How to know when ph balance is off?

You might be blissfully unaware of it, but your bodily fluids are constantly in a state of delicate balancing act. There’s nothing quite like having the right pH balance to make you feel at your best. But, how can we tell when things aren’t going as swimmingly as they should?

In this article, we’ll help you identify the symptoms that signal an unbalanced internal environment and offer tips on how to restore order.

Why a balanced pH matters

Let’s begin with what exactly we mean by “pH” — in case it has been awhile since high school science class (no judgement here). Simply put, pH measures acidity or alkalinity, ranging from 0 (the most acidic) to 14 (the most alkaline). Neutral falls right smack dab in the middle at 7.

Different parts of our bodies have different optimal environments for health, typically falling within specific ranges depending on their biological function. For example:

• Our blood should stay at a steady 7.4 (which seriously sounds more like my grade point average back in college),
• Stomach acid is incredibly acidic with a pH range between 1 and 3
• And lady garden parts shouldn’t exceed much above 4.5

So while some body areas being Acapulco-levels of sunshiney-bright and others decidedly Hulk-smash green around the gills might not sound ideal – rest assured that this finely tuned ecosystem allows us to perform vital functions like digest food properly, keep infections & illnesses under control and maintaining overall vitality.

Common causes behind imbalanced ph levels

It often comes down to diet choices and lifestyle habits when things go awry inside our body circus tent – there’s no exception when it comes to our beloved short-term pleasure-seeking tendencies, causing havoc in our insides. These include:

• Overindulging on sugar, breads and other refined carbohydrates
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol (hiccup!)
• Eating overly processed foods or regularly consuming animal products laced with hormones and unnatural substances (those bacon-wrapped bratwursts were just so irresistible!)
  (insert humor since that’s my equivalent of accentuating the point here)
• Lack of physical movement resulting in a stagnant metabolic activity
• Stress causing a high cortisol production which affects your body’s chemical reactions

Another sneaky way pH levels can go awry is through improper use of personal hygiene products such as deodorants, soap and feminine care items too.

Symptoms to look out for

So now we know what causes our little acid/alkaline friends are acting up – but what should you be looking out for when things start to get skewiffy?

Well keep an eye out for these common signs:

1. Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs happen when nasty bacteria migrates from ahem “uneasy” areas down south towards your bladder. if left untreated, it could cause more serious problems.

1. Unpleasant BO

Excessive sweating which has an off smell (as opposed to asking “who cut the cheese?”)

1. Skin irritation

Rashes or redness accompanied by itching especially around privates like armpits, groin area along with acne breakouts due to imbalanced oil pH levels within skin pores.

1. Fatigue & mood swings

Mostly stress-related — not being able to relax can alter cortisol levels leading uneven behaviors: being sweet one day then turning into Dracula the next moment particularly whenever bad days arise.(Winning invitation line will sound like….”)

If you notice any off-kilter symptoms under your hood – seeking proper guidance from medical professionals once you suspect that your pH balance is out of wack would be the best course of action.

Measuring acidity vs. Alkaline Levels

If you are one who sleeps with a test kit under their pillow, then wonderful news – some folks do indeed check their pH samples at home to ensure good health has been achieved!

These kits comprise of litmus paper which when exposed to bodily fluids (urine/saliva) will change color accordingly thus giving an estimate of current levels:

• Tests for saliva require spitting into something treated with natural plant pigments,
• While urine tests often include dipping strips into things that look like they belong in a mad scientist’s lab…

Just don’t freak out if it shows ‘acidic’ or ‘alkaline’ differences, most people find this challenging and stressful but honestly, fluctuations happen.

However, if you frequently show up as far outside the ideal range than necessary,it can potentially indicate an underlying issue.

Simple Things We Can Do To Restore Balance

Our internal environments need lots of TLC (tender loving care) and YES! You have all it takes to maintain yourself internally.

Here are some ways we can start moving towards optimal pH:

1. Cut off lactose

   Ratios matter: Steer clear on consuming milk products especially those laced with hormones antibiotics among other byproducts released from animals particularly cows.

2.Ditch processed foods

Without trying too hard consume foods sourced locally such as fruits veggies and legumes(hearty ones always do well)

3.Changes In physical activity

Start taking make strides standing desks yoga stretches or even running around outdoors whatever works for YOU!

4.Reduce Stress Levels

Find ways to ease stresses through meditation breathing excercises finding healthy coping mechanisms besides binging Netflix(but how else am I going to catch up on “The Crown?”) .

5.Adjust Your Personal Hygiene Routine

Consider using more natural options particularly soap/feminine hygiene products as they are known not to cause irritations.

No matter what, strive to build a healthful internal ecosystem where your acid-alkaline levels dance in rhythm and balance the way it should. Remember, achieving wellness is no small feat: It’s all about taking those little steps we can manage on a daily basis that count towards being an overall improved human specimen (oops)!