Balancing Your pH for Wellness
Our next series will introduce the importance of pH for both personal health and the home. Over the next couple blog posts we’ll learn what pH is and why it is important for our bodies, as well as our cleaning products, and the foods we eat. A buildup of acids in our bodies can cause problems ranging from stomach upset to disease. If our cleaning products are not pH balanced they can become caustic or simply not do as good of a job as we would hope. What is pH and how can we improve our health by becoming more aware?
pH Balance and You
The term “ph balanced” means that something falls within an equal range between acidity and alkalinity. Our bodies are supposed to be well balanced and too much of one or the other can cause an upset. Think about when you have eaten too many acidic foods (like meats and sugars) and you grab those antacids (anti-acids). Some foods change your digestive pH and can cause stomach bloating and upset. When your pH isn’t balanced it can make you prone to certain diseases. Maintaining a balanced pH can help our bodies to digest food, carry oxygen, and even regulate the hormones in our bodies that control sleep patterns and moods. It can even affect your skin!
Acid Levels and a Link to Skin Problems
Like many babies, my little one had very sensitive skin. I didn’t think much about it until her chubby baby cheeks stayed very red and sore. I was very blessed to be able to nurse her and I was very careful about what I ate. I also had issues with very bad eczema (patches of very sensitive dry skin). I tried everything I could think of to help her. I even switched to making my own soaps, but nothing seemed to help. I tried everything anyone suggested and my girl showed no sign of improvement. In fact, my daughter’s condition only worsened. A friend came to visit and she mentioned checking her pH by using what is called a Litmus strip (little strip of paper that changes color). After taking the strip and wetting it with a little of my daughter’s saliva the paper changed colors. We then matched the color to a color code on the test. In the end I changed my diet to reflect the results by limiting my acidic food intake. Not long after this her skin began improving and mine soon followed. My daughter is now a teenager and she still has to be careful not to eat too many acidic foods or she will begin to have eczema flare-ups.
Finding Balance…
It seems our bodies respond much better to a higher alkalinity level. Some even swear that the human body was meant to thrive in a predominantly alkaline environment with very little acidic intake. I’m a firm believer that our bodies are unique and we need to find balance in all things, including our pH level for our body and home.
Applications & Resources for pH Balance
- Check out the Food Safety Site for more on PH and Sanitizing
- Read more at Mind Body Green to find foods that match your pH needs
- Find out more about pH imbalance at The Good Witch, Chatelaine and Women to Women
- Go to CTDS for a quick list of Acidic and Alkaline foods and Women’s Health about pH and skin
