How Does Your Health Relate to Your Body’s pH Levels?
When you strive to keep your body healthy, your top priorities are probably eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and practicing self-care. While these things are certainly important, they are especially important for a reason you might not have thought of. Specifically, these things are directly related to maintaining balance in your body’s pH levels.
If pH levels just sound like a confusing concept you learned about long ago in chemistry class, read on to learn how your health is dependent on your body’s pH levels.
What Are pH Levels?
So what exactly are pH levels? The abbreviation “pH” stands for “potential of Hydrogen,” and is a measure of acidity and alkalinity in a liquid. pH levels are measured on a scale of 1 to 14, where 7.0 is neutral, 1.0 is the most acidic (having more acid), and 14.0 is the most basic (having more alkaline).
pH can be used to measure the acidic and basic properties of any liquid substance. Since your body is 50-60% water, your pH levels are very important. Every part of your body requires a specific range of acid/alkaline balance in order to function properly. It is particularly important to maintain a proper balance in your blood, which should be within the range of 7.3 to 7.35 pH.
pH Levels and Your Health
It makes sense, then, that your body’s pH levels need to remain balanced because your pH levels have a direct effect on your overall health.
The pH level of your body will help your organs function properly without having to borrow minerals- like calcium, for example- to balance pH levels out. When your body functions optimally, it will naturally balance pH levels by removing harmful acids without hurting any cells.
When your pH levels are not balanced, your body has to compensate. For instance, if your pH levels are too low because you have too much acid in your body, cells will have to use your body’s alkaline (in the form of calcium) to counteract the extra acid. It will take calcium from wherever it can get to neutralize your levels, whether it’s from organ cells or your bones. That means instead of your body building your bones and organs with calcium, your body’s using the calcium it can get to fight the extra acid rather than strengthening your bones and organs. In the long run, this can lead to osteoporosis and organ deficiencies.
These are just two examples of the ways your body can react to an imbalance in pH levels. Other symptoms you’ll feel when your body’s pH balance is off are drowsiness, high stress levels, and poor digestion. Drowsiness, stress, and poor digestion will cause your levels to become unbalanced even further, causing your health and wellbeing to nose-dive even further. That’s why it’s important to maintain a health lifestyle that involves balancing your pH levels so that your body can function properly without breaking itself down.
How to Make Sure Your pH Levels Are Healthy
At this point you’ve probably figured out that maintaining balanced pH levels is necessary to staying strong and healthy. While your body is well-equipped to maintain balanced pH levels it’s known to become unbalanced from time to time, which is why you should know how you can maintain healthy pH levels. The primary ways to do this are through diet, mental health awareness, and exercise.
Diet
Certain foods and drinks have high acidity levels, and others have high alkaline levels. It is easier to end up with pH levels that are too low (too much acid) than too high (too much alkaline properties), so moderating your intake of food and drink that is high in acid is a great way to help your body maintain healthy pH levels.
Staying hydrated is also crucial for maintaining healthy pH levels, as water cleanses your system and keeps things in balance. Here are some examples of food and drinks that are high in acid or alkaline:
High in Acid
- Fish
- Fresh and processed meats
- Sugar
- Grains
- Most dairy
- Soda or sweetened beverages
- Coffee
- Alcohol
High in Alkaline
- Soy
- Beans and lentils
- Fresh vegetables
- Most fresh fruit
- Unsweetened yogurt
- Avocado, olive oil, other oily fats
- Some nuts and seeds
- Oatmeal
- Raw honey or raw sugar
- Herbal tea
Too much of one area means your body can fall out of balance, which forces your body to balance itself out. After a while it’ll become harder and harder for the body to balance itself out, leading to health issues. So while it’s important to have a healthy diet to keep your weight in check, it’s equally important that your diet is pH balanced, too.
Mental Health
Stress and other types of emotional or psychological distress can lead to a drop in pH levels. When you’re under stress your body produces lots of acids that get pumped through your body. All that acid leads to aches, pains, inflammation, increased aging, even organ damage when left unchecked.
Prioritizing your mental health is not only a matter of quality of living, but a matter of keeping the rest of your body physically healthy. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a professional if you are experiencing high levels of stress - you will not only be happier, but also improve your overall health!
Exercise
We all know that exercise is good for you, but if you’re not careful it can actually wreak havoc on your pH levels. When you exercise your body needs energy which comes from two metabolisms: your aerobic metabolism and your anaerobic metabolism. Simply put, your cells get energy to do exercises either by breathing in oxygen or from energy produced within your body. When you exercise more than your body can handle it’ll get the energy it needs one way or another, but in doing that it’s going to produce byproducts that are acidic in your body.
Training gradually and finding a balance in your exercise routine will allow your body to adjust. The main goal is to make sure you have enough oxygen in your body, so don’t push it too hard on your first day exercising after taking some time off. If you follow these guidelines, exercise can be an excellent healthy way to alkalize your body.
Finding balance in your day-to-day life also means finding balanced pH levels. These tips will help you stay informed and aware of your pH balance, and lead to a healthier and happier lifestyle!
