Acid-Base Balance: Optimizing Cellular Function in Children The Importance of ph Balance in Health Our acid-alkaline balance is regulated by the body s mineral management. Our bodies strive to maintain our blood ph between 7.3 and 7.5, which corresponds to a urinary ph of about 7.0. Our metabolism, enzymes, immune system, and repair mechanisms work most effectively within this narrow ph range. The body is very sensitive to changes in blood ph, so that always has to stay fairly constant, or else we are rushed to the emergency room. To balance blood ph, minerals are drawn from elsewhere in the body. Sodium and potassium are pulled into the blood stream from the reservoirs of fluid outside of our cells (extracellular fluid); when these extracellular stores have been used up, the body then resorts to pulling calcium, magnesium, and other alkalizing minerals from the bones. A urinary ph of 7.0 indicates that we have enough buffering (alkalizing) minerals to balance our acids. Alkaline-forming minerals include sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Acid-forming minerals include chlorine, sulfur, phosphorus, and iodine. Many children are deficient in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, although they do get plenty of sodium-chloride (salt). Optimal cellular health and resistance to bacterial infections are promoted by all of these minerals but especially by abundant supplies of sodium and calcium. Why Are We Acidic? Most of us unknowingly have a slightly acidic body environment. An excess of carbon dioxide and carbonic acid is created and accumulated in our blood through: * Eating an acid-forming diet * Stress * Toxins * Immune system reactions * Metabolic regulatory mechanisms that create acid by-products
It s essential that our foods contain buffering minerals to offset this naturally acidic internal state. Fruit, vegetables, seaweed, and some other foods help alkalize our systems -but we don t usually eat enough of these. Unfortunately, the standard American diet contributes to our overall acid load, as proteins, fats, sugars, grains (generally speaking), and refined foods are acid producing. Stress, alcohol, and cigarettes further compound the problem. When our diet is high in protein and low in fruit and vegetables, as is often the case today, we have a greater need for buffering minerals. (Eating a high-protein diet temporarily causes an alkaline tide, but the net result is not alkalizing.) When we are under stress, we have a greater need for buffering minerals. And when we drink soft drinks, we really need more buffering minerals. See below for an eye-opening example. Soft Drinks Demineralize Bones & Teeth One 12-ounce can of cola contains enough phosphoric acid to dramatically change our ph. The ph of the cola is between 2.8 and 3.2, but the kidneys cannot excrete urine that is more acidic than about 5.0; in order to dilute this can of cola to an appropriate urinary ph, you d need to produce 33 liters of urine! So, the body turns to its stores of alkalizing minerals. If there aren t enough reserves of potassium and magnesium in the extracellular fluid, then calcium will be taken from bone. But the amount of minerals needed for this particular task is equivalent to the buffering capability of four Tums! Thus, a lifetime of consuming soft drinks contributes to bone loss and joint degeneration. Studies also show that soft drink consumption in children is directly linked to tooth decay. So what s a parent to do? Instead of buying soda, give your children sparkling water with juice. It s healthful and alkalizing. Acid Woes Imagine how much harder it would be for us to function if the air were filled with sulfuric acid; the more caustic the environment, the more detrimental it would be to our health. Similarly, our cells react to an acidic internal environment by becoming sluggish and unable to function properly. A change of 0.1 in either direction outside of the optimal blood ph range of 7.3-7.5 can produce up to a tenfold reduction in enzyme activity. This happens for each tenth of a point, so the more out of line ph is, the less cellular activity occurs. Wastes build up, toxins aren t excreted, cellular messages aren t sent, and nutrients aren t properly utilized -it s kind of like a labor strike! Acidity contributes to disease: constipation, diarrhea, kidney and liver problems, and the fatigue that accompanies most health problems. What s more,
