Akaline versus Acidity

[T.C.]

I hate to use a piece from quackwatch.org as the site emotionally argues that flouride and mercury are safe. But here's the page on Dr Robert Young:

A Critical Look at "Dr." Robert Young's
Theories and Credentials
Stephen Barrett, M.D.

Robert O. Young—who markets himself as "Robert O. Young, M.S., D.Sc., Ph.D."—would like you to believe that he is a highly educated and distinguished scientist. His Web site claims that he has "devoted his life to researching the true cause of disease" and for 25 years has been "widely recognized as one of the top research scientists in the world" [1]. The pH Miracle, co-authored with his wife Shelley Radford Young, states that heads the InnerLight Biological Research and Health Education Foundation and has "gained national recognition for his research into diabetes, cancer, leukemia, and AIDS." [2]

Young's books include: Back to the House of Health: Rejuvenating Recipes to Alkalize and Energize for Life (2000); Sick and Tired?: Reclaim Your Inner Terrain (2000); Back to the House of Health: Rejuvenating Recipes to Alkalize and Energize for Life! (2000); The pH Miracle for Diabetes: The Revolutionary Diet Plan for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetics (2005); The pH Miracle for Weight Loss: Balance Your Body Chemistry, Achieve Your Ideal Weight (2006); and The pH Miracle: Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health (2008). None of these books has any scientific standing.

Claims that Robert Young is a distinguished researcher are preposterous. The National Library of Medicine's database contains no articles authored by "Young RO" that were published in a recognized scientific journal. Now let's look at his credentials, activities, and ideas.
Disreputable Credentials

One way to judge someone's credibility is to examine the nature of his education. Young's Web site includes the following information:

Before Dr. Young began his extensive nutritional research, his love for sports and science led him to the University of Utah—where he studied biology and business in the early 70's. . . . His education was temporarily interrupted by an ecclesiastical mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He successfully served for two years in London, England.

In the 80's, following his mission and schooling at the University of Utah, Dr. Young studied medical microbiology—training under Dr. Robert Bradford at the Bradford Research Institute in Chula Vista, California. Dr. Bradford is now a trustee and professor at Capital University in Washington, DC, where he teaches live and dry blood microscopy. Dr. Young also studied darkfield microscopy. . . .

In 1993, Dr. Young received a MS in nutrition from the American College in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1995, he received his D.Sc. with emphasis in chemistry and biology. . . . In 1997, Dr. Young received a Ph.D. from Clayton College of Natural Health. His Professor, James E. Harvey from San Diego State University, reviewed and accepted his dissertation as completing all the requirements for a doctorate of philosophy degree in nutrition. Continuing his studies and research, Dr. Young later received an additional doctorate degree in naturopathy (ND) from Clayton College (1999). [1]

I can't judge the extent and quality of Young's undergraduate education in biology. However, the rest of his training is smoke and mirrors. Robert Bradford, who was convicted of laetrile smuggling in the 1970s, was not even a college graduate. His alleged "doctoral degrees"—two of them—were acquired from credential mills. For nearly 30 years, he operated a network of enterprises that included a Mexican clinic that offered quack treatments, a company that marketed dubious drugs and dietary supplements, a "research institute" that did no significant research, and a nonaccredited "medical school" that operated for about five years [3]. In 2008, Bradford was charged with conspiring to violate federal food and drug laws and defraud individuals seeking medical care. The indictment states that he marketed bogus Lyme disease products and a microscope system that was falsely claimed to diagnose the disease.

Clayton College of Natural Health is a nonaccredited correspondence school that advocates unscientific and quack methods [4]. Its requirements for graduation are minuscule compared to those for accredited colleges and universities that train health professionals. Moreover, no correspondence school can prepare students to give competent health advice to clients because that requires years of clinical experience under expert supervision. Young's connections with Clayton and Bradford reflect extremely poor judgment.
Questionable Activities

In addition to writing, Young operates retreats and markets herbal and dietary supplements, many of which are his own brand ("Young pHorever"). The supplements are marketed by him directly and through a multilevel company called InnerLight, which he founded. According to his Web site:

The Youngs supplements . . . literally bring new energy to each cell directly. It's a big idea that begins with the tiniest of particles—the particles called colloids. Since colloids are so small, it is easy for our cells to absorb vitamins and minerals introduced at this size. Knowing this, the pH Miracle begins by breaking basic nutrient elements into billions of colloidal particles. Then, unlike any other supplement provider, we ensure these colloids remain individually separated through a proprietary process called Micro-Ionization™.

