The saliva pH test can be done at home after purchasing a pH test kit at a nutritionist’s office or a local heath food store. It involves testing your saliva first thing in the morning before putting anything in your mouth.
The test is done by wetting a strip of special paper with saliva and then measuring the results, which indicate whether the body is acidic or alkaline. Urine can be tested as well.
In its natural state, the body is slightly alkaline. As we age, many people become overly acidic. That’s because nearly everything we are exposed to—foods, environmental toxins, even stress—contribute to acidity in the body. Over time, the body can become less efficient at neutralizing acid and go from being in a more or less alkaline state to chronic acidosis.
Imbalanced pH affects all cellular activity in the body, leading to the progression of degenerative diseases, like cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.32 Imbalanced pH can lead to mental health problems as well, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, and neurodegenerative problems, like cognitive decline.
One of the most effective ways to reduce acidity is through diet. For example, most green vegetables alkalize, as do many minerals. All meats are acidic, as is rice, pastas, cheese, soft drinks, coffee, alcohol, condiments, and most sweeteners. If you need to eliminate some of these offending foods from your diet, a nutritionist can help you to find healthy alternatives.