pH 101: 10 Tips To Maintain Acid-Alkaline Balance Naturally

image

Doing this one simple thing will solve many of your nutritional worries. What you eat and how you live affects your acid alkaline balance.

Remember high school science class? Well, if you don’t, here’s a little refresher course. The body maintains a delicate acid-alkaline balance. Everything from healthy cells to cancer cells to soil quality and ocean life is affected by pH. The term pH stands for “potential hydrogen” which is the measure of hydrogen ions in a particular solution (don’t worry if you’re not science-savvy, I’ll make this easy to understand!). In our case, that “solution” refers to our body’s fluids and tissues.

The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is and ranges from 0 to 14. Seven is neutral. Below 7 becomes increasingly acidic, above 7 increasingly alkaline.

The Relationship Between pH & Your Health

Think of the standard American diet (SAD). Most folks are bathing their cells in an inflammatory acid bath multiple times per day with tons of sugar, processed foods, factory farmed animal products, etc. One of the biggest casualties of the SAD is the toll it takes on the body, especially the digestive system, liver, and kidneys. Inflammation, allergies, arthritis, skin problems, constipation, bowel issues, stress (physical & mental) and chronic disease LOVE this diet. Excess acidity also sets the stage for bad bacteria (like yeast and fungus) and even viruses that wreak havoc on our health.
Here are 10 tips to create that balance in your body

1.   Eat lots of powerfood fruits and vegetables.

This is the one thing you can do that can make all the difference by helping balance out the body.

  • Keep vegetables cut up in the fridge and have a big bowl of colorful fruit on your counter to snack on.
  • Eat salad with your lunch and dinner; keep a salad made up in advance with all of the greens in it minus salad dressing, cucumbers and tomatoes, which you can add later.

2.    Eat 80 percent alkaline foods, 20 percent acid foods by volume daily.

3.   Chew your food well.

Saliva is alkaline and you can produce two gallons a day!

4.   Drink 2-3 liters of pure water (not tap) per day.

Water alone can make all of the difference as many people are dehydrated keeping in all of the toxins which are acidic.

Normal water is basically balanced so if your body is every acid it is a slow process to neutralize it.  For example it takes over 30 glasses of water to balance out one glass of of coke which is very acid.  This is why many people use alkaline water which can directly alkalize the body faster and more efficiently.

5.   Breathe for more energy. Bodies function better with more oxygen. This will also help move the acids out of your body.  Learn to breathe deeply into your abdomen. The best place to do this is in a yoga class. So that you can concentrate on your breathing with no distractions, lay down on your bed and breathe into your abdomen deeply and gently. Practice doing this every day till you are doing it naturally all day every day.

6.   Avoid junk food as it is filled with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, artificial chemical substances and food coloring, which are all highly acid-forming.

Additionally, your body must work very hard in an effort to cleanse these toxins out.

7.   Find ways to create relaxation in your body and being.

Listen to the birds or relaxing music, meditate, walk in nature…do whatever it is that creates relaxation in you.

8.   Live in the light of the day.

We need sunlight. Go for walks, open your curtains and go to bed early enough to get up when the sun does.

9.   Get enough sleep as insufficient sleep causes the body and mind to be overworked and unhappy.

10.    Just because a food is acid-forming does not mean that it is bad!

It is not at all about excluding an entire family of foods or any foods – it is all about creating balance.

References:

kriscarr.com, youngandraw.com, iconperformanceonline.com

More By author

12 Unbelievable Health Benefits Of Capsicum or Bell Peppers

18 Collective Uses And Benefits Of Aloe Vera Juice

Nature Miracle: 8 Super Seeds With Powerful Health Benefits

jeery park
She is wife, mother and natural health advocate. After a number of close relatives got cancer, she left the corporate world to pursue their passion for health and wellness awareness. She brings a wealth of writing talent and a background in natural health. She enjoy reading and writing about all things related to exercise, nutrition, and healthy living.