Too much acidity in the stomach may not pose a serious risk, but when left untreated for long it can lead to serious health problems. Acidosis, an unhealthy condition in your stomach characterized by too much acidity can deplete your alkaline reserves and create discomfort that may lead to nausea and vomiting.
People suffering from esophageal reflux disease or GERD have too much acidity in their stomachs. Though various factors can lead to GERD, the most common ones are associated with today’s modern lifestyle, particularly eating unhealthy foods. No one wants to be unhealthy. But because people want more convenience, they sabotage their health by picking foods that may not be healthy but are more convenient like in fast food restaurants or processed foods in the market.
Eating the wrong food, particularly the acid-producing ones, leads to too much acidity in the body, which can be harmful in the long run. A high level of stress is another contributory factor to acidosis.
Too much acidity in the body can put some risks on your health and result in the following conditions:
- ♦ Inability of the body to effectively absorb nutrients
- ♦ Inability of the cells to produce energy
- ♦ Inability of the body to repair damaged cells
- ♦ Susceptibility of the body to fatigue and illness
- ♦ Damaged immune system
With a damaged immune system, the body isn’t strong enough to fight against foreign invaders, making it a perfect breeding condition for tumor cells to grow. This then can lead to the development of diseases like depression, cancer, high blood pressure, hormonal problems, and osteoporosis.
Luckily, too much acidity in the body is reversible. You can restore your body’s homeostasis by bringing its pH levels in its normal state. Normal pH levels range between 7.35 – 7.45 for your body to survive and function. Maintaining your body’s pH levels is important since it is your body’s mechanism to protect itself from the inside out. Diseases cannot thrive in a body with a balanced pH and are nearly alkaline.
How to Measure Your Body’s Acid Levels
There’s no need for you to consult a health professional to know your body’s pH levels. You can do it on your own in the comfort of your home by using litmus paper or pH test strips. After waking up, dip the litmus paper in your saliva or urine before eating or drinking anything. You can get results after 15 seconds and know your range with the aid of easy to read chart that comes with the litmus paper upon purchase.
Symptoms of Too Much Acidity in the Body
Even if you haven’t tested your body to check your pH levels, the presence of the following symptoms indicates that your body is too acidic:
♦ Fatigue- ♦ Joint pain
- ♦ Headaches
- ♦ Chronic pain
- ♦ Stiff neck
- ♦ Sluggishness
- ♦ Depression
- ♦ Brain fog
- ♦ Irritability
♦ FatigueEnabling your body to reach a normal state of pH level is crucial to allow it to heal itself and use to the fullest all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from the food you eat.
Ways to Prevent Acidosis and Restore Your Body’s pH Balance
1. Eat the right foods
-
-
♦ Eat more alkaline foods
-
Plant-based foods such as spinach. broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, cauliflower, and strawberries are low in acid content. They’re the best foods to eat to help your body balance its pH levels.
-
-
♦ Drink alkaline water in the morning
-
You can make your own alkaline water by squeezing a slice of lemon in a glass of water. Lemon in water helps hydrate and oxygenate your body. Lemon also stimulates the liver’s natural enzymes and enhances detoxification capabilities.
-
-
♦ Eat more of fresh green and vegetables for bone health
-
Instead of calcium-rich dairy products. they ‘re likely to lead to osteoporosis because they increase the body’s acidity levels. Once the body senses that the bloodstream is depleted of calcium, it will get its calcium supply from the bones.
2. Eat less of acid-producing foods
-
-
♦ Avoid foods that produce more acids
-
Consuming junk foods makes your body frantic. As a result, it will use up its own mineral reserves from vital organs like the bones and kidneys. Meat, eggs, white flour, sugar, chocolate, soda, fruit juices, popcorn, grains, processed foods, sweetened drinks, rice, pasta, and caffeinated drinks are some of the foods you need to avoid while you’re having acidosis. Some of these foods are beneficial for the body. But because of their acid content, avoiding them for the meantime is key to your body’s healing process.
-
-
♦ Alcohol
-
Alcohol causes imbalances of substances in the liver, which reduces your body’s metabolism. A change in the liver’s function can create an imbalance in your pH levels.
-
-
♦ Limit caffeine consumption
-
Caffeine has higher levels of acidity. Drinking coffee to get that pick me up feeling isn’t recommended when you have GERD or acidosis. If you feel depleted of energy in the afternoon, do some activities that can enhance your energy levels. A 15-minute power nap is a good example.
-
-
♦ Limit intake of slightly acidic foods
-
Eating slightly acidic foods like coconut or soybeans is okay as long as you counteract this by eating more alkaline foods.
3. Exercise
Whether you’re acidic or not, aim to get aerobic exercise once a day. Exercise enables you to move your muscles, which helps to get rid of too much acidity in your system. You can select any aerobic exercise each day like swimming, walking, dancing, and even gardening.
4. Take baking soda
Baking soda provides lots of benefits for the body. Dissolving a teaspoon of this powder in a glass of water and drinking it as soon as you wake up helps to alkalize your body and increase your energy levels.
5. Take vitamins and supplements
5. Take vitamins and supplementsVitamins A and C help strengthen your immune system while making it more alkaline. You can get these vitamins naturally from the food you eat. You can also take them as supplements. Vitamin D is another vitamin that aids your body to be in an alkaline state. This vitamin not only helps improve calcium absorption but also help maintain your body’s pH levels.
6. Reduce your stress levels
Too much acidity is not only acquired from the food you eat but also by how your emotions go. Studies show that the state of your emotions determines your body’s pH levels. When you’re too stressed, your pH levels rise with it. Managing your stress levels is another key to keeping your pH balance in check. Mindfulness practice has been proven to be an effective tool to prevent the accumulation of too much stress in your body.
