The first step towards great health begins with helping the body become more alkaline. The acid-alkaline balance is important, since many functions in the body occur only at a certain level of acidity or alkalinity.  

Many of the body’s processes produce acid. Your lungs and kidneys can usually compensate for slight pH imbalances, but problems with these organs can lead to excess acid accumulating in your body. 

A small change in the pH balance can have a profound effect on body function. A lowered muscle pH for example, leads to a decrease in muscle permeability, which blocks nutrients from entering cells. Nutritional absorption from food or supplement sources becomes compromised. When your body is more acidic than alkaline, it is more fertile for diseases to develop.  

Understanding the pH levels  

Sometimes the body is very acidic, without you even realizing it, which causes the nerves to become more sensitive to pain. If you happen to eat the standard American diet, then chances are your body is too acidic. If you’ve suffered from too many urinary tract infections to count, then chances are your body is too acidic.  

The acidity of your blood is measured by determining its pH. A lower pH means that your blood is more acidic, while a higher pH means that your blood is more basic. The pH of your blood should be around 7.4. According to the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC), acidosis is characterized by a pH of 7.35 or lower. 

Alkaline or acidic  

To know for sure if your body is alkaline or acidic you need to run some tests. These are the steps to check in with your pH levels: 

1. Obtain pH test paper 

This paper measures the acid-alkaline state of any liquid. Readings at the low end of the scale indicate an acidic state, and those on the higher end a more alkaline state. 

2. Always test in the morning 

First thing in the morning, if possible after 6 hours of sleep without getting up to urinate, get a test strip or tear off a three-inch piece of paper from the roll. Either urinate directly on the paper or collect urine in a cup and dip the paper into the urine in the cup. Please note that first-morning urine is the most valuable pH reading according to our research. If you can’t go 6 hours without getting up to urinate, then just test the first urine in the morning when you get up for the day. 

3. Read the result color 

As the test paper is moistened, it will take on a color. The color relates to the acid or alkaline state of your urine and ranges from yellow to dark blue. Match the color of your test strip with the chart provided on the back of your test kit. 

A number below 6.5 means that your urine is on the acid side. The lower the number, the more acidic the condition. 

The ideal urine reading should be between 6.5 to 7.5. 

How to alkalize your body 

Becoming alkaline is very important and one of the easiest things to incorporate into your daily routine to ensure good health! Alkalizing the body requires you to replace acid-forming foods with alkaline forming foods.  

Certain food groups are considered acidic, alkaline, or neutral: 

• Acidic: meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, grains, alcohol 
  

• Neutral: natural fats, starches, and sugars 
  
• Alkaline: fruits, nuts, legumes, and vegetables 
  

Other ways to alkalize your body is to eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, soy and tofu- more plants and less animal products. Over eating sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy, chicken or dairy and you’re going into higher acidic territory.  

The best alkaline-forming foods are the presence of chlorophyll- the greener the food, the better. Look for the dark leafy greens, as well as sea vegetables and algae such as chlorella and spirulina.  

Note that the actual pH of a food before you eat it doesn’t matter. You may think that lemon, lime, and raw organic apple cider vinegar are acidic but they actually become alkaline when consumed.  

Apple Cider Vinegar and alkaline 

Apple cider vinegar is alkaline-forming because of its “ash” content, which means when it is digested, what is left over becomes ash. When you check for the pH of that ash and dissolve it in water, the content is alkaline. Whenever our body digests anything, it undergoes oxidation, and the end result is that you can determine whether the product was alkaline or acid. 

Benefits of Alkaline-forming foods! 

Alkaline-forming plant-based foods are nutrient dense and rich in antioxidants. Adding more alkaline-forming foods will help slow down the leech of calcium from your bones, helping maintain your bone health for years to come. They also help fight free-radical damage and inflammation while supporting healthy cellular regeneration within your body, so you can thrive. 

Your body constantly seeks balance and works hard to maintain the healthy neutral alkaline zone. While the foods you eat cannot change this zone, your body must compensate for a high intake of acid-forming foods by leaching calcium (an alkalizing mineral) from your bones. Over time this may lead to bone mineral loss and potentially osteoporosis. It is also a stressor that leads to inflammation and increased cortisol levels, which has damaging effects on long-term health. 

The advantages of eating alkaline-forming foods for an athlete are significant as well. When you eat acid-forming foods you reduce your muscles’ efficiency and have to spend more energy for every muscle contraction. Since alkaline-forming foods help reduce inflammation, your muscles are able to work more functionally, and they require less force to move. 

Alkalize Yourself! 

Your body is constantly trying to balance itself in order to function efficiently. Instead of worrying about what you’ve eaten to keep your body alkalized, just think about adding an alkaline-forming meal into your diet, every day. This can keep your pH level balanced and help your body combat inflammation, reduce stress, and protect bone health.