Alkalinity
Is Equal to
Good Health!
Is Equal to
Good Health!
21
SEPTEMBER, 2016
Our body is a complex system that depends heavily on proper balance to be a healthy body. One of these basic systems is the acid-alkaline balance. Did we put much attention on this 50 years ago? No, we didn’t and for various reasons. But modern life with all its stress, accelerated growth, its modernized & less natural approach, has thrown us somewhat off balance, making us easily more acid or sour! When unattended this acidity leads over time to inflammation – and inflammation is at the root of many modern or chronic illnesses! The good news is that water in general is an excellent carrier to re-establish balance, since our body consists 75-80% of water. So let’s learn some more about acidity and alkalinity, and how to turn the scale more towards Alkalinity.
All physical-chemical regulations in the body are strongly influenced by the interaction of acids and bases (alkalines) and is referred to as the acid-alkaline balance. This acid-bases household regulates all vital systems, such as respiration, circulation, digestion, secretion, the body’s defense system, hormone production, and so much more. Nearly all of these processes work only well if there is a specific pH value in the fluids of our body, or a specific limited range.
Measuring pH Levels
The pH value measures the level of the acid and base substances, which are soluble in water. A pH value of 7 is neutral. All measures below 7 indicate an acid environment, all values above that of an alkaline one. As the blood of human beings has a pH value of about 7.37 until 7.45, we are considered more “alkaline” than acid. Nevertheless, acids too are important for us, but majorly in the stomach (to kill all kinds of possible bacteria or microorganisms), and in the intestines. Both the small and large intestines are mostly acidic, with a few segments being alkaline – needed to properly digest foods. But the rest of our fluids (blood, lymph, and cellular contents) are all alkaline.
Modern Nutrition & its Lack of Nutrients
Unfortunately, the usual modern nutrition supports a lower pH value than 7. Foods and drinks like red meats, sausage products, all sodas, sugar in all forms, deep fried, alcohol, coffee, white flour bread and pasta, most cheese, etc. all support a low pH value. Alkaline forming products are usually foods which contain minerals like fresh vegetables, salads, beans, whole grains, sprouts, certain fruits and herbal teas. Beyond nutrition and diet research shows that stress is meanwhile a major contributor to acidity in life and the same is true for negative feelings and thoughts, like fear, anger or frustration. It constricts the capillary system which leads to a lack of oxygen which leads in turn to an acid reaction in the body. One becomes literally ‘acid’ or ‘sour.’
This overdoses of acids is happening in our environment too. Nature suffers under too much CO2, acid rain, waste products of the chemical industry, and so on. Over fertilization, breeding, and genetic changes have additionally led to a point where plants can hardly absorb and build up ingredients. A study of the UNO in 1992(!) showed a dramatic decrease of available minerals and trace minerals in the soil of all continents. It explains in a different way why organic agriculture & organic produce is so important for our health.
An old tree suffering environmental damage.
How do we eliminate acids in our body?
Besides the lungs, the liver, the intestines, and the skin, the most important organ is our kidney to eliminate too many acids in our body. Therefore, the urine of a person is often measured in regards to its pH value. It can vary between pH values of 4, when someone is sick, or up to about 8 when measured in healthy babies. While doctors recommend that the first morning reading of urine is the most important one, it still has a downfall. Essentially, this test says more about how well the kidneys work, than how acid/alkaline the cellular contents of your cells, blood, lymph and bones are. Unfortunately, it is more complicated than this.
The body’s defense against acids
Besides the lungs, the liver, the intestines, and the skin, the most important organ is our kidney to eliminate too many acids in our body. Therefore, the urine of a person is often measured in regards to its pH value. It can vary between pH values of 4, when someone is sick, or up to about 8 when measured in healthy babies. While doctors recommend that the first morning reading of urine is the most important one, it still has a downfall. Essentially, this test says more about how well the kidneys work, than how acid/alkaline the cellular contents of your cells, blood, lymph and bones are. Unfortunately, it is more complicated than this.
Additionally, there is a solid amount of Italian & Japanese medical research available demonstrating a link between acidity and its effect on cancer. Dr. Keiichi Morishita, director of the Ochanomizu Clinic in Japan and the head of the International Natural Medicine Association, explains in his book, The Hidden Truth of Cancer, that when the blood starts to become acidic, the body will begin to deposit acidic substances, usually toxins, into cells to allow the blood to remain slightly alkaline.
