Our body is subjected to a circadian rhythm of acidification and alkalinization, with particular regard to the intercellular space, i.e. the connective tissue; this rhythm has been described as Hoff’s vegetative switching.
During the day the body connective tissue is affected by rhythmic processes of acidification and alkalinization linked to the endocrine cascade (production of hormones by the endocrine glands, adrenal gland, pancreas, thyroid; parathyroid glands; hypophysis, epiphysis); to the sleep-wake rhythm; to the meal times; to the activity of the main organs (lung, liver, kidney, heart …), to the muscle activity.
This chemical-physical-electrical transformation of the connective tissue allows the removal of waste by the lymphatic system especially at night time.
When this rhythm is altered, the connective remains in a phase of chronic acidosis that alters the elimination of toxins and can lead to phases of cellular storage and degeneration of the tissues (e.g. oedematous-fibro-sclerotic cellulitis) and to a loss of alkaline buffers of the lean body mass (bone and muscle tissue) resulting in osteopenia.
The main factors leading to acidification are:
- alteration of the biological rhythms of sleep-wake
- water intake deficiency
- unbalanced diet (excess of refined foods, sugars and animal proteins, lack of fibers; fatty acid imbalance)
- lack of physical activity
- use of medicines (NSAID), pathologies that cause latent metabolic acidosis (diabetes); inflammatory diseases; intestinal dysbiosis
- psycho-emotional imbalance
Acidosis can be estimated roughly by evaluating the PH of the urine of the morning midstream with papers for PH measurement, as it can evaluate the metabolic situation of the previous 1-2 days.
PH below 6.5 is a sign of metabolic acidosis.
In all the cases of lymphedema it is important to restore a correct tissue acid-base balance since lymphedema is itself already a sign of acidosis in the connective tissue because the body tends to retain on a larger scale liquids to dilute acids.
To restore the correct acid-base balance, one must act on all the factors that lead to acidosis:
- correct sleep-wake rhythm
- supplement the water intake up to 1.5-2.5 liters of oligomineral water
- have a balanced diet (take acidified foods with high PRAL – Potential Renal Acid Load – and with high glycemic index before 4pm and take the most alkaline foods and with low glycemic index in the evenings; reduce refined foods and improve the intake of fatty acids)
- perform physical activity (including walking) at least one hour per day
- reduce toxic causes (e.g.: dysbiosis)
- psycho-emotional rebalance (conscious choice of living in love instead of in fear, anxiety …)