The acid-alkaline balance of the body is critical for good health. You cannot seriously think about individualizing a diet without considering its effects on the pH balance in your body. We are constantly generating acidic wastes of metabolism that must be neutralized or excreted in some way for life to be possible.
Humans, therefore, need a constant consumption of alkaline foods to neutralize this continuous acid generation. Our life and health depend on physiological power to maintain the stability of the pH of the blood at approximately 7.4. This process is called homeostasis.
The term pH means "potential" of "Hydrogen." It is the amount of hydrogen ions in a particular solution. When there are many hydrogen ions, the pH indicates an acidic solution.
When the amount of hydrogen ions is small, the pH would indicate an alkaline solution. PH is measured on a scale of 0.0 to 14.0 Any level above 7.0 is defined as alkaline and any level below 7.0 is considered an acidic pH. The pH of 7.0 is defined as neutral. The pH of pure water is 7.0
The normal pH for all tissues and fluids in the body, except the stomach, is alkaline. The digestive secretions of the liver and its bile are between 7.1 and 8.5. Gallbladder bile is between 5.0 and 7.7.
If any of these pH systems are not in the optimal range, the digestive and metabolic enzymes in those areas and organs will function suboptimal and you will experience a decline in health.
With the exception of blood, all of these systems have a vast pH range, in part, so they can change the pH to maintain the balance in the pH of the blood, which should be kept between 7.35 and 7.45.
Because the pH of the blood has such a small range, the body places a high priority on maintaining the homeostasis of the pH of the blood at 7.4.
Although all of these tissues and fluids have their optimal enzyme function in the alkaline part of their range, they will switch to a lower optimal acid range if they need to release alkaline minerals to prevent the blood from becoming too acidic.
For example, if the system becomes very acidic, the blood will take up the alkaline-forming elements of enzymes from the digestive system of the small intestine. Therefore, a balanced pH of the blood is closely and critically related to good digestion.
The importance of digestion in the acid-alkaline balance
The second priority of the delicate homeostatic system is to maintain digestion in such a way that nutrients can be assimilated and transported to various parts of the body to maintain a proper acid-alkaline balance of the blood and the body in general.
Proper digestion provides the essential electrolytes and other nutrients necessary for an optimal balance in the fluid that surrounds cells. This important fluid is called extracellular fluid (ECF).
If there are digestive imbalances, there will usually be an electrolyte imbalance, particularly sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) ions.
This electrolyte imbalance affects the fluid transport system that helps move waste out of the body. Electrolytes and other nutrients are required to perform cellular oxidation and other critical metabolic functions related to the life of a cell
The total fluid in our bodies is approximately 70% of the body's weight. This is practically the same percentage of water that the planet has. The fluids within the cells of our body account for 55% of body weight.
The extra cellular fluid is approximately 15% of body weight. 5% of the extracellular fluid is blood and 10% is the fluid in the tissues that bathe the cells. If the fluid transport system or extracellular fluid has an unbalanced concentration of minerals, insufficient nutrients, or insufficient oxygen, then cells cannot function properly and begin to die.
Kidney and liver function in acid-alkaline balance
A healthy extracellular fluid is supported by proper function of the eliminative organs such as the kidneys, liver, large intestine, and skin. These organs not only eliminate waste and toxins, but are the body's primary way of eliminating excess acid or alkaline elements to keep the body within normal pH ranges.
By studying what is eliminated in the urine, a reflection of the mechanism that polishes electrolytes and the acid-alkaline ratio can be seen.
For example, if the body is very acidic, the kidneys will excrete acid through the urine in an effort to make the blood more alkaline. In this case, the pH of the urine is acidic. Furthermore, significant changes in pH in the blood are usually indicators of disease.
The importance of diet for acid-alkaline balance
There is a limitation regarding how much the body can compensate for an acid-alkaline imbalance if we do not change the diet to balance this relationship in pH, which enters the system through food.
