An Acidic Nation: Is Your Health at Risk?

Did you know even a small variation in your pH can ignite a health crisis if unaddressed? Unfortunately, the average human’s system is more acidic than ever and it’s high time this kat talked more about pH balance and your health. Listen up.

The American diet is rife with acidifiers like animal protein, starches, sugars, processed foods and more. This means even if you think you’re eating a healthy diet that’s low fat and high fiber, you could still be tipping the acid scales to harm you.

Most folks are familiar with the 0-14 acid-base scale, but here's a quick review. “Potential hydrogen” or “pH” measures free hydrogen molecules in a solution, or in this case, in the human bloodstream.

A measure of “7” represents a “neutral” solution. Measurements less than 7 represent acid solutions, while any number above 7 represents an alkaline solution. Pretty simple, so far, eh?

Healthy human cells prosper in a very slightly alkaline environment (i.e., a pH between 7.35 and 7.45). The exceptions are the digestive and urinary tracts, which are slightly acidic to keep bacteria and other critters from proliferating.

Acid itself isn't bad news. The body naturally produces acid at the cellular level just to keep in metabolic business. Trouble is, if too many acidifiers are ingested, excess acid is dumped into saliva and urine and can permeate the rest of your body and make mischief.

The following can all result from an overly acidic system:

Sleep problems

Allergies / Sinus congestion

High or low blood pressure

Blood sugar changes / hypoglycemia

Hot flashes

Headaches

Poor vitamin / mineral absorption

Mood shifts / depression

Digestive problems / diarrhea / constipation / bloating

Stress and tension

Skin problems / rash / itching

Inflammation of joints, arthritis, stiffness

Heartburn / acid reflux

Fungal problems (candida and yeast)

Lack of energy

Immune challenges

Premature aging

Is Your System Acidic?

Let's take a look at your habits from an acidifier / alkalizer inventory. The list of acidifiers (scroll down in this link) is a scary one, as it includes all meats, all dairy, most grains, most nuts, and probably most anything you'd consider a tasty treat or a staple food.

All sugary foods are considered acid forming, too, and feed bad guys like candida, bacteria, and parasites. Sugar substitutes aren't the answer either, as they're even more acidifying.  

And your lifestyle includes: Stress, frequent medication use, too much or too little exercise, and/or caffeine and alcohol, you might be well served by an acid check.

On the other hand, the list of alkalizers includes most of the foods you know you should be eating more of anyway. You may start thinking twice before pushing that lonely piece of broccoli around on your plate.

The Slippery Slope of Acidity

When your pH becomes compromised by diet and/or stressors, the scale can tip in either of two directions, but interestingly both are an acid problem.

Scary thought #1: If your pH renders around 5.5, it means your system can no longer keep up with cleaning your blood and is going to dump or buffer acid any way it can.

One way is through packing on the pounds. The human body is very intelligent, and if you're too acidic, your body starts to set up defense mechanisms to keep the damaging acid from entering vital organs. One of the most effective for your body means storing acid in fat cells.

That's right, as a defense mechanism, your body may actually make fat to protect you from your overly-acidic self. Those fat cells and cellulite deposits may actually be packing up the acid and trying to keep it a safe distance from your organs. Returning to a healthy inner biological terrain can help drop excess fat.

To get the ball rolling, cutting acidifiers like wheat and sugar will slow fat production because less fat will be needed to neutralize excess acid.

Scary thought #2: If you get a pH reading of 8.0, it means your body is using its own buffers from mineral stores like bone, teeth, and tissue to correct the imbalance. In fact, The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) just published a study in support of this very phenomenon!

Over time, all this mineral leeching can lead to osteoporosis, kidney stones, and tooth decay. All the calcium supplements on the planet won’t help if your body is acidic and not metabolizing the nutrients.

Monitor and Manage Your pH

You can find out where you sit on the pH scale by trying one of our new Home Test pH Kits. They offer a quick and easy way to track your pH and how your diet impacts your acidity.

Plus you get a 40-page booklet designed to teach you everything you need to know about keeping a healthy pH through diet and lifestyle changes.

Simple Changes for a More Balanced System

First things first, reduce major culprits like animal protein and starch intake, processed foods, and sugar. Also try to avoid coffee, cola, carbonation, chocolate, candy, non-herb tea.

Replace them with your friends the alkalizers when you can and commit to drinking plenty of water. Not only will it help keep your pH on track, it will help flush excess acid and any bad guys from your system.

Exercising and breathing exercises can work wonders too. Keeping your blood clean and well oxygenated makes it hard for viruses, parasites and abnormal cells to survive.