All of the systems of the body are interconnected. It’s why health concerns often snowball out of control, manifesting in multiple problems throughout the body. As we say quite often, dizziness is the symptom of nearly everything. For this reason, a major part of treating (and preventing) dizziness is living a healthier life. We discuss this in detail in the article: Natural Remedies for Vertigo and Dizziness. This brings us to bodily pH.
What is Bodily pH?
Bare with us for a second, it will get a little nerdy. But we will bring it back around.
pH stands for “potential of hydrogen”. pH is a measure of hydrogen ion concentration; a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The pH scale is:
- 0 to 6.9 being acidic
- 7.1 to 14 being alkaline
70% of the human body is water. Our cells and tissues rely on water. Our entire bodies run on water. This means that the pH of the water in your body matters.
A healthy body operates by maintaining a pH of 7.2, which is moderately alkaline. Problems arise when your bodily pH drops below the 7.0 pH mark.
Low bodily pH (acidic) means your bloodstream is low in oxygen. This is a problem for the tissues throughout your entire body. We all know the importance of oxygen. Our metabolism is fueled by oxygen.
How Bodily pH Level Impacts Balance
Generally speaking, disease and health complications spread more readily when your bodily pH is low (acidic). Acid decreases our body’s ability to repair damaged cells and makes the body more susceptible to fatigue and illness.
Acidosis, or the prolonged state of having an acidic bodily pH, is now being shown to be related to an over-taxed immune system. Our immune systems are everything. In sickness, the human body is always acidic.
On the other hand, diseases cannot survive in an alkaline state. Everything from viruses to bacteria to cancer cells have a harder time spreading when your bodily pH is not acidic.
While we cannot say for certain that raising your body’s pH will solve your dizziness problems (because this hasn’t been studied), a generally healthier body is always better for overcoming disease, dysfunction, and disorder.
Part of our vestibular treatment plans always includes a holistic look at your health. From how you sleep, to how you handle stress, to the food you’re using to fuel your body. All of these help your body receive vestibular treatment.
Unless the body’s pH level is slightly alkaline, the body cannot heal itself. And we advocate for that in dizziness treatment as well.
What You Should Do
Fortunately, rebalancing your bodily pH is not too difficult. It’s all about what foods and drinks you choose to consume.
First, let’s look at some of the things that contribute to a low pH:
- Prolonged or extreme stress
- Environmental toxins – chemical carcinogens in food, air, and WATER
- Pharmaceuticals – most drugs and medications (over the counter & prescription) are toxic and can cause the pH to be acidic
- Lack of enough sleep
- Lack of enough exercise
- Vitamin and mineral depletion
- Unhealthy fats and oils… aka junk food
- Lack of omega-3 oils
- Acidic foods
With that being said, what can you do to raise your bodily pH levels?
Here are a few things we recommend:
- Drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day – preferably spring, glacier, or artesian water. Look on the labels to ensure that they are high in minerals and thus alkalinity.
- Eating mostly foods that are alkaline or neutral. Generally speaking, we’re talking about whole foods. For example, green and leafy vegetables, all yellow/orange vegetables, almost all fruit, and most nuts. Full list here.
- Mineral supplements that contain the alkaline minerals calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
Dizziness aside, your general health is important. The more universally healthy you are, the higher the likelihood that you will prevent complications in the first place.
Of course, dizziness treatment is more nuanced than changing your diet. Bodily pH, your sleep schedule, and how you handle stress all help. But it does not replace the highly customized treatment that a trained vestibular specialist will provide for alleviating your dizzy symptoms.
If you or someone you know struggles with dizziness or vertigo, then please don’t hesitate to call us at (310) 683-4679 or fill out our contact form here.
We have solutions to your dizziness. So please reach out!