Find out what blood pH is and how you can influence this to improve your well-being and athletic performance. Each person should know his / her individual blood pH value, since its change can lead to the development of some ailments and a deterioration in well-being. Each liquid has its own acid-base balance. Today you will learn what blood PH is and how an athlete's nutrition affects it.
What is blood pH and what is its rate?
The term blood pH should be understood as the concentration of hydrogen in the body and total acidity. Acid-base balance is within acceptable limits with high-quality work of the kidneys, liver and lungs. These organs can be considered those compensators that utilize all the harmful substances in the human body. If you know the blood pH value, then you can prevent the development of a large number of ailments.
If, after passing the tests, their results differ significantly from normal indicators, then the doctor prescribes the appropriate therapy. Today, the blood pH parameter is one of the main diagnostic tools for various ailments. On average, this figure should be between 7.35 and 7.45. All deviations in any direction require appropriate treatment. With normal acidity throughout the body, the average blood pH is most often 7.4.
If this indicator reaches a value of 7.0 or less, then the doctor diagnoses acidosis. Note that a mild form of acidosis practically does not manifest itself in any way. But as soon as it reaches critical values, which can only be determined with the help of analysis, the following problems are possible:
- Oxygen deficiency is felt.
- In the initial stages of various ailments, shock is possible, for example, with diabetes.
- Nausea appears.
- Breathing problems occur.
The most common causes of acidification of the body are the following:
- Excessive nervous tension.
- Obesity.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Excessive consumption of sweets and meat.
If a person has been diagnosed with a severe form of acidosis, then first of all it is necessary to establish the causes of the development of the disease. In such a situation, it is imperative to visit a doctor to prescribe competent therapy. Alkalosis, in turn, manifests itself quite quickly, and this happens at the moment when the blood pH indicator reaches 7.45 and higher. With strong alkalization of the body, the skin becomes dry and flabby. Outwardly, a person becomes like a "dried up twig of a tree."
If the causes of alkalosis development are eliminated in a short time, then the blood pH returns to normal. Therapy can begin with breathing exercises. As a result, you will quickly saturate the blood with oxygen, which will reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide. It should be remembered that the blood pH index can change throughout a person's life. However, there are indicators that indicate the development of serious ailments, including cancer.
For our body, both strong alkalization and acidification are bad. The first situation is observed when the blood pH is less than 7.45, and the second is less than 6.0. if a person's blood pH value was less than 6.0, then the situation turned out to be extremely difficult. It is this value that can speak of the development of oncological ailments. At the same time, the patient's appearance changes dramatically. However, you should remember that it is the physician's privilege to make a diagnosis. If in doubt, be sure to visit a specialist. You should not take any independent action.
Can blood pH be monitored at home?
As we said above, if you have any health problems, you should first visit a doctor. However, situations in life can be different and it is impossible to go to the clinic. The blood pH indicator can be measured at home, using special test strips or a device for this. You can buy them at a pharmacy or medical equipment stores.
The cost of a special device is not high, but it can be extremely useful at home. However, test strips also do a good job, and their cost is extremely low. Here is the algorithm for measuring blood pH using test strips:
- Make a puncture on the finger of your right hand with a scarifier, which can also be purchased at any pharmacy.
- Dispense a few drops of blood into a small container.
- Dip the test strip into it and hold it in the blood for a few seconds.
- The comparison scale is located on the test strip packaging.
Note that the use of a special device for determining the blood pH index greatly facilitates the process. He will do all the manipulations described above for you - a puncture, blood sampling for analysis and the issuance of results. It is quite obvious that under laboratory conditions, the results obtained will be more accurate.
Factors affecting blood pH
As soon as the pH indicator becomes less than 7.35 (acidic) or exceeds the value of 7.45 (alkaline), then the cellular structures of the body begin to poison themselves with waste products and, as a result, die. In this situation, a large amount of toxins and toxic substances accumulates in the body. Let's take a look at the main factors. Having a strong effect on the blood pH index:
- Nutrition It is imperative to formulate a diet that is balanced in all three essential nutrients.
