We all tend to sweat more during the summer, especially in Texas. Every time you sweat, you are losing essential minerals. The loss of these minerals, stress and what you put in your body daily can affect your overall pH. When you measure your pH level using urine testing strips, you are checking how acid or alkaline the waste products in your urine are. The lower your pH, the more acidic your urine is, indicating more overall stress in the body. Anything that deprives your body of oxygen can cause your body to shift to a more acidic pH. And the more acidic your system becomes, the less likely it will be able to do things like fight off bacteria and yeast, rebuild bone and help with muscle repair. Each organ system has a different pH in your body, and it requires a wide range of neutral to alkaline foods and liquids to maintain the balance that is necessary to keep everything working optimally.
A local water company, Whol-E Water, makes alkaline water powered by Alka-Pure – a unique combination of 5 “buffer minerals” that, when mixed with hexagonal water, will allow your body to absorb your minerals more efficiently. This has the ability to raise your pH to a more neutral level, rather than acidic. Drinking a bottle of Whol-E water along with adequate amounts of clean, pure water is a good idea when your pH is off or if you need to replace essential minerals lost through excessive sweat. Here are a few other tips on how you can keep your pH in the optimal level of 7.3-7.5.
–Eat a large green salad tossed with lemon juice and olive oil. Eating a variety of greens is the best way to consume alkalizing minerals. Other foods that assist in alkalizing are berries, garlic, citrus, raw almonds, apples, cucumbers and green beans.
–Avoid acid-causing foods such as cow’s dairy, wheat, red meat, processed sugars and soda waters (just to name a few).
–Reduce stress. Excess stress can cause a lower (more acidic) pH. Use stress-reducing techniques and exercise to reduce and flush out excess acidity. Remember to always hydrate properly before and after exercise to avoid dehydration.
-Certain medications can cause your pH to shift. If you find that you’re having a hard time adjusting your pH appropriately, talk to your pharmacist to make sure a medication is not the culprit.
-Don’t forget to test your pH daily to make sure that you are maintaining as close to 7.3-7.5 pH as you can. You can find pH test strips at any of your Austin Peoples locations.
– Corey Gusnowski, ACN