Jennifer Thompson

The pH level is a measure of your acid/alkaline balance in the body. It is based on a scale of 1 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Ideally in a healthy body, the pH of the blood should be about 7.385.

Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, author of Water for Health, for Healing, for Life, explains the pH scale further. He says, “Why 7.4, and what is pH? From 1 to 7 on the pH scale is the acid range, 1 being more acid than 7. From 7 to 14 on the scale is the alkaline range; 7 is less alkaline than 14. On the pH scale, 7 is neutral, meaning optimum. Thus, pH of 7.4 of the interior of the cell denotes its natural, slightly alkaline state. This state promotes health because it is the state that best suits the enzymes that function inside the cell: They achieve optimum efficiency at this pH. Adequate flow of water in and out of the cell keeps the cell interior in its health-maintaining alkaline state.”

Factors that affect pH include stress, diet and lifestyle.

If the body is too acidic, you can start to experience feelings of imbalance including gas, constipation, bloating, acne, heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, mild headaches, gastritis, candida and frequent flus. Advanced symptoms of over-acidity include Crohn’s disease and even cancer (all forms).

If your diet is largely composed of meats, fish, cheeses, breads, white flour foods, greasy take-aways, chocolate, coffee, wine, beer and cigarettes (all acid-forming), you may be suffering from an over-acidic body.

The body needs an alkaline pH to maintain clean blood, good enzyme reserve and healthy immune function.

Did you know that antacid pills are the highest selling product in pharmacies around the world? Imagine how many people could reclaim their health, simply by choosing a better combinations of food!

With Iridology, I can easily assess if my client is suffering from acidosis. It is one of the first things that needs to be changed for the body to get well.

Remember the 80/20 rule!

The general recommendation to maintain a healthy pH is: Eat 80% alkaline-forming foods and 20% acid-forming foods.

When we talk about ‘acid-forming’ and ‘alkaline-forming,’ we are looking at how much acid the stomach has to produce in order to digest the food. An orange, even though it is acidic outside the body, when we eat it, the stomach has to produce almost no acid. Therefore, oranges are ‘alkaline-forming’. Apple cider vinegar is clearly acidic when sitting on your counter. But, inside your stomach, it becomes ‘akaline-forming,’ because the stomach has to produce almost no acid to digest it. Conversely, something like bread requires a lot of acid to digest, so it is considered to be ‘acid-forming’.

Put it into practice:

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables! Greens are the Great Alkalizer. Another reason to have your Green Smoothie every day!
2. If you eat meat, bread or cheese, try to add more vegetables. Get creative with your side salads!
3. Add fresh lemon, lime or raw apple cider vinegar to soups, salads and juices. Mother Nature’s alkalizers!
4. Take probiotics! A healthy gut is alkaline.
5. Rest and sleep! Engage in positive conversations. Laugh. Practice unconditional love. All alkaline-forming activites.
6. Create peaceful mealtimes. Be conscious while you are eating your food.
7. Give thanks for the gift of food, an offering to your temple of a healthy body, mind and spirit!