Perhaps the most striking difference about the Young's products are their living energy. Not only are colloids separated for prime absorption, they are given an additional electrical charge. This charge actually attracts the colloids to your cells where they can be instantly utilized. The energy within each cell literally "jumps." Functionality is rejuvenated. And your cells—and you yourself—can feel that maybe the energy you knew as a kid isn't so long gone after all [5].

This description uses scientific terms, but the processes he describes are fanciful.

Youngs "private retreats," which currently cost $9990, are said to include "personal live and dried blood microscopy, preceded by an in-depth health history including developing an understanding of the physical, social, psychological, medical, and pharmaceutical components of a person's life." [6] Young promises to "personally oversee each activity for the day which may include: history, microscopy, supplements, water and ionization, exercise, lymphatic massage, cooking, food preparation, colonics and other health programs." His findings are then provided in a 35-page blood microscopy report plus a recommended program and a three-month supply of supplements and other products he created. There are also group retreats that cost from $400 to $15,000, depending on the length and setting.

The pH Miracle home page asserts that, "Over the many years, Dr. Young has performed live and dry blood analysis on over 15,000 people repeatedly, while simultaneously adjusting nutrition to create a pH balanced Alkaline lifestyle. This practice clearly makes Dr. Young the preeminent nutritional microbiologist in history." [7]

Not quite. Live blood cell analysis is carried out by placing a drop of blood from the patient's fingertip on a microscope slide under a glass cover slip to keep it from drying out. The slide is then viewed at high magnification with a dark-field microscope that forwards the image to a television monitor. Both practitioner and patient can then see the blood cells, which appear as dark bodies outlined in white. The practitioner may take polaroid photographs of the television picture or may videotape the procedure for himself and/or the patient. The results are then used as a basis for prescribing supplements. Dried blood cell analysis is similar but is done after the blood dries. Although much can be learned by looking at blood cells under a microscope, the practitioners who do these tests draw conclusions that have no scientific validity are are used primarily to sell products [8].

It would be interesting to know the context in which Young performed 15,000 blood analyses. In most states, doing blood tests and recommending products based on these tests is considered diagnosing and prescribing and is restricted to licensed health professionals. As far as I can tell, Young has never been eligible for any type of health-related professional license. In the mid-1990s, Young was charged with taking blood samples from two women and using the samples to diagnose illnesses and prescribe products that he sold. Young claimed that he merely looked at blood samples from two women and gave them nutritional advice. However, under a plea bargain, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempted practice of medicine without a license and was promised that the charge would be dismissed if he stayed out of trouble for 18 months [9].

In 2001, Young was charged with another felony in Utah when a woman suffering from cancer claimed he analyzed her blood and told her to stop chemotherapy and take his "Super Greens" product instead. Young told the woman that he had cured people suffering from AIDS, the affidavit alleged. A month later he was arrested when an undercover agent went to him for a consultation. Young allegedly analyzed her blood and prescribed a liquid diet. A judge ordered Young to stop drawing blood or risk being denied bail. The San Diego Tribune reported that the charges were dropped because the prosecutor didn't think there were enough angry victims to get a conviction. The article also reported that in 2003, Young moved to California because he thought the legal climate there was more tolerant for "dietary researchers" such as himself [10].
Irrational Theories

Young and his wife claim that health depends primarily on proper balance between an alkaline and acid cellular environment that can be optimized by dietary modification and taking supplements. (The degree of acidity or alkalinity of body fluids is expressed as "pH.") But Benjamin Abelow, M.D., who authored the highly respected textbook, Understanding Acid-Base, has concluded that their understanding of biochemistry is deficient. After reading their 2000 book, Sick and Tired?: Reclaim Your Inner Terrain, he wrote:

I read with special care the part of the book that purports to explain the fundamentals of pH to the non-scientist. This section contains basic errors that suggest to me that Dr. Young is not very knowledgeable about this area; his understanding of basic chemistry seems limited. His definitions of fundamental terms such as "hydrogen ion" are poor, and his explanation of what table salt (NaCl) is and how it dissociates in water is incorrect. He gives the same pH values for blood that comes from arteries and veins; in reality, venous blood is more acidic than arterial blood.

