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Mahes Visvalingam Acid-Base
Balance |
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Like
the body temperature, the body's pH is one indicator of health. If you feel unwell, this is the first thing
you should check and correct. The body cannot assimilate minerals and
nutrients when its pH is out of balance. There are cheap and simple remedies for
correcting most transient imbalance, the persistence of which can cause
diseases needing medical intervention.
There are good resources on the internet. These notes cover: 1. What is pH 2. Note why the body can become either acidic or
alkaline - causes 3. Describe how any imbalance can be detected by urine pH testing.
I also list some symptoms of acidity and alkalinity so that you can
judge if you need a test. 4. Explain how the body regulates fluctuations in our pH 5. Record our experience, which has tended towards acidity 6. Present some home remedies for acidity 7. Provide links to alkalising diets 8. Record some case studies |
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1. What is pH?
pH stands for potential hydrogen (see http://physiciansnotebook.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/acidity-and-alkalinity-of-body.html). It refers to the amount of hydrogen in
solution. It is also a measure of cell voltage in millivolts (mV) as
explained by Dr Jerry Tennant https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKNK6AdDOOc.
An acidic solution will have a pH below 7.0 and have a +ve
voltage; a basic or alkaline solution will have a pH above 7.0 and have a
negative voltage. Arterial blood pH is normally closely regulated to between
7.35 and 7.45; it is slightly alkaline. The body uses bicarbonate, protein
and other buffers to maintain the blood pH level at about 7.4 https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ap/chapter/acid-base-balance/ Acidosis
can result from a deficit of bicarbonates or from an excess of hydrogen in
acids. Prolonged stress, diseases (diabetes, pneumonia etc.), weather
and medication can alter the pH balance of cell tissue (See https://patient.info/doctor/acid-base-balance). There are different types of
acidosis caused by different conditions which lead to a shortage of oxygen.
For example, respiratory
acidosis can be caused by suffocation or spontaneous arrest during
asthma; suppressed respiration by pneumonia, emphysema or morphine, or the
inhalation of gases with a lot of carbon dioxide. Diabetics can suffer from acidosis due to a
release of keto-acids from the digestion of fats (given their inability to
use glucose). Fasting also
causes the digestion of stored fats, causing an acid tide and the pH may drop
to 5 after a couple of days. Like the alkaline tide, this too can cause
kidney, ureter and bladder stones formed from excess uric acid as fats and
muscles are broken down. Perhaps this is why naturopaths prescribe
fruit intake during fasting. Diarrhoea
and vomiting can cause acidosis through the loss of sodium bicarbonate
and other minerals. Over-eating
and improper mastication of food is also said to cause acidosis - see http://www.herballegacy.com/Acidosis.html Alkalosis
may be caused by a loss of acid, a build-up of bicarbonates,
or due to a deficit of carbon dioxide in the blood. Rapid shallow breathing (hyperventilation)
by asthmatics causes alkalosis and it is claimed that the Buteyko method of
breathing can help. Apparently, aspirin
overdose can also induce hyperventilation and acidosis. Conversely, shallow breathing can also
cause reverse alkalosis, since the kidneys produce bicarbonates to counter
the build-up of acid. The bicarbonate buffer, which is
extremely important in regulation of acid-base balance in the body, is
described below. While sodium
bicarbonate has many health and other benefits, you should consult your doctor before taking it
since it is contraindicated for certain medical conditions like high blood
pressure, tendency towards kidney stones, deficiency of calcium or
hydrochloric acid, OR if you are taking medications which cause alkalinity.
Sodium bicarbonate reduces the absorption of a number of other drugs taken
concomitantly (https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/25416). Alkalising
diets (see below) recommend potassium rich fruit and vegetables. |
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It is difficult to get a measure
of blood pH as this involves an arterial puncture. So the changes in body pH are assessed by measuring
urine and/or saliva pH. It is not an accurate reflection of body status but
is a reasonable indicator if repeated under the same conditions. One reason why the urine pH is
tested is to assess the risk of kidney
stones. Urine pH varies during a 24 hour period from about 6.0 to 6.5 on
waking to 6.5 to 7.0 in the evening.
