If you recall from that chemistry class, pH
is measured on a scale of 0 to 14. Less than
7.0 is acidic, 7.0 is neutral, and greater
than 7.0 is alkaline, or basic.
Your body’s cleanup crew—namely the
lungs and kidneys—help keep the pH ranges
of your bodily fluids (blood, urine, saliva,
and more) in balance. But some experts
theorize that these systems may need
a little help when too much acid,
particularly from foods, creates subtle
pH shifts throughout your body.
“The typical American diet
of simple carbs, heavy meats, and
processed foods generates a lot of acid
residues, which the tissues store as a
means of buffering,” says Elson M. Haas,
MD, an integrated-medicine physician
in San Rafael, California, and author of
The New Detox Diet (Celestial Arts, 2004).
“Acid diets lead to acidic tissues and then to
inflammation and degenerative diseases,” such
as osteoporosis, diabetes, and even cancer. With
a pH-balanced diet, he says, “bodies are like cars
that are using cleaner fuel, which creates fewer
harmful byproducts.”
Test your levels. Start with a simple
home test to determine your pH level, recommends
Mark Hyman, MD, of Lenox, Massachusetts, author of
Ultrametabolism (Scribner, 2006). Simply buy pH
paper—it’s inexpensive and often available at natural
product stores—and check your first urine of the
morning. Although some people consider 7. 3 the ideal
number, experts agree that a range between 6. 5 and 7. 5
is more realistic. If you test lower than 6. 5, consider
adding more alkalinizing foods to your meals.
