Perfect pH: the Simple Way to Optimal Health

By Gavin Bragg

Acid/alkaline balance. By now many of us have heard of it, some of us have a good understanding of it, and yet few people know how to balance our pH, or bring it back into balance.

Here I will discuss firstly the basics of how our pH gets out of balance, what are some of the effects, and what we can do to restore it. I will also teach you a simple cost effective way to measure it.

Your body’s optimal pH

Your body is designed so that the blood pH stays between 7.35-7.45. This represents the normal range of optimal pH according to Dr. Ben Kim. Your body achieves this through three mechanisms.

1. Buffer systems

Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate Buffer System
Protein Buffer System
Phosphate Buffer System

2. Exhalation of Carbon Dioxide

3. Elimination of Hydrogen ions via the kidneys

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”110028″]

Changes to the pH level wreak havoc on the body systems. If the pH drops below 7.35 it can result in acidosis. If it raises above 7.45 it can results in alkalosis. Both states are extremely dangerous and damaging to the body; from nervous system depression in acidosis that can lead to coma and even death, to nervous system hypersensitivity in alkalosis which can cause convulsions and in extreme cases, death.

The reason that such a small change can make such a massive impact is that on the pH scale of 1-14, each difference of 1 represents a 10 fold increase or decrease. Dr. Ben Kim provides an example of this:

“A liquid that has a pH of 6 is ten times more acidic than a liquid like pure water that has a pH of 7, and a liquid with a pH of 5 is one hundred times more acidic than pure water. Most carbonated soft drinks (pop) have a pH of about 3, making them about ten thousand times more acidic than pure water. Please remember this the next time you think about drinking a can of pop” ~ Dr. Ben Kim

Undoubtedly, the pH level of our blood affects every cell in our bodies. And as our body’s healthy function depends on our blood maintaining an alkalinity between 7.35 and 7.45 pH, it is reasonable to expect that over-acidity will interrupt normal metabolic processes.

Dietary and environmental factors

Soft drinks aren’t the only ones on the acidic side of the scale. In fact the majority of foods eaten by those of us in the industrialized world are acid forming, that is, they cause what is known as an acid ash in the body after digestion. Highly acid forming foods include: alcohol, tobacco, coffee, white flour products, white sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined salt, dairy, red and white meats, as well as most pharmaceuticals.

Your body does a wonderful job at keeping its balance in check, but at what cost?!

Luckily there are some simple ways you can help maintain a healthy pH.

Although lemon is thought of as an acid fruit, it is actually very alkaline. This is because of its low sugar and high alkaline mineral content of potassium bicarbonate. Lemons do not draw down on the alkaline buffering system and contribute in excess of 10 times in alkaline hydroxyl ions in relationship to its acid forming hydrogen ion content.

To keep the pH stable, one of the main ways I mentioned earlier was the phosphate buffer system;

“About 85% of the phosphate ions that are used in your phosphate buffer system comes from calcium phosphate salts, which are structural components of your bones and teeth. If your body fluids are regularly exposed to large quantities of acid-forming foods and liquids, your body will draw upon its calcium phosphate reserves to supply your phosphate buffer system to neutralize the acid-forming effects of your diet. Over time, this may lead to structural weakness in your bones and teeth.” ~ Dr. Ben Kim

Also, when the body draws on its calcium phosphate reserves at a high rate, this can increase the amount of calcium being eliminated via the genito-urinary system allowing kidney stones to form.

Toxins are extremely acid forming, whether they are our body’s natural biological wastes or pollutants from our environment. If toxins build up and cannot be eliminated, diseased states will occur.

Today environmental toxins are everywhere; in the air that we breath, the food that we eat, to the things we come in contact with every day. Providing the body with sufficient alkalinity and nutrition is key to aiding your body in toxin removal. Maintaining a diet that includes 80% alkaline and 20% acid-forming foods is vital, as well as drinking alkaline water, and focusing your activities and intakes on toxin removal.

And by adding a secret weapon to your health arsenal, you will greatly boost your efforts.

