pH Food Chart

Hi, thanks for the article Sarah. Where does apple cider vinegar sit on the PH chart? It was recommended to me as a supplement for potassium, but would it be acidic in my body?
-lisa

We know that Apple Cider Vinegar is initially very acidic, but the real question is what does it do to the body after digestion. My reading indicates that the mineral burn tests show that Apple Cider Vinegar leaves behind an alkaline ash, due to its calcium and potassium content. This is true only for Apple Cider Vinegar. Other vinegars shift the body into being more acidic.

In our anti-cancer energy drink written about in the article, Cancer Revisited: The Industry Suppressed Budwig Regimen or How To Cure Cancer With Cottage Cheese, cites using a pinch of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). This is not really needed to neutralize the Apple Cider Vinegar, but is instead to provide a pH buffer. Buffering minerals make a body resistant to pH changes; especially in regard to acidifying changes. In other words, a pinch of baking soda acts as a bio-chemical shield.

A Precautionary Notice About Baking Soda

Only use a pinch. We do not recommend the use of antacids, and technically baking soda is an
antacid. Indigestion is caused by a churning stomach that is overcompensating for there being too little stomach acid. Having too much stomach acid is a medical rarity, in fact. Thus, the use of antacids often worsens the problem in the long term, and ensures that proper digestion does not take place.

Too little baking soda is always better than too much. Take special note of the fact that the acidity of the stomach has an inverse relationship with body pH -- the stronger the stomach acid, the more alkaline the body is. You, therefore, want strong and unneutralized stomach acid.

Donna Gates, from bodyecology.com accurately reported that, "There are two main consequences of low stomach acid: 1. You become protein malnourished. When your stomach acid is low, you are not able to digest protein. Improper digestion of protein creates toxins in your intestines that can set the stage for illness and disease. Improper digestion of protein also creates acidic blood, since protein is by nature acidic. 2. You become mineral deficient. As your blood becomes more acidic, it will look for minerals from anywhere in your body, in order to get your blood to its more ideal alkaline state. Acidic blood robs your body of minerals, even taking minerals from your bones (which is important to know if you want to prevent osteoporosis).

"Low stomach acid eventually creates a vicious cycle: low stomach acid = low minerals = acidic blood. This cycle continues because acidic blood further creates low minerals and low stomach acid. Once this vicious cycle has started, there is a cascade of consequences:

"You could eat plenty of protein and still be protein malnourished. This raises cortisol levels (stress or death hormone), thereby raising your blood glucose (blood sugar levels). Elevated cortisol adversely affects your behavior and temperment.

"Eventually, your adrenals become depleted (adrenal fatigue) and DHEA, the youth hormone, is suppressed, leading to premature aging.

"Low DHEA and high cortisol affect your brain and behavior, but that's not all. The vicious cycle of low stomach acid affects your inner ecosystem too. Low stomach acid can lead to more bad guys (pathogenic bacteria, candida and viruses) than good guys (healthy microflora), thus lowering your immunity.

"Here are some of the common symptoms and disorders caused by low stomach acid: Bloating, belching, and flatulence immediately after meals, Heartburn (often thought to be caused by too much stomach acid), Indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation, Undigested food in stools, Acne, Rectal itching, Chronic candida, Hair loss in women, Multiple food allergies, Iron deficiency, Weak, peeling, or cracked fingernails, Chronic fatigue, Adrenal fatigue, Dry skin, Various autoimmune diseases"

Is spring water naturally alkaline?

Yes, due to the mineral content. Distilled water that you buy from stores is usually acidic, presumably due to the chemicals leaching out of plastic. Distilled water should be neutral (7).

The minerals act as pH buffers, meaning that they help the water to resist changes in pH. They also help to get it alkaline in the first place. Distilled water is pure, so it does not have any protective mineral buffers. This makes it easy to shift its pH. The carbon dioxide in the air causes the formation of tiny amounts of carbonic acid in distilled water, which makes it slightly acidic over time. Those plastic jugs that it is usually purchased in are not as air-proof as you might expect, so gases are allowed to penetrate through them.

Seems that now water is acidic. Are these machines that make water alkaline worth the money?

We use spring water, which we believe is the ideal. We cannot answer if those devices would be worth the price for you, because only you can answer that question.

We generally avoid all discussions about specific products and brands, because our goal is to produce the-poor-man's guide to health. Good health habits are not expensive, and are certainly cheaper than the alternative.