ph balance and hair loss - what you need to know

pH balance and hair loss - Or why your bodies acid to alkaline balance is important.

pH BALANCE AND HAIR LOSS - WHAT IS IT AND WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

The reasons for hair loss are many and varied – from hormones to inflammation and dieting but as I am fond of saying the body is one integral bio machine and anything that affects one part is going to impact everything else usually in subtle ways but the connection is there none the less.

It is now apparent to me that the story behind our body’s PH balance and a persons general health and well being (as well as the condition of their hair and hair loss) have a great deal in common as any disease state certainly affect hair growth and overall health.

Although the actual scientific basis and understanding of PH balance is a tad technical in a nutshell here is an overview.

Now this may come as a shock to you – or not and a little humorous but in many ways the human body is very comparable to a part your car has to have to run—have you guessed it yet --well it’s the BATTERY. Yep your cars battery and your body have much in common (TO a point of course)

1 They both need water

2 They both need electrolyte (battery acid for the battery )

3 They both need a charge (the battery through a battery charger and we humans use food)

4 They both use a positive and negative charge to operate

5 They can both be damaged or destroyed by a lack of water

There are other ways to use this analogy but you get the point – if you don’t take care of your cars battery – charge it and add water when needed well one day you come out to your car to go to work or go play a round of golf and low and behold all you get when you turn the key is –CLICK CLICK CLICK yep its dead as a door nail.

The good part is you have another vehicle and off you go to the auto parts store for another battery and all is well again (not for the dead battery of course)

The bad part is if this is happens to you I.E. your body--well uh Yeah that's not so good…

SOOO what is this PH balance thing? Well here goes the short version

The P stands for potential and the H is hydrogen (potential of hydrogen)

The PH scale goes from 0 to 14 with 0 being the most acid and 14 the most alkaline with the healthy human range from 6.0 to 7.5 and as 7.0 is neutral—although the blood must stay at around an alkaline range of 7.4 the rest of the bodies PH is always in a certain amount of flux.

If the PH goes to high or to low the our cells are poisoned by our own toxic waste and die and in fact the blood is kept at 7.4 by a very complex series of controls – if the PH were to deviate to say 6.9 on the scale you could go into a coma and die and on the other side a reading of 7.7 can cause seizures – neither option is good.

Here we come to the average American diet and in general we eat way to much acid producing foods with the resulting acid residue causing havoc with our cells.

Instead of the suggested ratio of 20% acid to 80% alkaline as the father of modern medicine (Hippocrates) suggested We generally do just the opposite.

An unbalanced PH can lead to most of the degenerative diseases that plague us including weight gain that we cant seem to get rid of no matter what we do as an over acid system doesn't allow the cellular oxygenation and communication

Also the acidic cells are a menace to other healthy cells and must be made safe by taking them out of harms way - or in other words fat storage.

The hair loss connection here is that simply put if your polluting the rest of your body with toxins caused by an over acid system (most common problem) then your hair which is attached to your scalp etc etc will most likely be in poor health to so make it happy and heed the pH call.

I truly believe that the connection between the bodies pH balance and hair loss is coming to light and many problems including hair loss and thinning hair will be just a part of the list of potential problems you can expect from an imbalance.

I have listed some common foods and their respective acid to alkaline percentages for you to look at and get some idea of whether your working with or against your body’s health.
ALKALINE FOODS

ALKALIZING VEGETABLES Alfalfa - Barley Grass - Beet Greens – Beets – Broccoli – Cabbage – Carrot – Cauliflower – Celery - Chard Greens

Chlorella - Collard Greens – Cucumber – Dandelions – Dulce - Edible Flowers – Eggplant - Fermented Veggies Garlic - Green Beans - Green Peas – Kale – Kohlrabi – Lettuce – Mushrooms - Mustard Greens - Nightshade Veggies – Onions - Parsnips (high glycemic) – Peas – Peppers – Pumpkin – Radishes – Rutabaga - Sea Veggies Spinach, green – Spirulina – Sprouts - Sweet Potatoes – Tomatoes – Watercress - Wheat Grass - Wild Greens

ALKALIZING ASIAN VEGETABLES Daikon - Dandelion Root – Kombu – Maitake – Nori – Reishi – Shitake – Umeboshi - Wakame