The manner in which Dr. Young writes suggests a religious fervor that has nothing to do with science. I saw no footnotes that support his extreme views; in fact, judging by the titles of the journal articles he cites, I saw no citations in either this or another book by him that pertain specifically to the effect of pH on disease. Further, Dr. Young does not describe any of his own experiments that might lead one to think he has a valid scientific basis for his ideas. He makes many extreme statements without any supporting evidence.

From what I can see, Dr. Young does not have any interest in actually *testing* whether his ideas are correct. For example, the simple way to test his assertions about the effects of pH on disease would be to give sick people a couple of teaspoons of baking soda per day mixed with water. Baking soda (NaHCO3) is a base and will alkalinize the person's blood at least as well as any of the dietary manipulations Dr. Young suggests. But he appears not to have done this, or even to have studied the medical literature to see if others have [11].

The same observations apply equally to The pH Miracle, which contains so many dubious passages that it would take a book to respond to them all. Young bases his notions about alkaline nutrition on the writings of Antoine Bechamp (1822-1895), and Gunter Enderlein (1872-1968), who held that microorganisms do not have fixed structures but arise from smaller entities that are always present but shift their form and function in response to environmental influences. The Youngs refer to the alleged entities as "microforms" or "microzymas." Page 21 of The pH Miracle states that "all cells evolve from them to begin with" and that "red blood cells . . . can de-evolve and then re-evolve into any cell the body needs." They also state that "morbid changes in microforms" are spurred by body acidity and that "harmful pleomorphic organisms do not, and cannot evolve in healthy (alkaline) surroundings." They further claim to have videotaped transformations from bacteria to yeast, fungus, and mold and back again. Page 32 of the book claims that "acidification and overgrowth of negative microforms in the body are the root cause of every symptom, illness and disease." However, the notion of pleomorphism is unfounded and was abandoned by the scientific community long ago.

The book advises readers to check their pH, "cleanse" for several days, eat a vegetarian diet that emphasizes vegetables, and take various supplements, including colloidal silver. The foods to avoid include all dairy products, meats, eggs, corn, peanuts, and foods that contain sugar (including most fruits). The food recommendations are based on their supposed effect on body acidity and alkalinity and whether or not they contain "toxins."

The idea that dietary modification can change the acidity of the body is silly. Homeostatic mechanisms keep the acidity of the blood stream within a narrow range. Certain foods can leave end-products called ash. Alkaline-ash foods include fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Acid-ash foods include all animal products, whole grains, beans, and other seeds. These foods can change the acidity of the urine (but not the body as a whole), but that's irrelevant since your urine is contained in your bladder and does not affect the pH elsewhere in the body [12]. Thus, even if "body pH" were a primary cause of disease, the strategies the Youngs propose would not influence it in the way they claim.

 

[Ellipse]

I hate to use a piece from quackwatch.org as the site emotionally argues that flouride and mercury are safe. But here's the page on Dr Robert Young:

A Critical Look at "Dr." Robert Young's


The idea that dietary modification can change the acidity of the body is silly. Homeostatic mechanisms keep the acidity of the blood stream within a narrow range. Certain foods can leave end-products called ash. Alkaline-ash foods include fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Acid-ash foods include all animal products, whole grains, beans, and other seeds. These foods can change the acidity of the urine (but not the body as a whole), but that's irrelevant since your urine is contained in your bladder and does not affect the pH elsewhere in the body [12]. Thus, even if "body pH" were a primary cause of disease, the strategies the Youngs propose would not influence it in the way they claim.

Yes we have mechanisms to keep homeostasis, but what about putting strain onto those mechanisms? What about long term unbalanced? Does those mechanisms, days after days, are always able to compensate? And which part of the system is robe to compensate?

 

[Buddy]

Good questions, Ellipse.

I thought it was common knowledge, but if not then perhaps this is just opinion? Anyway, many believe that when the body is excessively acidic there is usually a diet which is high in protein, fat and carbohydrates and low in greens and raw food, stressing the digestive mechanisms, inhibiting proper digestion and overloading the immune system with incompletely digested macromolecules and toxins. These digestive disturbances are aggravated by the typically high intake of food additives, pesticides and stimulating foods that are common in the Western diet.

