Importance of pH balance

Are you too acidic?

Mild acidosis can lead to such problems as:

Weight gain, obesity and diabetes

Joint inflammation,arthritis

Bladder conditions,

kidney stones

Cardiovascular diseases

Immune deficiency

Cancer, chronic illness

Osteoporosis Hormone concerns Premature aging

Acceleration of free radical damage Low energy and chronic fatigue Slow digestion and elimination Yeast and fungal overgrowth Use this checklist to get a sense of how acidic you may be What makes us acidic? WHAT WE EAT including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, grains, refined or processed foods, fast food WHAT WE DRINK including coffee, soft drinks, alcohol, many types of water (distilled, bottled...) WHAT WE THINK including stress, worries, anxiety, negative thoughts POLLUTION AND TOXINS that are omnipresent in the world we live in INTENSE PHYSICAL EXERCISE that produces lactic acid DEHYDRATION which slows down the body’s ability to cleanse itself through the kidneys TOBACCO & DRUG USE Alkaline neutralizes acid Drinking alkaline ionized water on a daily basis helps neutralize acid to maintain or restore the body’s optimal pH balance. When our body is in equilibrium, our multiple self-regulating control mechanisms are able to operate in ideal conditions to efficiently deliver nutrients to our cells and to dissolve and eliminate waste products through the body’s natural elimination channels. Understanding pH balance The human body is designed to maintain a very delicate pH balance in its fluids, tissues and systems. As most biochemical reactions essential to life take place in an aqueous environment, however, it is our blood plasma and interstitial fluids surrounding the cells that are most sensitive to acid-alkaline imbalance. When these fluids are maintained within a narrow pH range of 7.35 to 7.45, our body’s immune system is operating in optimal conditions and is able to fight off illness and disease.Over acidification of the body, on the other hand, is a dangerous condition that weakens all body systems, and can give rise to an internal environment conducive to disease and even death. Luckily, however, our body has several self-regulating control mechanisms – also called homeostatic systems – that protect us from wide fluctuations in our blood’s pH levels. BICARBONATE BUFFERS One of the most important buffer agents in humans is bicarbonate. When carbon dioxide (CO2) mixes with water (H2O), carbonic acid is formed (H2CO3). When carbonic acid dissociates in an aqueous environment, it releases a molecule called a bicarbonate ion (HCO3-). Bicarbonate ions act as buffers because they bond with positively charged alkaline ions such as calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium ions and help the body neutralize an increase in the blood’s acidity levels. One of the body’s pH control mechanisms is called the acid-base buffer system. Buffers are substances which are capable of stabilizing pH in an aqueous solution. Alkaline (base) buffers are released into the blood stream when the blood becomes too acidic, and conversely, acidic buffers come into play if the blood pH becomes too alkaline. Unfortunately, however, our Western diet and fast-paced lifestyle put a heavy acidic burden on our body and the blood’s buffer system can’t always keep up. This leads to the gradual acidification of our blood and the body will then turn to other mechanisms to try and protect itself. However, these alternate mechanisms can sometimes trigger other types of problems that can lead to weight gain, premature aging, and the onset of multiple diseases. Accumulation of metabolic waste Every living cell within our body creates waste products. The nutrients from our food are delivered to each cell and they burn with oxygen to provide energy for us to live. The burned nutrients are the waste products. These waste products, which are mostly acidic, are discharged from our body through our various elimination channels. That explains why urine and perspiration are acidic. The problem, however, is that if our internal environment is not maintained in a state of pH balance, our body’s ability to eliminate the waste products slows down. To protect itself, the body converts acidic waste into solid waste and stores it in less critical areas of the body. The accumulation of solid waste can contribute to many health problems including excess weight, clogged arteries, arthritis, kidney stones, and various other chronic illnesses. Calcium depletion Calcium is absolutely essential to everyday health. Not only is it important in bone strength, but it plays an important role in blood pressure control, nerve function, and blood clotting. When the blood starts to become too acidic and the supply of alkaline buffers in the blood is insufficient to neutralize this acidity, however, the blood automatically seeks out other ways to reach pH balance. Since calcium is a very alkalizing mineral, the body will start drawing calcium from the bones and teeth in an effort to balance the blood’s pH levels. As the body’s acidity increases, more and more calcium is removed from the bones. If left unchecked over a long period of time, this situation can lead to a loss of bone density which eventually leads to osteoporosis. Stacked blood cells (Rouleau) Red blood cells deliver oxygen, amino acids, electrolytes and vitamins to the cells and tissues in your body, and collect carbon dioxide and toxins for elimination. Healthy red blood cells are surrounded by a negative charge so they are continuously repelling one another as they race through our circulatory system. This allows them to efficiently release nutrients and absorb waste products. However, when your blood becomes more acidic, the red blood cells lose their negative charge and start to stick together, a process called ‘rouleau’ formation. When this happens, the blood cell’s exchange surface area is reduced and the transfer rate of the blood slows down. As such, the body’s ability to regenerate is compromised.