Therefore, food intake plays a very important role in the balance of the body. If the body cannot compensate for an unbalanced diet, the internal environment lowers its optimal capacity and eventually achieves a condition in which cells cannot live.
Many illnesses are the result of the body's attempt to rebalance this internal environment. Some people think that cancer is a condition that is accelerated by an acidic condition of the body fluids. Cancer cells can live better than normal cells in acidic, low-oxygen extracellular fluid.
There are a variety of causes for acid-alkaline imbalance, but diet is the main factor. Generally, if our diet includes many acidic foods such as: large amounts of meats, sausages, grains, pasteurized milk, fat, sugar, and excess protein in general, in people of a certain structure, your body becomes acidic.
If you consume many alkaline foods such as: fruits, vegetables, miso and sea vegetables, with the same structure, the body can become alkaline. Research around the world agrees that an optimal acid-alkaline intake ratio is approximately 80% alkaline foods and 20% acid foods.
But each individual must find their own balance. Even so, it can be said that, commonly, those people who consume meat daily have a higher percentage of acidity in their body than those who consume meat occasionally.
A vegetarian diet can maintain a proper acid-alkaline pH balance regardless of constitution. In any case, the mental state of the person must be taken into account as it plays an important role in the pH observed in the urine.
Dr. Cousens has noted that those people who are vegetarians and therefore should have an alkaline pH, when they have negative thoughts, their pH becomes acidic. The ability to digest proteins and complex carbohydrates must also be taken into consideration.
The production of acidity is normal
Normal body metabolism is always producing acids. The human body produces lactic acid and carbon dioxide when you exercise.
In the extracellular fluid, carbon dioxide is released as a waste product from cells and is converted to carbonic acid. Sulfur and phosphorus in proteins and in our acid are converted through oxidation into sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid.
Complete protein digestion makes hydrogen ions available to the system making it more acidic. The metabolic breakdown of proteins also produces uric acid, which in turn acidifies the system.
Urea is another derivative of protein. It increases the excretion of fluids from the kidneys in a way that causes the loss of much needed alkaline-forming minerals.
Fats and their impact
Fat, in general, tends to be acidic to neutral due to its slow digestion, which creates more putrefaction and, therefore, more acidity. In the case of white sugar, due to the refining process, it does not have alkaline minerals.
Its consumption increases acidity because the body must use alkaline minerals to polish acidity. Complex carbohydrates such as grains are metabolized more slowly and regularly and do not produce the organic acids produced by simple carbohydrates such as sugar.
We continue with our guide to achieve the acid-alkaline balance, this time we will continue addressing the definitions of the term’s acid and alkaline.
Definition and discussion of acidic and alkaline foods
It is important to understand that you cannot tell which foods are acidic or alkaline by taste. There are several factors that determine whether a specific food makes the body acidic or alkaline.
For example, a ripe organic lemon, which is a food that contains high concentrations of organic acids, has a sour taste and is classified as a sour fruit, is actually an alkaline-forming food.
This is because its high concentration of alkaline minerals has a general effect of increasing the body's alkaline reserve, thus making the body more alkaline. The mild organic acids in lemon act as cleaning agents in the stomach.
In the digestive process, these acids are converted into carbon dioxide and water and therefore do not create an acidic condition in the system. Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and iron are the main alkaline minerals.
Foods that have high concentrations of these minerals are considered alkaline-forming foods. Foods that are high in sulfur, phosphorus, iodine, and chlorine are acid-forming foods. Most natural foods have acidic and alkaline-forming minerals in them.
Meats are acidic. Most grains and dairy products too, especially if they are pasteurized.
Fresh goat's milk and fresh cow's milk are slightly alkaline. Processed cheeses are acidic. Butter is neutral to acidic. Most oils are slightly acidic to neutral.
Most nuts, beans, peas, simple sugars, and vegetarian proteins are acidic to some degree. Soy is alkaline.