Chronic acidity (too much tissue acid waste in the body from acid-forming food in too great amount) can interrupt most all cellular activities and functions to the point where we may experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion and general aches and pains.

If it is the case that degenerative diseases including cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and tooth decay are associated with excess acidity in the body, then supplementing the diet with appropriate alkalizing agents would be highly beneficial in elevating the systemic pH by replenishing the alkaline mineral and enzyme reserves.

Or so it is said.



Source: _http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/alkaline.htm

 

[Gaby]

I hate to use a piece from quackwatch.org as the site emotionally argues that flouride and mercury are safe. But here's the page on Dr Robert Young:

A Critical Look at "Dr." Robert Young's


The idea that dietary modification can change the acidity of the body is silly. Homeostatic mechanisms keep the acidity of the blood stream within a narrow range. Certain foods can leave end-products called ash. Alkaline-ash foods include fresh fruit and raw vegetables. Acid-ash foods include all animal products, whole grains, beans, and other seeds. These foods can change the acidity of the urine (but not the body as a whole), but that's irrelevant since your urine is contained in your bladder and does not affect the pH elsewhere in the body [12]. Thus, even if "body pH" were a primary cause of disease, the strategies the Youngs propose would not influence it in the way they claim.

Yes we have mechanisms to keep homeostasis, but what about putting strain onto those mechanisms? What about long term unbalanced? Does those mechanisms, days after days, are always able to compensate? And which part of the system is robe to compensate?

These homeostatic mechanisms are tightly regulated to the point that you will always have a stable pH in your arterial blood unless there is a pathological state in your body: kidney failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, etc. I read thousands of pH blood samples in several countries in a hospital setting and they were always within normal range unless there was a pathological state that needed attention. People can have a crappy diet for a long time and live in a toxic environment and even have chronic diseases and still manage to have a normal arterial pH.

The understanding of acidity and alkalinity in alternative medicine is somewhat different from what we know from physiology and biochemistry. I thought that Sidney Baker added more perspective to it in his book Detoxification and Healing, but even then, it makes me wonder if the whole theory is being exaggerated by the "Vegetarian Hypothesis."

If meats are acidic and they contribute to osteoporosis because our bones go to the rescue in order to counteract the acidity of meats, then paleolithic records should show osteoporotic bones.

 

[dugdeep]

These homeostatic mechanisms are tightly regulated to the point that you will always have a stable pH in your arterial blood unless there is a pathological state in your body: kidney failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, etc. I read thousands of pH blood samples in several countries in a hospital setting and they were always within normal range unless there was a pathological state that needed attention. People can have a crappy diet for a long time and live in a toxic environment and even have chronic diseases and still manage to have a normal arterial pH.

I agree. Homeostatic mechanisms work really well to maintain the pH of the blood. Even minor variations in blood pH can be absolutely disastrous and lead to quick death, as I understand it. The general theory in the alternative health world is that the way the body buffers the blood pH to make it more alkaline if needed, is by taking minerals from the bone. They argue that a chronically acidic diet will eventually lead to low bone-density.

[quote author=Psyche]
The understanding of acidity and alkalinity in alternative medicine is somewhat different from what we know from physiology and biochemistry. I thought that Sidney Baker added more perspective to it in his book Detoxification and Healing, but even then, it makes me wonder if the whole theory is being exaggerated by the "Vegetarian Hypothesis."

If meats are acidic and they contribute to osteoporosis because our bones go to the rescue in order to counteract the acidity of meats, then paleolithic records should show osteoporotic bones.
[/quote]

Exactly. Although the acid/alkaline theory might be solid, it has definitely been usurped by the hippies and is being used to further the "Vegetarian Hypothesis." I'd recently taken the whole theory with a grain of salt since the network came to the conclusion that humans need a predominantly meat-based diet and thinking that the acid/alkaline theory wasn't reconcilable with that fact. However, this article appeared on SOTT in February. It says that it's only plant protein which is acidifying, not animal protein. This makes a lot more sense.

[quote author=http://www.sott.net/articles/show/223987-Does-protein-leach-calcium-from-the-bones-Yes-but-only-if-it-is-plant-protein]
If the idea that protein leaches calcium from the bones is correct, one would expect to see a negative association between protein consumption and bone mineral density (BMD). This negative association should be particularly strong in people aged 50 and older, who are more vulnerable to BMD losses.

