Our body is designed to maintain its ideal pH by using the respiratory system and urinary systems as buffering agents. However, a diet of acid forming foods such as processed gains, sugar, alcohol, and meat can tip the scale in favour of over acidity in the body. In order to maintain a proper pH balance, minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium are drawn out of tissues such as bone resulting in a variety of conditions and diseases. Increasing the amount of alkalizing fruits and vegetables in your diet, drinking sufficient alkaline water, practicing deep breathing exercises and reducing your stress all help the body re-establish a health alkaline state.
Foods considered alkaline forming leave alkaline ash after being metabolized while acid forming ones leave sulphuric, phosphoric and hydrochloric acids behind rendering the body more acidic. For more information on acid-alkaline balance click here.
pH is a measure used to indicate the acidity or alkalinity of a solution ranging from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Solutions with pH below 7 are acidic while the solutions with pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline. A healthy body pH is slightly alkaline ranging from 7.30- 7.45.
Over acidity in the blood affects the functioning of many organs and systems in the body including:
- Digestion
- Cardiovascular system
- Bones
- Immune system
- Reproductive system
- Lungs
- Skin
- Muscles
- Kidneys
Apart from our diet, below are some of the other factors that affect our mechanisms for maintaining acid-base homeostasis:
- Chronic stress
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Prescription drugs
- Inflammation in the body
You can help your body reinstate the acid – alkaline balance by supplementing your diet with mineral buffers like Pascoe Canada Basentabs. Basentabs contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and zinc as buffering agents.
Basentabs:
- Support a stable acid-base balance with zinc (important for forming buffers)
- Contain an ideal 3:1 calcium to magnesium ratio
- Are highly alkalinizing
If you are uncertain whether Basentabs are a necessary addition to your daily supplement regime, an easy and reliable way to test your pH levels is using Pascoe pH strips available to be purchased at Better Living in Toronto. For more information on the products mentioned in this article our staff can be contacted at 416-249-1895 or info@betterliving.co.
