Acid-base balance of the human body: norms and food table to maintain the pH level

Sometimes this balance can shift in one direction or another, which is fraught with the development of acidosis (acidification) or alkalosis (alkalinization). So that this balance is not disturbed and the pH values ​​do not go beyond the permissible range, you need to adjust your daily routine and diet, or rather, reconsider your lifestyle as a whole.

Causes of pH shift

A shift in the acid-base balance of the body towards an increase in acidity (acidification) leads to acidosis.

The causes of acidosis are:

• air – increased carbon dioxide – respiratory acidosis;
• food – accumulation of acidic products in tissues – metabolic acidosis;
• diseases and their consequences – excretory and exogenous acidosis;
• mixed acidosis.

An increase in the acid-base balance of the human body (alkalinization) leads to alkalosis. This state is characterized by an absolute or relative excess of bases, i.e. substances that add hydrogen ions in relation to acids that split them off.

Internal causes of alkalosis can be:

• organic lesions of the brain (encephalitis, tumors, etc.), the effect of toxic and pharmaceutical preparations on the respiratory organs, fever, acute blood loss, etc. – gas (respiratory) alkalosis occurs;
• large losses of gastric juice with stomach ulcers or intractable vomiting, taking diuretics, certain kidney diseases, endocrine disorders leading to excessive sodium retention in the body, can give impetus to the development of excretory alkalosis. In some cases, excretory alkalosis is associated with increased sweating;
• exogenous alkalosis is often observed with excessive intake of soda (sodium bicarbonate) in order to correct metabolic acidosis or neutralize the increased acidity of gastric juice. It may also be due to prolonged use of food containing many bases;
• metabolic alkalosis occurs in some pathological conditions, accompanied by disturbances in electrolyte metabolism (hemolysis, postoperative period after extensive surgical interventions, in children suffering from rickets and hereditary dysregulation of electrolyte metabolism);
• mixed alkalosis.

Norms of acid-base balance (pH) of urine, saliva and human blood

urine pH.

If the pH level of urine fluctuates between 6.0-6.4 in the morning and 6.4-7.0 in the evening, then the body is functioning normally. The most optimal level of acid-base balance of urine is slightly acidic, in the range of 6.4-6.5. The normal pH of urine in pregnant women can normally range from 4.5 to 8.

Normal urine reaction in newborns ranges from 5.4 to 5.9; in premature newborns, the indicator ranges from 4.8 to 5.4.

saliva pH.

Saliva has a pH of 5.6 to 7.6. The ideal pH level for the oral cavity is above 7 and up to 7.6. It is believed that a person whose saliva pH is below 5.5 is already very difficult to help.

blood pH.

One of the most important indicators in humans is blood pH. The range of blood pH fluctuations of 7.37-7.44 with an average value of 7.4 was taken as the norm. Unfortunately, modern medicine practically does not address this indicator, and an analysis of the acid-base balance of the blood can only be done in specialized clinics.

Available for analysis at home are the pH of saliva and urine. It is better to buy urine test strips rather than general purpose ones, they are more accurate. The color that the strips give after dipping into the liquid depends on the manufacturer, the main thing is to use the color chart of the same manufacturer. Urine and saliva must be fresh. The indicator is lowered into the required solution for 3-5 seconds. Deciphering the results of the analysis is carried out by comparing the colored part of the indicator with the attached color scale.

With normal metabolism, self-regulation of the acid-base balance of cells in the body occurs and it is not recommended to forcefully interfere in this process. Man needs both acids and alkalis. Acids, when burned, contribute to the production of energy. Alkalis maintain the balance of acids and alkalis in the body and neutralize excess harmful acids.

The level of acid-base balance (pH) of human skin

In the treatment of skin diseases and in cosmetology, it is important to know the pH level of the skin. Currently, scientists believe that it is the pH value of the skin, and not the composition of the detergent, that strongly affects the microecology of the skin. Although the means themselves affect the pH value.

In most literature sources, the pH value of human skin is 5.4-5.9. The most acidic reaction is given by the skin surfaces of the head (pH = 5.5), so rinsing the head with an acidic solution after washing with alkaline soap is simply necessary. On the palms and soles, the pH value can reach 6.5. An alkaline reaction is observed in the armpits, genital-anal and interdigital areas. And if for the genital-anal integument an alkaline environment is the norm (therefore, it is advisable to douche and wash with soda solutions: 1 teaspoon of soda per 250 ml of warm water), then for the armpits and interdigital areas on the legs, this leads to a rapid growth of bacteria and an increase in odor. The growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis, which is associated with body odor, can be prevented by

The level of acid-base balance of dry skin is in the range of 4-5.5. In normal skin, it does not exceed 5.5 in one direction or another. With oily skin, it reaches 6 and contributes to the development of skin infections. Various diseases cause pH shifts. With acne, dermatitis, eczema, the reaction of the skin becomes alkaline, with psoriasis – acidic. Therefore, people suffering from eczema should not use alkaline soaps, and people with psoriasis should not wash or rinse their skin with acid products.

