Acid-Alkaline Balance in the Body
By Jim Harris
An area which is often confusing or poorly understood by many of my new clients is the term pH and the effects on their health of not having an optimal pH.  The short answer is that in order to maintain health and ward off disease, specific biochemical reactions must take place in the human body. These biochemical reactions can only take place in tissues with a specific pH range.
The pH scale is used to measure or quantify the alkalinity or the acidity of a solution and has a range from 0 to 14. The lower the pH number, the more acidic the solution. Conversely, the higher the number, the greater the alkalinity. A solution with a pH ranging from 0 to 6.9 is called acidic; one with a range of 7.1 to 14 is alkaline. A pH of 7 is neither alkaline nor acidic but neutral.
The body constantly strives to maintain a pH for critical internal fluids of 7.4. Fluids surround all of our cells, which must be bathed by a slightly alkaline solution. Our tissues must be in this slightly alkaline state to use oxygen effectively to prevent the formation of free radicals.
It is important to note that this 7.4 pH is not that of saliva, urine or stomach acids but that of the fluids found within our tissues. The pH of blood must be held in the very tight range of 7.35 to 7.45 for us to remain healthy. There are organic buffers responsible for keeping us in this slightly alkaline state. The buffering substances are organic minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium found in the plants and animals we eat. We must consume these minerals because our bodies cannot produce them – another great reason to eat fresh organic vegetables, organic grass-fed beef and organic free-range chicken.
When we are on the alkaline side of the pH scale, we use oxygen and sugar to produce energy in a process called aerobic metabolism. This is a very efficient method of energy production by the body. However, when we are on the acidic side of the pH scale, we produce energy without oxygen, anaerobic energy production, through the fermentation of sugar. Fermentation is a very inefficient method of energy production and requires 18 times more fuel (in the form of sugar) as alkaline energy production. Therefore, if you are in an acid state, you will likely crave sugary foods or ones that readily convert to sugars.
The fermentation process also produces lactic acid as a byproduct which damages our cell walls and causes pain and inflammation. Additionally, an acidic environment allows yeast, fungi, bacteria and parasites to thrive. These organisms are considered by many to be the cause of a vast array of chronic diseases and disorders. Cancer cells are anaerobic and thrive in an acidic environment. The 1931 Nobel Prize winner Otto Warburg demonstrated that cancer cells placed in an alkaline environment die within a short period of time, because alkaline solutions contain oxygen, toxic to cancer cells.
Therefore, we can state that the poor efficiency of energy production by the fermentation process and the accompanying lack of oxygen results in our degeneration, while oxygen-efficient aerobic metabolism brings about health. Many researchers believe living in an acid-tissue state is the major cause of most illness and disease.
When I speak to my clients who have cancer, I talk about cleaning up their terrain so their bodies are not breeding grounds for cancer cells and instead turning their bodies into environments that discourage cancer.This is partly related to an alkaline environment.
Earlier, I stated that the body uses minerals to buffer an acidic state or to help maintain an alkaline state.  There must be a supply of those buffering minerals in our daily diet or we rob them from our bones, saliva and organs to maintain a degree of acid-base balance. This creates nutritional deficiencies and a decline in our overall health. When minerals are taken from saliva, the saliva becomes acidic; when they’re taken from muscles you get cramps, and when they’re taken from your bones you can develop osteopenia and osteoporosis.
If you crave carbohydrates, have muscle aches and cramps, low back pain and headaches, your body may be too acidic, which will inevitably lead to degenerative conditions. You need to have proper foods in your diet and take appropriate whole-food supplements to provide the resources your body requires to maintain a healthy alkaline pH.
Jim Harris DDS, NMD is a nutritional consultant at The Art of Wellness Center, 1900 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite C-4, Palm Springs, (760) 778-5600. Visit the Web site at www.theartofwellnescenter.com.