Have you ever wonder if a liquid is acidic or basic (opposite of acidic) in nature? The reason why this question occurs is because every water based solution (aqueous solution) is either acidic or basic in nature. There is no aqueous solution or liquid which can neither be acidic or basic by property. The level of acid in any given solution or mixture or liquid is called the pH level. A lower pH value means a solution is acidic in nature where as a higher values correspond to solution more basic or alkaline (another word
for basic). The range of pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral.
At room temperature, pure water has a pH of 7 which indicates its neutral. pH of less than 7 indicate acidity, whereas a pH of greater than 7 indicates a base.
It is very important to understand the pH levels in our body because up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. Moreover, the skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery with 31%.
A pH of 7 is neutral but those levels vary throughout your body. Your blood is slightly basic/alkaline, with a pH between 7.35 and 7.45. Your stomach is very acidic, with a pH of 3.5 or below, so it can break down food. It is also important because it must be at certain levels in order for living organisms to survive inside our body.
A lot of research has been done on the subject and scientists have found out that pH of the human body lies in a tight range between 7.35-7.45, and any minor alterations from this range can have severe implications. Our body goes through constant and incredible lengths to maintain the pH.
The basic is breathing out CO2 every few seconds to get rid of acid, which is why holding our breath turns us red and pass out — the rise in acidity that quickly dilates blood vessels in our body and creates an internal imbalance making consciousness impossible. On the other hand when we hyperventilate, the opposite happens; we lose too much acid to balance out the alkaline and the suddenly higher alkaline pH makes it incompatible with consciousness, which is why we get lightheaded and will soon faint in this case as well. The human body will not tolerate an out-of-line pH in either direction; the cells and metabolic processes cannot function properly and we loose consciousness.
Maintaining the pH levels of our body will help the cells maintain alkalinity in order to function and stay alive. An acidic state causes lack of oxygen at a cellular level. A pH of below 7.4 is sub-optimal providing the perfect environment for bacteria, mould and viruses to grow. Unfortunately, most of what we eat and drink these days is highly acidic, so it’s important to ensure we have some high alkaline foods in our diet to increase our body’s pH. Alkaline foods include those listed below:
-Unsweetened milk or yogurt
-Fresh vegetables including potatoes
-Forest fruits
-Beans and lentils
-Soy products and tofu
-Avocado
-Coconut
-Herbal Teas
There are various health drinks which one could make at home or purchase over the counter which help in restoring the pH levels of our body. Drink warm water with organic raw apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of lemon in the morning. Apple cider vinegar helps the body maintain a pH balance by restoring the body’s alkaline state. Also, lemon has vitamin C which helps in getting rid of acidity and prevents acid reflux.
If one keeps busy, has less time in the kitchen but wants to have a dose of pH balancing
drink, one could opt for DotShot which works by restoring the body’s pH levels, replenishing depleted nutrients and flushing out toxins. Ideal for students, office goers as well as handy on the go for those who sweat it out at the gym or sports. It is very important for everyone in the age of today to be very cautious on what they eat and which food could trigger what reaction. Plus, none of the foods that we get are pure but adulterated in of or the other way. Nobody even has the time to fetch the best ingredients for their food. It would be better to go ahead with small things, do things which are in the reach and maintain those perfect pH levels for obvious reasons.
