ing the TMJ and other mouth and face muscles keep them fit and
improve the vital circulation around teeth and in the gums for opti-
mal oral hygiene.
All food should be chewed. But those that require the most chew-
ing include concentrated carbohydrates — bread and other starchy
grain products, including pasta, rice and beans, all cereals, starchy
vegetables such as potatoes and corn, and all sugars (the exceptions
are fruit and honey which don’t require chemical digestion). An
important enzyme in saliva starts digestion of these foods, and with-
out it normal digestion of these carbohydrates may not occur, with
the risk of producing gas, indigestion and other intestinal problems.
Keep it simple: Rather than counting each mouthful, just chew
and enjoy the tastes and textures of the food you’re eating. Once it has
turned into very small pieces and well moistened, swallow it and
enjoy another bite. Rushing meals, eating while working and other
poor habits makes it almost impossible to chew and digest well.
Listening to music during meals in a relaxed environment can help all
phases of digestion.
Oral pH
The environment of the mouth is an important part of its overall
health, especially the acid-alkaline balance — the pH — of the saliva.
The pH can be measured with pH paper, available at a pharmacy,
health store or online. The pH of the mouth should be slightly alka-
line, in the range of about 7.2 to 7.6 (slightly higher in children). You
may hear or read that the mouth should be an acid pH, but this is con-
fused by the fact that most people have a mouth with a pH in the acid
range — 6.0, 6.5, 6.8, etc. (A pH of 7.0 is neutral; above is alkaline and
below is acid.)
Here’s the procedure to test your pH:
- Wait at least 15 minutes after eating or drinking.
- Use a small strip of pH paper and thoroughly moisten it
in your mouth for about five to 10 seconds. - Immediately compare the color on your test strip with
260 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH