498 Alkaline Water [19 November 2018]

I have wanted to write about the acid-alkaline balance for years but didn’t feel I understood it well enough. A recent article by Dr. Joseph Mercola on mercola.com, “Alkaline Water or Hydrogen Water” covered one aspect of the topic.

Alkaline water is made by a device that separates the water into acid and alkaline fractions by electrolysis. Promoters tell you to drink the alkaline water and feed the acidic water to your plants. They claim that the alkaline water will alkalize your (too-acidic) body providing many health benefits including prevention or treatment of arthritis, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

In his article Mercola points out that these health claims are not substantiated by research. Most studies show no benefit and the few that do were poorly designed. Mercola explains that because it isn’t buffered, alkaline water is neutralized by the stomach acid, not the other way around.

Mercola isn't the only one that believes alkalized water is overrated. Ryan Andrews of PrecisionNutrition reviews the evidence for several health claims and rates the evidence for it - mostly "weak" or "speculative".

Perceived benefits by the users could be attributed to the minerals in the water (mostly calcium, potassium and magnesium) or the placebo effect, but it turns out that it is the dissolved hydrogen (H2) gas produced during electrolysis. Mercola and his guest, hydrogen expert Tyler W. LeBaron, then discuss the research on the health benefits of molecular hydrogen gas. I encourage you to watch the entire fascinating interview.

Studies of supplemental antioxidants have had mixed results with some studies showing significant harm. That’s because while free radicals are harmful to the cell’s membranes, mitochondria and DNA, some are also used as signaling molecules in the cell. H2 is a potent antioxidant but selectively goes after the most toxic radicals like hydroxyl and superoxide. More importantly, H2 enhances production and activation of our cells’ other cyto-protective antioxidants like glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, but only as needed. Learn more about hydrogen water research at the Molecular Hydrogen Institute website.

Mercola ends by explaining the difference between hydrogen (H2) water and 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and showed that H2O2 cannot convert into H2. He emphatically warns “never ingest hydrogen peroxide”– it should be only used externally or for household cleaning.

It was refreshing to see Dr. Mercola warn against a natural health fad that has little research to support it. Evidently he doesn’t sell alkalizing water filters!

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

413 Kidney Stones [27 March 2017]

Kidney stones is a painful condition when crystals, usually calcium oxalate but also uric acid and other types, form in the kidneys. Small stones pass through without problems but larger ones can lodge in the urinary tract and block the flow of urine causing severe pain.

About 1 in 10 Canadians experience kidney stones at some time. Men are much more likely than women to develop kidney stones.

There is much you can do to prevent the formation of kidney stones:
• Drink 2-3 litres of water throughout the day to keep urine pale yellow
• Avoid soda pop as the phosphoric acid promotes stone formation
• Limit consumption of sugar, especially fructose
• Limit protein to 1g / 2 lbs lean body weight
• Limit red meat which lowers your citrate level
• Avoid or limit high oxalate content foods: beets, rhubarb, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes
• Avoid excess sodium
• Take extra magnesium, at least 1:1 with calcium
• Eat calcium-rich foods but go easy on calcium supplements – calcium in foods binds oxalates in the intestine preventing their absorption
• Maintain a healthy weight – obesity is a risk factor for kidney stones
• Exercise reduces risk of kidney stones

Stones that are too large to pass comfortably on their own require medical attention. Sound waves can be used to break up larger stones or surgery may be required. Potassium citrate is sometimes given to alkalize the urine and dissolve calcium oxalate stones but has some unpleasant side effects. Recent research using hydroxycitrate, an extract from the tamarind fruit (Garcinia cambogia) is showing promise of being a more effective and safer alternative.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

308 Excess Stomach Acid [2 March 2015]

Last week I wrote that heartburn or indigestion is more often caused by low stomach acid than by excess acid. This time let’s look at what to do if you are producing too much stomach acid.

First, to explain a paradox I touched on last week. How can having low stomach acid produce heartburn symptoms that are relieved by taking an antacid? Steve Wright explains it this way: low stomach acid leads to bacterial overgrowth and maldigested carbohydrates, which increase intra-abdominal pressure, pushing on the stomach and forcing the stomach juices up into the esophagus. Even weak acid will irritate the unprotected lining of the esophagus, causing heartburn.

