Some of you may have heard that you’re too acidic. Even if no one has told you, the chances are you are already affected by excess acidity which can manifest itself in the form of fatigue, constant colds and low energy. But what does that really mean and what can you do about it? I’ll explain to you exactly what happens in your body and why long term acidity is dangerous. Are you too acidic? What It Means To Be Too Acidic As we have discussed before, the pH scale runs from 0 – 14. Anything below 7 is acidic and anything above 7 is alkaline, while 7 is neutral. The pH of your blood however has a very narrow pH range between 7.35 – 7.4, so it’s slightly alkaline. Your body functions best in this range. If your blood pH drops below 7.35, this is a condition known as acidosis which leads to your central nervous system being compromised. If your pH falls below 7 it can lead to a coma or even death. On the other hand if you blood pH rises to over 7.4 it can result in alkalosis. Severe cases can cause your body to become oversensitive, have muscle spasms and also death. So when someone tells you you’re too acidic, what they’re really mean is that the pH of your blood is too low and you need to raise the pH to avoid health complications. What Happens When Your Blood Is Acidic acidosis Remember your blood must maintain a narrow pH in order to survive. When the pH of your blood drops below 7.35 it needs to get it back in the optimal range. Your body has buffer systems to neutralise acids and bases. This buffer system uses phosphate ions from calcium phosphates stored in your bones and teeth. When there are not enough alkaline mineral reserves, your body will extract them from your skeletal structure to neutralise acid. Your body will do whatever it takes to keep the pH within this range but other areas of your body will suffer. Long-term, this can create weaker bones and lower muscle mass. When tissues become too acidic, they are more prone to inflammation and puts us at risk for more chronic health conditions. Your body is not the only area of concern. Mental illness is more common when you’re highly acidic. When your body is not properly balanced your brain function is affected. This makes you more susceptible to anxiety and depression. Being too acidic makes us weak physically, mentally, and emotionally. The Solution What you eat has a massive impact on your pH levels. Your body needs specific alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate to buffer the acid produced from your food and push your body towards an alkaline state. These can be found in abundance in the rainbow assortment of fresh vegetables and fruit. Consuming these foods will help your body utilise alkaline minerals derived from them to buffer the acid. Of course acidic food on the other hand, such as any processed food, meat and sugar, force your body to work harder to neutralise acid and if it doesn’t have enough alkaline reserves it will steal them from your bones. For more information about alkaline/acid food check out my previous post here. Water also plays a large factor as you’re drinking it every day. Our body is made of 75% water, therefore what we drink drastically affects our pH levels. Drinking a natural alkaline water supports your body’s need to flush out toxic waste and provides additional alkaline minerals. Make sure you’re consuming alkaline forming foods and drinking alkaline water on a regular basis. If you’re already doing this you’re well on your way to long term wellbeing. If not, there’s no better time than now! For more natural health tips visit our blog at: http://www.alkalife.com.au/blog
Related Articles -
acidic food, acidity, acidosis, alkalife, alkaline food, alkaline water, alkalinity, alkalosis, blood pH, blood pH acid, effects of acidity, what happ,
|