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Diet and lifestyle changes that’ll make your urine less acidic
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What’s going on with your urine can say a lot about how healthy your body is! Urine pH is a measure of how acidic it is - a lower pH is more acidic, while a higher pH is more alkaline. The pH of your urine can affect how likely you are to get some medical problems like kidney stones and gout. [1] X Trustworthy Source University of California San Francisco Health Center Research hospital associated with UCSF, a leading medical university, providing innovative patient care and public health resources Go to source The average Western diet tends to decrease the pH in your body, so increase the pH of your urine to lower your chances of some health conditions. [2] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Alter your diet to include more fruits and vegetables, and consider medications in extreme cases if your doctor recommends it.
What are the easiest ways to increase your urine pH?
- Eat more alkalinizing fruits like blackberries, apples, oranges, pineapples, and grapes.
- Add more vegetables to your diet by consuming more broccoli, asparagus, and kale.
- Substitute meat with beans, peas, or lentils.
- Limit your alcohol intake and drink more water or tea.
Steps
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Eat a lot of fruit. Load your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables to increase the pH of your urine. [3] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Most fruits are alkalinizing (raise pH), but some do this more effectively than others. Some of the best alkalinizing fruits include: [4] X Research source
- Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries
- Nectarines, persimmon, apples, apricots, pears, and peaches
- Tangerines, limes, lemons, and oranges
- Papaya, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and banana
- Grapes, raisins, and cherries
- Avocado and green olives
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Increases your veggie intake. Try to include fresh vegetables in every meal. Increase your portion sizes of vegetables and decrease your portion sizes of meats to help increase the pH of your urine. Some of the best veggies to regularly include in your diet are: [5] X Research source
- Asparagus, celery, and artichoke
- Onions, endives, and kohlrabi
- Collard greens, mustard greens, and kale
- Winter squash, zucchini, and summer squash
- Eggplant, beets, and bell peppers
- Parsnips, sweet potatoes/yams, and baked potatoes
- Broccoli, cabbage, and okra
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Replace the meat in your meals. Replace a portion of meat in your meal with legumes like beans or peas. These increase your urine pH and provide a good source of protein. Lentils are also a good alkalizer and make a healthy replacement for meat. [6] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
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Snack on nuts and seeds. A handful of nuts and seeds make a great snack throughout the day, and are a good way to get healthy fats in your diet if you cut down on how much meat you eat. Some nuts are especially alkalizing, such as chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, and cashews. [7] X Research source
- Almonds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds also increase your urine pH, though not as much as the others.
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Season your food with alkalizing herbs and spices. Rather than cooking with regular table salt, add flavor to your food with tasty herbs and spices that increase your urine pH. Cook with sea salt and black pepper, and include these other flavors in your meals: [8] X Research source
- Ginger root
- Parsley
- Basil
- Garlic
- Cilantro
- Bay leaves
- Cayenne pepper
- Soy sauce
- Cinnamon
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Decrease your intake of acid-forming foods. While eating alkalizing foods, minimize what you’re eating that increases acid in your urine. Meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and dairy are big acid-formers that are common in many diets. Minimize your intake of these by monitoring your portion size – base meals mainly on fruits and vegetables, with only small servings of the above proteins. [9] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public Go to source
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Take a plant-based supplement to raise pH. Take a plant-based dietary product, or “green food” extract. Use it for a week as indicated on the label. This may effectively raise the pH of your urine and increase alkalinity in your body. [12] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
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Visit your doctor if you have urinary symptoms. There are a number of illnesses and health problems that will affect your urine and urination habits. Any time you have pain in your abdomen, flank (your side beneath your ribs), or groin, visit your doctor to find out what’s wrong. You should see your healthcare professional if you have any urinary symptoms. Sometimes, increasing the pH of your urine can help – other times, you may need antibiotics or other treatment to solve your medical problem. Get a proper diagnosis, talk to your doctor about treatment options, and ask if raising your urine pH will help if you experience any of the following: [13] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- You’re urinating more or less than usual, or you can only urinate in small amounts.
- It hurts or burns when you urinate.
- Your urine looks very dark.
- Your urine smells bad.
