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Bill, I may have found the key to our difference, here. As a paramedic, I’m sure you know what you’re talking about. In the long run, these details may not be important to anyone else, but my curiosity demands a resolution. J See if this makes sense to you: My physiology test says: “plasma pH is maintained within a very narrow range (7.35-7.45) through numerous mechanisms. Acids in the blood are buffered by bicarbonate in the plasma, and blood pH is maintained by the actions of the lungs and kidneys. . . . .” (italics added by me) I think this is basically what you described in your first email about pH and the respiratory system. I think what all this is inferring is that the blood HAS to be maintained within that limit, supporting your statement that 6.8 would cause death. Notice, it mentions numerous mechanisms, but none of them were diet! I think this is showing why diet is (indirectly) so important, b/c if the body becomes too acidic, the lungs and kidneys have to work even harder to maintain that (narrow range of) balance in the blood. At the same time, another paragraph in the book talks about pH differences between 2.0 and 9.8, in various body fluids, noting that fluids in the digestive tract show a wider variation of pH than other body fluids. ‘The digestive tract’ includes saliva, which to my understanding, is how body pH is measured. But maybe I’m making too many assumptions here. What do you think? ***I also realized another important fact, reflecting on your comments and that first paragraph. I had forgotten to mention STRESS (physical or emotional) as being another contributor to the acidity in the body. I wondered how factual that info was until I thought about the respiration info – when we’re stressed we breath less deeply, thus affecting the CO2 / 02 balance, which again is going to cause the body to work harder to keep the blood pH within a safe range! I’m not explaining it very scientifically, but it makes sense, don’t you think? Sally |