Before treating yourself for excess acid, be sure that that is the problem. The Heidelberg Test is more accurate than the betaine challenge test described last week, but is expensive and your doctor may be reluctant to order it. It involves swallowing a pH meter which measures the pH of your stomach as you drink a solution of sodium bicarbonate.

Once you have determined that your problem is excess acid, are taking ant-acids or proton pump inhibitors the answer? Not necessarily so. Remember that sufficient stomach acid is still required for proper digestion and protection from food borne pathogens. There are other more natural ways to prevent heartburn.

• Avoid becoming overstressed (easier said than done!)
• Don’t lie down for 2 hours following a meal
• Eat smaller meals, chew thoroughly, and drink a glass of water with meals
• Avoid spicy foods, carbonated drinks, coffee & alcohol
• Replace processed foods with whole foods, especially vegetables
• Include sufficient protein in every meal
• Supplement with probiotics and fermented foods to ensure healthy gut flora
• Take alkalizing supplements or eat a high alkaline diet (a subject for a future column) to lower systemic pH without compromising digestion
• For occasional severe pain use ant-acids or 1 tsp baking soda in a glass of water

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

107 Bones & pH [28 March 2011]

Last week we looked at the four things which research has proven to increase bone formation: MCHC calcium, strontium, Milk Basic Protein, and exercise. This week I want to discuss how our bodies’ pH (acidity) affects our bones.

Most people are too acidic as a result of a diet high in animal protein and grains, and low in fruits and vegetables. Chronic stress adds to the acid load.

The pH of the blood must be kept within a narrow range to maintain life. If our diet is acid producing, our bodies pull calcium and other minerals from the bones to act as buffers and neutralize the acid. It does this by both increasing the breakdown of bone and inhibiting the building of bone. A simple home test for saliva and urine pH will indicate if acidity is a concern for you.

So how can we alkalize ourselves to preserve our bones? Avoid excess animal protein (ironically including calcium-rich cheeses) but don’t eliminate them since protein is necessary for bone growth as well as many other functions. Reduce all grain products – bread, cereal, rice, pasta and baking. Oatmeal is one of the highest acid producing grains but is beneficial for other reasons. Balance the protein and grains you do eat by increasing fruits and vegetables. Fats and sugar are pH neutral. If diet doesn’t bring your pH back in line, there are alkalizing supplements available that can help. See my column # 26 from August 24, 2009 for more on pH.

To keep your bones strong and healthy, get adequate calcium and its cofactors from diet and supplements, and take Vitamin D. Keep your pH in balance by eating more fruits and vegetables and less animal protein and grains. And exercise regularly, particularly weight-bearing exercise.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

026 pH and Your Health [24 August 2009]

One of the keys to good health is maintaining a healthy pH, which is a measure of your body’s acidity or alkalinity.

pH is important to consider when developing your diet and supplementation program because (the wrong) healthy foods can make you sick. If your body is already too acidic and you eat too much acid forming foods – even healthy ones – you will feel worse. Similarly if you are already too alkaline, the healthiest alkaline-forming foods and supplements will make you feel worse instead of better.

While the most accurate measurement of acidity is venous plasma pH, it requires finding a doctor knowledgeable about pH and willing to work with you to improve your health. A good book on the subject to share with your doctor is “BioBalance” by Rudolf A. Wiley, Ph.D.  If that is not possible, a useful indication can be gleaned from testing your saliva and urine at home using pH test strips available at most health food stores. It is important to measure the pH at different times throughout the day and for several days to determine a pattern.

Most people fall on the acidic side but some are alkaline so it is important to learn where you are. There are too many illnesses and conditions associated with pH imbalances to list here and they rarely correlate with pH type. Most if not all physiological processes in the body are significantly affected by pH.

If you find a pH imbalance, what can you do to restore it? First change your diet to include appropriate foods for your type (there many are books with food lists and other useful information). Note that an acid tasting food may have an alkalizing effect (e.g. lemons) as the food can change during digestion. Certain vitamins, minerals and other supplements can help change the body’s pH. Exercise, massage, sauna, deep breathing, and relaxation techniques like yoga can all help to alkalize.

The understanding of pH type explains why certain diets work for some people but not for others. For example the Atkins low-carb diet would be appropriate for acidic people while the Macrobiotic and other high complex carb diets would work well for alkaline types. To me this makes more sense than basing your diet on body type or even blood type.

More on pH types in a future column.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.