pH Balance
pH
means "Potential of Hydrogen"
and is used to measure the degree of acidity or alkalinity.
It is measured on a scale
ranging from 0 to 14 where the center of the scale, at 7, is neutral
(neither acid nor alkaline). A
reading below 7 indicates that the substance being measured is acid and
above 7 is alkaline.
For our body it is the measurement of resistance. It is the
speedometer of the body indicating the speed of which energy is moving
through the body. It tells how
fast a reaction is taking place. Energy
in the body is created by the interaction of anionic foods
(negative-alkaline) and cationic foods (positive-acid). (1)
People who do not get the proper balance in their diet do not
digest their food properly. The speed of digestion is a key
ingredient in maintaining health. pH measures this.
The pH system works in 10-fold
multiples and each pH unit represents a 10-fold difference in
alkalinity. For example, the pH of 7.5 is 10-times more alkaline than
6.5.
What can we
learn from testing our body pH?
-
Shows proper balance of minerals
-
Shows efficiency of digestion
-
Shows efficiency of elimination
-
Shows deterioration of the body
High
acidity can become a dangerous condition that weakens all major body
systems. It makes your
internal environment conducive to disease.
A pH-balanced environment, on the other hand, allows proper
metabolic functioning and gives your body resistance to disease.
A healthy body maintains alkaline reserves that are used to meet
emergency demands.
Acid pH --
below 6.4 - Food digesting too fast
The stomach empties
quite rapidly and food is not properly digested.
Symptoms:
Blood – anemia, deficiency in iron and B12
Circulation – strokes, high blood pressure,
vascular problems with vessel fragility
Colon – colitis, IBS, Crohn’s, inflammatory
disease, lower abdominal pain
Digestion – digestion too fast, stomach empties
rapidly, food doesn’t digestion well, diarrhea
Female – mineral shortage (women require more than
men), nervousness, calcium utilization problems, fungus and yeast
infections, light menses, early menopause
Muscles – leg cramps
Skeleton – muscular discomfort in the lower
extremities and aching bones, loss of bone density
Nutrition – expect vitamin D deficiency, Iron / B12
and potassium
What Causes Me to be Acidic?
The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the
typical American diet, which is far too high in acid-producing animal
products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in
alkaline-producing foods like fresh vegetables. Additionally, we eat
acid-producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink
acid-producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks. We use too many
drugs, which are acid-forming; and we use artificial chemical sweetners
like NutraSweet, Equal, or aspartame, which are extremely acid-forming.
One of the best things we can do to correct an overly-acid body is to
clean up the diet and lifestyle. Refer to the recommended reading for
specific help with diet and lifestyle.
What if I'm Acidic?
1.
Enzymes are essential: Take 1-2 capsules of Proactazyme
with every meal. If you have both over-acid urine and saliva, also take
1-2 capsules of Protease Plus between meals on an empty stomach.
2.
Correct calcium is needed: Take 3 Calcium w/D daily. If
double-acid use Coral Calcium in addition until pH becomes balanced.
Children should use Chewable Calcium for Kids.
3.
Alkaline minerals are essential: Take 1 ounce of either
Colloidal Minerals or Mineral Chi Tonic once daily, or take 1 teaspoon
of Liquid Chlorophyll in water up to eight times daily.
4.
Anything green is alkaline: Take Ultimate GreenZone or
Herbal Potassium Combination according to label directions. Eat more
fruits and vegetables and less animal products.
5.
Vitamin A & D hold calcium in the body. Taking NSP's
Vitamin A & D will help the body buffer acid.
6.
What if my pH is still too acidic? As a temporary measure
take 2 Stomach Comfort tablets twice daily between meals. (Not for
long-term use.) Monitor your pH daily.
7.
Cleanse as needed: Take a psyllium hulls supplement such
as Psyllium Hulls Combination at bedtime to maintain regular bowel
movements. Use NSP's Chinese Tiao He Cleanse or CleanStart twice a year
for liver, bowel and kidney detoxification.
Alkaline pH-
above 6.4 - Food digesting too slow
Symptoms:
Colon – constipation; expect infection of parasites, yeast, bacteria
Digestion – the higher the pH, the greater the
digestion is lacking in positive or cationic (acid) hydrogen acid
reacting calciums. Too much
anionic (alkaline) hydrogen base-reacting calciums.
Female – PMS, heavy menses, cramping
Liver – lack of oxygen
Skin problems – complexion problems and body odor.
May also be pigmentation problems.
Structure – back, cartilage problems, disk
deterioration, tends to be overweight with distended abdomen.