ALKALIZING FRUITS

Apple – Apricot – Avocado - Banana (high glycemic) – Berries – Blackberries – Cantaloupe - Cherries, sour Coconut, fresh – Currants - Dates, dried - Figs, dried - Grapes - Grapefruit – Honeydew melon – Lemon – Lime Muskmelons – Nectarine – Orange – Peach – Pear – Pineapple – Raisins – Raspberries – Rhubarb – Strawberries Tangerine – Tomato - Tropical Fruits - Umeboshi Plums - Watermelon

ALKALIZING PROTEIN Almonds – Chestnuts – Millet - Tempeh (fermented) - Tofu (fermented) - Whey Protein Powder

ALKALIZING SWEETENERS Stevia

ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS Chili Pepper – Cinnamon – Curry - Ginger - Herbs (all) – Miso – Mustard - Sea Salt - Tamari

ALKALIZING OTHER Alkaline Antioxidant Water - Bee Pollen - Fresh Fruit Juice - Green Juices - Lecithin Granules - Mineral Water Molasses, blackstrap - Probiotic Cultures - Soured Dairy Products - Veggie Juices

ALKALIZING MINERALS Calcium: pH 12 - Cesium: pH 14 - Magnesium: pH 9 - Potassium: pH 14 - Sodium: pH 14

Alkaline producing activities/emotions: Meditation, Prayer, Peace, happiness, joy, Kindness & Love

ACIDIC FOODS

ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES Corn – Lentils – Olives - Winter Squash

ACIDIFYING FRUITS Blueberries - Canned or Glazed Fruits – Cranberries – Currants - Plums** - Prunes**

ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS Amaranth – Barley - Bran, oat - Bran, wheat – Bread – Corn – Cornstarch - Crackers, soda - Flour, wheat - Flour, white - Hemp Seed Flour – Kamut – Macaroni – Noodles – Oatmeal - Oats (rolled) – Quinoa - Rice (all) - Rice Cakes – Rye – Spaghetti - Spelt - Wheat Germ - Wheat

ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES Almond Milk - Black Beans - Chick Peas - Green Peas - Kidney Beans – Lentils - Pinto Beans - Red Beans - Rice Milk - Soy Beans - Soy Milk - White Beans

ACIDIFYING DAIRY Butter – Cheese - Cheese, Processed - Ice Cream - Ice Milk

ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews – Legumes - Peanut Butter – Peanuts – Pecans – Tahini - Walnuts

ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN Bacon – Beef – Carp – Clams – Cod - Corned Beef – Fish – Haddock - Lamb – Lobster – Mussels - Organ Meats Oyster - Pike – Pork – Rabbit – Salmon – Sardines – Sausage – Scallops – Shellfish – Shrimp – Tuna – Turkey – Veal - Venison

ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS Avocado Oil – Butter - Canola Oil - Corn Oil - Flax Oil - Hemp Seed Oil – Lard - Olive Oil - Safflower Oil - Sesame Oil - Sunflower Oil

ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS Carob - Corn Syrup - Sugar

ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL Beer - Hard Liquor – Spirits - Wine

ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS Catsup – Cocoa - Coffee - Mustard – Pepper - Soft Drinks - Vinegar

ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspirin – Chemicals - Drugs, Medicinal - Drugs, Psychedelic – Herbicides – Pesticides - Tobacco

ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD Beer: pH 2.5 - Coca-Cola: pH 2 - Coffee: pH 4

** These foods leave an alkaline ash but have an acidifying effect on the body.

Acid producing activities/emotions: Overwork, Anger, Fear, Jealousy & Stress

UNKNOWN: There are several versions of the Acidic and Alkaline Food chart to be found in different books and on the Internet. The following foods are sometimes attributed to the Acidic side of the chart and sometimes to the Alkaline side. Remember, you don't need to adhere strictly to the Alkaline side of the chart, just make sure a good percentage of the foods you eat come from that side.