Green juice and liquid zeolite

A study by Dr Gabriel Cousens of the effects of a green vegetable juice fast in combination with the maximum dose NCD activated zeolite showed the removal of 88% of over 800 toxins from subjects in only one week. For those who continued for an additional week, there was a 100% removal rate of toxic material, including heavy metals, pesticides and even teflon.

Though a juice fast may be a little extreme for most people, incorporating a morning green vegetable juice with 15 drops of zeolite in it is one of the easiest ways you can start to remove the built up toxic material in the body. Zeolite has the incredible ability to absorb toxic heavy metals and volatile organics and safely remove them from the body in 5-7 hours. It is the safest way to remove heavy metals as the zeolite effectively neutralizes the metal ions when they are absorbed so they cause no damage to the surrounding tissues when they are being removed.

Zeolite is also a buffer of pH and will absorb positively charged hydronium ions. These ions lower the pH and make it more acidic, and by eliminating them, it helps balance the pH to within the optimal, alkaline range.

Boosting your mental health

Learning simple techniques on how to live happy can be as important as any dietary change. Your thought patterns contribute in an enormous way to your overall state of health – and acid levels in the body.

According to the Mayo Clinic, stress affects many bodily systems and functions, including heart function, digestion, blood pressure, reproductive function, oral health, cell growth and regeneration, and sleep.

Put simply, thoughts create emotions and emotions create chemical reactions in the body that can be highly acid forming.

But there are many effective ways you can reduce stress in your life, and ways you can limit the effects of stress on your body. Why not try a simple herbal or floral remedy? Choose foods that lower your stress levels? Or consider practical strategies that can help you manage stress in your life? Boosting your mental health is as important to your body’s function as your diet.

Measuring your alkalinity

Measuring your Alkalinity should be done regularly. The easiest and most cost effective way to measure your body’s acid level, as well as your body’s alkaline reserves, is with litmus paper.

Litmus paper changes colour depending on the pH of the liquid it is immersed in. Try to find some that has increments of 0.5, and that ranges roughly from 5.5 up to 8.5. This should be available at most pharmacies or health food stores.

It is important to create some saliva then swallow, do this 3 times to help ensure you have removed any other food or drink that may effect the test. Wet the litmus paper with your saliva. Just like your blood, a healthy pH for your saliva is 7.4.

By measuring the pH level of your saliva you are not measuring the ph of the blood, instead you are measuring the alkaline reserves of the body, and therefore the body’s ability to neutralize acid.

Change = reward

By changing a few daily habits, maintaining an 80% alkaline 20% acidic foods diet, focusing on toxin elimination (including green juicing with zeolite), drinking alkaline water, and learning to live happy, you will see a physical transformation like no other.

For most, all of this is not possible all at once. But start by being conscious of what your body is saying, and making small changes – one or two elements at a time. You will see increased energy and vitality and be able to give more of yourself to the things you love.

References:

Dr. Ben Kim: (The Truth About Alkalizing Your Blood)
Dr Gabriel Cousens
www.webmd.com
www.mayoclinic.com
www.energiseforlife.com/dr-young.html

About the author:

Gavin Bragg is a freelance author, adventurer, amateur archaeologist and long-time Wake Up World colleague.

In late 2007, Gavin’s partner (and WuW guest author) Ashley Peters was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour. Western doctors described her as ”terminal” and told her to say her good-bye’s. But Gavin and Ashley “turned East” for their answers to cancer, and discovered the healing properties of a mineral compound, zeolite.

Much to the confusion of Western doctors, Ashley treated herself with zeolite and has been clear of cancer for 5 years.

Given purpose by this second chance, Gavin and Ashley have become distributors for NCD2 Pure Liquid Zeolite…. the product that saved Ashley’s life. Gavin and Ashley are on a mission to spread the word about natural treatments, and hope that naturally healing ”alternative” treatments like zeolite will soon replace the dangerous, ineffective pharmaceuticals that flood the “health care” industry.

Visit www.PureLiquidZeolite.com for more information.

[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”110027″]