Nutrients – vitamin C is lacking.
What if I'm Overly-Alkaline?
Alkalinity is relatively rare, but if your urine and/or saliva
consistently test above 7.0 pH, start with steps 1, 2 and 3 below and
continue adding steps until the desired results are achieved. Be sure to
monitor your progress with easy-to-use pH test strips. You will notice
that some of these steps are the same as those recommended above for an
overly acidic condition. This is because these steps have a buffering
effect, or in other words they are balancing, tending to bring
the pH back toward normal no matter which direction it has gone:
1.
Enzymes are essential: Take 1-2 capsules of Food Enzymes
with each meal. For stronger enzymatic action in difficult cases add 1-2
capsules of Protease Plus between meals on an empty stomach.
2.
Correct calcium is needed: Take 4-6 Skeletal Strength
tablets daily. Children should use Liquid calcium.
3.
Vitamin C: Use Timed-Release or Vitamin C Ascorbates. Use
3,000 mg or more, to maximum bowel tolerance. (If diarrhea occurs,
reduce intake.)
4.
Flax Seed Oil: Use 1 capsules of Flax Seed Oil 3 times a
day or 2 tablespoons of oil daily.
5.
Ultimate GreenZone: Follow label directions.
6.
Cleanse as needed: Take a psyllium hulls supplement such
as Psyllium Hulls Combination at bedtime to maintain regular bowel
movements. Use NSP's Chinese Tiao He Cleanse or CleanStart twice a year
for liver, bowel and kidney detoxification.
What if I'm at 6.4?
It's important to maintain ideal pH. Along with good food choices, the
following supplements will help.
1.
Enzymes are essential: Take 1-2 capsules of Food Enzymes
with each meal. Protease Plus 1-2 capsules taken between meals on an
empty stomach, increases the flexibility of red blood cells and cleans
up cellular debris by breaking down the protein compounds, parasites,
fungi, viruses and bacteria that have a protein coating.
2.
Calcium: Skeletal Strength (especially for women). or
SynerPro Calcium/Magnesium
3.
Minerals: Chinese Mineral Chi Tonic (contains adaptogenic
herbs helpful for energy) or Colloidal Minerals
Liquid Chlorophyll
offers excellent body-cleansing support while providing vital minerals
from green alfalfa plants.
4.
Cleanse as needed: Use LBS II and Psyllium Hulls (for a
mild cleanse) or CleanStart (for a thorough cleanse) or the Chinese Tiao
He Cleanse (for a cleanse the focuses on the liver)
5.
Diet: Eat a balanced diet with emphasis on
alkaline-forming foods (ratio of 80% alkaline, 20% acid is ideal). See
the food chart below.
How is pH
balance tested?
Anyone can monitor his or her own pH.
The most common method is to use pH test strips.
These are dipped into the body fluid and immediately compared to
the color chart from which the corresponding number reading is obtained.
Also available are special meters to read pH.
For health monitoring the digital pH pens are most efficient,
which can test a very small amount of fluid sample.
What fluids are commonly used for pH testing?
Saliva comes from the lymph and indicates what you put in the
body.
Urine tells us what we take out of the body
and blood.
It is recommended to obtain pH readings twice daily
for five to seven days to get an average.
Both urine and saliva are tested one to two hours after breakfast
and one to two hours after lunch.
About the
Skin
Skin pH and the Acid Mantle
The acid
mantle, the combination of sebum (oil) and perspiration, on the skin's
surface protects the skin and renders the skin less vulnerable to damage
and attack by environmental factors such as sun and wind and less prone
to dehydration. Normal skin pH is somewhat acid and in the range of 4.2.
to 5.6. It varies from one part of the body to another and, in general,
the pH of a man's skin is lower (more acid) than that of a woman's. The
acid mantle inhibits the growth of foreign bacteria and fungi and the
skin remains healthier, and has fewer blemishes. The removal of the
natural acid protection as well as extracting protective lipids (fats)
from the skin can cause a problem of irritated and eczematous skins,
which tends to have a more alkaline pH.
Acne, allergies and
other skin problems become more severe when the skin becomes more
alkaline. (2)
Keeping this in mind, people that present skin
problems may be over-alkaline.
People with skin cancer may have excessive vitamin D.
Vitamin C is needed for balance.
Rosacea, a skin disorder where groups of
capillaries close to the surface of the skin become dilated, may
indicate an over-acid condition.
Food
Effects on Acid – Alkaline Body Chemistry,
The Effects of Common
Foods on pH Balance