These deposits cause the cells to become even more acidic and toxic, which results in a decrease in their oxygen levels (hypoxia); destruction of respiratory enzymes and DNA damage. The decrease of oxygen levels and the DNA damage can make the cells become ‘abnormal,’ meaning they start to “grow indefinitely and without order,” turning them into cancer cells. It is well worth to note that acidic environments are also allowing for pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses and yeasts, to thrive!
“Overall good health starts with the correct acid-alkaline balance in your body.”
How do you know if you are overly acid?
When it comes to nutrition and proper acid-alkaline balance, the rule of thumb is to eat & drink about 80% alkaline foods versus 20% acid-forming foods. So by simply observing what you’re eating & drinking, you can get a good sense how you are doing. If your diet is less than 50% alkaline and you have some continuous stress or worries in your life, chances are very high that you are getting overly acid over the years! So the main highly acid-forming foods you should only take occasionally are:
All kinds of meats – fresh & processed (cold cuts, sausages)
All sorts of sodas & sweetened beverages
Alcohol, especially beers
All deep-fried foods
All kinds of meats – fresh & processed (cold cuts, sausages)
All sorts of sodas & sweetened beverages
Alcohol, especially beers
All deep-fried foods
The way overacidity shows up in your body is diverse. It can show itself as:
- heartburn
- weight gain
- all kinds of allergies
- fatigue
- lack of concentration, unable to focus or remember
- weaker nerve system & brain function
- increase in LDL Cholesterol
- increase in Blood Pressure
- bad circulation in legs
- a weaker cardiovascular system, especially as corrosion of arteries & veins
- premature aging caused by oxidative stress
Simply put, when over-acidity starts, the body must try to regain its vital alkaline state. This is a matter of survival for the blood, as it has to keep the pH value in the narrow range of 7.35 – 7.45, and to do so it will start pulling on any other available minerals, like in bones, cells, or tissues.
Understanding what makes your body more acid is key to reverse it. You have 2 options, either decrease acidity or increase alkalinity! Because decreasing acidity might not be sufficient to get you back to good health, we concentrate also on how to increase alkalinity in some simple, practical steps!
Lime or Lemon are both alkalizing the body.
12 Practial Steps how to alkalize your body
- First thing after waking up, drink a glass of water with a good squeeze of lemon or lime.
- Drink infused water by pouring 1 liter of water into a glass carafe. Add any slices of citrus fruit (lemon, orange, grapefruit). Option 2: add any slices of salad, like cucumber, small radish, etc. Option 3: add any herbs, like basil, mint, lemon balm, etc. into it. Option 4: mix & match all three options.
- Drink once a day an 8oz glass of water with a pinch of baking soda.
- Drink a green vegetable juice before breakfast. (You can use any veggie that is green!)
- Increase your servings of veggies & fruits to 5-6 per day!
- Drink a glass of water with a tiny amount of a trusted source of Himalayan salt.
- Eat regularly fresh sprouts, if not every day, at least 4x a week.
- Add a trusted mineral supplement to your water, or take a trusted mineral supplement.
- Eat only whole grains, not bleached or white grains – especially for breads, rice, or quinoa!
- Make an effort to eat 3 – 4x a week dried beans (legumes)
- Reduce stress by taking long walks, relaxing in the sea & at the beach, meditate or by reading quietly a book….
- Drink a cup of fresh herbal tea
As a last resort – or a preventive tool – you might want to take an adequate nutritional supplement or a water with a high pH value of minimum 8-9 to help you reach a healthy acid-alkaline balance. This applies especially when we go through prolonged times of stress. You can understand now why the overall health goes slowly down: similar to a chain reaction, such a prolonged stress will turn into inflammation in the body; and inflammation lies at the heart of most modern or chronic illnesses!
Be smart! Ensure greater alkalinity than acidity in your body through your diet (80/20 rule), water that helps mineralize the body and eliminate acids, a trusted nutritional supplements, and moderate regular exercise! Remember, low acidity ensures healthy blood, cells and bones. Or in other words, Alkalinity is equal to good health!
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