When is the last time you thought about your pH balance? If you are like many people, you may not have given it much thought ... but it is an important consideration.  Balancing pH (so it is more alkaline) is critical to many aspects of your health, but research is beginning to show that an alkaline pH may have another impact – on viruses! 

The structure of a virus is fairly simple. A protein envelope (called a capsid) encases DNA or RNA, genes that allow the virus to replicate once it is inside the body. When a virus infects a cell, it begins to make thousands of copies of itself. Therefore, when you catch a virus, you may not feel sick for a few days. That length of time, known as an incubation period, occurs when the virus is actively copying itself in your body.  

A healthy immune system will quickly spring into action to start increasing the activity of a specific type of white blood cell called natural killer cells. The activation of these white blood cells helps to destroy viruses and other dangerous invaders lurking in the blood stream.  However, if the body’s pH is acidic (not desirable at all), the immune systems response may not be as strong.  Studies show that certain viruses such as corona and influenza viruses are sensitive to changes in pH and are more likely to infect a cell when the body’s pH is low, or more acidic.  Viruses may face another enemy that helps to defeat them – an alkaline pH!   
 
Common factors that negatively affect the body’s pH balance (making it too acidic) include poor digestion, a diet high in animal protein, nutrient deficiencies and poor mineral intake. Instead, good mineral nutrition and eating a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables and plant protein is the foundation of great health with strong immune system function. When your body does not get a sufficient amount of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, your pH decreases (becoming more acidic) which is associated with health stress and based on research, may lead to a greater susceptibility to viral infections.   
 
How can you test your pH level?  An easy way to determine your pH is to check your first morning urine pH by using pH test strips. The scale of pH ranges from 0, the most acidic, to 14, the most alkaline. The goal is to have a first morning urine pH in the alkaline range between 6.4 and 7.0.  If you find that your pH is lower than 6.4, consider making some healthy dietary changes and especially, adding a mineral supplement to your daily regimen.  
 
An excellent next step is to adopt a diet that avoids the top six food stressors (which includes dairy, eggs, wheat (gluten), soy, corn and peanuts), clearing out “junk” sugars (such as white sugar and artificial sweeteners), and removing “junk” fats (such as canola oil, soybean oil, and hydrogenated oil). These undesirable foods can stress your liver and deplete your energy levels. Eliminate them to start enjoying a healthier body, better immune system and more alkaline pH balance.  By consuming organic fruits and vegetables regularly and reducing your intake of animal protein and sugar, you can improve your overall nutritional status and pH balance.  When considering adding a mineral supplement to your daily regimen, please make sure you use a trusted and high-quality source.  
 
Research into the aspect of viruses and pH is new and ongoing, but this promising research shows that we are still learning important information about viruses. Learning more about how viruses work and how to combat them best will ultimately help keep all of us happier and healthier!