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About pH Balance

Potential hydrogen (pH) is a measurement of the amount of hydrogen ions in the body or in a solution. This measurement signifies the alkaline or acidic property of a solution. The more ions present in the solution, the more acidic the result is. Meanwhile, if there are few ions found in the solution, the pH is alkaline or base. The measurement procedure is based on a zero to fourteen scale, with zero most acidic and 14 most alkaline. Seven is the mid-range pH and is commonly regarded as normal pH.

  1. pH Balance

    • In our bodies, there are certain standard levels of acidity. The level of acidity affects the level of fat, disease and infections in the body. An ideal meal should only consist of 25% acidic and 75% alkaline properties for it to be healthy. The ideal pH level of the body is 6.4, and can be achieved with a proper diet.

    Blood pH

    • The pH level in our blood determines our health in terms of whether we contract diseases and how we age. The normal range of pH in our blood should be in a window of 7.35 to 7.45, which signifies that it has normal levels of oxygen in the blood. A decrease of pH in the blood, however slight, will result in lower levels of oxygen, and in turn will cause fluctuation in the organs and fluids, resulting in diseases or the acceleration of aging.

    Eating Habits

    • A proper diet can help balance or make the pH level normal. An average American meal can have an estimated 80-percent acidity, which can therefore affect our health drastically. This can intensify as we consume more and more processed and refined foods, which are acidic. The body reacts to this increased acidity by using up the electrolytes or nutrients in the body.

    Food Choice

    • There are certain types of foods that are acidic and others that are alkaline. Acid-forming foods include meat, poultry, food chemicals, refined sugar, fish and eggs. These foods are rich in protein. However, in order to balance the pH in our body, we need alkaline foods as well. Alkaline food groups include vegetables, fruits, herbs and sprouts.

    Effects

    • Having an altered pH level can cause serious illnesses. The body goes through drastic changes in order to maintain the pH balance of our blood. When the electrolytes run out, our body seeks these minerals from the organs. The result is an imbalance, causing irritable bowel syndrome or leaky gut syndrome. Furthermore, a pH imbalance may cause a weakened immune system, which can hinder the ability of the body to fight viral and bacterial infections.

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