Acid and Alkaline Health Considerations

What is it and how it relates to you?  What foods are acid and what foods are alkaline? Is there a test for it? 

What it is..

Acid and Alkaline balance refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions in your body…or the pH.  Your body is always trying to balance itself to a neutral pH of 7.  A higher pH is alkaline and a lower pH is acidic.

Acid and alkaline balance refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions in your body, or the pH. Your body is always trying to balance itself to a neutral pH of 7. A higher pH is alkaline, and a lower pH is acidic.

Every enzyme in your body has a optimal pH in order to function properly.  An example is pepsin, a stomach enzyme, that needs a pH of 5 or less (acid) to be activated.   An imbalance of these enzymes will cause them to be less effective either partially or totally

To keep your system in a healthy range, your body has a buffering system.  It can add, if necessary, hydrogen ions from other body systems, for example, calcium released from bones can buffer a body that is too acidic.  This in turn lessens the bone mineral content. 

You also excrete a buildup of acid from your kidneys and lungs.  Your lungs will excrete carbon dioxide , an acid, and the urine will excrete H+ions and can retain chloride ions to buffer the pH.  Kidney or Lung problems will alter the pH. 

Extracellular fluid has a pH of 7.4 which is a slightly alkaline pH. It may vary by a half a point, but any larger variation causes severe health problems

Foods and pH balance

Food, although just one part, is an important part of pH balance.  Protein, especially animal protein, is acidic, as well as cooked grains.  They are both high in phosphorus, which binds calcium and therefore increases lactic acid levels.  Sugars also have an acidic reaction  because it interferes with calcium metabolism  and when the body burns sugar, it produces an acidic end product.

According to Analytical Research Labs “Salt, fruit and vegetables generally have an alkaline reaction in the body. The effect has little to do with whether the fruit is an ‘acid’ fruit, like a lemon. The determining factor is whether the mineral ash is alkaline or acid. Sodium, potas­sium and chloride are alkaline ash minerals (and are abundant in fruits and vegetables). Phosphorus and sulfur are acid ash minerals and tend to be higher in proteins, meats and grains. Fat has a fairly neutral reaction. Raw foods tend to have a more alkaline reaction.”

Deep Breathing

Another way to balance the pH is through deep breathing which is an exercise you can do at home or on the run.  When you use your abdominal muscles to raise your chest and take a deep breath, you also take in more oxygen, an alkalizing agent.  It will help you to relax, as well.  People who deep breath from the abdomen regularly are less acidic.  Of course, hyperventilation can pro­duce what is called respiratory alkalosis.

Oxidation Rate

Do you know what your oxidation rate is?  Are you a fast oxidizer or a slow oxidizer?  This is important because a fast oxidizer in general, results in a more acidic internal environment.  They are prone to produce more stomach acid, have a low sodium/potassium ratio, are not able to burn glucose in the normal way and could develop ketosis, or ketoacidosis.  Fast oxidizers also burn fat and protein more than slow oxidizers which becomes even worse if they consume sugars and grains which produce acidic metabolic by-products.

Conversely, slow oxidizers tend to have a more alkaline internal environment.  They produce less lactic acid and the tissue calcium levels are higher.  For these rea­sons, the urine or saliva of many slow oxidizers are excessively alkaline.  Digestion and other functions may be impaired as well.

To find out if you are a fast or slow oxidizer and how to balance your body pH with supplements and foods, many of our patients will do a simple, at home, hair analysis from Analytical Research Labs (ARL) or Trace Elements (TEI) found on our website.