The Importance of ph Balance in Health Excess acid wears Healthy Repair Catabolic illness you out Restore Zone tears you down 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 Acidic ph Neutral ph Alkaline ph most of us are continually borrowing minerals from bone to stabilize our cellular and blood ph. If we don t replenish these minerals, the long-term effects are osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and overall poor health. See Figure above. An acidic internal environment is also a microbe s playground, in which bacteria, fungi, and parasites flourish and replicate with abandon; but when this over-acidity, is neutralized, these organisms cannot thrive. Many healthcare practitioners recommend killing parasitic, fungal, and bacterial infections with medications and herbs. Nutritionists often find, however, that simply rebalancing internal ph can achieve the same microbial effect without using any drugs. Tending to ph Getting your child s ph properly balanced is an important accompaniment to other healthful dietary changes. It s easy and inexpensive, and you can do it at home -even as a fun experiment for the whole family s participation and benefit. Reading the Morning ph Paper Purchase a packet of ph test paper with a testing range of 5.5-8.0 (available at most health food stores). You or your child can then perform the test by simply dipping a 2 to 3-inch strip of ph paper into your child s first morning urine stream and reading it by matching the color of the test strip with the color chart on the back of the packet. Optimally, urinary ph will be between 6.5 and 7.5, which is fairly neutral. The ph of water, 7.0, is best. Any number below 7.0 indicates that
your child s line is on the acid side. The lower the number, the more acidic, and the ph scale is logarithmic: That is, 6.0 is ten times more acidic than 7.0, and 5.0 is 100 times more acidic than 7.0. Rebalancing Your Child s ph If your child s readings fall consistently below 6.5, begin to make dietary changes to bring his/her urinary ph back into the optimal range (6.5-7.5). Be sure to include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your child s meals and snacks. Refer to separate attached table to identify alkalizing foods; the further to the left on the chart, the more alkalizing the foods are. In addition to nutrition, incorporate stress-reducing habits in your child s routine to normalize his/her ph: meditation, spending time outdoors, gardening, playing catch together, and taking gentle walks around the block or in the woods. At bath time, dissolve 1/2 cup each of baking soda and Epsom salts in your child s bathwater to alkalize, gently detoxify, and relax the body as they cleanse the skin. What should you do if your child s urinary ph is above 7.5? As occasional reading of 7.5-8.0 is acceptable. Readings that are typically between 7.5 and 8.0, however, likely represent a false alkalinity that may indicate an active inflammation or other health issue; if this occurs, see your child s healthcare practitioner. Foods Affect the Body s ph Many people assume that if the ph of a specific food, say lemons, is acidic, the food will be acid-producing in the body but this assumption is inaccurate. In the 1920s and 1930s, scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began burning foods and measuring the ph of the ash residue. Later, realizing that this technique didn t yield sufficient information about what occurred inside the body, the USDA performed tests to see what would happen if someone ate only a specific food for fourteen days. (How would you like to eat only carrots for two weeks?) Subsequently, Russell Jaffe, MD, a former researcher for the National Institute of Health, found a way to calculate the body s net response to a food by using a formula based on that food s mineral, sugar, fat, and amino acid composition. Dr. Jaffe s formula correlates with the results of the USDA s few mono-diet studies. It is the most accurate system I have seen for predicting the effect on ph of eating a particular food. If your child is healthy and has a urinary ph of 6.5-7.5, have him/her eat 60 percent of his/her foods from the alkalizing side of the table and 40 percent from
the acid-producing side of the chart. If your child needs to rebuild health, has a chronic ailment, or has a urinary ph consistently lower than 6.5, have him/her eat 80 percent alkalizing foods and 20 percent acid-producing foods. Eating fruits and vegetables in abundance helps maintain a healthful acid-alkaline balance. And insist that your child avoid brown-colored soft drinks! Lemon or lime juice in water makes a refreshing and alkalizing drink, as does ginger tea with rice syrup and lemon. Fish vegetable juices flood the body with alkalizing minerals. Here are additional tips for healthful feeding and eating: * Switch to quinoa, oats, and wild rice as your main grains * Use scant, molasses, and rice syrup as your main sweeteners * Eating daikon radish and steamed greens daily is strongly recommended * Lentils, miso soup, and yams are extremely alkalizing Apple-Cider Vinegar Is Actually Alkalizing! Use apple-cider vinegar in salad dressings, mix it into sweet juices (like apple juice) and drizzle it over vegetables, chicken, or fish. It helps promote healthy digestion, increase blood oxygen levels, prevent intestinal putrefaction of food, regulate calcium metabolism, reduce frequent urination, and regulate menstrual cycles. Along with many essential enzymes and minerals, it also contains malic acid, which helps neutralize toxins. Always buy organic applecider vinegar; it s most beneficial raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized. This is an excerpt from Chapter 7 of Digestive Wellness for Children, by Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, CCN