeostasis = Balance. While the technicalities of acids, bases and pH levels at the molecular level of understanding can be quite complex, we are assured that these chemical dynamics are vital to healthy body functioning.
What we know so far:1. Acids and bases affect pH values.2. Steady pH levels (within the range of 7.2-7.4) are essential in our bloodstreams.3. Healthy blood is essential to healthy body function.
You are what you eat. We know how important a stable pH (acid/base) level is in our blood to maintaining health,so also is the blood pH: health relationship. Is there a way to measure / gauge pH levels in the body! Acidic and basic agents have the potential to modify our pH environment even with the effective control mechanisms that we have in place in our bodies. It is reasonable then that the foods and beverages that we consume, acidic and basic in nature, can influence our internal pH levels and profile our health status.
Examples of Acidic / Acid-forming Foods: Typically,- Meats- Dairy- Yeast-based foods- Grains- Refined, preserved and processed foods- Fats and oils- Some cooked foods- Beverages such as coffee, black tea, alcohol and sodas
Examples of Alkaline (Basic) Foods: Typically,- Vegetables- Some raw foods- Many citrus fruits- Sprouted seeds- Nuts- Mineral water- Spices and seasonings-
Herbs including: Green Tea Dandelion Tea Ginseng Tea Kombucha Tea
Acidic foods contain acidic minerals such as chlorine, fluorine, sulfur, iodine, silicon and phosphorus that degrade to acid ash in our bodies and can potentially lower our pH to a more acidic level. Conversely, alkaline foods with basic minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, copper and manganese degrade to basic residue and increase alkalinity/pH. Learning about our pH levels and of pH modifiers such as the foods and beverages that we consume on a daily basis is sensible. Equally, striving for a healthy balance of natural agents to realize the ideal alkaline pH is essential.
Symptoms and conditions related to excess acidity:- Low energy and chronic fatigue – Aches and pains, cramps- Migraines- Memory and concentration difficulties- Irascibility- Greasy, oily skin- Acne- Profuse sweating (for little effort)- Early morning bad breath, coated tongue- Difficult digestion- Waking up numerous times throughout the night- Joint pain and arthritis- Thyroid problems- Candida and bacterial vaginosis- Osteoporosis (1) (3)
Symptoms and conditions related to excess alkalinity:- Arthritis- Asthma- Allergies- Hypertension- Bursitis- Neuritis- Drowsiness- Sore Muscles
The intricate systems for maintaining a stable pH level in the body help explain the importance of pH in preventing ill health. Without healthy blood pH levels, excess acidity and basicity provoke long-term complications and are later reflected as chronic diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, allergies, hypertension and cancer. Further, chronic condition healing is contingent upon proper pH balance, further reinforcing the benefits of regular pH testing and of taking measures to help re-establish a healthy pH level in the body.
pH Specificity- Gender and pH Studies undertaken by researchers about female pH levels potentially influencing the gender of her offspring. The possible impact of female pH on baby gender is quite fascinating! Some researchers propose that vaginal pH creates an environment that is either favorable or unfavorable for male or female sperm endurance, Y and X chromosome respectively. Accordingly, depending on female vaginal pH (X and Y chromosome sperm) near conception, female or male sperm survive, and girl or boy babies are conceived.- If a woman’s PH level is predisposed to be highly acidic, she is more likely to have a girl. This is due to high acid levels killing off high numbers of male (Y Chromosome sperm) sperm, but leaving female (X Chromosome sperm) sperm unaffected.- If a woman’s PH level is predisposed to be highly alkaline, she is far more likely to have a boy. This is in large part due to the fact that high alkaline levels are harmful to female sperm, but harmless to male sperm. (2)The long and short of it: physiological pH invariably influences our health status. Remember, pH levels can have such a fundamental affect on our bodies, that a woman’s pH level can determine the gender of her offspring! So, like diet and exercise, pH levels should be carefully monitored and adjusted accordingly to meet our optimal health goals.
References:1. http://www.betterbones.com/alkalinebalance/2. http://www.pickthegenderofyourbaby.com3. http://www.balance-ph-diet.com/acidosis_symptom.html