Our PH Levels are just as important as pool water!

Similar to Inflammation, a pH imbalance in our bodies can lead to health issues. I never even thought about the pH in my body. I always assumed that we just needed to test the pH in our pool water. If our bodies are made up of mostly water, it would make sense that having a balanced pH is important.

What is pH?
pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14—the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7 which is neutral.
Water is the most abundant compound in the human body, comprising 70% of the body. The body has an acid-alkaline (or acid-base) ratio called the pH. The body continually strives to balance pH. When this balance is compromised many problems can occur. We are talking about the pH of the body's fluids and tissue. Imbalance of your acid-alkaline ratio and low pH, inflammation occurs, disease occurs and our body's tissues, fluid & organs suffer. 

A diet with too many acidic foods & too low pH can lead to:

• Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.
• Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
• Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
• Immune deficiency - Celiac Disease
• Acceleration of free radical damage - I.E. CANCER
• Hormone concern - I.E. HORMONAL CANCERS (BREAST, OVARIAN, PROSTATE)
• Premature aging.
• Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
• Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
• Low energy and chronic fatigue.
• Slow digestion and elimination.
• Yeast/fungal overgrowth.

As you can see most infections & diseases are due to too much acid. Yes, you can treat these issues with a bandaid medication like a antibiotic, chemo, aspirin etc, but I also say treat the root cause - DIET. I would say aim for a 80-20 ratio of alkaline (80%) and acidic (20%) foods in your diet. 

What foods to Eat?

How do you test your pH?

The same way you would test a pool's pH. You can use pH strips to test your urine (GROSS) or saliva. Easy peasy.

In addition to a correct diet, a good supplement plan helps keep your pH balanced. When I was diagnosed with Celiacs, I started a supplement plan to balance pH & help treat my autoimmune disorder. I also recommend a daily green smoothie to help restore pH levels. I smooth frozen bananas, blueberries & mangos with 1cup of kale, 1cup of unsweetened almond milk & almond butter with spirulina, flax, psylium husk, and peanut butter(acidic).

Supplements to balance pH:

1. Digestive Enzymes - 1 Tablet before each meal
2. Magnesium Complex - Natural Calm Powder 2tsp before bed
3. 1tsp of Spirulina or Chlorella daily in vegetable based smoothie
4. 1tsp Psyllium Husk Powder daily in vegetable based smoothie
5. Vitamin D3
6. Omega 3 - Chia Seed 1tsp & Flax Seed 1tsp
7. Calcium 1,000mg