If you’ve ever used one of those little strips when you go to the bathroom to check your body’s pH, you’re probably already aware of what an important role your acid-alkaline balance plays in your health.
In fact, the pH of your body can put you at risk for everything from metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis, to kidney stones and even cancer.
Yet, what you may not know is that your brain pH matters too. And now, for the first time, researchers have been able to eavesdrop on that pH to determine just how much your brain chemistry determines your health risks.
The pH dynamics of deep brain structures
The study, performed at Tohoku University leveraged the very first all-in-one miniature pH probe capable of visualizing the alterations of brain chemistry in deep brain structures in real-time.
The scientists point out that this brain chemistry, though often discounted because of the difficulty of measuring it in the past, is the fundamental language your brain cells use to communicate.
And for it to work properly, the pH needs to remain neutral to regulation fluctuations. If it tips too far to one side, you can end up with a multitude of chronic brain disorders, including mental illness, seizures and brain cancer. A previous study has even found a connection between brain pH and Alzheimer’s.
Now, researchers can watch fluctuations in the brain chemistry in living organisms as they happen and even monitor the results.
The research team pioneered a hybrid device that fused two different technologies:
- A strand of thin fibers with seamless integration of electrical and optical functions
- Plus chemical sensors with measurement locations defined by light
This powerful combination allowed them to detect the chemical signaling deep inside the brain to detect even the most subtle chemical changes.
It even allowed them to monitor the brains of rats, visualizing the pH fluctuations (that moved their brains away from that neutral pH necessary for health) as they experienced seizures.
Can you imagine?
Absolute proof that the pH of your brain plays not only a vital and determining role in your health and potential health risks!
Neutralizing your pH
So, if keeping your brain and your entire body at a neutral pH is the key to better health, how do you do it?
Luckily, the answer is simple and most of it revolves around your diet…
You see, certain foods you eat are inherently acidic, pushing your pH down, while others naturally alkalize to help maintain pH balance.
The most important thing to remember is that your goal should be to keep your body at or as close to a pH of 7.4 as possible.
I recommend checking your pH level regularly using a pH testing kit that works for urine or saliva. The strips in these kits make it easy to monitor your acid-alkaline balance and are color-coded so that you can visualize where you stand on the pH scale.
One thing to remember is that if you choose to test your urine, do so on your second bathroom trip of the morning for the most accurate reading.
If you find that your body is acidic (which is the problem in the case of most of us), foods to avoid are:
- Dairy products like milk and cheese
- Caffeine (sorry that cup of Joe is out)
- Processed meats, including luncheon meats, bacon and sausage
- Alcohol of all kinds
- Cereals, bread and pasta
Instead, go for a diet full of fresh raw fruits and veggies (be sure to stick to organic), as well as beans and even alkaline water, which you can pick up at your grocery store, or make your own.
One more tip to alkalizing your body is to try a green powdered drink, especially one that uses fermented grasses (alkaline forming), like barley, oat, alfalfa and wheatgrass.
As an added bonus, a diet that balances your pH levels also boosts your immune system and improves digestion as well.
For more tips to alkalize your diet, check out this post.
Sources:
Acidosis: An Old Idea Validated by New Research — NCBI
Determinants of blood pH in health and disease — NCBI
Eavesdropping on the pH levels inside the brain — EurekAlert!
TIPS FOR ALKALIZING YOUR DIET FOR PEAK HEALTH — Easy Health Options
The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health? — NCBI