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Balancing Your Body's pH Levels
By Liz Barrington, Natural Body Healing
Homeostatic
imbalances generally occur due to dietary factors, dehydration,
lack of exercise, exposure to toxicity and psychological
stresses that often lead to imbalances of water and
blood sugar, hormonal and bodily pH levels.
We rely on absorbed nutrients to build body tissues, fluids and
other substances and to breakdown substances that are used as
energy or to form waste by-products. These ongoing processes are
generically known as the body's 'metabolism', which heavily relies
on the actions of enzymes, hormones and other biochemical
reactions every second of the day and night. Body metabolism
depends on the body being in equilibrium so that every function
can work harmoniously. A correctly pH-balanced body is essential as
it enables proper metabolic function and allows the body to function
optimally.
Simple dietary and lifestyle changes can help contribute to
homeostasis and to correct pH levels, keeping your body in balance and
harmony.
An imbalance in the body's pH levels can affect all major body
systems - especially the digestive, intestinal, circulatory and
immune systems. pH imbalance disturbs the oxygen affinity of
haemoglobin in the blood. Many vital bodily functions, including
digestion, enzyme activity and hormone balance are completely
dependent upon the body maintaining healthy pH levels that
should range from between 6.5 to 6.8 for saliva and 6.0 to 7.5 for
urine.
To help restore the correct pH balance in the body, you should aim
to eat 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods every
day in your diet.
80% alkaline-forming foods - examples include:
Lemons, watermelon, limes, grapefruit, mangoes, asparagus, onions,
vegetable juices, spinach, broccoli, garlic, grapes, berries,
apples, pears, almonds, beetroots, celery, lettuce, carrot,
beansprouts, chestnuts, millet, quinoa, goats milk, tomatoes, herbs,
apple cider vinegar, bananas, oranges, avocados, sea vegetables, sea
salt, mineral water, oats, wild rice, green leafy
vegetables.
Liquid Chlorophyll is a great tonic for alkalising the
body and it also helps to cleanse and strengthen the blood.
Another useful natural supplement that can help alkalise the
body is
Calcium & Magnesium Complex.
20% acidic-forming
foods (you should considerably limit your intake of
these), examples include:
Blueberries, cranberries, prunes, peanuts, potatoes, beans, seeds,
walnuts, meat, fish, dairy, nuts, eggs, olives, tea, coffee,
vegetable oils and fats, fried foods, sugar, refined/processed foods
eg. White bread, rice and pasta, fizzy soft drinks, alcohol, soy
milk, most grains, tomatoes, carrots.
Despite making these dietary changes, if
you find that your body is still overly acidic, you perhaps
should consider strengthening your
urinary system. Some of the many
functions of the urinary system (kidneys, urethra and bladder)
include producing and removing waste in the form of urine,
and regulating the amount, alkalinity or acidity and consistency
of body fluids.
Other symptoms
of a weakened urinary system include aching teeth, brittle bones
and joints (primarily lower back, knees and ankles), hair loss,
poor circulation, fluid retention, swollen tongue, dark circles
around eyes, puffy eyes and frequent urination. Nature's
Sunshine's
Juniper and Parsley Combination
is the key product for strengthening the urinary system.
However, for chronic kidney weakness, you should also consider
taking
Eucommia and Achyranthes Combination.
In addition to
strengthening the urinary system, you may want to consider the
following key points. Exercising produces more acid in the body, so you should
always avoid
undertaking excessive exercise for long periods. Deep-breathing
and yoga are great for your body because deep-breathing is more
alkaline-forming, which is also good for restoring relaxation, balance and
harmony to your body.
So, have a go at testing your own body's pH
levels several times throughout the day, by ordering our
pH Testing Strips. If you do decide to check the
pH level in your urine, please do not test the first
urine of the day, as this is a lot more acidic than normal.
If there is an imbalance, you
should seriously consider adjusting your diet, strengthening
your urinary system and following the recommendations
listed above.
The product links stated in this article can only
be purchased from this website in UK and in Europe.
Furthermore, because of strict regulations in the
sale of nutritional products in Australia, our range of NSP
products there are rather limited, so we have a separate section
on our website for you. Therefore, if you live in
Australia, please click
here.
The above information should not be treated as a substitute for the
medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care
professional.
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