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pH BalanceArticle submission, Sunday 22nd February 2009There is a lot of talk going around about alkaline diet but before we start believing everything we hear let’s use some fact and a put a bit of our analyzing brain at work. Almost all foods that we eat, after being digested, absorbed, and metabolized, release either an acid or an alkaline (bicarbonate) into blood.
Our blood is slightly alkaline, with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45. When the body fluids become too acidic, a condition called acidosis develops conversely, when the body fluids become too alkaline by decrease of carbon dioxide or increase of bicarbonates, alkalosis results. The more hydrogen, the more acidic it is (low pH); the less hydrogen, the more alkaline it is (high pH). A pH of 7 is neutral. Pure water has a neutral pH of 7. It is believed that a diet high in acid-producing foods disrupts body balance and promotes the loss of essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium. This imbalance is thought to make people prone to illness.
Often there are fad diets that recommend people eat either all acid or all alkaline foods to solve one disease or another. In reality, it is probably healthier to strive for a balanced middle ground of alkaline and acidic foods. There are lots of misconceptions of foods such as orange juice and lemon juice. They are acidic in their natural state but turn alkaline after they have been metabolized in the body. And so are considered to be alkaline forming foods despite being acidic prior to consumption. Most fruits are alkaline except a few that include cranberries, plums and prunes.
Your body has a complex system of checks and balances to keep its pH in a normal and healthy range: 7.35 to 7.45. When your pH shifts outside this range and becomes too acidic or too alkaline, your body automatically corrects itself to bring things back to normal. It is seen that when you breathe more rapidly, you blow out more carbon dioxide and this raises your ph and slowing down your breathing helps you to release less carbon dioxide, one more reason to exercise and meditate. Neutralizing substance like hemoglobin clear the excess hydrogen ions and prevent pH from becoming acidic so hey you all check your iron intake along with proteins to avoid acidosis. Take good care of your kidneys as they eliminate the excess acidic substances into urine to prevent pH from becoming too low. Conversely, if your pH starts to become too high or alkaline, the body uses similar tools in reverse to bring down the pH. The bottom line: The body fights hard to keep your pH balanced. It's nearly impossible to achieve and maintain a high-alkaline pH for a prolonged period of time.
The body's pH levels may change slightly as a result of eating some foods, but will remain in the tightly held range of 7.35 - 7.45. For instance, some fruits and vegetables as well as dairy products may raise the pH of your urine, whereas meat products and cranberries may lower the pH of your urine. However, even if you eat large quantities of these foods, your blood pH will barely change and only for a short time.
However it might just be helpful to parents who wish to have a boy or girl According to a theory, if the secretions in vagina and uterine are acidic, the expected baby gender will be girl. If secretions are neutral or alkaline, the expected baby gender will be boy, a diet rich with milk products is delivering a girl, vegetables and fruits is for boy, but there is nothing like a hearty breakfast to boost a woman's chances of conceiving a son, trying to cut calories will increase your chances of girl. There's no scientific evidence at this time that suggests that alkaline diets are beneficial to humans. But there is no harm in trying, so is it pink or blue or say milk or veggies.
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