Let’s take a deeper look at pH, including testing your pH, and a few simple things you can do to balance your body’s pH.

You may want to read my article about, What is pH balance and why is it important, first before reading today's post. 

This is part of my series of articles on, Intuitive Living Using Essentials Oils & Food as Medicine, so I invite you to tune in and listen to your intuition as you read. Is there any information that especially speaks or calls to you? You may wish to follow-up and act on any guidance.

Electrochemistry

You are an electrochemical being. Your electromagnetic force field, or vital life force, is greatly enhanced by having chemically balanced pH. In other words, balanced pH levels are fundamental to your good health!

High Acidity - Most people who have an imbalanced pH condition are too acid or "acidic." 

An “acidic” condition forces your body to borrow minerals from vital organs and bones to buffer the acid and safely remove it from the body. 

Calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium are the predominant minerals making up your cell tissues. The process of demineralization can weaken organs and bones over time. 

Researchers from a recent study hypothesized that many of the hip fractures prevalent among older women correlated to higher acidity. The body borrows calcium from the bones in order to balance high acid pH, resulting in decreased bone density.

High Alkalinity - In the body a highly alkaline condition causes many of the same kinds of mineral problems as acidity.  It can often take longer for a person who is "alkaline" to achieve balance than one who is "acidic."

Some of the problems associated with high alkalinity include, digestive system sluggishness, intestinal system concerns, including poor elimination, compromised respiratory system function, immune system concerns such as a proclivity to vaginal fungal infections (Candida prefers to grow in a neutral or slightly acidic environment), urinary system weakness and nervous system exhaustion.

Maintaining healthy pH balance - Your body is able to assimilate minerals and nutrients only when its pH is balanced. You may be taking in healthy nutrients and yet be unable to absorb them. For instance the body reportedly can only fully utilize iodine when the body pH is between 6.3 and 7.0.

4 Natural and Effective Ways to Balance Your pH

1) WATER - plays an extremely important role in maintaining your natural pH balance. Water must be taken into your body in its pure, natural state. Optimally it is recommended that you drink half your body weight in ounces daily. For example, if you weight 120 pounds, or 54 kilos, you would need to drink 60 ounces, or 1.77 liters, of pure, fresh water daily. Following this general guideline for water consumption will greatly enhance your ability to maintain healthy pH levels.

2) FOOD - the foods you eat also contribute to your High Acid or Alkaline pH. Most health food stores carry pH kits with pH paper, along with a guide for how to test your pH. This is an inexpensive method that provides an indication of acidity or alkalinity but not an accurate measurement. You can also use a pH meter, considered the most accurate type of measurement, that's widely used.

Probiotic-rich food, such as fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and yogurt, if you can eat dairy product. If so, I recommend pasture raised and unsweetened yoghurt. Fermented foods are good, not just for your gut health, but also good for balancing your pH level and can help ward off infections The live and active cultures in these foods provide your body with a boost of good bacteria, which is particularly helpful in preventing yeast infections. FREE pH Food Chart.

3) PRANAYAMA or BREATHING - Pranayama is a formal practice of controlling and channeling your breath. Your breath is the carrier of prana, or vital life force energy. Negatively charged emotions and high levels of stress contribute greatly to an imbalanced pH condition. Simple, deep rhythmic breathing exercises are especially helpful for bringing your pH levels into balance over time.

Check out my Pranayama & Breathing Ebooks:

Pranic Rainbow Light Breathing Meditation by KG Stiles 

Energy Clearing & Chakra Healing by KG Stiles 

4) ESSENTIAL OILS - As we’ve already discussed in Improve Bone Density & Prevent Disease, essential oils have no pH value because of their lipid quality (only water-based solutions have pH value). However, essential oils do protect your body’s cells from the oxidative stress caused by acidosis through their antioxidant activity.

Research has shown many essential oils to have potent antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are molecules that don’t allow another molecule to oxidize, breakdown and decay. Studies show that essential oils high in phenolic compounds have the greatest antioxidant capacity. 

Oxidative stress, left unchecked, leads to inflammation. If you’re manifesting symptoms, i.e. allergies, IBS, autoimmune diseases like lupus and Chrohn’s you have inflammation that needs to be reduced, or preferably eliminated.

Your first step in restoring and balancing your pH and health may simply be to reduce inflammation. Studies have shown essential oils to be effective anti-inflammatory agents.

The Star Inflammatory Agents in Aromatherapy are:

Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum).- There are more than 600 species of Helichrysum. You’ll want to use the H. italicum species which has been used by Europeans for a variety of health concerns. Several studies have researched Helichrysum italicum’s therapeutic properties. Helichrysum italicum was highlighted especially for its effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory agent. It was also shown to be a potent antimicrobial, anti fungal and antiviral agent. 

The Blue Oils with their high chamazulene content are potent anti-inflammatory agents.

German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) - one of the best blue oils in aromatherapy, German chamomile, has been scientifically evaluated for it anti-inflammatory and antiphlogistic (reduces inflammation) properties. One studied demonstrated that German Chamomile essential oil penetrates the skin surface into the deeper layers to confirm its usefulness as a topical anti-inflammatory for treating skin allergies, eczema and other skin irritations.

Studies on German Chamomile showed: 

• Significant anticancer activity
• Helpful in treating common cold symptoms
• Helpful as a sleep aid
• Helpful for improving cardiovascular health
• Helpful for treating infant colic disorders
• Reduces gastric acidity as effectively as a commercial antacid
• Reduces systolic blood pressure
• Reduces muscle spasms and gastrointestinal inflammation
• Stimulates osteoblastic cell differentiation (building of bone)
• Mild anxiolytic effects for treating Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD)
• Ameliorates hyperglycemia and diabetic complications
• Prevents post operative sore throat and hoarseness
• Caused complete wound healing faster than corticosteroids

READ next article in this series, Intuitive Living Using Essential Oils & Food As Medicine: Cheap & Safe Way to Combat Autoimmune Disease +Research & Essential Oils to Use.

READ first article in this series, Intuitive Living Using Essential Oils & Food As Medicine.