Recently I have received some interesting information on pH, the body, and disease. I have passed this information along to some of you, but I decided that it was interesting and important enough to make it the topic of this post.
Most, if not all of this information can be found on these videos (pH Testing, pH and Cancer). If you would rather watch the video than read this post, please do. The important thing is that you get the information.
The optimal pH of oxygenated blood is 7.35-7.45 and even a small drop in blood pH can cause problems with delivering oxygen to tissues. This can lead to symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches, cold hands and feet, and possibly infection. Dr. Tulio Simonicini, an Italian Oncologist, and author of “Cancer is a Fungus”, hypothesized that cancer is a fungus that can be treated by bathing the tumor in sodium bicarbonate which increases the pH of the tumor making it less acidic (more alkaline). Dr. Simonicini describes this process and how years of research have proven this type of treatment successful. Additionally, Dr. Harold Hawkins, a dentist, found that patients with an oral pH of 7.2-7.4 have less cavities than those patients outside this range.
There are many ways to test pH in the body. The easiest is an oral test with some pH pest strips which can be bought online or in some health food stores. Every new patient in my office gets this test on their first visit. It is a quick and easy way to tell if we should look further to identify some underlying causes to their health problems. There is also the oral challenge test which takes about six minutes and can be done at home. To do it, there are a few tools that are needed. This graph, a timer, “Real Lemon” lemon juice, water, and pH paper. Make sure that the patient has not eaten or drank for an hour. Then, cut seven strips of pH paper and use one to test the patient’s saliva for an initial reading, record this pH on the graph. Mix one tablespoon of the lemon juice and one tablespoon of water and drink it. Immediately retest the patient’s pH and record it on the graph. Then re-test the patient’s pH every minute for five minutes, recording each reading on the graph. If the graph does not reach the optimal level of 7.2-7.4 or if it looks very different from the ideal pattern, the patient should consult their health care practitioner or call my office. The final way to quickly test pH regulation within the body is using the first morning urine. To do this you need a cup and pH paper. Catch the middle of the first urination of the morning in the cup and test the pH with the paper. The initial void of the first morning urine will be too concentrated to give a proper reading, but the middle of the void will work very well. The pH of the first morning urine should be 6.5-7.5. If it is below this, the body does not have enough buffering capacity stored to keep the pH regulated at the optimum level. Once again, if the patient’s level is outside this range, please have them contact their healthcare practitioner or call my office.
Many of my patients come in with oral pH level too low (acidic). This is not a surprise since diets high in proteins, processed foods, and sugars will decrease the pH of the body making it more acidic. The best way to increase the body’s pH is to eat more fruits and vegetables. There is no limit to the amount of fruits and vegetables you can eat throughout the day. The food pyramid recommends 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables and 6-11 servings of carbohydrates. I would recommend switching those two so we are eating more fruits and vegetables and less carbohydrates per day. I try to get 10-12 servings of fruits and vegetables and 6-8 servings of non-processed carbohydrates per day.
If you have trouble getting enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, keep trying, but there are some other treatments that can help improve the body’s pH. The body uses sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to buffer the acidity produced in the body. There are many nutritional products that can provide these minerals, but since each person is different, I would recommend that you go through your healthcare practitioner for a more specific treatment protocol. Here is a list of other treatments that may be of interest. If you decide to use baking soda, do yourself a favor and go aluminum free.
If you have further questions, do not hesitate to call my office. I would be glad to talk to you more specifically about your health and how you can improve it.