In order to prevent chronic disease state and degeneration in the body, we need to be aware of our body’s chemistry. Maintaining a balanced state in the body is crucial for prevention of serious illnesses such as heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer.

Over acidity which can become a dangerous condition that weakens all body systems, is very common today. It gives rise to an internal environment conducive to disease, as opposed to a pH-balanced environment which allows normal body function necessary for the body to resist disease.

Mild acidosis can cause such problems as:

• Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.
• Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
• Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
• Immune deficiency.
• Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations.
• Hormone concerns.
• Premature aging.
• Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
• Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
• Low energy and chronic fatigue.
• Slow digestion and elimination.
• Yeast/fungal overgrowth.

Fortunately the solution to this problem is rather simple. By making the proper changes in our lifestyle and dietary habits we can achieve a more balanced internal environment to improve healing and bring about an overall level of wellness. In order to make positive changes and know more about what types of food to eat we need to test the acidity level in our body. This is done through a simple, effective and non-invasive test at the comfort of your home. By testing your saliva and urine PH for several days you and your practitioner will have a good idea about your body chemistry and further dietary and nutritional needs.

TEST 1: ANALYSIS OF URINARY pH

Testing the pH of urine is easy to perform and gives significant information on the degree of acidification your body may be suffering from. This test consists of measuring the pH of urine with pH test strips.

The body is always seeking to rid itself of excess acids in order to maintain good health. One of the primary ways it does this is through the renal system or kidneys. The rate of acid excretion through the kidneys should give the urine a pH between 6.5 and 7.25. By testing the pH of your urine, you can determine whether or not your body is rejecting a normal amount of acids. If the body is excreting more acids than normal, the urinary pH will be more acidic as the body attempts to get rid of the overflow of acids. This overflow of acids is also indicative of the body being saturated and in an acidic state.

pH Below 6.5 (Indicative of an Acid pH)
pH Between 6.5 and 7.25 (Indicative of a Neutral pH)
pH Above 7.5 (Indicative of an Alkaline pH)

There is a very close correspondence between the acidic pH of the urine and that of the body’s internal environment. When the body’s internal environment becomes acidic so does the urine. There are other benefits to testing the pH of your urine. Knowing how and when urinary pH is either alkaline or neutral gives insight into the way the body is metabolizing acids and the state of the internal environment.

TEST 2: ANALYSIS OF SALIVA pH

Another way to test the overall pH of your body is to test your saliva. If your body has the mineral reserves that it should, this will show up in your saliva reading and you should see a pH of 7.0 to 7.50. A low saliva reading is indicative of low levels of mineral reserves in your body because they are being used elsewhere in the body to buffer acids.

pH Below 7.0 (Indicative of an Acid pH)

A pH that falls below a 7.0 indicates depleted mineral reserves. Regular readings of acidic saliva reveal that the inner environment is also acidic. This is a more significant problem if the reading is low. While a reading of 6.5 to 6.75 indicates that the body’s inner environment is only slightly acidic, a reading of 4.5 to 6.0 indicates that the internal environment is extremely acidic.

pH Between 7.0 and 7.5 (Indicative of a Neutral pH)

This is the pH reading you are aiming for. This reading indicates a good pH balance and it is the normal pH of somebody in good health.

Top Acidifying Foods

• Beef, lamb, pork, game
• Fish, lobster, shellfish
• Processed white flour and white rice
• Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews
• Coffee, soda, beer, wine, hard liquor

Healthy Tips for an Acid-Alkaline Balanced Diet

• Follow the 80/20 rule: try to eat 80 percent alkaline-forming foods and 20 percent acid-forming foods. Measure your portion of acid-forming foods by eye. Then eat four times this amount in fruits and vegetables.
• Make meat, chicken, fish or pasta the side dish, not your main entree.
• Don’t leave home without a nutritious snack, such as raw vegetables or fruit.
• Eat some of your daily vegetables raw.
• Eat a salad shortly before your meal.
• Eat fruit on an empty stomach.
• Keep a supply of cut-up fruit and vegetables at the ready in the refrigerator.
• Eat more nutritious brown rice instead of processed white rice.
• Grow your own sprouts in a jar.
• Choose whole grain pasta or one that includes multigrain or added legumes and flax.
• Eat fewer processed foods.
• Eat more fresh or frozen vegetables, which retain more of their nutrients than canned vegetables.
• Add greens and other vegetables to eggs, sandwiches and pasta. Similarly, add fresh or dried fruit to cereals and salads.
• Give emphasis to super-alkalinizing foods such as avocados, radishes, mangos, kiwis and figs.
• Go nuts with alkalinizing varieties such as almonds and Brazil nuts, along with seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax).
• Drink fresh fruit or vegetable juices and homemade fruit smoothies.
• Prepare a concentrated vegetable broth as a base for soups, sauces, a flavoring agent, or as a delicious alkalinizing hot drink.
• Drink true herbal teas that are alkalinizing and herbal coffee made from herbs, nuts, fruit and grains.