An alkaline Body is a Healthy Body. Let us look at the facts

This article is in response to an article by Ms Kristie Leigh Karns published in quazen. It is a nice article and articulates her position well. However, I take issue with some of her assertions about the pH of the human body and her assertion that an alkaline body is a healthy body. Here, is my case. You be the judge.

In paragraph one Ms. Karns says, “In order to be completely healthy, one must be alkaline, and that is difficult in today’s world, with its overabundance of toxins. Eating right and living right are important elements”. I assert that no matter what you eat your bodys pH will shift to 7.4 because whenever the normal is shifted in either direction the body sets in motion it’s system to correct the imbalance. The body functions optimall at a pH of 7.4 (Neutral) not in alkalinity as Ms. Karns states. The chart below is used in intensive care units to maintain patinet’s pH values of 7.4

My simple definition of pH is that it is a measure of hydrogen ions. I assert that the normal value of the human body is 7.4 . It usually flactuates between 7.35 and 7.45. The optimal is what the body aims to achieve. I have personally measured the blood ph levels of Intensive Care Unit patients more than a thousand times. In the ICU setting blood gases are done almost each hour for patients who are on a ventilator. We strive for a pH of 7.40 (neutral), Neither alkaline nor acid. Please see the diagram below.

Figure 1. pH value of human arterial blood is 7.4 as shown above.

“Today’s world is full of toxins, in the air, the water, the food we eat”. If this was truly the case life expectancy would be falling. I aassert that Life expectancy is increasing globally. See the chart below. You are smart. You decide. A Look at the figures shows that since 195o life expectancy has been increasing. The point I am making is that if the environment was toxic we will be dying, but we are not. Instead we are living longer, than ever before and life expectancy is expected to increase over the next few years because we now have better control of blood vessel diseases.

Graph A. Global Life Expectancy from 1950 – 2005 and is still Increasing!

May be you are not one of those persons who like statistics. Let us look at some pictures. Look at London, for example in

Graph B. Deaths in 1952 from environmental sulphur dioxide and smoke. Currently the smoke and sulphur dioxide is lower that what it was in 1952.

Ms. Karns states, “Acidity is the usual result of toxicity in the body. An acidic body is an unhealthy one. Reducing the acidity of our cells and returning them to an alkaline state is a sure fire way to return from poor health and start enjoying good health again”. The first part of her assertion is vague. What does she mean by acidity? Carbon dioxide is an acid but it is a necessary part of living. In fact, it is the stimulus for us to breathe. Her assertion that an acidic body is an unhealthy one is correct. However, “reducing the acidity of our cells and returning them to an alkaline state is a sure fire way to return from poor health and start enjoying good health again.” Is wrong, misleading and will cause you to die if you did what Ms. Karns is telling you. Alkalinity is not compatible with life. The choice is yours.

Ms. Karns says, “One way to do this is to drink Bicarbonate of Soda, (baking soda) which has the alkalizing benefit the body requires. Also, there are commercial products on the market today that are designed to alkalize and heal damaged cells”. You will need to drink a lot of sodium bicarbonate to alter your body’s pH. If you succeed you will die. The choice is yours.

In conclusion I must state that the healthy body’s pH is 7.4. I totally and unequivocally disagree with Ms Karns. Eating foods of different pH values alters the pH by a very small amount and only for a short time. The healthy body is very robust it will restore homeostatic pH.

I have presented my case. You be the judge.