Your brain's pH level as an indicator of overall health status.
Hey there! You might've noticed those pH strips in the bathroom are more important than you thought. Your body's pH balance plays a crucial role in your health, preventing everything from metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis to kidney stones and worse.
But what's under the radar is that your brain pH matters too! And now, thanks to a groundbreaking study by Tohoku University, researchers can finallylisten in on brain chemistry to understand how much your brain's chemistry affects your health risks.
Long story short, brain chemistry is the secret language your brain cells use to chat. To make sure this conversation runs smoothly, the pH needs to stay neutral to minor fluctuations. If it gets wonky and tips too much one way, you can end up with a heap of chronic brain disorders, including mental health issues, seizures, and other neurological problems. In fact, a previous study has even found a connection between brain pH and Alzheimer's.
So how did they do this groundbreaking research? The scientists used an all-in-one, miniature pH probe that could visualize real-time changes in brain chemistry in deep brain structures. They combined two different technologies:
- A super thin fiber with electrical and optical functions built right in
- Chemical sensors with measurement spots defined by light
This mix allowed them to detect even the tiniest changes in chemical signaling deep within the brain. They even managed to monitor rats' brains, visualizing how their pH fluctuated (moving their brains away from that neutral pH necessary for health) as they experienced seizures.
Now let's talk about the diet side of things. An alkaline diet is all about reducing acidity in your body by consuming alkaline foods and avoiding acidic ones. Your goal should be to keep your body as close to a pH of 7.4 as possible.
If you find your body is too acidic (which, sadly, is common), foods to steer clear of include: dairy products, caffeine, processed meats, alcohol, and grains. Instead, try a diet full of fresh raw fruits and veggies (preferably organic) and an assortment of beans. A balanced pH environment in your body supports your immune system and improves digestion.
Finally, on the subject of alkaline diets, keeping your body more alkaline can boost your energy, aid in weight loss, soothe digestion, and help you avoid illness. It's also known to improve overall wellness[1][2][3].
References
[1] Acidosis: An Old Idea Validated by New Research, National Library of Medicine (NCBI), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3486422/
[2] Determinants of blood pH in health and disease, National Library of Medicine (NCBI), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3135880/
[3] Eavesdropping on the pH levels inside the brain, EurekAlert!, https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/598663
[4] Tips for Alkalizing Your Diet for Peak Health, Easy Health Options, https://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alkaline-diet/
[5] The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?, National Library of Medicine (NCBI), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3280588/
- The groundbreaking research by Tohoku University indicates that maintaining neutral pH levels in the brain may help prevent chronic brain disorders, including mental health issues, seizures, and other neurological problems.
- An alkaline diet, which focuses on reducing acidity in the body by consuming alkaline foods and avoiding acidic ones, is proposed as a means to support overall wellness, boost energy, aid in weight loss, soothe digestion, and help avoid illness.
- Brain pH nearest to the neutral value supports the immune system and improves digestion, whereas acidic brain pH may increase the risks for various chronic brain disorders, including mental health issues, seizures, and other neurological problems.
