Acid Vs. Alkaline in the Body
Your body’s alkaline and acid balance, also known as pH, can affect your overall well being. What affects body pH? All foods have the ability to change your body’s normal pH.
Your body's alkaline and acid balance, also known as pH, can affect your overall well being. What affects body pH? All foods have the ability to change your body's normal pH. The fluids and tissues do not stay in these fluctuating states of "too acidic" or "too alkaline" because the body is always striving toward balance. However, according to alive.com, imbalance and disease can set in when the body is daily dealing with too many acid-forming foods and too much stress.
Understanding pH
Water has a neutral pH of 7. Blood has a pH of 7.35 to 7.45, slightly alkaline. Your body fights hard to neutralize acids and maintain the proper pH in organs, tissues and body fluids. But it can only do that for so long before a condition known as acidosis occurs. You have to give the body what it needs, in the form of alkalizing fruits and vegetables, so that it can properly maintain the delicate acid base balance.
Stress and pH
Stress plays a role in altering the body's pH as well. When you're stressed, you breathe shallowly, failing to blow off carbon dioxide and allowing it to build up in your systems. The body must deal with this build-up, so it starts the process of balancing by breaking down the extra carbon dioxide. This is great, except if you eat a double-cheeseburger with fries and a soda for lunch. The body is so busy dealing with the acidic food load that the built-up carbon dioxide may have to wait. The result: an acidic internal environment.
Acid or Alkaline?
Dr. Robert Young says health depends on an internal alkaline environment. In his book, "The pH Miracle," Young discusses the importance of regulating your body's acid/alkaline chemistry and how it can result in weight loss, increased stamina and strength, and a stronger immune system.
In addition, Dr. T. Baroody Jr., in his book "Alkalize or Die," says a properly alkalized body plays a significant role in restoring and maintaining health. He writes, "Our glands and organs function properly in exact proportion to the amount of alkaline and acid levels in our system." Finding the balance between too acidic and too alkaline can be a challenge in today's stressful, fast-food society.
Eating for Balance
Maintaining a balance of 75 percent alkaline foods and 25 percent acidic foods is ideal. An easy way to accomplish this is to make fruits and vegetables the main part of each meal. Most fruits and vegetables are alkaline in nature. Some fruits, such as citrus, have an acidic pH outside of the body, but when consumed, leave an alkaline residue in the body after being metabolized.
De-Stressing for Balance
Eating the right foods is not the only way to maintain balance. According to an article on www.alive.com, deep breathing has a vital impact on the body's pH. Author Sam Graci says, "Oxygen rids your body of stale, acidic carbon dioxide." He suggests massage, meditation and yoga as well.
Finding balance in the areas of diet and lifestyle is critical to your body's overall health.