Body pH and Blood pH as Indicators of Health

There are different opinions about optimum pH of the body. Nevertheless, there is a strong and growing acceptance that we are, in general, over acidic and that excess acidity is the root cause of many (if not all) of the so-called aging diseases.

The Importance of pH Balance in Maintaining Health

The saliva pH of the non-deficient and healthy person is in the 7.5 to 7.1 slightly alkaline range.

The range from 6.5 which is weakly acidic to 4.5 which is strongly acidic represents states from mildly deficient to strongly deficient, respectively.

Most children are dark blue, a pH of 7.5.

Over half of adults are green-yellow, a pH of 6.5 or lower, reflecting the calcium deficiency of aging and lifestyle defects.

Cancer patients are usually a bright yellow, a pH of 4.5, especially when terminal."

pH Balance - What is the Healthy pH Range?

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The pH scale ranges from 0 (the highest acidic) to 14 (the most alkaline). A solution with a pH of 7 is neutral.
At pH 7, water contains equal amounts of H+ and OH- ions.

Substances with a pH of less than 7 are acidic because they contain a higher concentration of H+ ions.

Substances with a pH higher than 7 are alkaline because they contain a higher concentration of OH-. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14 and is logarithmic, which means that each step is ten times the previous. In other words, a pH of 5 is 10 times more acid than 6, 100 times more acid than 7 and 1,000 times more acid than 8.

In this light, you can see how a slight change in your pH value can have a great impact on your internal environment and, ultimately, your health. When healthy, the blood pH is 7.365, the pH of spinal fluid is 7.4, and the saliva pH is 7.4. This ideal blood pH measurement means it is more alkaline than acid.

In the absence of oxygen, glucose undergoes fermentation to lactic acid. Our bodies simply cannot fight disease if our body pH balance is compromised.

It has been determined that an alkaline body is more conducive to health and well-being than an acidic one. An undesirable pH can lead to a variety of negative health effects. A body that tends toward acidity heightens the risk for infections from bacteria, yeast, parasites, and viruses. All of these seek out and thrive in an acid environment.

Not only are you more susceptible to infections such as colds and the flu but also degenerative diseases like cancer, arthritis, heart disease and osteoporosis are promoted if your pH is consistently acid.
Furthermore, populations of bacteria, fungi, etc. may be thriving throughout your body without causing acute disease, yet producing copious acid waste products. These stealth infections may underlie a variety of degenerative conditions. Bacteria are found in arthritic joints, arterial plaque, and many other places
If disease is to be prevented or successfully managed, an acid pH must be overcome.

"pH paper strips to measure acid/alkaline pH balance belong in every family medicine kit, right beside the thermometer and bandages." - Dr. R. Dunne"

Monitor your pH Daily

Testing your Salivary pH

To perform this simple test, all you need is testing pH paper, a plastic spoon and some fresh saliva.

For the saliva test: - Be sure not to eat, drink, or brush your teeth for 30 minutes prior to the test - Swallow a couple of times to clear the mouth and stimulate new saliva - Then discharge some saliva into a PLASTIC spoon (it is recommended NOT to touch the pH paper to your tongue due to the chemicals in the paper.

Tear off a one-inch strip of pH paper, place into saliva and compare the colour of your immersed pH paper with the color chart provided on the pH testing box. The lower your pH value below 7.0, the greater your degree of acid stress. Continue testing and recording your pH for a few weeks - first thing in the morning, afternoon and at bedtime (This will show your body pH trend).
While generally more acidic than blood, salivary pH mirrors the blood ( if not around meals ) and is also a fairly good indicator of health. It tells us what the body retains.
Optimal pH for saliva is above 7 pH. A reading consistently lower than 6.8 is indicative of possible insufficient alkaline reserves. After eating, the saliva pH should rise to 7.8 or higher. Unless this occurs, the body has alkaline mineral deficiencies ( mainly Calcium and Magnesium ) and will not assimilate food very well. To deviate from ideal salivary pH for an extended time invites illness. If your saliva stays between 6.8 and 7.2+ pH all day, your body is functioning within a healthy range. If the early morning salivary pH remains above 6.8, people usually see many of their problems disappearing.

Testing Your Urinary pH

The pH of the urine indicates how the body is working to maintain the proper pH of the blood. The urine reveals the alkaline building (anabolic) and acid tearing down (catabolic) cycles. The pH of urine indicates the efforts of the body via the kidneys, adrenals, lungs and gonads to regulate body pH balance through the buffer salts and hormones. Urine can provide a fairly accurate picture of body chemistry, because the kidneys filter out the buffer salts of pH regulation and provide values based on what the body is eliminating. Urine pH can vary from around 4.5 to 9.0 for its extremes, but the ideal range is 6.5 to 7.0+. Urinary pH tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the evening.

The pH of the urine can vary widely. The pH of urine is also affected by the biochemicals that the body is eliminating. These include biochemicals such as excess minerals, vitamins, and products of metabolism and also include drugs and toxins being eliminated by the body.
The pH of the urine is not as affected by digestive enzymes as salivary pH. However, the pH of the urine can be affected by:preservatives you eat, pollutants you breathe, stress you encounter, the food you eat , how much water you drink, the amount of pathogens in your system, how much rest you receive, all the biochemical activities going on in your body.