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When you hear the term pH level, you are probably transported back to some vague memory from high school science class but most people are not aware of how important it is for them to have a good understanding of how the pH levels in their physical bodies work. Failing to know how important the pH equilibrium in your body is can result in your having a highly acidic system, an issue that can lead to many different health conditions. Let’s take a close look at what pH levels are and how they affect your body so that you can stay feeling as fit and good as possible.
What Are pH Levels?
pH is the measure used in chemistry to determine the acidity in solutions in which the solvent is water (an aqueous solution). Thus, 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 metabolic byproducts and our diets. 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 home to a high acidity environment. But how can you protect yourself against low pH levels and their corresponding ailments?
Maintaining pH Equilibrium
So how do we maintain a healthy pH balance in our bodies? There are several ways that we can protect our bodies from the ravages of low pH and the good news is that they are fairly simple and are within our control. First, it is important to drink a lot of water (the recommended 8 glasses a day) as water neutralizes acidity. Second, it is crucial that our eating habits do make room for food that lowers our acidity: processed grains, junk food, red meat, sugars, and soda. The third and maybe most important way that we can keep our pH balanced is by taking control of our emotions. 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 in love, health, and happiness.