Regulating your body’s pH is very important. For one, many health disorders are able to manifest only if the body’s environment is acidic.

If you consume too many acidic foods, your body has to put an additional effort to maintain the very narrow blood pH values (slightly alkaline, from 7.35 to 7.45 pH). A failure to do so may result in inflammation, which leads to other health problems.

While your body has some sophisticated mechanisms to keep an ideal alkaline pH values of the blood, you can help it immensely if you learn how to fine tune your body’s pH with the tips given in this post.

All the different systems of your body are affected by what you put in (food, drink and supplements) and put out (breathing, exercises). And you can learn how to modulate both the input and the output to your advantage.

But first, let’s see how pH works.

What the Heck is pH (and How Does It Work)?

Everything around you is either acidic, or alkaline, and the borderline between these two is neutral. This is a very simple scale. It goes from 1 to 14.

A pH from 1 to 7 is considered acidic.

A pH from 7 to 14 is considered alkaline.

A pH of exactly 7.0 is neutral.

As we have already pointed out the ideal blood pH is slightly alkaline, from 7.35 to 7.45. But the things are not that simple. Different organs and systems have different pH values. Our body has organs that have to be acidic in order to work properly; think about the stomach with its gastric acid (the pH of gastric juice is very acidic, from 1.5 to 3.5).

Note: It is only fair to say that, in fact, our body has very well developed mechanisms to keep the pH of the blood in this narrow range. If this value were to get outside of this normal range, our entire body would stop working properly. These protective mechanisms are virtually impossible to be affected from outside, for example, by improper nutrition. Otherwise we would all be in trouble. But, all this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t help our body to do this work more efficiently. And we can do that by eating more alkaline food, and drinking more alkaline beverages.

pH of Foods

If you want to get to an ideal diet, you should consume no more than 20 percent of acidic foods. Acidic foods include meat, fish, dairy products, bread, most grains, sugars, cakes, colas, most of the nuts, and coffee. The majority of your foods should be from the alkaline group of foods, which includes most of the vegetables (like celery, cucumber, fennel, parsnips, leeks, romaine lettuce, and dark leafy greens), fruits (like avocado), green smoothies, grass juices, sprouts, mushrooms, and herbal teas.

That way your body will be naturally alkalized. But if you need some extra alkaline push, here are some tips how to alkalize your body:

Alkaline Drinks

Alkaline Water

Pure water is a perfect neutral substance with pH of 7. Alkaline water has higher pH, between 8 and 9. The alkalinity is due to the increased mineral content. If you have gastro issues, it could be a good idea to start drinking alkaline water.

While there are waters that are made alkaline by purifying and adding extra minerals, we recommend buying natural artesian water, for example this one bottles in the Fiji islands. Their alkalinity might not be that high, but it can approach 8, which is more than enough and you can be sure that you are getting water how Mother Nature intended to be.

Leafy Green Vegetable Juices

The leafy greens are naturally alkaline. There is no better way to make your body alkaline but to eat a lot of them. Sprouts are another great option. If you don’t already have a slow juicer, get one and you can prepare great healthful and alkalizing green juices. Or you can use a blender and prepare green smoothies.

Baking Soda in Water

This one is a very popular option among people with acid reflux and similar conditions, or if they simply want to have a healthy digestive system. And it is fairly budget friendly. And it is simple, just mix one teaspoon of baking soda in clean water.

If you are going to apply this method, make sure your baking soda is certified, natural, organic and aluminum free, and free from other preservatives and additives. You can also add it to your green drinks and smoothies.

It is worth mentioning that some people have problems with the taste of this drink, so it might not be for everyone.

Lemon Juice and Lemon Water

Despite the fact that lemon juice is acidic on its own (which is easy to experience when you put it in your mouth), once ingested, it becomes highly alkaline.

You can use freshly squeezed lemon juice, or lemon water. Both of these healthful drinks can make your blood pH more alkaline.

Green Drinks from Microalgae

Micro-algae like spirulina and chlorella contain ample amounts of chlorophyll, which makes them very alkalizing. You can also prepare wheatgrass juice, or add sprouted grains to your favorite smoothies.

