Intro to pH Balance

pH balance or alkalizing your body is a fairly new topic for myself and the health community in general, but its a growing phenominon and I felt it necessary for you to be informed so that you can make the healthiest choices possible. So what the heck is pH balance, alkalizing your body, and why should you care?

Lets get started!

What is pH? – The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. A pH less than 7 is acidic. A pH greater than 7 is basic. The optimal pH in the human body for health is around 7.5.

 

 

An acidic pH, meaning low in oxygen, is caused by processes which deprive the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  Improper diet, emotional stresses, toxic overload (these come from processed or genetically modified foods), and/or immune reactions may be responsible for higher pH acidity.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals which are naturally found in your body. The number one source in your body of alkaline minerals are your bones!!! Calcium found in the bones will neutralize an acidic state or bring your body back into pH balance around that 7.5 number. Over time this process plays a large role in the development of osteoperosis and our country largest health problem…obesity.

The effects of having acidic pH levels in your body can be really scary.  An acidic balance will decrease the body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it’s ability to repair damaged cells (this is important for muscle recovery), provides an ideal environment for tumor cells to thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. Additional effects include impaired sleep, contribution to overall stress, and weight gain. The worst part is that viruses and bacteria looooove an acidic environment. They can thrive and grow most easily in these cases, which make you more susceptible to these viruses and the weakening of your immune system. Starting to understand why this pH thing is important?

What can you do to promote pH balance? – The key here gang is to find a balance of alkaline-forming and acidic-forming foods. If you are doing P90X or Insanity then many of the acid-forming food like meats and dairy are going to be vary hard to avoid since your required protein intake is high. The solution is to counter the effects of these acid-forming foods by taking in more alkaline forming foods like fresh veggies and fruits (the darker green the better!) so that your body doesnt draw calcium from your bones to balance your pH. If you are taking Shakeology, then you are right on the money with this balance!

Here is a list of alkaline-forming and acidic-forming foods from the website of Shakeology’s creator: Darin Olien. You can visit his website at www.darinsnaturals.com.

Extremely Alkaline

Lemons, watermelon, baking soda, sea salt, mineral water, pumpkin seed, lentils, seaweed, onion, taro root, sea vegetables, lotus root, sweet potato, lime, lemons, nectarine, persimmon, raspberry, tangerine, and pineapple.

Alkaline Forming

Cantaloupe, cayenne, celery, dates, figs, kelp, limes, mango, melons, papaya, parsley, seaweeds, seedless grapes (sweet), watercress. Asparagus, fruit juices, grapes (sweet), kiwifruit, passion fruit, pears (sweet), pineapple, raisins, umeboshi plums, and vegetable juices.

Moderately Alkaline

Apples (sweet), alfalfa sprouts, apricots, avocados, bananas (ripe), currants, dates, figs (fresh), garlic, grapefruit, grapes (less sweet), guavas, herbs (leafy green), lettuce (leafy green), nectarine, peaches (sweet), pears (less sweet), peas (fresh, sweet), pumpkin (sweet), sea salt (vegetable).

Apples (sour), beans (fresh, green), beets, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carob, cauliflower, ginger (fresh), grapes (sour), lettuce (pale green), oranges, peaches (less sweet), peas (less sweet), potatoes (with skin), pumpkin (less sweet), raspberries, strawberries, squash, sweet Corn (fresh), turnip, vinegar (apple cider).

Apricots, spices, kambucha, unsulfured molasses, soy sauce, cashews, chestnuts, pepper, kohlrabi, parsnip, garlic, asparagus, kale, parsley, endive, arugula, mustard green, ginger root, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew, citrus, olive, dewberry, carrots, loganberry, and mango.

Slightly Alkaline

Almonds, artichokes (Jerusalem), brussel sprouts, cherries, coconut (fresh), cucumbers, eggplant, honey (raw), leeks, mushrooms, okra, olives (ripe), onions, pickles (homemade), radishes, sea salt, spices, tomatoes (sweet), vinegar (sweet brown rice).

Chestnuts (dry, roasted), egg yolks (soft cooked), essene bread, goat’s milk and whey (raw), mayonnaise (homemade), olive oil, sesame seeds (whole), soy beans (dry), soy cheese, soy milk, sprouted grains, tofu, tomatoes (less sweet), and yeast (nutritional flakes).

