Wellness is something each of us finds our own way into. There is no single path, and for most of us, there is no easy way out. It takes remembering, learning, and accepting what will work for us. Some people have faced health challenges from the very beginning of their lives, and some have been given miracles. Both are part of the story.
Even when we do not yet know ourselves or what we are capable of beyond what we can see in this moment, we can take a chance on nutritional and emotional healing and notice how it affects us. It is a way of taking hold of ourselves. Simply asking, “What will truly work for me?” adds up in the end.
This is not a fast or final answer. It is the beginning of seeing ourselves as the ones in charge of our own healing, whether physical, emotional, or energetic, depending on where we are in each moment. Acceptance is a large part of health and of life. It moves us forward and can lead to a happier life, knowing who we are and what we need. Thus, we have room to care for ourselves.
Over many years of working with myself and clients, I have seen the body grow healthier when we nourish it with fresh, whole foods, tend to our emotional well-being, and care for ourselves inside and out. These things work together. Nutrition is a starting point, just as emotional healing is, and each can open the door to more kindness, more loving ways of living, and more wellness, because it all begins with us. Every step we take, every moment of self-love and care, brings us closer to greater happiness.
I am not asking you to set aside what you believe, or what your doctor advises. I am asking you to look at what you are doing, and to make the choices that feel right for you. When we know what truly works for us, natural ways and medicine can walk side by side.
Where This Fits in My Work
When I began working as a Naturopath, I did not know I was working with the Five Elements. It all came together over time. Looking back, it has been my purpose from the beginning, from the days when, as a child, I began praying for truth. Little did I know where that would lead. Nourishing the body is one of the doorways in, and it sits beside the others. If you would like to explore or find your way further into the Five Elements, you are welcome to begin here.
A Note on Nutrition and Science
This page shares what I have learned and seen over many years as a Naturopath. Science does not yet confirm every part, and research continues to grow. This information is general and is not medical advice. Please work with your doctor or health practitioner, especially if you have a health condition that needs help now.
We all have small things that come up as we live on Earth. We are in the process of remembering what works, and it all seems to relate to what we need to learn in our lives. It fluctuates because our learning isn’t always understood instantly. The body responds to our emotions, and our emotions come from and respond to our lifestyle, whether chosen or karmically experienced. It still means we can honor our personal experience in the moment, learn to work with it, and, if healing is needed, heal it at the core. This is wellness, in my opinion. So wherever you are, find your way into that wellness, for healing and greater happiness.
Understanding Your pH
pH is a scale that measures how acidic or alkaline something is. To begin, let’s look at the pH of the blood. Your blood stays within a very narrow range, so it doesn’t change fast with what you eat. It is the last place where the imbalance shows. The body works so hard to keep it steady that by the time the blood itself moves out of range, something major is already happening, and that needs a doctor. Fluids that reflect your daily life, such as urine and saliva, shift much faster, so I look there first. They offer a simple window into how food, stress, and rest affect your body within your daily routine.
As a Naturopath, this is what I have found, and I am not alone in it: when the body stays on the acid side over time, through our diet and a lack of elimination, it can become a place where toxicity builds, and health begins to change for the worse. Our daily choices in nutrition, exercise, and habits shape the way that goes. When we eat in a way that leans toward the alkaline, with plenty of vegetables and clean water, we support the liver and kidneys in their cleansing and set the stage for balance.
Nothing in the body is separate from anything else. It works as a team, with an innate intelligence, and the pH is one part of that, alongside our emotions and everything we call our experience. This is what I have seen over many years in my work, through the microscope, and through my intuition.
Over many years of working with clients, I have seen that when people eat more fresh vegetables and fewer processed foods, their readings often move toward the alkaline side, and many feel more energy and lightness as they go. I do not offer this as a cure. I offer it as a way to listen to your body and as a starting point for finding what truly works for you.
Checking Your pH at Home
The best time to check is first thing in the morning, after at least four to five hours of sleep. During the night, the body rests, cleanses, and restores itself, so a morning reading gives you a good picture of where you are starting the day. The number you see in the morning is what it is because of that cleansing phase.
The question is whether you have enough alkalinity to sustain your pH when what you eat combines with your body’s own pH. Your pH is not a constant reading. It depends on what you eat and what is utilized, compared with the cleansing your body does. Thus, it changes daily, with your emotions, your diet, and your activity level. How much are you detoxing? How many veggies, or how much veggie juicing, are you doing compared to the amount of protein, starches, and the rest you are consuming? Yes, you need it all, and yes, it matters for wellness. More importantly, though, is what your body uses, and whether it supports the balance of all you do.
Another factor to consider: when your pH is too low, the body creates an alkaline effect by using an acid. To me, this is the larger problem, because it shows up as an alkaline reading. I have found that when the body has had to create alkalinity, it can overshoot and read too alkaline. To do this, it draws minerals away from other parts of the body that need them, so instead of building deeper mineralization, it can put you in an adverse situation. It is much better to bring in alkalinity from outside sources, such as vegetables and mineralized water, which protects the body’s well-being. So, if your pH shows around 7.0 or above, it is very likely that your pH is actually low. A good way to look at this: if your reading is not in the 6.3 to 6.7 range, and/or your urine has a strong smell, it may be a false reading. The best way to test this is to eat extra veggies, cut down on the acidic foods, and drink extra mineralized water. Both eating and drinking can change your pH within a day to three days, depending on how much liquid you take in. If you don’t drink enough mineralized water, it is harder for the body’s fluids to change their alkalinity. How fast or slow the pH changes also depends on how acidic your pH is to begin with. Until it changes, the urine may stay strong-smelling. When the number comes down and the smell eases, you will know your body is flushing and moving in the right direction to balance your pH. If the reading stays high or the smell continues, please check with your doctor, since other things, such as a urinary infection, can cause both.
How to Check Your pH
- Upon waking, dip a strip of pH paper into your first urine of the day, then compare it to the color chart and match the color. That will give you a pH reading that I have found is most reliable.
- When you can, check again the second time you urinate. Average the two; this will give you a value closer to your real number. For example, if your first reading is 6.4 and your second is 6.8, your average is 6.6.
- In my practice, I like to see a morning reading of about 6.3 to 6.7.
You can buy pH test strips at many health food stores and pharmacies, and if they don’t have them, you can order them.
One reading is only a snapshot. It will change throughout the day with what you eat and drink. Watch for the pattern over a few weeks, and be gentle with yourself. Some medications and health conditions can also change these readings, so if you have a health concern, please speak with your doctor.
The next article, Dietary Suggestions, is coming soon.
Need help along the way? I would be glad to hear from you. You are welcome to contact me here.