Whether you are trying to get healthy by way of weight loss or via healthier eating habits, it is important for you to get to know your pH levels a little better. You may remember pH levels from your high school biology class, but probably know very little about how they work. It is time for all of that to change—understanding you pH levels is integral to keeping your body in health and balance.
What Are pH Levels?
pH is the measurement used in chemistry to determine the acidity in solutions in which the solvent is water (an aqueous solution). In laymen’s terms, pH levels tell us how acidic an environment is and this is important because certain compounds flourish in acidity, and many of these are not the kinds that we want flowing through our systems (i.e. yeast, certain bacteria).
pH in the Body
The acidity (or pH levels) in our bodies is determined by our diets. This is why scientists have created the pH scale—to help us better determine the acidity of the body or any other environment. The pH scale exists from 0 to 14 and when the body has a pH level that is lower than 7 it has become too acidic. High acidity in the body creates an environment in which the following health problems flourish:
- Candida (yeast)
- Allergies
- Chronic fatigue
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Weakening of skin, bones, nails, and hair
- Cramps
- Anxiety and panic disorders
- Increased risk of the spread of cancerous cells
From the list above, you can see that you don’t want your body to be highly acidic. But how can you protect yourself against low pH levels and their corresponding ailments?
Maintaining a pH Equilibrium
So how do you maintain a healthy pH balance in our bodies? First and foremost drink lots of water. Drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water a day will neutralize your acidity. Second, it is crucial that you eliminate acidic friendly foods from your diet: processed grains, junk food, red meat, sugars, and soda. The third and maybe most important way that you can keep your pH balanced is by taking control of our emotions. Yes it sounds crazy—how can emotions possibly affect the chemistry of your body?! But research shows that emotions such as anger, fear, jealousy, and hate all facilitate the creation of acidic-forming chemical reactions in the body by the hypothalamus while emotions such as happiness, love, and joy create alkaline-forming chemical reactions that neutralize acidity. Your mood and the way you think about things can literally affect your pH levels!
Understanding the importance of pH levels is vital to maintaining a healthy body and serves as yet another example of how we control the health and vitality of our physical bodies not only by what we eat but also by how we think. You are the creator of the environment of both your body and mind—so why not make the choice to live a low acidity life of love, health, and happiness?
Your pH levels have a major impact on your physical and emotional health. To learn more about pH levels and your body, please contact me. Or get involved in the discussion on Facebook and Twitter. We need your valuable input!