- How to measure blood pH
- Acidosis and alkalosis symptoms
- What can change blood pH
- Foods that acidify or alkalize the blood
- Foods that acidify the environment
- Foods that alkalize the environment
The pH of the blood must be within 7.35 and 7.45, which is considered a slightly alkaline pH, and the change in these values is a very serious situation, which puts health at risk, even with a risk of death.
Acidosis is considered when the blood becomes more acidic, with values between 6.85 and 7.35, while alkalosis occurs when the blood pH is between 7.45 and 7.95. Blood pH values below 6.9 or above 7.8 can lead to death.
Keeping blood within normal values is important to maintain the quality of the body's cells, which are completely covered by blood. Thus, when the blood is at the ideal pH, the cells are healthy, and when the blood is more acidic or more basic, the cells die earlier, with diseases and complications.
How to measure blood pH
The only way to measure the pH of the blood is through a blood test called arterial blood gases, which is only performed when the individual is admitted to the ICU or ICU. This test is done by taking a sample of the blood, and its result shows the pH of the blood, the bicarbonate, and the PCO2. Learn more details of arterial blood gases.
Acidosis and alkalosis symptoms
When the pH is above ideal, this situation is called metabolic alkalosis, and when the pH is below ideal, it is called metabolic acidosis. Symptoms that help identify these changes in the blood are:
- Alkalosis - pH above normal
Metabolic alkalosis does not always cause symptoms and, in most cases, it is the symptoms of the disease that cause alkalosis. However, symptoms such as muscle spasms, weakness, headache, mental confusion, dizziness and seizures can also arise, mainly caused by changes in electrolytes such as potassium, calcium and sodium.
- Acidosis - pH below normal
The acidic pH causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations, vomiting, drowsiness, disorientation and, even, causing a risk of death, if it becomes severe and is not treated to regulate the pH.
What can change blood pH
The pH of the blood may suffer a small decrease, becoming a little more acidic, which can happen due to situations like uncontrolled diabetes, in case of malnutrition, with the consumption of the body's own proteins; chronic bronchitis, excessive use of acetylsalicylic acid, and extreme difficulty in breathing.
However, the pH of the blood can also increase slightly, making the blood more basic, in case of frequent and uncontrolled vomiting and diarrhea, in case of hyperaldosteronism, severe breathing problems, in case of fever or kidney failure.
In any case, whenever the blood pH changes, the body tries to correct this change, with compensation mechanisms, but this is not always enough, and in severe cases, there may be a need for hospitalization. But before this happens, the body itself tries to normalize the pH of the medium, to keep the blood neutral.
Foods that acidify or alkalize the blood
The more acidic the body is, the greater the effort the body needs to make to keep the blood at neutral pH, and also the greater the risks of developing diseases, so, even if the blood is within normal values, it is possible to maintain the a little more basic blood, through feeding.
Foods that acidify the environment
Some foods that acidify the environment, giving the body more work to keep the pH of the blood neutral are beans, eggs, flour in general, cocoa, alcohol, olives, cheese, meat, fish, cornstarch, sugar, milk, coffee, soda, pepper and sauerkraut.
Thus, to give less work to the body, reducing the risk of disease, it is recommended to consume less of these foods. Learn more foods that acidify the blood.
Foods that alkalize the environment
Foods that help to alkalize the environment, making it easier for the body to maintain blood pH within normal range, are those that are rich in potassium, magnesium and / or calcium, such as apricot, avocado, melon, date, grapefruit, grape, orange, lemon, corn, celery, raisins, dried fig, dark green vegetables and oats, for example.
Thus, increasing the consumption of these foods helps the body to stay healthier, which can also help in preventing diseases. Find out more foods that alkalize your blood.
