We have all enjoyed
a cold glass of Coke or Pepsi. It tastes so good, can it really be
THAT bad for you? Well, let's go over what happens when you drink
such an acidic drink like soda.
The pH Scale
The pH scale ranges
from 0-14, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most
alkaline. Our bodies need to maintain a pH as close to 7.4 as
possible for optimum health. If it becomes too acidic or too
alkaline, different functions of the body can't take place.
It can be difficult
for the body to maintain this pH level given the large amounts of
acid-producing foods in our diets. Doctors actually began researching
the effects of acid-producing and alkaline-producing foods on our
bodies in the early 1900s.
As you can see by
the picture below, the closer the food gets to the bottom of the pH
scale the more acidic it becomes. And it's acidity grows
exponentially. A food that has a pH of 2 is 1,000,000 times more
acidic than a food that has a pH of 8!
The Effects of
Soda and Other Soft Drinks
Coca-Cola has a pH
of about 2.5. This is very, very acidic. About 50,000 times more
acidic than tap water.
Your body is working
second after second, minute after minute to maintain a healthy pH
level. But if we add drinks and foods into our bodies that are
acid-producing, the body has to work even harder to maintain that 7.4
pH level. So, what does the body do when it isn't receiving the
proper nutrition to keep it at this level? It will take alkali
minerals, such as calcium from your bones, to stabilize itself. The
body will actually take calcium from your bones and teeth or
magnesium from your bones and cells in order to preserve itself. This
definitely explains why America is the leading country in terms of
osteoporosis, yet we consume the most calcium on the planet, by way
of milk and dairy products, calcium supplements, etc. And this is
also a huge contributing factor to the amount of obesity in America.
But I Drink Diet
Soda – No Calories
This leads us to the
next alkali mineral that your body will leach if it needs to keep it
at a balanced pH: Iodine. Iodine is a mineral that helps the thyroid
function. Your thyroid, the gland responsible for your metabolism,
can't properly function without a sufficient amount of iodine. So,
even if you're drinking a diet soda with zero calories, you're still
flooding your body with an acidic drink that triggers certain
mechanisms in the body to use the iodine to maintain a balanced pH.
How to Determine Your Acidity Level
Here are some symptoms of being too acidic:
Are you chronically fatigued?
Do you run out of breath easily?
Do you find yourself sighing or taking deep breaths for no apparent reason?
Do your muscles cramp up after walking short distances?
Do you sometimes feel you just can't get enough air?
These are signs that your body is too acidic.
You can also test the pH of your saliva or urine. We offer a free 80-pieced pH test kit!
What to Do Next
Kick the soda habit
and replace it with alkaline ionized water to help your body maintain
your healthy pH level! And watch as the weight comes off and you regain a healthy, energetic body!
Good luck!
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