by: Lauren Rae, CPT at TRYM Fitness and Sunwarrior contributing writer
Stressed out, low to no activity level, and poor dietary habits. Does this sound like you or somebody you know? Most people don’t realize that this harmful lifestyle trifecta can make you teeter on the wrong side of the pH scale. Right now your amazing body is trying to maintain balance between alkaline and acidity to maintain a healthy pH level; however, it is greatly influenced by your lifestyle. When there is an imbalance, many serious problems can occur.
PH is the abbreviation for Potential Hydrogen and according to Discovery Health, “A pH number measures from 0 to 14 how acidic or alkaline a liquid is -- anything above 7 is alkaline and anything below 7 is acid.” The higher the pH reading, the more alkaline and oxygen rich the fluid is; while the lower the pH reading, the more acidic and oxygen deprived the fluid is. Now imagine that your cells are being deprived of oxygen and quickly becoming acidic. Doesn’t it make sense that you would benefit from a rich alkaline environment for healthy cells to flourish?
It is clear that our health depends on an alkaline (rather than acidic) environment to maintain a strong immune system and overall wellbeing. When you maintain a slightly alkaline state, your body is able to build an alkaline reserve for acid-forming conditions such as stress and environmental exposure. If your body is acidic, you are more susceptible to disease and rapid decay.
Here are 3 easy ways to help regulate your body’s acid/alkaline level:
1. Consume an Alkaline Rich Diet
An imbalanced diet of highly acidic foods such as animal protein, alcohol, refined sugar, caffeine, and other processed foods can put some serious pressure on your body’s ability to maintain an alkaline state. While in turn, a balanced diet of whole food that contains cruciferous vegetables, healthy plant-based fats and plant-based proteins will gradually transition you to the optimum alkaline balance. For more information on the Alkaline Diet, talk to your registered dietician for a customized nutrition program.
2. Become a Water Connoisseur
All water is not equal. And here’s why: almost all bottled water is unregulated tap water. And tap water has been found to contain, but not limited to, the following: fluoride, chlorine, radioactive contaminants, pharmaceutical drugs, hexavalent chromium, lead, aluminum and other heavy metals, and finally, arsenic. Think before you drink!
Sure there is a lot of controversy surrounding alkalinized water. But not only can healthy water consumption promote a healthier lifestyle, properly filtered, alkaline-positive water may actually be classified as pure, unadulterated water. The main benefit of simple, pure, alkaline-rich water is that it is rich in antioxidants that can aid in anti-aging, weight loss, lowering blood pressure, and even reversing diabetes. Just be aware of the exaggerated claims of some products and do your research before committing to an in-home filtering system.
3. Mineral supplements
It is likely that your body has been depleted of alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium as a result of environmental exposure, an acidic diet, and depleted water. As a result you are more prone to degenerative diseases and early aging because these minerals are borrowed from your organs and bones to neutralize acidity and eliminate it from your body. Supplementing with minerals, such as Sunwarrior Liquid Vitamin Mineral Rush, will help to restore a normal balance of nutrients at a cellular level. Learn more about the Liquid Vitamin Mineral Rush here!
References:
1. http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/cleansing/products/ph-balanced.htm
