Is Your Body Alkaline or Acidic?

What does it mean for a healthy body?

Several years ago on my journey to maintain optimal health, I learned that my body would be either alkaline or acidic.

I was stunned—I wanted to know what that meant. I wanted to know where my body aligned on the alkaline-acidic scale (better known as the pH scale), and what it all meant for my overall health.

Over time, I discovered how to determine if my body was alkaline or acidic, without taking a urine sample, without actually knowing my pH number, and why acidity and alkalinity are so important.

I’ll share those answers with you in a moment. But first, I want to go back to the original question and clear-up what this “acidic-alkaline-body thing” is all about.

You see, the body maintains a pH balance. The normal pH balance is 7.0. However, for the body, “optimal pH levels are between 6.5 and 7.5”---the pH range that keeps the body functioning at a healthy rate.

As it’s been said, “all things in moderation,” which brings me to the point, that if my body is too alkaline or too acidic, it can result in my body developing unhealthy chronic conditions.

Since I’m not a medical doctor, I don’t want to stray too far away from the basics. I’ll just stick to my experiences with the pH balance within my body and share an experience I had, keeping my pH balance in check.

I experienced an unhealthy chronic condition that was caused by the imbalance of pH within my body.

My body attempted to maintain its pH balance within the normal range, by extracting nutrients from various other parts, which in turn, made my body deficient in other areas.

The deficient areas in my had a pH imbalance, which, created a chronic ailment, that, at the time, I was not aware of what had occurred.

One evening while at work, my right knee gave out, but I was able to break my fall half-way down, which prevented me from hitting the floor.

I immediately visited employee health. During my physical assessment, I realized I had been in pain (I had been ignoring the discomfort)—the bones in my knees, my back, and my hips had been painful for quite sometime.

I recall a few months back, when I would run on the treadmill, my knees would ache. My primary care doctor recommended that I workout on the elliptical instead of the treadmill.

He suggested that the elliptical would be better for my knees, and would serve as a “shock absorber,” whereas, the treadmill offers no protection.

My doctor went on to say that I had osteoarthritis (not the same as osteoporosis), where it was bone-on-bone—no cartilage or "pads" to cushion my bones from rubbing together. It was very painful.

For a while, I stopped using the treadmill. Whenever I did use it, I walked, instead of running. Walking relieved me of the pounding of my knee bones hitting together.

That was in 2008 when I received the osteoporosis diagnosis. So the pain continued for years.

Finally, in 2019, I began cutting back on sugar. To my surprise, my bone and joint pain began to subside. I also received a bonus from less sugar intake—I lost a few pounds!

In early 2020, when Covid hit, in March during the shutdown, I was able to give my body full attention.

I no longer had to eat lunch on the run. I ate more green, leafy veggies. I drank more water, and I found exercises that didn’t cause me to injure myself and they were fun. I was also able to maintain a consistent “30 x 5” (30 minutes per day, 5 days per week) exercise regimen.

So, after the diagnosis, the doctor’s recommendation, and the shift in healthier eating habits, I discovered that my body had become inflamed. The inflammation was causing the joint pain.

I further discovered what I was eating was causing my pH balance to be “out of whack.” My body had become acidic. I learned on my healthier lifestyle journey, that my goal should be to maintain an “alkaline body.”

I discovered by accident sugar (or by cutting the sugar) was causing my body to become acidic.

Once I cut the sugar and adopted healthier eating, the pain in my knees and joints ceased altogether.

So, what this all boils down to and what I practice today is, having more green-leafy veggies on my plate. Having lots of fruits. Drinking plenty of water. Staying away from processed foods, red meats, sugary drinks, and *salt.

*I use spices and juice from freshly-squeezed lemons.

Exercise, ample sleep, and staying consistent with this healthy lifestyle regimen also help to keep my body alkaline.