Acid Alkaline Balance (pH Balance) and Healthy Eating

Acid Alkaline Balance

One of the most important aspects of maintaining long-term health is maintaining a healthy acid alkaline balance within your body. But exactly how hard is it and what's involved? In this post I unveil what you need to do to make your body pH balanced.

pH balance in your diet is a key ingredient to good health. I'll discuss pH balance, acid alkaline balance and what foods help create the ideal pH balance for optimal health.

Did you make your New Years Resolutions this year? Was achieving optimal health one of these goals? Do you want to conquer your sugar cravings? Without optimal health we can lack the energy and motivation to push forward in the other areas of our lives, like career, relationships, spirituality.

So obtaining our goals obviously involves committing to healthy eating, being active and having some fun. One of the most important aspects of maintaining long-term health is actually maintaining a healthy acid alkaline balance within your body.

Maintaining your body acid alkaline balance is something you must take note of if you wish to sustain optimal health. Optimal acid alkaline balance is necessary for:

1. Healthy stress responses
2. Weight loss and weight management
3. Preventing chronic diseases

What is pH?

Having an alkaline diet plan is essential for maintaining wellbeing. Many factors can change your physiological acid alkaline balance and lead to a number of health concerns. Acid alkaline balance is measured on a scale called the pH scale. The pH scale ranges from 0-14 with anything below 7.0 being acidic and above 7 being alkaline.  The healthy range of urinary pH, tested using pH test strips is around neutral (i.e. around 7.0). That means you should aim for a urinary pH of about 6.5-7.5.

This urinary pH reflects your body pH and is a good marker for your acid alkaline balance.

Acid or Alkaline - Which Way Are You Leaning?

Unfortunately, over-acidity in the body is extremely common today. Many people have urinary pH readings of below 6.5, indicating they are acidic. Research suggests that if you stay in this acidic state you may be more susceptible to infections and a multitude of health concerns.  The following conditions are commonly seen in people who have an acidic system:

1. Osteoporosis
2. Obesity
3. Metabolic Syndrome
4. Muscle wasting

To help prevent these chronic diseases and keep healthier for longer, keeping your body in a neutral to slightly alkaline state is necessary.

Diets Have Changed Dramatically in the Last Century The diets of our ancestors were much more alkaline than the standard Western diet today. These historic diets were particularly high in alkaline fruits and vegetables. The standard Western diet today contains a higher proportion of more acid-producing animal foods and cereal grains, not to mention sugar and processed fats. A typical alkaline diet we may recommend may include the following recommendations:

1. Eat at least 3 serves of protein daily e.g. fresh lean fish, lean beef, eggs, legumes and tofu.
2. Eat at least 6 serves of seasonal vegetables daily e.g. cruciferous, root and leafy green vegetables.
3. Enjoy 2 to 4 serves of seasonal fruit daily e.g. a variety of coloured fruits including berries and citrus.
4. Add in 2 to 4 serves of nuts, seeds and oils daily e.g. raw and fresh nuts and seeds, cold pressed oils.
5. Limit grains and dairy product intake as these are very acidifying foods.
6. Drink at least 1.5-2 litres daily e.g. mainly water but also enjoy herbal or green teas and vegetable juices.

If you think you could benefit from a more alkaline diet which will help stop sugar cravings, we can help you with a tailored dietary program to meet your needs.

Phone or Email Vibrant Nutrition Today! Acid alkaline balance is absolutely essential for maintaining your wellbeing. We can help you keep vital and alkaline this year with nutritional advice, pH testing, alkaline mineral and green food supplementation and lifestyle guidance.  Just ask us today!