Sunday, January 29, 2012

ph and Women's Health


Acidic - Neutral - Alkaline
3.0 4.0 5.0 - 6.0 7.0 - 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0

lemon juice is acidic 2.5
yeast infection will be less than 4.5
some women are allergic to semen - less 4.5
normal vagina is acidic 3.8 to 4.5
menstruation raises ph
tampons also elevate ph
A woman with BV or trich will usually have a reading higher than pH4.5
pure water is neutral 7.0
semen is 7.2 to 8.2 (leading to BV)
soaps are 9.0 to 10.0 (not good for vagina)
bleach is alkaline 12.5


"A women's normalvaginal pHranges between 3.8 and 4.5¹ which means the vagina is acidic. This acidity helps to keep it healthy. pH is a measure of how acidic or alkaline something is. The pH range goes from 1 which is highly acidic to pH14 which is highly alkaline. pH 7 is neutral.


Lemon juice is acidic and has a pH of 2.4, whilst household bleach is highly alkaline at 12.5. Pure water is pH 7. (Values taken from Wiki)

Note that many soaps have a pH value of 9-10 so that too thorough washing will upset the healthy acidic environment of the vagina. Many experts advise not using soap on this area, and certainly try not to get soap inside which will alter the vaginal pH. The vagina is a self-cleansing organ and all you need to do is wash away secretions trapped around the external folds.

The average pH of semen ranges from 7.2 to 7.8 which explains why sex sometimes makes a woman more prone to infections such as BV.

Blood has a pH range of from 7.34 to 7.45 which explains why menstruation can cause an attack of BV. Research has shown that menstrual blood has the effect of neutralizing the normally acidic vagina - not a desirable things for any woman prone to infections.

pH values will change as you progress through life. Pre-puberty the reading will be around pH7; during our reproductive years when the vagina is more vulnerable to infection an acidic pH of around 3.8 to 4.5 guards our health; and after menopause we return to a pH of 6-7.


Normal Saliva PH

  • Saliva normally varies in pH balance (alkalinity vs. acidity) between 6.2 to 7.4, with higher pH levels often seen during increased secretion of saliva, for instance, when smelling food cooking or when hungry and viewing pictures of food. Some on-line practitioners offer guides to diagnosing a wide range of physical and psychological ailments using self-administered pH test kits that they sell clients.

Read more: What Is the PH of Saliva? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5191580_ph-saliva_.html#ixzz1oAQ3hHkq



Urine PH
Urine pH is used to classify urine as either a dilute acid or base solution. Seven is the point of neutrality on the pH scale. The lower the pH, the greater the acidity of a solution; the higher the pH, the greater the alkalinity. The glomerular filtrate of blood is usually acidified by the kidneys from a pH of approximately 7.4 to a pH of about 6 in the urine. Depending on the person's acid-base status, the pH of urine may range from 4.5 to 8. 



In people who are not vegetarians, the pH of urine tends to be acidic. A diet rich in citrus fruits, legumes, and vegetables raises the pH and produces urine that is more alkaline. Most of the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections make the urine more alkaline because the bacteria split urea into ammonia and other alkaline waste products. The urine pH varies in different types of acidosis and alkalosis. Control of pH is important in the management of several diseases, including bacteriuria, renal calculi, and drug therapy.




3/14/12
saliva 6.5 - normal is 6.2 to 7.4
urine 7.0 - range is 4.5 to 8
v. 5.75 - shouldn't be above 4.5


Women who have had 3 urinary tract infections are likely to continue having them. Four out of 5 women will develop another UTI within 18 months of their last urinary tract infection. Women who have recurrent urinary tract infections (3 or more a year) should ask their doctor about the following recurrent urinary tract infection treatment options:
 
  • Low doses of an antibiotic such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) or nitrofurantoin daily for 6 months or longer. If taken at bedtime, the drug remains in the bladder longer and may be more effective. Research has shown this therapy to be effective without causing serious side effects.
     
  • Single dose of an antibiotic after sexual intercourse.
     
  • A short course (1 or 2 days) of antibiotics when symptoms appear.
     

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