Most herbs, green tea, mu tea, rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, sake, quail eggs, primrose oil, sesame seed, cod liver oil, almonds, sprouts, potato, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage, rutabaga, ginseng, eggplant, pumpkin, collard green, pear, avocado, apples (sour), blackberry, cherry, peach, and papaya.

Very Low Alkaline Forming Foods

Ginger tea, umeboshi vinegar, ghee, duck eggs, oats, grain coffee, quinoa, japonica rice, wild rice, avocado oil, most seeds, coconut oil, olive oil, flax oil, brussel sprout, beet, chive, cilantro, celery, okra, cucumber, turnip greens, squashes, lettuces, orange, banana, blueberry, raisin, currant, grape, and strawberry.

Neutral

Butter (fresh, unsalted), cream (fresh, raw), cow’s milk and whey (raw), margarine, oils (except olive), and yogurt (plain).

Very Low Acid Forming Foods

Curry, Kona coffee, honey, maple syrup, vinegar, cream, butter, goat/sheep cheese, chicken, gelatin, organs, venison, fish, wild duck, triticale, millet, kasha, amaranth, brown rice, pumpkin seed oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, pine nuts, canola oil, spinach, fava beans, black-eyed peas, string beans, wax beans, zucchini, chutney, rhubarb, coconut, guava, dry fruit, figs, and dates.

Slightly Acidic

Vanilla, alcohol, black tea, balsamic vinegar, cow milk, aged cheese, soy cheese, goat milk, game meat, lamb, mutton, boar, elk, shell fish, mollusks, goose, turkey, buckwheat, wheat, spelt, teff, kamut, farina, semolina, white rice, almond oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, tapioca, seitan, tofu, pinto beans, white beans, navy beans, red beans, adzuki beans, lima beans, chard, plum, prune and tomatoes.

Moderately Acidic

Bananas (green), barley (rye), blueberries, bran, butter, cereals (unrefined), cheeses, crackers (unrefined rye, rice and wheat), cranberries, dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo), dry coconut, egg whites, eggs whole (cooked hard), fructose, goat’s milk (homogenized), honey (pasteurized), ketchup, maple syrup (unprocessed), milk (homogenized).

Molasses (unsulferd and organic), most nuts, mustard, oats (rye, organic), olives (pickled), pasta (whole grain), pastry (whole grain and honey), plums, popcorn (with salt and/or butter), potatoes, prunes, rice (basmati and brown), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), soy sauce, and wheat bread (sprouted organic).

Nutmeg, coffee, casein, milk protein, cottage cheese, soy milk, pork, veal, bear, mussels, squid, chicken, maize, barley groats, corn, rye, oat bran, pistachio seeds, chestnut oil, lard, pecans, palm kernel oil, green peas, peanuts, snow peas, other legumes, garbanzo beans, cranberry, and pomegranate.

Extremely Acidic

Artificial sweeteners, beef, beer, breads, brown sugar, carbonated soft drinks, cereals (refined), chocolate, cigarettes and tobacco, coffee, cream of wheat (unrefined), custard (with white sugar), deer, drugs, fish, flour (white, wheat), fruit juices with sugar, jams, jellies, lamb.

Liquor, maple syrup (processed), molasses (sulphured), pasta (white), pastries and cakes from white flour, pickles (commercial), pork, poultry, seafood, sugar (white), table salt (refined and iodized), tea (black), white bread, white vinegar (processed), whole wheat foods, wine, and yogurt (sweetened).

Tabletop sweeteners like (NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet ‘N Low, Equal or Aspartame), pudding, jam, jelly, table salt (NaCl), beer, yeast, hops, malt, sugar, cocoa, white (acetic acid) vinegar, processed cheese, ice cream, beef, lobster, pheasant, barley, cottonseed oil, hazelnuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, fried foods, soybean, and soft drinks, especially the cola type. To neutralize a glass of cola with a pH of 2.5, it would take 32 glasses of alkaline water with a pH of 10.

Again RIPPEDCLUB, the key is balance. You dont need to give up all meats and dairy, but your diet should be well balanced between alkaline foods and acidic foods. Its nearly impossible to avoid all the acidic-forming foods anyway so dont go nuts trying to do so. Keep on track with your nutrition as you are, but use this information and make some changes if you feel the need. Knowledge is power guys and if you can take some of this advice and use it to your benefit…DO IT!