There is a suggestion that urine pH should be held at 6.8 in the
morning and at 7.0 to 7.2 during the rest of the day and evening. The morning
pH is more acidic because our oxygen intake through respiration is reduced
during sleep. Eating a meal causes
what is known as an alkaline tide. This lasts for about 2 hours. So, the best time to test your pH is about
one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal. The alkaline tide may cause cramps and even
kidney stones, since calcium phosphate, which is soluble in acid, can become
insoluble during the alkaline tide. As noted above, the body has
enough resources to protect or buffer temporary changes in pH. However, when its resources are in constant
demand, due to faulty feeding or some organic malfunction, it cannot perform
the buffering function. So if your
urine pH is well outside the range expected, you should always consult your
doctor - and should not attempt to correct the problem yourself. Some symptoms of acidity premature aging; immune deficiency; hormone-related problems;
joint pain and osteoporosis (and fractures). Obesity and diabetes;
bladder/kidney problems (including uric acid stones); yeast/fungal problems;
acid reflux, chronic fatigue, disorientation, sleepiness, gasping for breath,
bronchitis, abdominal pain. Tendency
towards inflammatory diseases, e.g. cystitis, bronchitis, arthritis, gastritis
etc. Some alkalosis symptoms, which are less common: light
headedness, agitation, dizziness, tingling, twitchy movements. Please check online resources for
more information |
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4.
Regulation of pH Even daily activities like exercise, breathing, and
digestion of food can alter the pH balance which is normalised by the
compensating actions of the lungs and kidneys. Weather, medication and stress can also
affect the pH. Deep breathing has an
alkalising effect while shallow rapid breathing causes respiratory acidosis.
The kidneys can excrete acidic and alkaline urine to normalise the pH. According to Dr Khalid, The buffer systems
can act within a fraction of a second to prevent excessive changes in
hydrogen ion concentration. On the other hand, it takes 1 to 12 minutes for
the respiratory system to make acute adjustments and another day or so to
make still additional chronic adjustments. Finally, the kidneys, although
providing the most powerful of all the acid-base regulatory systems, require
many hours to several days to readjust the hydrogen ion concentration. https://www.homeobook.com/regulation-of-acid-base-balance/
· The Bicarbonate Buffer is explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_S5wZks9v8 · Mineral buffers from bone
- Just as fat stores excess energy for use during a fast, the
body stores vital minerals in the bone. Acidic conditions lead to a de-mineralisation
of the bone and the use of potassium, magnesium and calcium ions to
neutralise the excess hydrogen. The excess unused mineral ions are then
excreted through the urine. Such demineralisation of the bones for acid
pH buffering causes osteoporosis. · Protein buffer from muscles - this is because amino acids in protein make
good buffers. Unfortunately, if the
body is acidic, muscle tissue is broken down and converted by the kidneys
into ammonia by the addition of excess hydrogen which is excreted with urine. |
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5.
In our experience,
our bodies seem to be more prone to acidity.
Correcting an acidic constitution improves general wellbeing and
raises energy levels. Many bacterial, viral and fungal infections thrive in
an acidic environment and can induce acidic states causing a vicious
cycle. For example, COVID-19 induces
non-respiratory hypoxia – a shortage of oxygen in the blood which appears to
be unrelated to breathing. During the 1918 flu pandemic, those who took
bicarbonate of soda did not get infected and those who had been infected were
treated with bicarbonate of soda. Bicarbonate of soda rapidly resolved long-standing
problems which have stumped the medical profession. My husband had complex medical
conditions, including severe oozing oedema, poor circulation, bleeding
varicose veins and eczema, constipation caused by fractures, and medication
and a lack of energy etc. Within two
years of stopping all medication and use of complementary therapies which
included bicarbonate of soda treatment, all these conditions resolved. Much
of the acidosis was caused by the medication, which included the diuretic
DIAMOX (acetazolamide) which causes acidosis.
It also affected his heart – so we stopped all medication when a
pacemaker was implanted. He is nearly
80 – and this shows that, given time and patience, the body is capable of
recovering from what seems like a hopeless deteriorating condition. There are several ways of increasing the pH of the
body, e.g. through diet and deep breathing which are advised by many
complementary therapies. My father
(who died aged 93) and several others who passed over in their 90s and when
over 100 years used to take bicarbonate of soda. Please see my link to Edna Boone’s
testimony in Bsoda.pdf, which is updated to provide
links to recent scientific research findings on many medicinal uses of
bicarbonate of soda. 6. Home
Remedies for Acidity
a. Bicarbonate
intake 1. Dissolve a few grains of Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulphate) in a little very hot water with half tsp of
sugar. Epsom Salt is a laxative at
a higher dose – so just add a few grains. 2. When dissolved add some cool water to about a third to half tumbler of water. 3. Add third to
half tsp of bicarbonate of soda. Stir until
dissolved. Older generations used to take ˝ to 1 tsp
of bicarbonate a day. 4. Squeeze in a little lime/lemon juice to remove the soapy taste. This will make the drink fizz as the
reaction changes the bicarbonate into carbonate and releases carbon
dioxide. It is better to take the
bicarbonate and citrus juice separately to maximise the bicarbonate. 5. Drink it immediately. 6. Drink
plenty of water. Urination not only removes many
of the cellular waste products, it also controls both the amount and the
composition of the extracellular fluid in the body. It goes without saying that you
should not take sodium bicarbonate if you are on a sodium-restricted diet,
e.g. for high blood pressure. Antacids
also interact with some prescription drugs.