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Increase urine pH if you have kidney stones. Some types of kidney stones occur if there’s too much acid and other compounds in your body, so alkalinizing your urine (raising the pH) can help dissolve kidney stones. [14] X Research source You may also need other treatments and not all types of kidney stones are improved this way, so talk to your doctor about treatment options. Signs and symptoms of kidney stones can include any of the following: [15] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Pain in your flank (the side of your torso beneath your ribs)
- Pain that travels to your abdomen or groin
- Pain that comes in waves and changes in intensity
- Blood in your urine (urine may look pink, red, or brown)
- Cloudy or bad-smelling urine
- Pain when you urinate
- Urinating more often or feeling sudden urges to urinate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever and chills
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Alkalize your urine if you have gout. You can get gout if you have too much of a certain kind of acid in your body (uric acid). Gout can cause severe pain, redness, and swelling in your small joints, usually your big toe. [16] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source If you have severe pain in your big toe that’s unrelated to an injury, see your doctor to get diagnosed. If you have gout, try to raise the pH of your urine to decrease your uric acid level – this can help prevent future attacks of gout. [17] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
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Check your urine pH at home. If you are going to try to raise the pH of your urine, keep track of the changes by measuring pH once a day. Urine that is too alkaline can cause problems, just as acidic urine can. Purchase pH test strips from your local pharmacy. To test your urine, collect a sample in a clean cup and use the strips as directed. Insert the strip into the urine for the directed amount of time, then match the color on the strip to a color chart on the bottle to determine pH. [18] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
- Alkalize your urine to a pH >7 if you’re trying to dissolve kidney stones. [19] X Trustworthy Source American Academy of Family Physicians Organization devoted to improving the health of patients, families, and communities Go to source
- Get a clean urine sample. Begin to urinate for several seconds, then collect a sample in your clean cup by catching the urine mid-stream.
- Urinary dipsticks are available from companies like AimStrip. These can be used to test urinary pH, as well, though you may have to get them from the company directly.
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Take sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate is a medication you can take to raise the pH of your urine. [20] X Research source Medications to raise urine pH are only appropriate for certain conditions, and taking it improperly can cause serious health problems – only take it as directed by your doctor. Usually, the medication is given in your doctor’s office as an injection.
- Don’t use sodium bicarbonate if you are vomiting, you have alkalosis (too little acid in your body), or you have a deficiency of calcium or chloride. [21] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
- Let your doctor know if you’re taking any other medications or supplements, you have any allergies, you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or you have disease of your heart, kidneys, or liver.
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Inquire about potassium citrate if you have kidney stones. Some medications are appropriate for specific medical conditions caused by acidic urine. Ask your doctor about potassium citrate (Urocit-K), a medication used to treat a specific kidney condition and resolve kidney stones. [22] X Research source
- This medication can have many side effects and is not used to treat all causes of kidney stones.
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Ask about calcium citrate as a treatment option. This medication might be helpful and appropriate to increase your urine pH. It depends on your condition, symptoms, and what is causing your urinary problems. [23] X Trustworthy Source Science Direct Online archive of peer-reviewed research on scientific, technical and medical topics Go to source Ask your doctor if this medicine is right for you.
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Warnings
- Some medications can alter the results of a urine pH test, including acetazolamide, ammonium chloride, methenamine mandelate, potassium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, and thiazide-type diuretics. [24] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source If you’re taking one of these, talk to your doctor about your urine test. Do not stop taking any medication without your doctor’s supervision.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.ucsfhealth.org/medical-tests/urine-ph-test
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2585554/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23827128/
- ↑ https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/List_of_Acid-Alkaline_Forming_Foods_-_NEED_PRINT.pdf
- ↑ https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/List_of_Acid-Alkaline_Forming_Foods_-_NEED_PRINT.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6722549/
- ↑ https://www.ecowatch.com/what-you-should-eat-to-balance-your-ph-and-alkalize-your-body-1882158316.html
- ↑ https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/List_of_Acid-Alkaline_Forming_Foods_-_NEED_PRINT.pdf
- ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-steps-for-preventing-kidney-stones-201310046721
- ↑ https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh21-1/84.pdf
- ↑ https://www.stjoes.ca/patients-visitors/patient-education/patient-education-k-o/kidney-disease-and-your-diet.pdf
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2585554/
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15357-urine-changes
- ↑ https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/kidneystones_prevent
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/transcripts/1616_understanding-treating-and-preventing-kidney-stones
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4755-gout
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2976726/
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279350/
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/1201/p1234.html
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/urinary-ph-modifiers.html
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21529-metabolic-alkalosis
- ↑ https://www.drugs.com/potassium.html
- ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/calcium-citrate
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003583.htm
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