What Do pH Levels Mean?

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Misty L. Trepke

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What Do pH Levels Mean To Us?

 

Ph Levels are a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is.

The initials pH stand for " Potential of Hydrogen. " Acids have pH

values under 7, and alkalis have pH values over 7. If a substance

has a pH value of 7, it is neutral-neither acidic or alkaline.

Because the pH scale is logarithmic, a difference of one pH unit

represents a tenfold, or ten times change. For example, the acidity

of a sample with a pH of 5 is ten times greater than that of a

sample with a pH of 6. A difference of 2 units, from 6 to 4, would

mean that the acidity is one hundred times greater, and so on.

 

pH and illness are directly related, and your pH level is easy to

adjust and measure. Wash your hands is one of the best ways to

protect ourselves from transmission of bacteria and viruses. But, no

matter how much you wash your hands, you will eventually be exposed

to bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. You can strengthen

your immunity by improving your pH balance. Good sleep and proper

nourishment help to protect our immune systems. The body has many

checks and balances, which maintain the acid-base balance in a very

narrow range. The fact is, that our acid/alkaline balance, or pH

balance, is very delicate and dramatically effected by everything we

consume. Of course we need vitamins and minerals, but if you do not

have healthy levels when a cold strikes, it is too late to prevent

it. While it is hard to regulate our own vitamin and mineral intake,

it is very easy to regulate our acidity, and in the process we will

automatically be eating healthier foods.

 

The human body operates optimally at a pH that varies from 6.8 to

7.5, depending on the time of day: pH tends to peak at 6 o'clock in

the evening, and at noon, with the lowest point coming at 6 o'clock

in the morning. These readings represent homeostasis, or balance.

When the pH is operating within these normal parameters, cells can

take up nutrients as and when needed, depending only on

availability, and can discharge wastes efficiently. There is a very

small range of acidity in which we can even survive, so small

variations dramatically affect or indicate our health. A person with

unusually extreme alkalinity, for example, is likely to be

epileptic. People with extreme acidity, on the other hand, are on

the constant verge of allergies and colds. The tiny microbes that

comprise viruses and bacteria need acid conditions to exist, just as

fire needs oxygen. If you eliminate oxygen, you kill the fire. If

you eliminate extreme acidity, viruses cannot survive. The body that

is successful in maintaining proper pH levels will notice that there

are fewer occurrences of yeast, fungus, mold, viruses, and bacteria

in the body. The pH value refers to the relative concentration of

Hydrogen ions in a solution. If the pH values are below the neutral

level of 7.0, this indicates that there is a higher concentration of

Hydrogen ions or acids. If the pH values are above the neutral

level, there are low concentrations of Hydrogen ions or alkaline.

 

The normal human condition is healthy. Our bodies are given the

tools to fight illness, but we simply do not use those tools often

enough. One of the strongest tools we have against illness is to

keep our pH at the ideal level. There are many factors related to

the acid/alkaline balance. Disease and illness can cause an

imbalance in either direction. Likewise, being either acidic or

alkaline can cause a variety of symptoms and illnesses from minor to

life threatening. Therefore, it is vitally important to help our

bodies maintain proper pH levels. Meat and sugar dramatically

acidify our blood stream, inviting illness. Whole grains, especially

millet, alkalize our systems. The great news is, you never have to

worry about overdoing the alkalinity. As long as you are aiming to

reduce acid in your body, you will be on the right track.

 

Diet determines whether we tend towards the acid or alkaline.

Proteins (pork, beef ,chicken, ham, turkey...) and grains, coffee

and tea, eggs, beer, wine and soda, most breads, white flour and

pastas, refined rice and chocolate all promote an acid state in our

body. Dairy foods, potatoes and onions are mostly neutral, and

fruits, vegetables, beans and soy are on the alkaline side.

 

There are some " superfoods " that are natural buffers. A natural

buffer is a substance that counteracts the acid state of the body,

and chief among them are concentrated green foods like barley grass,

spirulina and other algae, and some wonderful combinations of dried

vegetables, sea vegetables and cereal grasses. All concentrated

green foods are helpful in alkalinizing pH.

 

Other buffers that are healthy in many other ways also, are Brewers

Yeast ( a natural source of B vitamins, selenium and chromium...),

powdered Lecithin (a concentrate of the Phosphatides in soy), Bee

Pollen and Kelp. Vitamin C is an option that can have other

benefits for those whose unbalanced pH accompanies a severe disease

state where low immunity is a factor. Increase the amount of Vitamin

C gradually until you have determined what your bowel tolerance is,

and when that is established, consider using half that amount in the

morning and half last thing at night to help regulate the body's

acid balance. One of the best ways to immediately reduce your

acidity is by drinking kukicha tea. Kukicha tea is naturally

decaffeinated because it is brewed from twigs instead of leaves, and

only leaves contain caffeine. Kukicha tea is a centuries old secret

of the Orient. Stress almost immediately causes acidic conditions

in the body. Maintaining low levels of stress, of course, is

extremely beneficial.