Do not over-dose – even excessive water intake can kill. It is better
to correct the diet before it leads to more serious, often difficult to
treat, chronic inflammatory diseases than to rely on antacids. b. Remember that deep
belly breathing, which is alkalising, is promoted by all healing
therapies. The Wim
Hof Breathing method is said to acutely increase pH up to 7.8, and apparently
urine pH also goes up after a session of WHM breathing. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/breathing-exercises c. An alkalising
diet also helps. There are several online resources on this. One should not rely on antacids, like
sodium bicarbonate, to buffer an unhealthy diet, since there are side-effects
of doing so. d. This page includes some alkalising home remedies for
treating urinary tract infections. - https://nursestutorial.blogspot.com/2016/07/10-home-remedies-for-uti.html. WARNING:
some herbs (e.g. ginger and turmeric) and bicarbonate of soda should not be
used in medicinal dosages if you have high blood pressure, itchiness etc. |
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7.
Alkalising diet There are many different charts posted online, which give some
conflicting classifications of the acid-base residue of food items. I do
not know whether this page is reliable but it seems to match our experience
of some common fruit and vegetables. https://acidalkalinediet.net/acid-alkaline-food-chart.php. You
need to monitor how your own urine pH - i.e. how your body - responds to what
you eat. Also, be aware that people like me, whose immune system has
been compromised by DDT and medication, are intolerant of some food.
Some people use the Coca Test (or Pulse test) to identify potential allergens
which can also upset the body's biochemistry. I use a pendulum to assess
whether the item is beneficial or harmful to me through a muscular response
from the body itself. One man’s food
is another man’s poison. The advice is that one should consume 70-80% alkaline and only
at most 20-30% acidic food. In my experience the body can deal with a moderate
amount of most food. https://www.myamericannurse.com/perfecting-your-acid-base-balancing-act-2/
Vegetable broths with onions, carrots, celery, ginger, garlic
and parsley and other vegetables and herbs are alkalising and mineralising.
You could include bones and some cider vinegar or citrus if you wish
to increase the mineral content. An
English friend who died when she was 103 told me that they used to have a lot
of bone broth and the Chinese are fond of sweet and sour ribs. So-called
potassium broths, include seaweed, like kombu. Only the
sick need daily doses of these potassium rich broths - too much potassium can
upset the electrolyte balance of the body.
Many of these items are expensive - but they are cheaper than
prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
Our ancestors did not indulge in super-foods and such expensive items
need not be a part of routine diet.
Equally, our ancestors did not live in centrally heated houses nor
have all the mod-cons we have. They
laboured hard and walked miles to school, work etc. They needed more protein and fat, and in
general more food, than we do.
Unfortunately, indulging in eating has become an unhealthy social
habit. Enjoy it if your body can cope
- but if starts to struggle, you can probably recover if you promptly
moderate your eating habits. Acid-forming
foods. People who consume a lot of meat, fish and shellfish, dairy,
cereals, white flour products and sugar (especially artificial sweeteners and
canned drinks) etc. tend towards acidity. Peppermint and parsley are often recommended for acidity.
Peppermint is antispasmodic and peppermint creams are often sucked after
meals. But, be aware that peppermint
antidotes homeopathic medicines and those sweets can rot the teeth. It is
very easy to grow parsley, especially the flat leaf variety, in deep pots. Incidentally, urinary tract infections (UTI) can be caused by
bacteria thriving in acidic or alkaline urine. In the latter case, friends have found
vitamin C or juice made with fresh or dried cranberries (acidic substances)
helpful. You may wish to look these
up. |
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8.