As it turns out, this idea appears to be correct only for plant protein. Animal protein seems to be associated with an increase in BMD, at least according to a study by Promislow et al. (2002). The study shows that there is a positive multivariate association between animal protein consumption and BMD; an association that becomes negative when plant protein consumption is considered. [/quote]

So if it's only plant protein that causes an acidic ash waste that needs to be neutralized, this actually implicates the vegetarian diet, with its need to incorporate high protein vegetable foods to meet protein requirements, more than a meat-based one. The article is all based on an observational study, mind you, so it doesn't prove anything, but it's not a bad place to go for a working hypothesis. It at least makes it possible to not have to scrap the entire acid/alkaline theory, which seems to have some good evidence.

 

[whovian]

There are several things to consider here:

The author only discusses the issue from a 'macrobiotic' standpoint. If we all ate whole, organic, unprocessed foods, we wouldn't need to even discuss 'acid/alkaline' balance.

While the author makes scientific points about blood pH never changing unless there is pathology involved, he fails to recognize that even minor and momentary disturbances of blood pH can be disastrous in the long-term. Yes, the body will auto regulate a high-acid level by releasing bone-minerals into the blood, but if this process is repeated several times a day over many, many years, then disease will eventually occur. You could probably slip a thumb full of some foreign substance into your gas tank every time you fill up, and the car may run, but over time the engine will eventually suffer damage, increased wear, and shorter-life.

This brings into the discussion the aforementioned chemicals, additives, and artificial substances absorbed into the body along with all the macro-nutrients. Not to mention the large number of people who regularly take prescription medications. Many of these substances have very long half-lives, staying in the body for weeks and even months after the med is discontinued. This would surely affect blood pH over time.

Also consider that these substances may not only subtly affect blood pH, but the body's own regulatory systems as well. How can the thyroid, adrenals, and pituitary function to counter act all this when they are under constant barrage from said chemicals and pharmaceuticals?

I think the solution here is fairly obvious. Try and eat whole, natural foods. Stay away from anything with more than one ingredient. Eat lots of grass-fed meat (meat=glutathione production=antioxidant activity=mopping of harmful substances). And stay away from doctors and 'Quackwatch.' Both are ripe with 'select truths' and disinformation. If it hasn't been published in a major medical journal, it carries no weight or substance in their view. Unfortunately, all of these studies are funded by pharmaceutical companies or medical device companies, so all of the information from these studies are biased and skewed.

 

[dugdeep]

And stay away from doctors and 'Quackwatch.' Both are ripe with 'select truths' and disinformation. If it hasn't been published in a major medical journal, it carries no weight or substance in their view. Unfortunately, all of these studies are funded by pharmaceutical companies or medical device companies, so all of the information from these studies are biased and skewed.

Yes, I meant to mention that in my last post. Quackwatch is complete disinfo. It's not only that they only recognize pharmaceutical industry funded studies, there's good reason to believe they are pharmaceutical funded themselves. The founder, Dr. Stephen Barrett has never given a good answer on where the funding for the organization comes from and it costs a lot of money to constantly be taking natural health practitioners to court (and consistently losing). There's no smoking gun, but it's pretty obvious there is a lot of money behind the organization. Smells like Big Pharma. I wouldn't trust their opinion on anything at all.

 

[Flux2012]

Question, is the body naturally acidic or alkaline without the influence of foods? If, say a person were to fast for a few days, would their body become more acidic/alkaline, or would it not change?

In other words, is fasting a good way to alkalize the body?

 

[de-tached]

From my understanding, it wouldn't change much due to the fact that the body needs to detoxify (especially a liver cleanse if a person's condition is bad, or if they have a long history of unhealthy dietary habits) and flush out the old acidic waste products (through urination, defecation, perspiration, and respiration) while having a fresh supply of greens, oils, amino acids, omegas, etc...

The best way is to make green smoothies in a VitaMix, sprouted pâtés, and soups- all with alkalized water. And you should pig out on the healthy stuff! Don't starve yourself!

 

[Persej]

I found an interesting article about acid-alkaline balance in the body that sounds the most logical to me so far about this topic, even though not every part might be correct. Here is the excerpt:

ACID-BASE BALANCE AND YOUR HEALTH
By Dr. Lawrence Wilson
​

Everyone is acidic today. Today, most people’s bodies are too acidic. The main reason is a low level of the alkaline reserve minerals. These include zinc, chromium, copper, iron, manganese and a few others.

