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How does pH level affect body’s immune

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response (Edited by Chris M. Hardy)

paulspujats (29)in health • 2 years ago (edited)
The saying goes: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” Imagine this - the
people you encounter each day spread bacteria with their hands, mouths, and everything in
between. All of the bacteria from everything you touch, smell, consume, and inhale has the
potential to cause infection. As much as we want to avoid sickness during the flu season, we
must prepare for the worst. Personally, I prepare my body to combat potential infection by being
meticulous about the pH of my diet. Below I am going to discuss the importance of maintaining
a balanced pH to stave off sickness. I have also compiled a list of the foods that you should eat to
maintain a balanced pH.
What is pH?
pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, determined by the concentration of
hydrogen ions in a solution. Solutions with a high concentration of hydrogen ions have a low pH
and solutions with a low concentrations of hydrogen ions have a high pH. 7.0, the pH of water, is
considered neutral. Solutions with a pH below 7.0 are described as acidic and solutions with a
pH above 7.0 are described as alkaline.

Throughout the day, the body's pH level normally transitions from primarily a weak acid to a
weak base. Simply put, your body is more acidic in the morning, and more alkaline at bedtime. A
balanced pH level is necessary because an imbalance encourages the growth of pathogens and
tissue/organ damage, which results in a weakened immune system.
Different enzymes, proteins, bacteria and cells require a certain pH level to function at an
optimal level. As energy is produced, by-products are created that are normally acidic in nature.
In order for your body to maintain its pH level, these by-products are expelled through various
processes. If the body is not able to effectively remove the waste, the pH level of the body will
change. An abnormal pH is often found in conjunction with an inefficient bodily function or
disease.
What is the range of a balanced pH?
A balanced pH is not the sole indicator of health, but it does correlate with good health. The
normal range of pH in the human body is 7.35-7.41, which is slightly more alkaline than water
which makes up the majority of the human body’s composition. Different body parts have
different optimal pH ranges. For example, urinary tract is slightly more acidic due to the nature
of its bodily process - Form meets function. An acidic pH is optimal for the activity of the
nerves, hormones and neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, thyroxine, histamine, and
acetylcholine. The most important range is that of the blood supply (7.35-7.41) because it
regulates the rest of the body’s pH level, delivers oxygen throughout the body, and is a major
contributor to the body’s immune system.
How does pH level affect your immune response?
Research shows that polymorphonuclear neutrophils demonstrate mainly inhibition of
chemotaxis, respiratory activity, and bactericidal capacity in an acidic environment. Chemotaxis
is a part of the inflammatory response, where white blood cells react to invading pathogens along
a chemical concentration gradient. Extracellular pH changes influence the intracellular pH of
white blood cells, which ultimately influences the process of cell death, intracellular enzyme
functions, protein stability, and other molecular interactions. By having a bodily pH outside of
the optimal range, we begin to see a reduction in these molecular movements of white blood
cells toward the invading pathogens. Therefore, the overall immune response is weakened when
an excessive extracellular pH imbalance is present.
Alkaline environment
Other experiments have demonstrated a similar reduction in molecular movements of white
blood cells in an alkaline environment as to what is seen in an acidic environment. However, the
blood is heavily regulated with buffers and therefore, this excessive alkalinic shift in pH is not
commonly seen clinically. When we do see a shift towards an excessive alkalinic pH, there is
normally a condition or disease associated with this finding, normally involving the kidneys or
lungs. These organs regulate the pH levels throughout the body by expelling carbon dioxide and
acidic waste and bringing oxygen to the body. If either of these two organs are malfunctioning or
diseased, an alkalinic pH may be found throughout the human system. This alkalinic pH could
then affect the immune system’s ability to fight off infection. Death due to sepsis is commonly
seen in patients with kidney or lung disease. When patients are hyponatremic, hypochloremic
and hypokalemic from these conditions, management of infection becomes difficult due to the
reduced activity of white blood cells. A part of managing these diseases often includes
improving the patient’s eating habits. If we begin to approach these dietary changes with the
consideration of pH’s effect on the immune system, we may be able to fight illness with food and
therefore, boost our immunity.
pH boosting foods:
The only food with the perfect pH for human consumption is water. We are comprised of 50-
65% water so it would make sense that our body functions optimally around the pH of water
which is about 7.4. Alkaline foods include mostly fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds and herbal
teas. Acid-forming foods include mostly grains, beans, meats, dairy products, fish, fast foods and
processed foods. Eating a diet of 60-80% alkaline foods and 20-40% acidic foods creates a
balance in pH levels. Foods that are sprayed with pesticides create an acidic environment in your
body.
Alkalinic Foods
Highest Alkaline Foods:
Raw spinach, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, alfalfa grass, seaweeds, raw broccoli, red cabbage,
carrots, cucumbers, asparagus, artichokes, raw celery, potato skins, collards, lemon and lime.
High Alkaline foods:
Olive oil, raw zucchini, sprouted grains, raw green beans, mangoes, tangerines, grapes, most
lettuce, sweet potato, raw eggplant, blueberries, papayas, melons, borage oil, raw peas, alfalfa
sprouts, pears, figs and dates, kiwi.
Alkaline foods:
Apples, tomatoes, turnip, bell peppers, pineapple, wild rice, cantaloupe, oranges, almonds,
olives, reddish, cherries, strawberries, honeydew, grapefruit, avocados, mushrooms, soybeans,
rhubarb, apricots, peaches, bananas.
Neutral pH:
Most tap water, oils, except olive oil.
*Tip
Uncooked frutis & veggetables have more minerelas while cooking food depletes alkalinizing
minerals.
Acidic Foods
Low Acidic Foods:
Adzuki beans, aged cheese, alcohol, almond oil, balsamic vinegar, black tea, boar, buckwheat,
chard, cow milk, elk meat, goat milk, kidney beans, lamb, lima beans, milk, navy beans, pinto
beans, plum, red beans, safflower oil, sesame oil, shellfish, soy, cheese, tapioca, tofu, tomatoes,
turkey, vanilla, wheat, white beans, white rice.
Acidic Foods:
Barley, groats, basmati rice, chestnut oil, chicken, coffee, corn, cottage cheese, cranberry, egg
whites, fructose, garbanzo beans, green peas, honey (pasteurized), ketchup, lard, mustard,
nutmeg, oat bran, olives (pickled), other legumes, palm kernel oil, pasta (whole grain), pastry,
peanuts, pecans, pistachio, popcorn, pork, prunes, rye, snow peas, soy milk, squid, veal.
Highly Acidic Foods:
Artificial sweeteners, barley, beef, brazil nuts, breads, brown sugar, cocoa, cottonseed oil, flour
(white), fried foods, fruit juices with sugar, hazelnuts, hops, ice cream, jam / jelly, liquor, lobster,
malt, pasta (white), processed cheese, seafood, soft drinks, soybean, sugar, table salt, walnuts,
white bread, white vinegar, whole wheat foods, wine, yeast, yogurt (sweetened)

References
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/biology/bio4fv/page/ph_def.htm
 http://drbenkim.com/ph-body-blood-foods-acid-alkaline.htm
https://draxe.com/balancing-act-why-ph-is-crucial-to-health/
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/nutrition/40-foods-high-in-antioxidants/
http://greatist.com/health/what-are-antioxidants
http://www.livestrong.com/article/266840-what-are-the-dangers-of-high-or-low-ph-levels/
health wellness ph nutrition trendy
2 years ago by paulspujats (29)
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