How do free radicals affect the body?

Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage cells, causing illness and aging.

Free radicals are linked to aging and a host of diseases, but little is known about their role in human health, or how to prevent them from making people sick.

What are free radicals?

Understanding free radicals requires a basic knowledge of chemistry.

Atoms are surrounded by electrons that orbit the atom in layers called shells. Each shell needs to be filled by a set number of electrons. When a shell is full; electrons begin filling the next shell.

If an atom has an outer shell that is not full, it may bond with another atom, using the electrons to complete its outer shell. These types of atoms are known as free radicals.

Atoms with a full outer shell are stable, but free radicals are unstable and in an effort to make up the number of electrons in their outer shell, they react quickly with other substances.

When oxygen molecules split into single atoms that have unpaired electrons, they become unstable free radicals that seek other atoms or molecules to bond to. If this continues to happen, it begins a process called oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress can damage the body’s cells, leading to a range of diseases and causes symptoms of aging, such as wrinkles.

According to the free radical theory of aging, first outlined in 1956, free radicals break cells down over time.

As the body ages, it loses its ability to fight the effects of free radicals. The result is more free radicals, more oxidative stress, and more damage to cells, which leads to degenerative processes, as well as “normal” aging.

Various studies and theories have connected oxidative stress due to free radicals to:

central nervous system diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and other dementias

cardiovascular disease due to clogged arteries

autoimmune and inflammatory disordersTrusted Source, such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer

cataracts and age-related vision decline

age-related changes in appearance, such as loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, graying hair, hair loss, and changes in hair texture

diabetes

genetic degenerative diseases, such as Huntington’s disease or Parkinson’s

The free radical theory of aging is relatively new, but numerous studies support it. Studies on rats, for example, showed significant increases in free radicals as the rats aged. These changes matched up with age-related declines in health.

Over time, researchers have tweaked the free radical theory of aging to focus on the mitochondria. Mitochondria are tiny organelles in cells that process nutrients to power the cell.

Research on rats suggests that free radicals produced in the mitochondria damage the substances that the cell needs to work properly. This damage causes mutations that produce more free radicals, thus accelerating the process of damage to the cell.

This theory helps explain aging since aging accelerates over time. The gradual, but increasingly rapid buildup of free radicals offers one explanation for why even healthy bodies age and deteriorate over time.

Free radical theories of aging and disease may help explain why some people age more slowly than others.

Although free radicals are produced naturally in the body, lifestyle factors can accelerate their production. Those include:

exposure to toxic chemicals, such as pesticides and air pollution

smoking

alcohol

fried foods

These lifestyle factors have been linked to diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. So, oxidative stress might be a reason why exposure to these substances causes diseases.

Antioxidants and free radicals

It is hard to watch television without seeing at least one commercial that promises to fight aging with antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that prevent the oxidation of other molecules.

Antioxidants are chemicals that lessen or prevent the effects of free radicals. They donate an electron to free radicals, thereby reducing their reactivity. What makes antioxidants unique is that they can donate an electron without becoming reactive free radicals themselves.

No single antioxidant can combat the effects of every free radical. Just as free radicals have different effects in different areas of the body, every antioxidant behaves differently due to its chemical properties.

In certain contexts, however, some antioxidants may become pro-oxidants, which grab electrons from other molecules, creating chemical instability that can cause oxidative stress.

Antioxidant foods and supplements: Do they work?

Thousands of chemicals can act as antioxidants. Vitamins C, and E, glutathione, beta-carotene, and plant estrogens called phytoestrogens are among the many antioxidants that may cancel out the effects of free radicals.

Many foods are rich in antioxidants. Berries, citrus fruits, and many other fruits are rich in vitamin C, while carrots are known for their high beta-carotene content. The soy found in soybeans and some meat substitutes is high in phytoestrogens.

The ready availability of antioxidants in food has inspired some health experts to advise antioxidant-rich diets. The antioxidant theory of aging also led many companies to push sales of antioxidant supplements.

