Have you ever gone to the doctor to have your blood tested? Get your weight checked? Your blood pressure levels taken? Your heart and lungs checked? All of these tests are important to help maintain a healthy lifestyle and to continually feel your best. But there is another test that is missing that could reveal A LOT when it comes to your overall health and wellness. That test is a pH test. What is pH and why is it important to test?
pH stands for “particles of hydrogen” or “potential hydrogen” and is a symbol for the degree of acidity and alkalinity in a solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 -most acidic- to 14 – most alkaline. Pure water, for example, falls at the center of the scale with a pH of 7. Human blood falls at just slightly over alkaline, right above a 7.
Why does it matter what the pH of your blood is?
Since over half of the human body is made up of water, it needs to maintain a pH close to water to sustain life. IT IS ESSENTIAL! When our body fluids are too acidic, we will experience challenges such as inflammation and pain, arthritis, cancer, heart conditions, kidney issues, diabetes and other health concerns.
When our body fluids are too alkaline, it can be a sign that your body is using extra buffer reserves to battle the overabundance of acidity and can lead to depletion of vital minerals, and could affect your heart, liver or kidneys.
What is the pH Buffering System?
When our body fluid becomes too acidic or too alkaline, our body will use different buffering systems to make sure your blood pH remains 7, or neutral. There are four stages in this buffering system:
- Stage 1: Saliva tests neutral & Urine tests Neutral-to- Alkaline: In this stage your fluids are showing that you are in a pretty healthy state
- Stage 2: Saliva tests alkaline & Urine tests Acidic: In this stage your fluids are battling with extra acidity, so your body is dumping the extra acid from the kidneys through the urine
- Stage 3: Saliva tests Acid & Urine tests Alkaline: With so much extra acid, your body is now becoming over alkaline to combat this acid. Your saliva has now lost all their buffers, dumping the extra buffers out through the kidneys
- Stage 4: Saliva tests Acid & Urine tests Acid: In this stage, you have now lost all your buffer reserves, putting your body systems and health in great jeopardy
Your body is ALWAYS trying to balance the blood pH and will take any reserves necessary to accomplish this. And although this test is just a piece of the puzzle, it can give you some foundational information as to what your body is going through and why you are experiencing some of the health concerns and challenges you may be dealing with- from something as small as headaches and allergies to skin rashes, arthritis and cancer.
What causes our pH to become imbalanced?
A lot of it has to do with the choices we are making. But some of it has to do with situations and conditions that are out of our control. A few reasons for an imbalance of pH are stress, diet, toxins and pollution and overall lifestyle.
How do we test our saliva and our urine, and do we need to test both?
For a more accurate understanding of your body’s pH levels, testing both will provide a clearer picture of what stage your health is currently in. You can test your pH by purchasing litmus paper from most drug and food stores. Or contact me and I can send you a free pH testing kit! ⬇️
When testing your saliva, make sure to test it 2 hours after eating or drinking, on an empty stomach. If possible, test first thing in the morning before eating or drinking.
When testing your urine, your first urine of the day may be a little skewed as it will be clearing out toxins from overnight. If possible, test the 2nd urine sample of the day for best results.
Use a cup to collect your saliva and/or urine sample and dip the litmus paper into the solution. As the paper changes color, compare it to the chart provided to see the range the liquid falls in. Read the results as soon as the paper changes.
If the results are more on the acidic or alkaline scale, you may want to dig deeper as to what this might be telling you. Participating in a full consultation is a great way to understand these results and how it ties into other challenges or health issues you may be dealing with.
Can you perform pH testing on children?
Absolutely! Just like with adults, children’s health are affected by their diet, lifestyle and stress levels. Performing a pH test is a great way to see where they are on the scale and to help them start to make smarter choices today that can have a HUGE impact on their tomorrow!
Natural Ways to Balance pH
Looking for a few natural ways to help bring your pH levels back into balance? Submit your information to get a FREE copy of my Natural Ways to Balance pH Cheat Sheet! ⬇️
