Interested in healthy aging? Consider supplementing with Potassium Bicarbonate (K-Bicarb)
Over the years I have written often about how the modern diet and lifestyle cause our bodies to become increasingly acidic as we age, and how excessive acidity leads to or favors many of the health conditions associated with aging.
Although women are reminded constantly about taking calcium to stave off osteoporosis, they have to do extensive research to learn that when the body is acidic it draws calcium and other minerals out of bones, and no amount of milk or calcium supplements will reverse that trend. I wrote about this topic a few years ago and readers who are interested can find my article by going to my website and searching in Newsletters.
Many common symptoms that modern medicine struggles to address today, including fluid retention, fatigue, lack of restful sleep, muscle tension, and more, can result from excessive acidity.
Cancer itself, while probably not caused by acidity, thrives in an acid environment, and cannot survive if the body is made sufficiently alkaline. Recently I came across a website about an Italian physician who treats advanced cancer by injecting sodium bicarbonate, a highly alkaline substance. To read more about this doctor and his treatment go here: http://www.curenaturalicancro.com/.
While I have no idea of how effective this treatment is, just the fact that it is being applied, and probably has at least shown some promise, tells us about the importance of maintaining good tissue pH also in the area of cancer prevention.
Research has found that early human diets contained three times more bicarbonate-producing foods (mainly fruits and vegetables) than the modern diet (Am J Clin Nutr, 2003; 76: 1308-1316). While this makes a strong case for eating your vegetables, once the body has become highly acidic a supplement will be needed to re-establish balance.
When selecting the right supplement to achieve this, bicarbonate may be the best choice. It is inexpensive, highly effective, safe, and it can be dosed based on the amount needed to establish a slightly alkaline environment in the body. To measure this, take the pH of your saliva and urine first thing in the morning. You are looking for a pH in the range of 6.5 to 7.0.
There are various types of bicarbonate available and sodium bicarbonate is the least expensive. However, it probably isn’t the best choice because the modern diet is already too high in sodium (table salt) whereas potassium is widely deficient. In fact, studies have shown that a majority of Americans get less than half the daily recommended 4,700 mg of potassium. Everyone knows that bananas are a good source of potassium, but if you are relying on bananas alone to reach your RDA you will need to eat about 15 a day. Other foods that are high in potassium include avocados, coconuts, tomatoes, and generally all fruits and vegetables.
So potassium bicarbonate (K-Bicarb) may be the ideal bicarbonate supplement to help re-establish a healthy pH in the body. Studies have shown it to prevent osteoporosis, reduce blood pressure, reduce weight, and even reduce the long-term adverse effects of adult-onset diabetes (Eur J Nutr, 2001; 40: 200-213).
When taking this product be sure to take it several times a day but always between meals, as taking it with food or shortly after eating will interfere with digestion.