- Stress tolerance - we have already said that stress can lead to a violation of the blood pH and one should learn not to worry about trifles.
- Obesity - if the body is enrolled, then it begins to actively accumulate fats. With high alkalization, the opposite situation is observed and the person quickly loses weight.
In many ways, the acid-base balance of our body depends on the ratio between the volumes of intercellular and intracellular fluid. If this does not happen, the most serious consequences are possible, up to and including death.
Ways to decrease and increase the blood pH value
We have already figured out what blood PH is and how the athlete's nutrition affects it. In fact, acid-base balance is one of the main indicators of our health. Any changes to this parameter lead to various problems. In order for all organs to function normally, the PH must be at least 7.35. Here are some tips to reduce acidity:
- Eliminate meat from your diet. You can eat fish, but in small quantities.
- Keep track of the ratio of all nutrients and try to eat steamed or boiled foods. Also, don't forget about fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Reconsider your attitude to life and stop worrying about trifles.
- To reduce acidity and normalize the digestive system, use a separate feeding system.
Also in the pharmacy you can buy special preparations designed to alkalize water. This will not only reduce the acidity of the body. But also improve the functioning of the liver, intestinal tract and kidneys. However, these drugs should be used only after consultation with your doctor.
Alkalization of the body also negatively affects its work. To improve the situation, it is necessary to increase the acidity. This can be done using the following methods:
- Eat acidic foods - meats, grains, eggs, legumes.
- Sources of plant fiber should be included in the diet.
- Take one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with honey three times a day.
- Vitamin C can lower blood pH.
- Do breathing exercises.
- In the absence of medical contraindications, various supplements and dietary supplements can be used.
Another extremely effective way to increase the acidity of the body is the prevention and timely treatment of the organs of the genitourinary system. A micronutrient such as calcium deserves special mention. This mineral is alkaline. The human body is a fairly "smart" system and to maintain the acid-base balance with significant acidification, it begins to extract calcium from bone tissue and teeth. This suggests tmo, that with acidification, you can additionally consume calcium. However, remember that it is better absorbed together with vitamin D3 and magnesium. Supplements can be easily purchased at the pharmacy.
How to maintain a normal blood pH value?
We strongly recommend that you periodically check your blood pH level, at least at home. To maintain the normal value of this parameter, you can take the following steps:
- Eat at least 500 grams of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.
- Start leading a sports lifestyle and go to the right nutrition program.
- Drink still mineral water, various herbal teas and natural juices.
- Exclude fried foods, coffee, tea, smoked meats from the nutrition program.
All toxins that accumulate in the body at high acidity are not utilized, but accumulate on the walls of blood vessels. To avoid serious problems, cleaning procedures should be carried out regularly. On the Internet, you can easily find tables containing a list of products that can increase or decrease acidity.
Many people believe that any acidic food will necessarily increase the acidity score. However, in this matter, it is not the taste of the product that is important, but the reaction it causes during processing. For example, lemon can be a great way to alkalize your body. This is due to the fact that lemon contains a large amount of sodium, magnesium, and potassium salts.
To alkalize with lemon, you can take the following steps:
- Drink lemon water before bed. To prepare it, add a few drops of lemon juice to a glass of water. This drink must be drunk at least once a day.
- Drink lemon tea without sugar.
- All sour berries and fruits contain organic acids that alkalize the body.
However, it should be warned that lemon should not be consumed by people who have problems with the digestive system. Rosehip tea can also be an excellent alkalizing agent. However, it is important to know when to increase or decrease acidity. It is for this reason that we recommended that you purchase a special device or at least test strips. Without knowing the blood pH indicator, no measures can be taken to change it.
What foods alkalize and oxidize the body, see the video below:
