Is Your Body Acid or Alkaline?

Date: 4/7/06 Author: Valerie Hill Source: TheRecord.com

Acid levels reflect body's health, expert says

VALERIE HILL


Yeast and fungal infections, bacteria and viruses. They can all be traced directly to an imbalance in the body's pH levels according to Ela Glinka, a nutritionist at Family Wellness Centre, a holistic medicine clinic in Kitchener.

"It's like if we do excessive exercise, our muscles get sore . . . That's lactic acid building up in the muscles," she said. "That's a temporary acidity."

Glinka was the featured speaker at a public talk, Acid-Alkaline Imbalance as the Cause of Disease, held in the community room of Stanley Park Zehrs where she described the effects of an imbalance of alkaline and acid in the body.

Her example of lactic acid buildup described a mild and temporary reaction to a pH imbalance, but when such imbalances become pronounced in the bloodstream, all manner of problems can ensue.

The imbalance, she said, creates a perfect place for such undesirables as unfriendly bacteria, parasites, mould, yeast, fungus and viruses to thrive which leads to fatigue, kidney problems, heart disease, weight gain and even accelerated aging.

The pH number indicates the measure of alkalinity or acidity in the body, ranging from zero to 14 where seven is considered neutral. Lower pH is acidic, higher is alkaline.

Human blood has buffers that work to regulate pH levels, but sometimes "if it falls below 6.5, the body's buffering system is overwhelmed. If it's over 6.8, you have gas, constipation and a production of mould, fungus, yeast," she said.

Glinka suggested that, given our lifestyles today, most people are "acidic" but can change that through lifestyle.

She recommends moderate exercise and a diet rich in fresh, raw vegetables particularly leafy greens, seaweed (arame, hiziki, kombu, dulse, nori and kelp) and fruit.

She also recommends drinking a cup of warmed water with a squeeze of fresh lemon in the morning and throughout the day.

A good way to ensure your pH is healthy is by using paper test strips available in health food stores.

Ideally, the saliva's pH should measure between 6.5 and 6.8 which indicates a healthy digestive system.

Urinary pH should measure 6.5 and 6.7, which indicates how well your body is utilizing minerals ingested.

In both cases, the pH should be measured first thing in the morning over a three- to four-day period to ensure a consistent score.

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