Written By Leonie Shrimpton

Maintaining pH in the blood is a complex process that requires fine tuning by the kidneys and liver

The body has a very narrow window for change concerning blood pH: it must remain between 7.35 and 7.45. If the blood pH moves outside these parameters, severe disease and death may occur.

The conundrum is that everyday foods and substances consumed can make the body pH become too alkaline or acidic. The body will buffer these changes via the kidneys and liver.

The liver utilises a complex, two phase system combined with enzymes (cytochrome P450 enzymes) to remove toxins, hormones and wastes from the blood. The resulting inactivated products leave the body via the intestines.

The kidneys filter dissolved solutes in the blood, as well as excess minerals not needed by the body at that time. These solutes and minerals will then leave the body via urine

When acid-forming foods are consumed over the long term without establishing balance by ingesting alkalising foods, the body will pull calcium from the bones to help buffer excess acid. This process forms calcium crystals that lodge in soft tissue. Both plant and animal based foods also contain compounds that, in excess, may form crystalline structures, which the kidneys and liver need to conjugate and excrete from the body.

It is important to monitor acid-alkaline status in order to maintain optimum health. A healthy body will cycle within parameters for each body fluid being tested, from an acid to an alkaline state over a 24 hour time period.