If the body becomes too acidic, one is prone to cancer, heart disease, and many other health problems. For this reason, balancing the pH or having a good acid-alkaline balance in the body is very important.

Confusion assessing the body. I find the bodies are all acidic, even if a urine, blood or saliva pH test indicates an alkaline condition. The reason for this is that measuring the body tissues is quite difficult. They are simply not readily available to measure.

Instead, doctors and others do what is easy, which is to measure the urine, the saliva, and sometimes the pH of the blood.

However, the pH of the tissues is most important, not that of the blood, urine or saliva. In fact, often the other body fluids compensate for an acidic condition of the tissues.

Confusion and harm from methods used to alkalinize the body. Most of the methods recommended in books to normalize the pH are not very good. They are often temporary short-cuts that do not address the real problems. As a result, they work for a little while, and then harm the body.

These tend to rely upon drinking alkaline water, or taking baking soda, for example. Others involve raw food diets, fruit or vegetable juices. Still others use fruit or vegetarian diets. ALL OF THESE METHODS ARE HARMFUL, AS WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THIS ARTICLE.

In contrast, nutritional balancing programs alkalinize the body by addressing and correcting the deeper causes of acid-base imbalance. These are explained below.

CAUSES OF PH IMBALANCES IN THE BODY

1. Alkaline reserve mineral deficiencies. Certain minerals have an alkaline reaction in the body. They include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, chromium, selenium, iron, copper and perhaps a few others.

These minerals are called the alkaline reserve minerals in organic chemistry. They are the key to the pH of the body. They are found mainly in cooked vegetables. They can also be obtained from vegetable juices, but juices cause other problems when used in excess.

Everyone today is low in the alkaline reserve minerals. Most people are born low in these minerals because their mothers were deficient in them. In addition, modern agriculture and the so-called “green revolution” has caused serious alkaline reserve mineral deficiencies in the soil and food of the earth.

This is the main reason why most all the human bodies on earth tend to be somewhat acidic.

2. Too many acid-forming minerals. These include phosphorus, some forms of sulfur, some forms of iron, and most of the toxic metals. These must be balanced by enough alkaline reserve minerals.

Reasons why some people obtain too many acid-forming minerals are:

1) Eating too much meat, eggs or dairy products, all of which are high in phosphorus. Meat also tends to rot or putrefy in the intestines when too much is eaten, creating acidic toxic metabolic compounds in the intestines.

2) Eating too much grain. Grains are high in phosphorus. They are also often high in phytic acid, which interferes with the absorption of the alkaline reserve minerals.

3) Diets high in fruit. Many fruits contain fruit acids. The body must neutralize these acids, and some bodies today are unable to do this.

The most acidic fruits include all citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and tangerines). Other acidic fruits are most of the berries, and any fruit that is picked before it is ripe.

4) Drinking soda pop that is high in phosphoric acid.

5) Exposure to toxic metals or toxic chemicals through cigarette smoke, marijuana, and a few occupations

6) Possibly taking iron pills on a long-term basis.

3. Other dietary imbalances.

A. Diets low in cooked vegetables. Eating a diet low in cooked vegetables, or high in salads, will cause a deficiency of alkaline reserve minerals and an acidic state of body chemistry. This is extremely common.

B. Junk food diets. Diets containing a lot of white flour products, white rice and/or chemicalized foods are all low in alkaline reserve minerals. These will also cause a more acidic body chemistry.

C. Raw food diets. Our bodies cannot absorb nearly as many minerals from most raw food such as salads and raw grains (granola, mueslie, and trail mix). This causes alkaline mineral deficiency.

D. Use of alcohol or drugs. Those who use alcohol generally do not eat as nutritious diets. Many drugs contain toxic metals, and interfere with proper utilization of nutrients.

4. Use of some medical drugs. Many medical drugs are toxic chemicals that have a damaging effect upon the absorption of nutrients in the intestinal tract. This contributes to alkaline reserve mineral deficiencies. Many also have other damaging effects upon the body, which can contribute to an acidic state of body chemistry.

5. Most toxic metals have an acidic effect. Everyone today is born with too many toxic metals in the body. This condition worsens with age as everyone is exposed to toxic metals in our food, air, drinking water, and through contact.

