Healthy Living Makes a Difference

While it sounds catchy, many people don’t start their day ready to “rise and shine”! Instead, many experience symptoms such as fatigue, low mood, bad breath, indigestion, constipation, joint pain and stiffness, bloating, water retention, and a desperate need for coffee! Holistic Pharmacist, Rosemarie Pierce, notes that these are all symptoms of a potential pH imbalance. She states that “recent studies have shown that maintaining a balanced internal pH can improve immune health, reduce inflammation, prevent degenerative disease and promote bone health.” She adds that optimal pH is necessary to properly detoxify and rejuvenate cells, as well as effectively increase energy levels, balance hormones, improve body composition and even boost exercise performance!

What is pH?

pH is a measure of the relative state of a fluid’s acidity/alkalinity. This is measured on a scale of 1 to 14 (7 being neutral). The lower the pH, the more acidic the fluid. The higher the pH, the more alkaline the fluid. Body pH is the key indicator of balance within the internal body fluids including: blood, urine, saliva, inter and intra-cellular fluids. These are required to be slightly alkaline to function efficiently. If pH shifts out of normal range, symptoms will occur.

How to Test your pH (Using pH paper)

Assess the pH of your first morning urine. Ideally, it will be between 6.6 (slightly acidic) and 7.4 (slightly alkaline). Anything consistently below a reading of 6.4 is of concern and likely indicates a chronic acid condition (i.e. acidosis).

Symptoms of Acidic pH

Lack of energy, recurring infections, weak immune system, mood swings, headaches/migraines, mouth ulcers, poor digestion and constipation, brittle hair and nails, dry skin, joint pain, muscle cramps, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, weight gain, inflammation, high blood pressure, infertility, kidney stones, etc.

What Produces Acidity?

While all bodily metabolic processes produce acid, lifestyle factors that contribute to over-acidity include: chronic stress, a low mineral and low fiber diet, poor digestion/absorption, over-exercise, inadequate sleep, alcohol/drugs/caffeine, diet high in acid-forming foods, toxic exposure, etc.

Over Acidity Can Indicate:

• Improper levels of: alkaline minerals/electrolytes (Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium), buffering agents (Citric, Acetic and Malic acid)
• Higher levels of free radicals and cell damage
• Lower levels of available oxygen to cells (up to 20x less)
• Toxic overload of acidic waste in cells/tissues and impaired detoxification

The body’s pH is a key indicator of our mineral reserves. If the diet does not supply enough alkaline minerals to buffer the acid load, the body seeks to balance itself and responds by leaching minerals from our muscles, bones, nerves and vital organs, potentially leading to osteoporosis, cavities, dry skin, brittle hair and fingernails, etc.

Remember: A Highly Mineralized Body Is More Disease Resistant!

Steps to Becoming More Alkaline

1. Focus on making alkaline-forming foods the majority of your diet, up to 80-90% if possible. Once optimal pH is attained, it can be maintained with less. Balance is key.
2. Limit acid-forming foods such as: animal products, refined/processed/fried ingredients, added and artificial sugars/sweeteners, caffeinated beverages, high-sodium foods, alcohol, soft drinks and tap water.
3. Focus on choosing fresh, organic, local, raw, unprocessed, whole, unrefined, mineral-rich, plant-based foods!
4. Consume fresh, juiced or powdered chlorophyll-rich green foods daily (i.e. prairie grasses, sea/cruciferous/leafy vegetables).
5. Supplement with alkalizing minerals (electrolytes) in citrate form.
6. Drink at least 2L of good quality, alkalized water per day, between meals.
7. Use natural cleaning agents and body care products.
8. Avoid toxins in food and environment as much as possible.
9. Manage stress and sleep with natural herbs, deep breathing and gentle exercise.
10. Support digestive health for proper absorption of nutrients and alkalinizing minerals. Consider enzymes with HCl, probiotics and gut repair nutrients if necessary.
11. Upon rising and 15-30 minutes prior to meals, drink the juice of half of an organic lemon in alkaline water.

Did You Know? Lemons are acidic when eaten, yet have a net alkalizing effect in the body!