Internal pH Your internal pH balance is very important, but few medical practitioners in Western medicine are even aware of how it plays a major role in causing almost all disease. So let's begin with some very basic information on the subject of pH. What's "pH" ? You've probably heard from many different sources, that the human body is approximately 80% water. All that water has a biological purpose; it is the basic component of the various mediums that allow nutrients and various chemicals to be transported from one place to another. These water-based mediums can have either acid or alkaline properties. These properties are measured by what we call pH. How pH affects the body is called the "pH Factor." When the acid and alkaline properties are of equal strength, we say the pH is balanced. Is A Balanced pH important? Extremely important! Since most of the body is water-based, the pH level (acid-alkaline level) has profound effects on body chemistry, health and disease. Extended pH imbalances of any kind are not well tolerated by the body. Indeed, the entire metabolic process depends on a balanced pH. The management of the pH factor is so important that the body has developed strict accounting procedures to monitor acid-alkaline balances in every cell and biosystem. Fundamentally, all regulatory mechanisms (including breathing, circulation, digestion, hormonal production, etc.) serve the purpose of balancing pH, removing the normally metabolized developed acids and toxins from body tissues/systems without damage to living cells. Otherwise, an acid pH will develop. The body needs balance to allow it to maintain health. Our temperature is balanced at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. We can be several degrees out of balance before becoming seriously ill. However, pH balance is far more critical. The slightest imbalance will cause serious illness and disease. The body will do whatever necessary to maintain this balance, and it continually steals acid-neutralizing minerals (such as calcium) in its attempt to maintain a healthy balance. Understanding this makes you realize why most elderly people experience osteoporosis after a lifetime of consuming acid-producing nutrients. Only fresh fruits and vegetables are alkaline producing to help your body maintain a healthy pH balance. What's An Acid pH? An acid pH, or "acidosis," is the term used to describe the imbalanced acidic condition of all our body fluids. Virtually all cellular functions of the body are sensitive to the pH of their fluids. If the pH deviates too far to the acid side, cells become poisoned in their own toxic acidic wastes and die. Is An Acid pH Really That Dangerous? Yes, it is! Nothing does well in an acid pH medium. For instance, "acid rain" destroys the natural environment, killing plants and trees, poisoning the life in all lakes and rivers. An acid pH is even more dangerous for your body, continuously corroding all body tissue, slowly eating into the 60,000 miles of our veins, arteries and capillaries like acid eating into marble. If left unchecked, it will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of your heart to the neural firing of your brain... An acid pH interferes with all life itself! What Causes An Acid pH? Diet appears to be the major influence in maintaining appropriate pH levels throughout the body. Research demonstrates that when food is metabolized and broken down, it leaves certain chemical and metallic residues, a noncombustible "ash" which, combined with our body fluids, yields either acid or alkaline potentials of pH. Certain foods are "acid-forming" in nature, whereas others are known to be "alkaline-forming." Which Foods Are
Acid-Forming? Most high protein foods (such as meat, fish, poultry and eggs), nearly all carbohydrates (including grains, breads, pastas) and fats are acid-forming. And most fruits and vegetables are alkaline forming. Although citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruit, contain organic acids and may have an acid taste, they are not acid forming when metabolized and leave an alkaline residue. How Do I Know If I Have An Acid pH? By testing your pH! You can determine quickly and easily, in the privacy of your own home, what your pH is. Test Strips can determine your urinary pH, which is generally a good indicator of how acid or alkaline your total body pH is. When urinary pH is continuously between 7.0 and 7.5 (depending upon the time of day), you're functioning in a healthy range. Is An Acid pH Common? Yes, very common, but not at all healthy! The bulk of our western diet is made up of acid-forming foods. Most of us habitually consuming a diet high in protein, high in carbohydrate, high in fat and very little, if not completely inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. That means that most of us will experience a continual acid pH. And the older we are, the more "acid" we tend to become. Can I Get Rid Of An Acid-pH? YES! Watching your diet can help, especially by increasing the number of fruits and vegetables you eat while decreasing the amounts of acid-forming foods consumed. If you're like me, that means changing your entire diet and your way of life. But there are other easier ways to get your pH back into balance. I have changed my eating habits very little. With the help of redily available products I have a perfectly balanced pH and still enjoy almost all of my favorite foods. I have tried many products and technologies at one time or another and I can tell you from experience that most of them work very well. I am continually experimenting with new discoveries as I find them. I guess I feel like having many choices available is a good thing. (It's like ice cream -- I love the choices of 31 flavors!) Selected References Dennis Richard maintains a fascinating website called health4free.com. You may contact Dennis at drhealth@bigfoot.com
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