Asparagus - Brazil Nuts - Brussels Sprouts – Buckwheat – Chicken – Corn - Cottage Cheese – Eggs - Flax Seeds Green Tea - Herbal Tea – Honey – Kombucha - Lima Beans - Maple Syrup – Milk – Nuts - Organic Milk (unpasteurized) - Potatoes, white - Pumpkin Seeds – Sauerkraut - Soy Products - Sprouted Seeds - Squashes -Sunflower Seeds - Yogurt

Extremely Alkaline Forming Foods - pH 8.5 to 9.0

9.0 Lemons 1, Watermelon 2

8.5 Agar Agar 3, Cantaloupe, Cayenne (Capsicum) 4, Dried dates & figs, Kelp, Karen go, Kudzu root, Limes Mango, Melons, Papaya, Parsley 5, Seedless grapes (sweet), Watercress, Seaweeds, Asparagus 6, Endive, Kiwifruit, Fruit juices 7, Grapes (sweet), Passion fruit, Pears (sweet), Pineapple, Raisins, Umeboshi plum, Vegetable juices 8

Moderate Alkaline - pH 7.5 to 8.0

8.0 Apples (sweet), Apricots, Alfalfa sprouts 9, Arrowroot, flour 10, Avocados, Bananas (ripe), Berries, Carrots, Celery, Currants, Dates & figs (fresh), Garlic 11, Gooseberry, Grapes (less sweet), Grapefruit, Guavas, Herbs (leafy green), Lettuce (leafy green), Nectarine, Peaches (sweet), Pears (less sweet), Peas (fresh sweet), Persimmon, Pumpkin (sweet), Sea salt (vegetable) 12, Spinach

7.5 Apples (sour), Bamboo shoots, Beans (fresh green), Beets, Bell Pepper, Broccoli, Cabbage;Cauli, Carob13, Daikon, Ginger (fresh), Grapes (sour), Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce (pale green), Oranges, Parsnip, Peaches (less sweet), Peas (less sweet), Potatoes & skin, Pumpkin (less sweet), Raspberry, Sapote, Strawberry, Squash 14, Sweet corn (fresh), Tamari 15, Turnip, Vinegar (apple cider) 16

Slightly Alkaline to Neutral pH 7.0

7.0 Almonds 17, Artichokes (Jerusalem), Barley-Malt (sweetener-Bronner), Brown Rice Syrup, Brussels Sprouts, Cherries, Coconut (fresh), Cucumbers, Egg plant, Honey (raw), Leeks, Miso, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives ripe 18, Onions, Pickles 19, (home made), Radish, Sea salt 20, Spices 21, Taro, Tomatoes (sweet), Vinegar (sweet brown rice), Water Chestnut Amaranth, Artichoke (globe), Chestnuts (dry roasted), Egg yolks (soft cooked), Essene bread 22, Goat's milk and whey (raw) 23, Horseradish, Mayonnaise (home made), Millet, Olive oil, Quinoa, Rhubarb, Sesame seeds (whole) 24, Soy beans (dry), Soy cheese, Soy milk, Sprouted grains 25, Tempeh, Tofu, Tomatoes (less sweet), Yeast (nutritional flakes)

Neutral pH 7.0 - Healthy Body Saliva pH Range is between 6.4 to 6.8 (on your pH test strips)

Butter (fresh unsalted), Cream (fresh & raw), Margarine 26, Milk (raw cow's) 27, Oils (except olive), Whey (cow's), Yogurt (plain)

Extremely Acid Forming Foods - pH 5.0 to 5.5

5.0 Artificial sweeteners

5.5 Beef, Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks 38, Cigarettes (tailor made), Drugs, Flour (white wheat) 39, Goat, Lamb, Pastries & cakes from white flour, Pork, Sugar (white) 40 Beer 34, Brown sugar 35, Chicken, Deer, Chocolate, Coffee 36, Custard with white sugar, Jams, Jellies, Liquor 37, Pasta (white), Rabbit, Semolina, Table salt refined & iodized, Tea black, Turkey, Wheat bread, White rice, White vinegar (processed).

Moderate Acid - pH 6.0 to 6.5

6.0 Cigarette tobacco (roll your own), Cream of Wheat (unrefined), Fish, Fruit juices with sugar, Maple syrup (processed), Molasses (sculptured), Pickles (commercial), Breads (refined) of corn, oats, rice & rye, Cereals (refined), Shellfish, Wheat germ, Whole Wheat foods 32, Wine 33, Yogurt (sweetened)

6.5 Bananas (green), Buckwheat, Cheeses (sharp), Corn & rice breads, Egg whole (cooked hard), Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Oats, Pasta (whole grain), Pastry (wholegrain & honey), Peanuts, Potatoes (with no skins), Popcorn (with salt & butter), Rice (basmati), Rice (brown), Soy sauce (commercial), Tapioca, Wheat bread (sprouted organic)