Coconut Water

Coconut water is exceedingly alkalizing and hydrating, and it has many other health benefits. In fact, all parts of the coconut are packed with benefits. You can add coconut oil to your shakes and juices, or eat coconut meat straight away. Among the other useful things, coconuts can be an excellent energy source, they support the immune system, improve digestion, and aid food assimilation.

Aloe Vera Juice

Another very alkalizing juice is Aloe Vera Juice. You can buy this juice commercially, but it is always a good idea to prepare your own home made juice. Just scoop the pulp and mix it with water. For more ideas how to prepare your own juice, you can check this post.

Your freshly prepared drink can be soothing, cooling, and refreshing. Not only is it alkalizing, it also provides a lot of vitamins, enzymes and minerals. If you are going to buy Aloe Vera Juice, make sure the drink is free from carrageenan.

Himalayan Crystal Salt Sole

Sole is a totally saturated solution of salt in water. When the water cannot dissolve more salt, this is the moment when you have reaches the saturation limit. For a detailed instruction how to make your own Himalayan check this video.

It takes just one teaspoon of Himalayan salt to prepare it. The Himalayan salt sole is you energy elixir rich in various trace minerals essential for normal functioning of the body. The additional benefit comes from the amorphous silica. The only disadvantage is the high amount of sodium, so you should be careful when using this alkalizing drink. The RDA of sodium is 2.5 grams, while one teaspoon of Himalayan salt can have up to half a gram of sodium.

Add Seaweed to Your Smoothies

Seaweed is considered the most abundant plant based nutrition source on our planet in terms of minerals (iodine!), trace elements, and phyto-nutrients. It can help you balance and nourish your entire endocrine system. Seaweed can also be a great way to alkalize your body, while at the same time consuming food with extreme bio-availability. Just add a couple of tablespoons of seaweed to your green smoothies and you are good to go.

Ginger Juice

Ginger belongs to the group of alkaline foods (after being digested). Raw ginger juice is slightly acidic, with a pH value of 5.6 to 6.0. Please note that the actual degree of alkalinity depends on a number of variables, such as method of processing, soil, and growing conditions. So buy some fresh, organic ginger root and prepare your own cold pressed ginger juice. Or you can buy commercial ginger juice as another great option to make your body more alkaline.

Alkaline Herbal Teas

Some teas are especially rich in alkaline minerals, including calcium, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. Here are some examples:

Redbush Tea – very alkaline

Pepermint Tea – great for digestion, tasty, and alkaline

Ginger Tea –  great anti-stress tea for digestion and nausea

Rosemary Tea – full antioxidant power.

Other Alkalizing Activities

You can go beyond juicing if you like. Here are some additional tips how to do that.

Breathing

Yes. Breathing. Deep breathing can be very alkalizing. In fact, if you can learn how to breathe the proper way, it can be by far your best method of alkalizing your body. I am surprised almost nobody even mentions breathing when talking about this. It is so fundamental and the mechanism is simple. CO₂ in your blood makes it acidic, while oxygen alkaline. When you breathe deeply, you help eliminate more CO2 from your blood, at the same time introducing more oxygen. The end result is more alkaline blood.

Meditation and Yoga

Meditation and other stress reducing activities like yoga, thai chi, chi gong, etc are great alkalizing methods. Why they work is because they help your body reduce stress. In a state of stress the human body is unable to get rid of toxic acids very efficiently. Anything that helps you find relief from stress promotes the alkalinity of your body.

Side Effects

You should be careful with  Himalayan Crystal Salt Sole, as too much salt can be harmful (the same is true for too little salt though). The situation is similar with baking soda. You should be careful with baking soda too, as too much of it may cause insufficient gastric acid for digestion, high blood pressure and edema (because of the excess sodium), as well as other health problems.

The Bottom Line

You can choose from the above methods of alkalizing your body. Our favorite methods are using micro-algae like chlorella, and seaweed, like kelp because of their naturally occurring bioavailable nutrients and minerals. We mix them in our green juices and smoothies.

Of course, nothing can substitute or repair the damage of an unhealthy, overly acidic diet. That’s why you should balance your intake of alkaline and acidic foods so that your blood has no problem staying in the optimal range around 7.35-7.45 pH.