PH Levels & Weightloss

amberl231

Just curious...How important is it to have a balanced PH level? I'm very acidic, does that mean I'm going to have a harder time losing weight? If so what can I do?

Glynneybug

How do you know what your PH is? I'm clueless.

richardheath

pH levels are maintained by your body. You stomach is acidic - it pumps out HCl. Your blood should be slightly alkali (about 7.4), and is buffered by the balance of salts in it. Urine can vary from acidic (pH 4.0) to basic (pH 8.0) with around neutral being normal. Your saliva can change a bit too (from 6 to 8, IIRC).

But I have no idea what you are measuring... or where, or even why? If your readings are off though, I would consider seeing a doctor as it could be a sign of disease, rather than an issue for weight loss.

PS - don't worry about the pH values of food. Some people think we need to eat alkaline foods to be healthy, but that's all rubbish. Your body knows what to do.

Firefox7275

Homeostasis. If you were 'very acidic' when you should not be you would be very sick.

lpina2mi

pH is the new thing I have added to my nutrition tracking. I am evaluating whether it could be a factor in wt issues. I agree with your information about saliva and urine having variable pH values. Moreover, it is not that acid is bad and alkaline is good; it is about having things in balance with some systems at their optimum being slightly acidic (such as surface of skin) and some systems being slightly alkaline (such as blood, at the approximate value you listed).

I have not had my blood tested, but for a no-harm change to my diet I do not feel compelled to return to my doctor for this additional measurement. Instead I am moving forward extrapolating on a couple of facts. First, water is the largest component of blood volume. (I am for the time overlooking the physiological processes of how blood is made, I will be reading into this, if my own results looks like this is the missing piece for which I have been looking,) Second, the fluids I consume are acidic.

With these two facts I am altering my foods slightly and fluid consumption more dramatically. To my foods, I am adding more green raw vegetables. For my water I am eliminated carbonated seltzer water (I have not had sodapop in decades), holding my unsweetened lowfat lattes to 12-16oz per day (a 1/3 reduction), substituting honey for stevia when I sweeten my tea (overall my gratuitous use of sugar and refined flours is minimal), and the most significant change is filtering and treating my tap water (my target has been 8-12 glasses a day, but sometimes I am short).

Litmus paper tests of my tap water shows that it ranges between 6.4 - 6.6. I purchased a 9.0 plastic gallon of alkaline water and tested it. It too was 6.6. This makes me wonder about the plastic jug itself, our copper water feed pipes & soldering, the quality of the litmus paper. I have ordered a pH meter and will retest everything. In the meantime, I am moving forward on a theory that this will make difference.

My control is that I am not reducing my kcal intake, nor am I not redesigning my physical routines (which are moderate). Instead, I am adding more green raw vegetables to my winter diet--it is not out of range of what I eat, when my garden and Farmers' Mrkt is in season. I am also resuming supplements, which is a habit that ebbs and flows as my perception of whether supplements are part of a healthy diet or a crutch.

Here are my changes.
My quick raw green is parsley. It is easy to stock in the fridge and I find it easy to add to most of my meals. I love kale, chard, brocolli, and the rest, but prefer them cooked.

I am using a gravity water filter, then a alkalinizing water stick that I place in a glass carafe of filtered water. I have ordered 2 water pitchers w alkalinizing inserts, but they have yet to arrive.

My resumed daily supplements are a multivitamin/minera, omega3s & 6s, red clover, CoQ10, and quercetin. I will also resume adding a spirulina-based green powder for smoothies when I have them.

I have decided to use MFP's suggested ratios for protein (moderately from flesh sources)/fat (mostly the poly & moly)/carb (mostly from vegetables & legumes). I find that I am light on protein and carbs. but a little heavy on the fats.

Yet, since my pH reading to date talks about the value of fats for managing acids, I will continue to use my favorite oils (olive, sesame, coconut) with ease, as well as continue to enjoy nuts, seeds, avocados, eggs, as well as the bit of cheeses I enjoy, little meat I eat, and the unhomogenized milk I use in my lattes.

Most of what our family eats is homemade from whole and organic foods. Local food is also a significant part, as our butcher and local grocer provides local true family farm meats, which nicely pairs with family and CSA produce farms around us.

I wanted to layout this background information, because however much I want pH to be the missing piece that I need to achieve the health I want--I do not think that it is a magic pill that can overcome a poor diet or a diet too high in kcal.

So far my results are promising--but I am an empirical study of one.

andyisandy

Homeostasis. If you were 'very acidic' when you should not be you would be very sick.

bam! thats right!

neanderthin

All food in our stomach will become acidic and when it hits our digestive track it becomes alkaline regardless of what we eat......the body controls our levels quite well and if that changes for one reason or another, we're in deep dodo.

richardheath

Well, good that whatever you are doing is working for you. But it isn't because of pH. Your body has evolved to keep itself fairly stable in that respect.

Here's one little link to get you started: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid-base_homeostasis

lpina2mi

I am still reading and learning and begun to focus on digestion. There does not seem to be any mechanism that correlates drinking alkaline water to blood's ability to neutralize normal acidic wastes. The viable range of blood pH is just to narrow and the mechanism of ingestion to blood production is not directly linked. There are two many bodily processes from one point to the other point.

Yet, I am going to proceed--because a small change like eating more raw green vegetables is not harmful within the bounds of a healthy diet. I am also making the assumption that if my body has tolerated drinking acidic tap water (6.4) for decades and compensated, then drinking alkaline water (8.0) will be tolerated as well.