Research on antioxidants is mixed. Most research shows few or no benefits. A 2010 study that looked at antioxidant supplementation for the prevention of prostate cancer found no benefits. A 2012 studyTrusted Source found that antioxidants did not lower the risk of lung cancer. In fact, for people already at a heightened risk of cancer, such as smokers, antioxidants slightly elevated the risk of cancer Some research has even found that supplementation with antioxidants is harmful, particularly if people take more than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). A 2013 analysisTrusted Source found that high doses of beta-carotene or vitamin E significantly increased the risk of dying.

A few studies have found benefits associated with antioxidant use, but the results have been modest. A 2007 study trusted Source, for instance, found that long-term use of beta-carotene could modestly reduce the risk of age-related problems with thinking.

What we do not know

Studies suggest that antioxidants cannot “cure” the effects of free radicals – at least not when antioxidants come from artificial sources. This raises questions about what free radicals are, and why they form.

It is possible that free radicals are an early sign of cells already fighting disease, or that free radical formation is inevitable with age. Without more data, it is impossible to understand the problem of free radicals fully.

People interested in fighting free radical-related aging should avoid common sources of free radicals, such as pollution and fried food. They should also eat a healthful, balanced diet without worrying about supplementing with antioxidants.

A natural remedy for heartburn

Faced with excessive production of gastric acid, otherwise known as heartburn, many people resort to symptomatic treatment. Some may take a teaspoon of baking soda, otherwise known as an innocuous natural remedy, while others gobble pills hoping to get rid of the burning sensation in their chests. Still, the results of these practices tend to be short-lived as the problem itself remains unresolved. If we want get rid of acid reflux for good, the first thing we have to understand is why the condition develops. What causes heartburn? The interior of the stomach is a highly acidic environment due to the production of hydrochloric acid (HCI). HCI plays a big part in breaking down food, proteins in particular. However, it takes a large amount of acid to adequately digest the contents of the stomach. In young people, the stomach is usually a reliably functioning organ that produces 3 to 4 quarts of HCI every day. Over time, bad eating habits and natural ageing processes may lead to the less consistent production of HCI. Protein digestion is no longer as efficient and food begins to sit in the stomach longer than it should, triggering a process known as food rotting. Rotting food produces lactic acid, which inflames the stomach. Lactic acid may rise up the gullet to cause the effect of heartburn. This occurs either due to poor production of hydrochloric acid or weak functioning of the sphincter. The sphincter is situated between the gullet and the stomach. It opens up when we swallow foods and liquids or need to belch. Otherwise it remains shut, protecting the delicate epithelium of the gullet from acid damage. The sphincter also makes sure that the partially digested food goes to the duodenum, but prevents bile from passing from the latter to the stomach. However, in cases of inflammation, the sphincter doesn’t perform its function as it should, and the bile – a strong alkali – finds its way into the stomach. The stomach, defending itself against the alkaline environment, tries to isolate the bile and backs HCI up into the gullet. The upward moving acid causes the burning sensation in the chest that is known as acid reflux or heartburn. The first thing to do in the case of heartburn is to neutralise the alkaline environment in the stomach. Drinking ionized alkaline water may be a good solution. Ionised water counteracts the rising pH level in the stomach and activates the production of hydrochloric acid. This way the work of the stomach is brought back to normal and the cause of heartburn is eliminated. However, do not drink too much, as increasing the volume of content in the stomach may lead to further acid reflux. Acidification of the body at the root These days, various medications for the regulation of gastric acid secretion are very popular. However, one has to bear in mind that increased acidity in the stomach is inextricably linked to the acidification of the body itself. Therefore, it is important to tackle the problem on a global level before taking any local measures. This is where ionized alkaline water comes into play. Let’s see how it works. During the production of gastric acid another important agent – sodium bicarbonate – is released into the bloodstream. This bicarbonate acts as an alkaline buffer, increasing the blood’s ability to neutralise excess acid in the body. The more gastric acid is produced, the more bicarbonates are released into the blood, increasing the blood’s ability to neutralise acids. Acidification of the body is thus brought to a halt. Neither food supplements, nor baking soda dissolved in water will increase the amount of bicarbonates (alkaline buffers) in the blood. Only high alkaline water (with a pH ranging from 8.5 to 9.5) can do this. Drinking 2-2.5 l of alkaline water daily ensures the maintenance of an alkaline buffer level and the elimination of acidic waste. This is incredibly important, as with the passing years the alkaline buffer in our bodies tends to weaken and the accumulation of acidic waste accelerates the aging process. By our mid-forties the symptoms of lifestyle diseases typically start to show. This includes high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, degenerative changes of all kinds, etc.