The link between pH and cancer (and some other common ailments!)

The body pH is a measure of alkalinity and acidity in our entire system.

PH stands for Potential of Hydrogen and it is closely related to the amount of oxygen our cells and organs have available. The ideal pH for a person is around 7.4 which leans more towards alkalinity.

The reason why the pH is so important is that:

    1. The vast majority of diseases including heart disease, cancer, nerve problems, premature aging and allergies, just to quote a few, have all been linked to an acidic pH, lower then 7.4

   2. The average typical western diet is highly acid forming, therefore causing our pH to be lower than 7.4 and consequently cause our bodies to be much more susceptible to disease.

In 1928 Dr Otto Warburg, a biochemist and a doctor, discovered that tumor cells are anaerobic which means they don’t breathe oxygen. In 1931 Dr. Warburg received the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his research.

Many recent studies have confirmed what Dr. Warburg found, which is that an oxygen deprived, acidic environment is highly conducive to cancer. When our pH is 7.4, and therefore there is plenty of oxygen in our system, cancer cells are very weak and are easily overcome by our immune system.

Every food is either alkaline or acid in itself, and it is also alkaline or acid forming after having been processed by our body. Very often however the inherent alkalinity or acidity of a food is completely different from the final pH impact that a particular food has on our body.

For example citrus fruit like oranges, limes and lemons are renowned for being acidic however, after they have been digested and processed by our bodies, they actually become alkaline forming and therefore contributing our own pH to be more alkaline.

Refined sugars are very acid forming which is also one of the reasons why alcoholic drinks like beer, wine and spirits contribute heavily to lower our pH towards the acidic.

Salt on the other hand has an alkaline forming effect and the pH of ocean water is typically between 7.9 to 8.2 and for this reason it can be used in its isotonic form, diluted and cold-filtered, as a plasma substitute in a blood transfusion.

The typical traditional western diet is heavily based on acid forming foods: meat, dairy products, white pasta and bread, refined sugars, pastries, highly processed foods, tea, coffee, beer, wine and spirits are all overly present in our daily diet contributing to a higher acidic pH in our bodies.

Alkaline forming foods such as green leafy vegetables and fruits are too often relegated to a secondary role in our meals as small quantities side dishes and in many cases used just as a “visual” and colourful garnish for the main dish.

The table below is a guide to learn the alkalinity and acidity of some common foods. In your daily diet try to pick 75% of foods from the 3 columns on the left (alkaline forming foods) and 25% from the 3 columns on the right (acid forming foods).

You can check the pH of your saliva by using pH strips. They are usually available at the chemist as well as on the internet. If your pH is more towards the acidic (below 7) the best thing to do is start immediately a diet with more foods from the alkaline columns and very little foods from the acidic columns. Try to avoid completely the foods in the right end column (+++ ACID) for a few weeks and take some aluminium free bi-carb soda every day, one teaspoon in a glass of water. Check your pH level daily, first thing in the morning as you wake up and before you put anything into your mouth.

Please note: The table below is only meant to give an approximate indication of alkalinity and acidity in some common foods. It should therefore be used just as a guide and not as a precise measurement tool.

FOOD CATEGORIES	+++ ALKALINE	++ ALKALINE	+ ALKALINE	+ ACIDIC	++ ACIDIC	+++ ACIDIC
VEGETABLES	Vegetable Juices, Parsley, Raw Spinach, Broccoli, Celery, Garlic, Barley Grass	Carrots, Green Beans, Lima Beans, Beets, Lettuce, Zucchini	Squash, Asparagus, Rhubarb, Fresh Corn, Mushrooms, Onions, Cabbage, Peas, Cauliflower, Turnip, Beetroot, Potato, Olives, Soybeans, Tofu	Sweet Potato, Cooked Spinach, Kidney Beans		Pickled vegetables
FRUIT	Dried Figs, Raisins	Dates, Blackcurrant, Grapes, Papaya, Kiwi, Berries, Apples, Pears	Coconut, Sour Cherries, Tomatos, Oranges, Cherries, Pineapple, Peaches, Avocados, Grapefruit, Mangoes, Strawberries, Papayas, Lemons, Watermelon, Limes	Blueberries, Cranberries, Bananas, Plums, Processed Fruit Juices	Canned Fruit
GRAINS AND CEREALS			Lentils, Sweetcorn, Wild Rice, Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat	Rye Bread, Whole Grain Bread, Oats, Brown Rice	White Rice, White Bread, Pastries, Biscuits, Pasta
MEAT				Liver, Oysters, Organ Meat	Fish, Turkey, Chicken, Lamb	Beef, Pork, Veal, Shellfish, Canned Tuna & Sardines
EGGS AND DAIRY			Soy Cheese, Soy Milk, Goat Milk, Goat Cheese, Buttermilk, Whey	Whole Milk, Butter, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Cream, Ice Cream	Eggs, Camembert, Hard Cheese	Parmesan, Processed Cheese
NUTS AND SEEDS		Hazelnuts, Almonds	Hazelnuts, Almonds	Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower Seeds	Pecans, Cashews, Pistachios	Peanuts, Walnuts
FATS			Flax Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Canola Oil	Corn Oil, Sunflower Oil, Margarine,
DRINKS	Herb Teas, Lemon	Green tea	Ginger tea	Cocoa	Wine	Tea, coffee, beer, spirits
SWEETENERS	Stevia	Maple Syrup, Rice Syrup	Raw Honey, Raw Sugar	White Sugar, Processed Honey	Milk Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Jam, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Vinegar	Artificial sweeteners