 

Testing your pH levels can help you keep track of how well your body

is handling your particular diet and lifestyle. Keep track of your

pH level with litmus tape. Saliva is the least accurate way of

testing pH, urine being the next best, and blood the most accurate

reflector of your acid level. Saliva is easy to test however, and is

plenty accurate enough to use on a daily basis for people in

relatively good health. It is also impressive to watch how quickly

you can change your pH level by testing your saliva between meals,

or after you eat an acid producing food.

 

Jana Mitcham wrote an article for Vitacorp International which gives

information on proper testing of pH levels. I have included an

excerpt below:

 

" You want to use (litmus) pH paper designed specifically to indicate

pH values. Check your pharmacy or health food store for a narrow

range pH paper that measures about 5.5 to 8 or 8.5. There are

generally two types of paper: those that are not graduated and just

turn one color to indicate acid and one color to indicate alkaline

(this is not the type that you want) and those that are treated to

measure pH in about two-tenth increments and show this with a range

of color from yellow to blue (this is the type that you want).

 

The test is to tell you whether your body is alkaline and creating

the environment for good health or whether it is acid and creating

an environment that usually leads to poor health. The Acid/Alkaline

scale runs from 0-14. 0-6.9 would register as acid, 7 would be

neutral and above 7 would be alkaline. There is a desirable alkaline

range. With saliva and for our purposes of good health, that range

may be a slightly acid 6.8 on the first test, to an alkaline level

of 8 or even 8.5 on the 2nd test.

 

You want to use litmus pH paper designed specifically to indicate pH

values. Check your pharmacy or health food store for a narrow range

pH paper that measures about 5.5 to 8 or 8.5. There are generally

two types of paper: those that are not graduated and just turn one

color to indicate acid and one color to indicate alkaline (this is

not the type that you want) and those that are treated to measure pH

in about two-tenth increments and show this with a range of color

from yellow to blue (this is the type that you want).

 

HOW DO YOU TEST: You want to ''control'' the elements of the test.

Random tests are subject to all sorts of stimuli and can be

inaccurate and misleading. For example, to prepare for a saliva

test, don't eat, drink, chew gum, or put anything else in your mouth

except water for at least two hours. Now you are ready for the first

test.

 

TEST ONE: Some people only do one test. If you do this, it will give

you an indication of whether your saliva is acid or alkaline. To do

this, start with a clean mouth. Fill your mouth with saliva, swallow

it and repeat this procedure. This will help ensure that your saliva

is clean. Next, put some saliva onto the pH paper. It is best not to

touch the paper to your tongue. Some experts suggest that you let

the saliva drop onto a glass or plastic surface and then test. This

is especially beneficial if you have been sick.

 

THE RESULTS:

 

You should get 1 of 3 colors: yellow, green or blue. Yellow would be

very acid green-yellow would be about 6.5 or lower, blue is about

7.1 and dark blue is about 7.5. You would hope to achieve a range of

7.1 to 7.5 (if you are testing first thing in the morning, you might

get a 6.8 and as you get closer to eating and the saliva flows, this

should move up to about 7.1. Record this number.

 

TEST TWO: The purpose of doing a second test is to indicate whether

or not your body has the alkaline reserves that it needs to address

the acidity of your diet and other environmental factors. This is

very important to know. Do this test after eating a meal or sucking

on a lemon or Chewable Vitamin C. Place the Vitamin C tablet in your

mouth and suck on it until the entire mouth is coated, spit it out,

swallow four times; then check the pH of your saliva as you did in

Test One.

 

Compare the color and write down the number. If you are doing the

comparison after eating a meal, wait for 15 minutes after eating;

then test your pH level. Now compare your results to your first

test.

 

THE RESULTS:

The alkaline levels of your saliva should be greater after chewing

the vitamin C or eating a meal, therefore, the pH level should rise.

This means that if you were blue , you should be a darker blue OR if

you were yellow you should be green, etc. If the pH level does not

rise within the pH ranges, then your alkaline mineral reserves are

low. With this test, the object is for the pH to rise, no matter

what the first number was. If it changes to a higher number/color,

that is good. Of course, some goods are better than others and we

would hope that your change was blue to dark blue or, at least green

to blue.

 

Whether you choose to do one or two tests is up to you. We would

encourage you to do two for the best indication of how your body is

adjusting to your daily lifestyle and just what you might expect to

see on your ''Good'' or ''Bad'' Health Horizon.

 

YOU WERE ACID: You need to address mineral reserves. You want to

include more of the alkalizing foods in your diet. And, you want to

start as soon as possible. It can take 90 days or more to begin

restoring your alkalinity. So, don't test everyday! And, realize

that as your body begins to adjust, it could briefly get more acid.

The important thing is to start on the road to good health and stay

there. "

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS. L.Ac.

Peacefulmind.com

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