Some
case notes on acidity ·
Gastritis
- This was brought on by very cold windy weather. Homeopathic remedies
(Nat Phos 6c) give relief - but they did not
completely cure my gastritis. The home treatment for chest and head congestion led to steady
improvement in acid-base balance. I suspect that it was mainly due to
the Alkalising Drink, although I stopped having it. I find that the
daily half cup of Ginger tea is doing me a world of good. In 2020, we restarted taking the Alkalising
Drink on alternate days as a potential protection against COVID-19. ·
Pleurisy
and bronchitis - Initially brought on by stress and exposure to chemical
sprays in the confined space of air cabins. This was probably
compounded by an infection. Resolved by similar home remedies. ·
Unknown cause of abdominal pain - A very thin lady had severe abdominal pain from Feb 2013 to
November 2013. She had various blood and urine tests and various types
of scans - all negative. During this time she had lost a stone in
weight, which suggested loss of bone mass. The colonoscopy in November
2013 also showed a healthy colon. I suggested that the problem might be
due to acidosis outside her tolerance range, which could cause inflammations
and spasms, besides encouraging Candida Albicans.
There is a detailed article on Systemic Candida at :
https://janus.net.pl/en/2018/01/22/candida-fungi/.
Similar information was covered in a book by Leon Chaitow,
first published in 1987, which led me to try Acidophilus with success in 1988
and which led to rejecting antibiotics and other unnecessary medication and
researching Complementary Therapies instead.
You can control parasitic Candida, which can destroy mucosa and cause
inflammations - but be aware that Candida die-off can be nasty since it
releases toxins into the blood stream. So, you may have to pace your
treatment. There are many online resources on Candida die-off. ·
Blepharitis The
alkalising drink had another unexpected beneficial effect. She had been
seeing hospital consultants about her dry and inflamed eyes for several years
and had been wearing wrap round glasses to create a more humid environment
and keep dust off her eyes and used eye drops as prescribed. This
developed into blepharitis,
which was managed with castor oil, since my husband cleared his blepharitis with this home remedy. When I visited
her on the 22 December 2013, she showed me her eyes - there was no swelling
or redness and they were not bothering her as much. Since blepharitis could be due to systemic fungal infection,
this again suggested that correcting the extracellular pH had created a
hostile environment for the fungus which was naturally dying off. So,
this shows that when the body's pH is outside the normal range (in her
case mainly due to stress), it can cause very unpleasant, even if not life
threatening, symptoms, e.g. fungal pneumonia. She now cleans her eyes
with the alkalising formula. Please note that the consultant we saw
when my husband had blepharitis did suggest bicarbonate of soda for an
eye wash - but this topical treatment did not help. So, it does look
like there is a need to correct the body’s pH. ·
Fatigue and symptoms of fungal infections - someone I knew had ME for more than 27 years and had never
felt well since. She had reflux and fungal infections from time to
time. She had a need to have a nap in the afternoons and generally felt
tired. Over the years she had tried homeopathy, acupuncture and other
therapies when prescription medicines had not helped her recover her energy
levels. She did not test the urine pH but had the alkalising drink and
felt that her energy levels were up. Although she still felt tired, she
could go out everyday and enjoy herself without a
need for naps. Having noticed the change in her, her friend was
going to try the remedy. After 6 months, my friend reports that she is
going through a good spell and has increased the number of hours she works
for a charity. · Diabetic with no energy - A diabetic friend had Candida explosion in Nov 2013 after he had antibiotics in Malta for a viral infection he picked up there. He started taking the Alkalising Drink in January when he felt that his energy level had become really low. He was then mis-diagnosed and treated for cancer - but felt that the alkalising drink had helped him regain his normal energy level. The so-called cancer (which was actually Candida Albicans) disappears when he applies Castor Oil but keeps coming back. He has systemic Candida due to his diabetes, which is difficult to control. · Adverse reaction to medication. We have cut a long story short. It started with Cosopt eye drops for glaucoma which impaired circulation; the addition of Brimonidine Tartarate caused Charles Bonnet type hallucinations (normally attributed to impaired vision). Oral medication for glaucoma resulted in engorged varicose veins in both legs, especially over the ankles. When Travatan was added to arrest worsening glaucoma, it resulted in varicose vein bleeds two weeks later. When Vistamethosone (a corticosteroid) was injected after eye surgery on two occasions, there was body wide rash and severe oedema from waist down. By this time the patient was totally blind. Diuretics caused brachycardia (slow pulse rate of just 31) and heart arrest, needing a pacemaker. We decided to stop all medication and over a period of two years the body has recovered. Although totally blind, the patient has not had a single hallucination. The patient still takes the alkalising drink on alternate days. |
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© Mahes Visvalingam 17 Jun 2006 |