For healthy skin, the use of natural alkali-based soaps contributes to a better cleansing of the skin from dirt, sebum and epidermis, the upper layer of which (horny) is exfoliated every 26-28 days, being replaced by new cells. To quickly restore the acidity of the skin, you can rinse with herbal vinegar tinctures (1 tablespoon of vinegar per 1 liter of water). If you wash with synthetic detergents, then their pH ranges from 4 to 5.5 and additional rinsing with acidified water is not required.

Products that acidify and alkalize the body

In nature, there are no absolutely acidic or alkaline products. To better understand how to maintain a normal acid-bile balance, below are tables of food products, conditionally divided into acidifying and alkalizing organisms, based on the predominance of acidic or alkaline properties. If you have an acid-base balance problem, then you can stick to those pH-maintenance products that are more beneficial for you.

Experts dealing with the problems of acid-base balance in the human body (pH) recommend taking foods in a ratio of 20% acidifying and 80% alkalizing. Some believe that the body itself will cope with the problems of regulation, for this it is necessary to improve the environment, get rid of diseases and take a balanced amount of food.

Table "Acid-base balance (pH): a list of products that acidify the body":

Name of products	Degree of acidification
very strong	strong	average	weak
Bananas are green			*
Boiled lamb			*
Lamb stew				*
Bacon is greasy				*
Bacon is not greasy			*
dried beans				*
Fruit jam (depending on the type)	*	*	*	*
Lean fresh ham			*
Wine sweet and semi-sweet			*	*
Wine dry	*	*
Grape juice with sugar		*
Beef				*
Peas dry			*
Game (depending on species)	*	*	*	*
peanuts			*
Cocoa				*
Coffee	*
Starch			*
Cornflakes			*
Margarine	*	*
Refined oils	*	*
Peanut butter	*
Natural honey			*	*
mussels		*
white flour			*
nuts			*	*
Halibut		*
beef liver		*
Beer		*
crayfish	*
Rhubarb			*
Fish (depending on species)		*	*
Sugar			*
Sweets		*	*	*
Lean pork			*
Cream			*
Pickled plums			*
Sweetened lemon juice		*
Soft cheese				*
Hard cheese			*
Veal		*
Tomato juice
oysters	*
White bread			*
Black bread				*
chickens		*
Tea				*
Spinach			*
Sorrel		*
Egg white	*
Eggs		*
Barley				*
Barley grits			*

But not only food affects the shift in the acid-base balance. Short-term, and sometimes persistent, acidification of the body is caused by: overheating (bath, sauna, sun, some “hot" professions), physical activity (lactic acid accumulates in the body and muscles begin to hurt), negative emotions (fear, anger, jealousy, envy). It is not for nothing that in baths, as well as after physical stress and poor psycho-emotional state, it is recommended to drink herbal teas, and not ordinary tea from the tea bush. By the way, after a bath, you can also drink beer with dry fish, so much so that there are more fish, and beer is a bite. And if the beer is also homemade, natural, then it will only benefit, and not harm – this will reduce the level of acidity in the body. Chlorinated water also leads to acidification of the body,

Table "Acid-base balance (pH): a list of products that alkalize the body":

Name	Degree of alkalization
products	very strong	strong	average	weak
fresh apricots		*
dried apricots	*
Avocado			*
watermelons		*
Bananas are ripe			*
eggplant		*
Fresh beans		*
Grape juice without sugar			*
Cherries			*
Alkaline mineral water		*	*
Green peas			*
Peas		*
Mushrooms			*	*
melons		*
Raisin			*
Dried figs	*
Cabbage		*
Cauliflower		*
Potato with skin		*
Cranberry				*
Lettuce	*
Onion			*
Olives (black) in oil			*
Cold pressed oils		*
Artificial honey				*
Almond			*
Milk		*
Milk serum		*
Carrot	*
Oat groats		*
cucumbers	*
Dandelion (green)		*
Brazil nut		*
Parsnip		*
Peaches		*
Peppers		*
Sunflower (root)		*
Tomatoes	*
Radish		*
Dry salted fish		*
pork fat				*
Beetroot	*
Celery	*
dried plums		*
Currant		*
Natural orange juice		*
Natural lemon juice		*
herbal teas			*	*
Bitter herbs (wormwood, yarrow, centaury, jaundice, etc.)		*
Pumpkin		*	*
Beans		*
Dates			*
Fruits are different		*
Prunes		*
Chocolate		*	*
Spinach		*
fresh apples			*
Dried apples			*
Berries (depending on the type)	*	*	*

In addition to the “wrong” products, hypothermia can also lead to alkalization of the body and a shift in pH values. Therefore, if you are cold, the best way to warm up and reduce the level of alkali in the body is to drink tea with honey or drink mulled wine from dry wine.

Recipe for mulled wine to maintain the acid-base balance of the body (for 2 servings):

• 375 ml Cabernet wine
• 75 ml of water
• 2-3 cloves (spice)
• 5 juniper berries,
• 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnamon powder
• fresh ginger – a circle 2 mm thick (peel and chop),
• zest from 1/4 of a lemon
• 3-4 tablespoons of sugar
• lemon.

Boil cloves and juniper in water for 5 minutes on the lowest heat, turn off the stove and throw in ginger, leave for 20-30 minutes. Add wine, nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon zest, 2-3 lemon wedges and sugar. Stirring occasionally, bring to 75-80ᵒС. Filter through glasses for mulled wine, put a thin circle of lemon.