Slightly Acid to Neutral pH 7.0

7.0 Barley malt syrup, Barley, Bran, Cashews, Cereals (unrefined with honey-fruit-maple syrup), Cornmeal, Cranberries 30, Fructose, Honey (pasteurized), Lentils, Macadamias, Maple syrup (unprocessed), Milk (homogenized) and most processed dairy products, Molasses (unsulphered organic 31, Nutmeg, Mustard, Pistachios, Popcorn & butter (plain), Rice or wheat crackers (unrefined), Rye (grain), Rye bread (organic sprouted), Seeds pumpkin & sunflower), Walnuts Blueberries, Brazil nuts, Butter (salted), Cheeses (mild & crumbly) 28, Crackers (unrefined rye), Dried beans (mung, adzuki, pinto, kidney, garbanzo) 29, Dry coconut, Egg whites, Goats milk (homogenized), Olives (pickled), Pecans, Plums 30, Prunes 30, Spelt

Match with the numbers above.

1. Excellent for EMERGENCY SUPPORT for colds, coughs, sore throats, heartburn, & gastro upsets.2. Good for a yearly fast. For several days eat whole melon, chew pips well & eat also. Super alkalizing food.3. Substitute for gelatin, more nourishing.4. Stimulating, non-irritating body healer. Good for endocrine system.5. Purifies kidneys.6. Powerful acid reducer detoxing to produce acid urine temporarily, causing alkalinity for the long term.7. Natural sugars give alkalinity. Added sugar causes juice to become acid-forming.8. Depends on vege's content and sweetness.9. Enzyme rich, superior digestibility.10. High calcium content. Corn flour substitute.11. Elevates acid food 5.0 in alkaline direction.12. Vegetable content raises alkalinity.13. Substitute for coca; mineral rich.14. Winter squash rates 7.5. Butternut & sweeter squash rates 8.0.15. Genuine fermented for 1½ years otherwise 6.0.16. Raw unpasteurized is a digestive aid to increase HCL in the stomach. 1 tablespoon, plus honey & water before meals.17. Soak 12 hours, peel skin to eat.18. Sun dried, tree ripened, otherwise 6.0.19. Using sea-salt and apple cider vinegar.20. Contains sea minerals. Dried at low temperatures.21. Range from 7.0 to 8.0.22. Sprouted grains are more alkaline. Grains chewed well become more alkaline.23. High sodium to aid digestion.24. High levels of utilizable calcium. Grind before eating.25. Alkalinity and digestibility higher.26. Heating causes fats to harden and become indigestible.27. High mucous production.28. Mucous forming and hard to digest.29. When sprouted dry beans rate 7.0.30. Contain acid-forming benzoic and quinic acids.31. Full of iron.32. Unrefined wheat is more alkaline.33. High quality red wine, no more than 4 oz. daily to build blood.34. Good quality, well brewed - up to 5.5. Fast brewed beers drop to 5.0.35. Most are white sugars with golden syrup added.36. Organic, fresh ground-up to 5.5.37. Cheaper brands drop to 5.0, as does over-indulgence.38. Leaches minerals.39. Bleached - has no goodness.40. Poison! Avoid it.41. Potential cancer agent. Over-indulgence may cause partial blindness.

My thanks to the site below for the pH list and I recommend you check out the site for even more information and insights on this important subject.
Weight loss, health & pH Alkaline levels

You can buy pH test strips on line as I do or in many drugstores if you want to check out your own pH situation but in fact the best test would be by having a blood value check by your doctor for certain

You can use the pH test strips to see at least where your headed on the pH balance scale but remember this is not a diagnosis of disease or health just an overview of your systems - potential- for problems .

You need to test your systems saliva and urine pH balance in the morning before you have eaten or drank anything including brushing your teeth etc. .

The ideal pH urine result should be around 6.4 to 7.0 after a nights sleep but if your reading goes several points down or up from that you need to check out your diet even if your feeling well as your body is fighting to keep in the right pH zone and if it cant than you may be headed for a potential serious disease state.

At the least you won't be feeling your best unless your bodies in the target zone. I also recommend you check out the web page on this site on dieting and hair loss here

I would also suggest you check out a doctor's insight on this subject with a more medical slant who helps people with this problem daily and will give you even more practical suggestions and ideas on what your options are which may go beyond the scope of this site.

Check out the regularly updated headlines on hair loss below - bookmark this page and check back often for news in the world of hair loss.