6. Chronic infections and their endotoxins and exotoxins tend to acidify the body. Most people have several dozen chronic infections. Common sites of chronic infections include the sinuses, intestines, throat, eyes, ears, gums, teeth and others.

For example, candida albicans is a very common and quite acidic fungal infection that is present in anyone who eats a lot of sugar, fruit or other sweet foods.

7. Intestinal toxicity tends to have an acidifying effect. These toxins are the products of fermentation of sugars and, even more so, putrefaction of proteins. This is a very common problem among the population.

It is sometimes called autointoxication, as it comes from within and not outside of the body. Even a hurried lifestyle that does not permit perfect digestion will make toxin generation worse.

8. Many toxic chemicals have an acidic reaction in the body. This occurs for various reasons. For example, many toxic chemicals are enzyme inhibitors, so they damage normal oxidative and other mechanisms in the body.

9. Sluggish liver activity tends to have an acidifying effect. This occurs because bile is a highly alkaline substance and liver toxicity and sluggishness tends to cause reduced bile flow.

Also, without sufficient bile in the small and large intestines, the intestinal flora is incorrect and many infections, including yeast infections, tend to develop that further acidify the body.

In addition, without enough bile, digestion is impaired. This reduces the absorption of the alkaline reserve minerals. It also causes more intestinal putrefaction and fermentation of sugars increases, further acidifying the body.

10. The oxidation rate affects the alkalinity and acidity of the body. This is much more complex because the oxidation rate can be a primary cause of pH imbalances, or it can compensate for other problems in an attempt to balance the pH. Here are some examples:

Fast oxidation generates more acidic metabolic end products such as lactic acid. Also, those with a fast oxidation rate tend to be lower in calcium and magnesium, which are needed to neutralize lactic and other metabolic acids.

However, healthier fast oxidizers such as babies tend to have more alkaline reserve minerals in their bodies, so they tolerate the larger amounts of lactic acid and lower calcium levels found with fast oxidation.

Slow oxidation. Slow oxidation may be a compensation for acidity. Metabolism slows down, so fewer acid end products of metabolism are generated. Also, calcium builds up in the tissues and may protect the body from some of the effects of too much acidity.

However, slow oxidizers may become even more acidic than some fast oxidizers due to:

1. Producing more bowel toxins.

2. More chronic infections, including yeast and fungal infections

3. Greater amounts of toxic metals.

4. More cancer in the body.

5. They often have more sluggish liver activity and reduced bile secretion.

11. Shallow breathing. This can lead to respiratory acidosis. It is common in the population. Deep breathing, in contrast, tends to balance the pH of the body.

12. Inadequate hydration. Water in our bodies has many effects upon the pH. It acts as a buffering substance, and it is required to remove toxic metals and toxic chemicals. It is also required for millions of enzyme reactions needed to maintain health. Dehydration, which is common, can be another cause of pH problems.

13. Drinking reverse osmosis or distilled water. These drinking waters are lacking in alkaline reserve minerals, and this worsens deficiencies of these alkaline-forming minerals.

14. Other causes of acidity. For example, the growth of cancer in the body tends to further acidify the body.

CORRECTION OF THE PH WITH NUTRITIONAL BALANCING

The methods used in nutritional balancing to correct the pH include:

1. A diet very high in alkaline reserve minerals

2. Removing all infections.

3. Removing ALL of the toxic metals and hundreds of toxic chemicals

4. Improving oxygenation and hydration.

5. Improving bowel function and digestion to reduce fermentation and putrefaction in the large intestine

6. Improving liver function and enhancing bile secretion.

The full article: https://drlwilson.com/Articles/ACID-BASE.HTM

I think that this is a first time that I've read that somebody recommends cooking vegetables instead of eating them raw. I guess that fermentation would have the same effect of making the minerals more bioavailable.

Speaking of lack of minerals, I have a cousin who had anemia that doctors couldn't find the cause for, until they put her on a gluten-free diet. Whether the problem was with gluten or with phytic acid, I don't know, but she resolved her health problems with that diet.

 

[KristinLynne]

The REAL Reason Why Apple Cider Vinegar Helps with WEIGHT LOSS - Dr. Berg​

Despite the title about weight loss, I was curious about the differences between being too alkaline v/s too acidic which is what the video is really about. Yeast love a more alkaline environment according to Dr. Berg which is why I was curious about the differences. Dr. Berg advocates a Keto diet (but still uses some dairy) and the few other videos I watched he seems to share a lot of the information found here on the forum. Most are pretty short videos but he breaks the info down into easier to understand language for those who are new to the dieting for health.