As I learn more about digestion, including pancreatic functioning I will post whether there could be logical link or another improbability.

lpina2mi

Well, good that whatever you are doing is working for you. But it isn't because of pH. Your body has evolved to keep itself fairly stable in that respect.

Here's one little link to get you started: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid-base_homeostasis

From my Daughter's highschool biology text I am reading about how pH effects digestion. I have summarized what I have learned thus far in my blog. And I, llike students across our nation are learning, ."...pH (potential Hydrogen) balance can be influenced for the betterment or hindrance of our health by what we eat." (MFP Blog, Incorporating pH into my Omnivore Diet)

lpina2mi

Well, good that whatever you are doing is working for you. But it isn't because of pH. Your body has evolved to keep itself fairly stable in that respect.

Here's one little link to get you started: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid-base_homeostasis

From my Daughter's highschool biology text I am reading about how pH effects digestion. I have summarized what I have learned thus far in my blog. And I, llike students across our nation are learning, ."...pH (potential Hydrogen) balance can be influenced for the betterment or hindrance of our health by what we eat." (MFP Blog, Incorporating pH into my Omnivore Diet)

correcting my own grammar: pH AFFECTS...not EFFECTS

richardheath

Well, good that whatever you are doing is working for you. But it isn't because of pH. Your body has evolved to keep itself fairly stable in that respect.

Here's one little link to get you started: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid-base_homeostasis

From my Daughter's highschool biology text I am reading about how pH effects digestion. I have summarized what I have learned thus far in my blog. And I, llike students across our nation are learning, ."...pH (potential Hydrogen) balance can be influenced for the betterment or hindrance of our health by what we eat." (MFP Blog, Incorporating pH into my Omnivore Diet)

Is that a direct quote from the text book? The pH balance of what?

And I did check out your blog. What are the 3 books that you are reading?

Look - I'm not trying to put you down here. I just think you are over thinking this. Eating more greens is good for you, not because of their pH, but because they contain many micronutrients that are beneficial to health. Eating sugar and drinking soda are bad for you, not because they are acidic (except they might strip the enamel off your teeth) but because they are "empty" calories.

In general, it seems to me that an "alkaline diet" might be very good for you - because of all the fruits and veggies, which are generally going to be better for you than processed foods.

Here is a web page I came across that sums up my thinking on this (but says it better than I can!): http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/acid-alkaline-diet.aspx

Here is the conclusion (which I agree with):

For now, the acid/alkaline theory of disease is just that: a theory. Parts of the theory are plausible; some are a little silly. Most are untested. And, maybe one day, researchers will do some large-scale studies on the effects of dietary pH on health. When they do, I have a feeling they might discover that people who eat more alkaline foods are in fact healthier.

After all, what would that diet look like? Well, it would be high in fruits and vegetables. And, unless this is the very first episode you’ve ever listened to, you can probably recite with me the many benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables.

A diet high in fruits and vegetables is going to be high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Plus, if you’re also trying to limit your intake of acid-producing foods-- which are meats and grains--you’re probably going to end up cutting out a lot of foods that are also high in sugar, fat, calories, and sodium. Regardless of the pH aspect, that sounds to me like a good way to improve your health.

In other words, I don’t think anybody is going to get hurt following a pH-balanced diet, as long as the diet is otherwise balanced and nutritious. I just think that it’s an unnecessarily complicated way to get to the same old punch-line: Eat more vegetables, less junk, and nothing to excess.

(My emphasis, Ed)

And here is something from WebMD (which I consider a reputable source):

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/alkaline-diets-what-to-know

The theory of the alkaline diet is that eating certain foods can help maintain the body's ideal pH balance to improve overall health. But the body maintains its pH balance regardless of diet.

For instance, your diet may affect the pH level of your urine. But what you eat does not determine your blood's pH level.

What's in the Alkaline Diet

The alkaline diet is mostly vegetarian. In addition to fresh vegetables and some fresh fruits, alkaline-promoting foods include soy products and some nuts, grains, and legumes.

Web sites promoting the alkaline diet discourage eating acid-promoting foods, which include meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, processed foods, white sugar, white flour, and caffeine.

The alkaline diet is basically healthy, says Marjorie Nolan, RD, an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman.

"It's a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, plenty of water, avoiding processed foods, coffee, and alcohol, which are all recommendations for a generally healthy diet anyway," Nolan says. "But our body regulates our pH between 7.35 and 7.45 no matter how we eat."

Potential Benefits

Diets that include a lot of animal protein can lower urine pH and raise the risk for kidney stones. So eating a diet rich in vegetables, as with an alkaline diet, can raise urine pH and lower the risk for kidney stones, says John Asplin, MD, a kidney specialist who is a fellow of the American Society of Nephrology.

Researchers have speculated that an alkaline diet might slow bone loss and muscle waste, increase growth hormone, make certain chronic diseases less likely, and ease low back pain. However, that hasn't been proven.

There is also no concrete evidence that an alkaline or vegetarian diet can prevent cancer. Some studies have shown that vegetarians have lower rates of cancer, particularly colon cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. But vegetarians often have other healthy habits, such as exercise and abstaining from drinking and smoking, so it is difficult to determine the effects of diet alone.

"Clinical studies have proved without a doubt that people who eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and hydrate properly do have lower rates of cancer and other diseases," Nolan tells WebMD, "but it probably has nothing to do with blood pH."

(My emphasis, Ed)

So, I think you are on the right track, just maybe for the wrong reasons. Wishing you the best, wherever this takes you!