What the heck is pH?
A pH definition

Introduction

I've been hearing more and more about this subject in relation to improving health, so I've spent some time researching a pH definition that I can understand and use.

What the heck is "pH" anyway and how is it related to health? That's the first thing I wanted to know, so I'm sharing what I've learned with you in this article.

I'm realizing that the pH of the body is REALLY BASIC.

It is related to nutrition and what you put in your body. Everything we consume is broken down into small particles, nutrients, that are the raw material that our bodies NEED in order to function and rebuild.

Water is a vital part of these processes, and when water combines with these nutrients or other substances that we take in, they have either an acidic or alkaline quality. This is what pH measures - how acidic or alkaline our internal body environment is.

The quality of being "alkaline" or "acidic" - in very simple terms - just depends on the quantity of hydrogen the substance contains.

This is essential to our health because the body only operates well at a balanced pH - our bodies need both acidic and alkaline substances to function well, but they need to be balanced. The pH scale is a tool we can use to monitor our health because it will show us whether our body is too acidic, too alkaline or just right and balanced.

A pH definition

pH is a chemistry term. But that doesn't mean it can't be understood! A pH number indicates how acidic or alkaline a solution (liquid that something else is dissolved in) is.

In a pH definition, "pH" stands for "potential of hydrogen." The "H" is capitalized because the symbol for hydrogen is capital H.

The pH of your body and other substances can be checked with pH strips.

pH color chart

pH balance

pH is balanced when the amounts of acidity and alkalinity are fairly equal - around 7 on the ph balance chart. Since acidic substances and alkaline substances have opposite qualities, when they're balanced in fairly equal amounts, they "neutralize" one another. The ideal pH of the body's internal environment is about 7.4.

Balanced nutrition goes far in attaining pH balance in our bodies. For instance, red meats, fats, and sugars create an acidic pH and fruits, vegetables, and whole grains create an alkaline pH.

If the pH of the body is too acidic or too alkaline over a period of time, health problems can occur. The body naturally works to keep the pH balanced - but at a price!

Acidic body pH

When we consume more red meats, fats, and sugars out of balance with most fresh fruits, vegetables and other alkaline, neutralizing nutrients, we create an acidic pH body environment.

An acidic, unbalanced body environment is unhealthy and allows disease to grow and thrive. One thing that an acidic body pH causes is inflammation. Cancers and other degenerative diseases just love an acidic environment!

Some health conditions that may be caused, at least partially, by an unbalanced, acidic pH are:

• Immune deficiency

• Fatigue

• Obesity

• Diabetes

• Bladder and kidney problems

• Joint pain

• Fungal overgrowth

• Hormonal imbalances

• Premature aging

• Headaches

• Bad breath

• Irritability and depression
  

I am not saying that completely handling an acidic body pH would completely eliminate these conditions. But improving an out-of-balance pH will improve your health.

If your pH is too acidic, your body tries to get it in balance by "borrowing" alkaline substances, notably minerals, from other parts of your body.

For example, calcium is the main mineral in your body and has many functions - and as you probably know, calcium is concentrated in your bones. Well, if your pH is out of whack by being too acidic, then your body will take calcium and other alkaline nutrients from your bones and tissues to try and correct the pH imbalance.

Makes sense that you'd feel lousy after a while if this were happening constantly! After researching and understanding the pH definition, I realized that it is valid.

I have personally observed it to be true because I've gradually modified my diet to include a lot more fresh, organic fruits and veggies, reduced my beef, fats and refined sugars, and increased my nutritional supplements which include coral calcium. I FEEL BETTER than I did before.

Testing your pH

There are pH test strips available in health food stores and on-line that you can use to test your pH. I found some at the place I get my dietary supplements.

Here's a short video about using pH test strips to check the pH of your body.

Conventional or "western" medicine, with its emphasis on a "drugs-and-surgery" method of healthcare, do not give us a pH definition, much less any mention of this health tool. I highly doubt that it is taught in conventional medical schools. If it were, why don't we hear about it?

I hope this pH definition has helped you understand how you can use it as a tool to better your health.

__________

A question I have that I'm going to research is how do prescription drugs and environmental toxins affect the pH of the body?

Inquiring minds want to know.

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