My question is to those who know much more than me; is this theory about our bodies being too alkaline which impairs the absorption of vitamins and minerals causing things like calcium to disperse in unwanted locations of our bodies, something to consider?

At the end he shows how to make a drink using a small cup of water with 2 teaspoons of ACV and a teaspoon of lemon juice to drink before meals. (He also uses cranberry but can omit). For those of us who don't need to lose any more weight but want to help digestion and the other things he claims it relieves, would this be something to experiment with? I have tried it and am on day 2 so I don't have much to report at this time.

 

[Lukasz]

is this theory about our bodies being too alkaline which impairs the absorption of vitamins and minerals causing things like calcium to disperse in unwanted locations of our bodies, something to consider?

In my opinion his view is quite the contrary of what is true.

Most people are probably too acidic not too alkaline. I think that he unjustifiably discourages from testing pH of urine or saliva and makes conclusions only by symptoms instead, while these symptoms may be attributed to various conditions.

Also, due to how it is broken down and digested, apple cider vinegar is actually not acid once consumed. So drinking water with ACV and lemon juice has an alkaline effect on the body.

He also said that "ascorbic acid is fake vitamin c", so also a red lamp for me.

If you don't know it already, you may be interested in a book - "Sodium Bicarbonate: Nature's Unique First Aid Remedy" where Dr Mark Sircus, among all, discusses body's pH levels and how to test them. This book is discussed here:

Sodium Bicarbonate - Effective against colds and flu and cancer?

"Sometimes the truth is right in from our nose. It's so close that we cannot focus on it. There is not such a thing as "the" truth. Truth is not something you can think of possessing. Truth is search. Truth can only be found by stretching the limits of your horizons by widening your way of...

cassiopaea.org

And on calcium accumulating in unwanted locations of our bodies, I recommend a book "Death By Calcium" by Dr Thomas E. Levy
I wrote more about it here:

The Carnivore Diet

Does anybody care about calcium intake? Sure. I also was a bit worried about my calcium intake, cause I'm dairy intolerant. What I have been doing is, following some recommendations from Chrismasterjohn, Kris Kresser and Paul Saladino, including whole sardins in my diet, and a supplement: Bone...

cassiopaea.org

 

[Magnolia]

In my opinion his view is quite the contrary of what is true. Most people are probably too acidic not too alkaline.

In my case, this was true. I did physical labor for 8 hours a year ago. The next day I couldn't step on my foot -- it was terribly painful and was swollen. I researched it on the internet and discovered it was "gout" -- caused by not drinking enough water while doing the work (dehydration) combined with excessive uric acid in body.

I learned -- to control this acidity in the body -- (a) drink lots of water, and (b) take apple cider vinegar in water 1-2 times a day. As you noted: though acidic, ACV promotes an alkaline environment inside your body. So I took ACV. The gout went away. It can come back though, so I learned I must continue taking ACV to keep acidity at bay.

Kristine Lynne: I don't know anything about ACV's relation to mineral absorption, etc.

Lukasz: Thank you for the links in your post. I didn't know those threads existed. They are extremely interesting and edifying.

 

[Magnolia]

The REAL Reason Why Apple Cider Vinegar Helps with WEIGHT LOSS - Dr. Berg

Despite the title about weight loss, I was curious about the differences between being too alkaline v/s too acidic which is what the video is really about.

My question is ........ is this theory about our bodies being too alkaline which impairs the absorption of vitamins and minerals causing things like calcium to disperse in unwanted locations of our bodies, something to consider?

When I was a kid, I read all the books my parents had in the house. One was called "Folk Medicine" by D.C. Jarvis, MD, published in 1958. I recall it covered a lot of information about the use of apple cider vinegar. I picked up a used copy of the book on Thriftbooks and started re-reading it this week (it's been decades since I last opened it). I haven't finished it yet -- but it discusses Vermont's traditional, natural medicines, is enjoyable reading, and discusses alkalinity and acidity with information I didn't know about before, and I question my previous understanding of the difference between the two. Hopefully, I'll discover the truth about which is which and what is what by the time I finish it. FYI.