Testing Saliva pH - are you doing it?

[AnneAtFibroFix]

Are you testing your baby's saliva pH?  And your own.

For many people all the serous fluid (what you think of as lymph, saliva, etc) can be way too acid.  Needs to be a normal 7.4 or very close for the liver to produce needed enzymes.

If it's too low (too acid), it can cause ulcerated esophagus, GERD, etc.  Most docs don't think of this. Stomach acid NEEDS to be about 2.0 (super acid) in human adults for our food to digest correctly.  Taking meds to stop acid production sounds like a good idea, but if saliva tests much lower than normal - do something.  

If you don't you can get Barrett's Esophagus (a precancerous erosion) or like I did, get damage that bleeds.  Mine bled so quickly that I was in the hospital for a week and had to have two units of blood.

Testing Saliva pH is very quick, cheap and simple.  Health food stores, not drug stores, usually sell the little test paper strip on a roll dispenser.  It's in a little box and usually $13 for 15 feet.  15 feet will do about 300 tests.
Takes just seconds.

Ever wonder why so many people have GERD, reflux, etc, now?  Most of our food has preservatives so it's easier to ship and store without loss.  Good for the mfg, but preservatives are acidic.  

And we all have access to very acid things every day. Soft drinks, acidy tropical fruits, red meat, coffee, etc.  Our bodies weren't really designed to handle that much.

Check it out.  Especially for your baby.  

Anne

[ChitChatNIne]

AND it is the acid which can erode teeth, too leading to premature dental work!  There is a dental article in the health pages referencing this finding!

Thanks for your post ... I never knew the test strips were available like that!

Cheryl

[energy_train]

I had NO IDEA you could purchase these strips. We've been doing scopes on my son (3 of them in fact and he's only 3 years old) as he had severe GERD, an ulcer, esophagitis, etc.  He's on adult strenth Nexium 20 mg 3 times per day.  I'm trying to wean him off as I do think it has improved. We'll see.  I'm going to try to find these strips TODAY.

[AnneAtFibroFix]

I wouldn't wean him off the Nexium until you know what his situation is. At least it slows the production of some acid.  

But the test strips should tell you.  Test your water pH, too.  Ours locally is 5.3 - way too acid for me.

Am not a medical pro, just someone who discovered much about this and deals with this to stay alive.  

Anne At FibroFix

[ChitChatNIne]

Are these test strips something new? Do the doctors advocate them or is it a trick we mom's have picked up to aid in deciphering what is going on with our babies?

I had to rely on the good 'ol smell the breath method.  If it smelled like vinegar odor it was reflux; if it didnt it was anybody's guess.

So I like this concept and was curious on its origin/history?

Cheryl

[Callysmommy]

so interesting, I had just talked about this in my thread....I made my baby's milk more alkaline and she is doing much much better.  I'm curious to test her saliva.  

[AnneAtFibroFix]

The strips were around.  Mostly used to test urine pH, I think.  

But urine is waste; we need to know what's in the system. Test yours, too.

I try to get the word out, but some people don't like that.  There are lot$ of reasons. You can find me, though.  

When you check this out for yourselves, please tell other parents.

FibroFix

[Callysmommy]

by the way, you can get ph tape and ph booster (I add the booster drops to breast milk since Cally seems to reflux much more with breast milk) made by body rescue.  I just ordered the tape and got it in the mail today.  I'm going to start checking her saliva and see if there is a connection with her bad reflux days and lower ph.  

[AnneAtFibroFix]

What range and increments is the pH test paper?

Check her saliva without a lot of food or drink still in her mouth.

Be careful with any "booster drops" - if they are high pH, they can burn her tender mouth.   Need to mix it into the food or drink.

Let me know if you have any questions.  We've been doing this quite a while, but not with little ones.

Annie

[ChitChatNIne]

All really intersesting tips .. wow,

C~

[Callysmommy]

I put the drops in her milk.  But I stopped doing it since she's improving on her own.  I'm not sure on the range for the tape, haven't started doing it yet.