Last week we introduced the germ versus host debate.
You are probably familiar with germ theory – that infectious disease is determined solely by the microorganisms that enter your body.
Host theory states that regardless of the microorganisms that enter your body, infectious disease will be determined by your current state of health.
That means whether you will catch the flu and end up in bed for a week, suffer from colds, sinus infections and recurrent sore throats or breeze through this winter feeling healthy and strong – will be determined by the strength of your terrain.
The truth is probably that both germ and host matter.
The question is – how can you assess the health of your terrain and what can you do to strengthen your body – and your immune system – as winter approaches?
Determining health is a tricky matter.
When it comes to immune-health and a robust terrain there are a number of important factors.
These factors include:
acid/alkaline balance (pH) of (blood, tissues, and organs)
electrical charge (of tissue,fascia and cells)
oxygen levels
nutritional status
toxicity
inflammation
These factors are obviously interconnected. Poor nutritional status can cause acidity, inflammation, and low oxygen levels. Low electrical charge is associated with acidity, low oxygen levels, and inflammation.
Well, you get the point.
We have discussed inflammation and nutritional status in the past. To read more about using nutrition to improve your terrain and your immune function click here.
I want to zoom in today on pH and how it can impact the health of your terrain.
The pH measures the acid-alkaline balance in a solution. As you may recall the pH scale registers 0-14. Anything under 7 is considered acidic, over 7 is alkaline. The number 7 is perfectly balanced between acid and alkaline and considered neutral.
In humans we know that the ideal pH of blood is 7.35-7.45. Anything lower than 7.35 is considered too acidic and anything higher than 7.45 is too alkaline for your blood.
(It is true that there are tissues and organs in your body that need to function under acidic conditions – like your stomach – but for today we are focusing on the blood since it carries many of the elements of your immune system)
To delve a little deeper – pH stands for potential of hydrogen, and it represents how many hydrogen ions vs hydroxyl ions exist in a solution. Hydroxyl ions are ready to carry more oxygen and allow a solution to be oxygen rich. The higher the pH – the more alkaline it is – the higher the oxygen potential. The lower the pH – the more acidic the solution – the less potential there is for oxygen.
So when the blood is acidic (lower pH) it presumably has less oxygen, and poorly oxygenated blood tends to be more acidic.
What makes the blood acidic? And how is acidic blood connected to immunity?
There are lots of lifestyle choices that could potentially impact the acidity of your blood.
Here are some common acidifiers::
Stress – stress hormones tend to create acidity
Shallow breathing – oxygen helps alkalize your blood; shallow breathing reduces oxygen
Toxins – pesticides, heavy metals, chemicals, synthetic hormones and plastics can all increase acidity in your blood
Acidic Diet – sugar, refined flours,alcohol and trans fats can all tilt your body into acidic mode
Infections – the immune response actually creates an acidic environment.
This last category is interesting. Fighting off an infection makes your blood acidic. That’s ok because it is temporary and once the infection is over your body can shift back into its healthier alkaline mode.
But chronic infection is a whole other issue. That can cause the blood pH to stay in the acidic zone.
Autoimmune disease falls into this category too – responses like rheumatoid arthritis and acute asthmatic attacks are associated with an acidic environment.
Finally, acidosis and low oxygen seem to occur with tumors – and the level of acidosis can sometimes be used to determine tumor progression.
How exactly this acidic environment then impacts on your immune system is another story – one that is still being told.
But current research is showing that an acidic environment can prevent your immune system from doing its job properly. And that is a problem when you are trying to stay healthy. (To read more about the interplay between pH and the immune system click here.)
So, how can you combat acidosis and keep your blood balanced at 7.35-7.45 pH – and keep your immune system in peak performance?
I’ll share that with you in my next blog.
