Articles of Health are the writings of Robert O. Young D.Sc., Ph.D., based upon his theory that the human organism is alkaline by design and acidic by function. He suggests that there is only one sickness and one disease which is caused by an over acidification of the blood and then tissues due to an inverted way of living, eating and thinking. There is no way to have health and acidity — health and alkalinity is the way!
Original article can be found at http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com/2009/02/scientific-nonsense-of-dr-gabe-mirkin.html
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Scientific Nonsense of Dr. Gabe Mirkin
Many of you have written to me concerning an article written by Gabe Mirkin entitled, “Acid/Alkaline
Theory of Disease Is Nonsense.” Actually, Dr. Mirkin has chimed in with his two cents worth on any number of occasions, each time being approximately incorrect as every other time.
It is quite amazing that the allopathic community still does not understand some of the most fundamental activities of the human body including eating, drinking, digestion and most important pH fluid balancing.
The following are a few of the major statements made by Gabe Mirkin in one of his most recent articles and my subsequent comments about what he is saying.
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Acid/Alkaline Theory of Disease Is Nonsense
by Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Dr. Gabe states, “Have you seen advertisements for products such as coral calcium or alkaline water that are supposed to neutralize acid in your bloodstream? Taking calcium or drinking alkaline water does not affect blood acidity.
Anyone who tells you that certain foods or supplements make your stomach or blood acidic does not understand nutrition.”
The truth is that taking alkaline supplements or drinking alkaline water will first buffer the dietary acids in the stomach before buffering the metabolic acids of the blood and tissues.
This is a good thing since the ideal pH of the stomach should be over 7.2 to do its work properly.
Current medical savants are simply incorrect when they state that the ideal pH of the stomach is in the 1.5 to 3.0 range. Further, any residual alkalinity that makes it into the blood stream will be thrown out into the interstitial fluids to buffer metabolic acids.
Dr. Gabe also states that, “vinegar is acidic and is used as a digestive enzyme. Protease, lipase and amylase are all cidic enzymes that break down proteins in the stomach and make the over-all pH of the stomach more acidic.
Most all supplements that help with digestion are acidic and will lower the pH of the stomach.”
Wrong again, Dr. Merkin. When we ingest acidic digestive enzymes, we force the cover cells of the stomach to begin producing sodium bicarbonate to buffer the acidic protease, lipase and amylase.
In order for the stomach to produce sodium bicarbonate to buffer acidic supplements, food or drink, it must pull sodium, chloride, water and carbon dioxide from the blood. This can cause sodium and chloride deficiencies of the blood leading to enervation.
Also, for every molecule of sodium bicarbonate produced by the stomach, an acidic waste product of hydrochloric acid is produced which is taken up into the blood through the gastric pits causing an acidification of the blood and then tissues.
The blood cannot withstand the slightest decrease in alkalinity and so the hydrochloric acid is taken up by the connective tissues and the fatty tissues leading to latent tissue acidosis and the cause of all sickness and dis-ease.
Various parts of the body may also give up calcium, magnesium and potassium ions into the blood in order to help buffer the excess acids from the stomach. When these important alkaline minerals are given up, especially on a consistent basis, this can then cause bone, muscle and other tissue to diminish or begin to degenerate due to the loss of these
alkalizing ions. This is the cause of tissue wasting in what we refer to as degenerative dis-ease.
The secondary effects of taking acidic digestive enzymes and/or eating acidic food or drink is the damage to the delicate intestinal villi of the small intestine. When this happens, the body cannot produce healthy stem cells, erythroblasts and then erythrocytes.
This leads to blood disorders and then tissue disorders. Without a healthy, small intestine, it is impossible to make healthy blood, and without healthy blood, it is impossible to make healthy body cells that make up body organs.
Dr. Gabe also states, “your stomach is so acidic that no food or drink can change its acidity.
Citrus fruits, vinegar, and vitamins such as ascorbic acid or folic acid do not change the acidity of your stomach or your bloodstream. An entire bottle of calcium pills or antacids would not change the acidity of your stomach for more than a few minutes.”
This is just wrong. This is where Dr. Gabe Mirkin does not understand or has perhaps never been aware that the stomach lining secretes an equal amount of sodium bicarbonate into the stomach in order to alkalize the food, drink and supplements that we eat with a toxic acidic waste product of hydrochloric acid which is taken up by the blood to be eliminated.
When the body does not have enough sodium bicarbonate to alkalize food, the hydrochloric acid that is then produced will fall into the gastric pits of the stomach. Ideally, it would NEVER come into contact with the food as the sodium bicarbonate rises to the front or comes to the fore in order to alkalize the food or liquids ingested. The equation is:
NaCl + H20 + C02 NaHC03 + HCL. The stomach begins producing and releasing sodium bicarbonate (an alkalizing compound) immediately when you put food or drink into your mouth. You can test the saliva after eating or drinking an acid food and you will find that in a healthy person, the pH of the saliva goes up to a pH of 8 or even greater.
When you put something into your mouth, the salivary glands immediately begin secreting sodium bicarbonate to increase the pH. This does not happen when you eat or drink an alkaline food or drink.
Another simple experiment will show you that when you combine sodium bicarbonate with hydrochloric acid in a flask, the hydrochloric acid will fall to the bottom of the flask as the sodium bicarbonate will rise to the top. This is what happens in the stomach. The sodium bicarbonate made from the cover cells of the stomach rises to the front to meet the food or liquids ingested as the hydrochloric acid falls into the gastric pits of the stomach away from the food or drink ingested. The primary purpose of sodium bicarbonate rising to the forefront is to alkalize the food, not digest or acidify the food. The stomach is an organ of contribution NOT digestion. Its main contribution is to manufacture sodium bicarbonate designed by Mother Nature to alkalize the food and liquids we ingest.
Dr. Gabe then states, “all foods that leave your stomach are acidic.”
This statement is not categorically true as stated by Dr. Gabe. And ideally, it would never be true.
It would depend on how acid or alkaline the food is that you are dealing with and how healthy the body is. All food coming out of the stomach should be alkaline in preparation to be received by the small intestine at a pH of 8.2 to 8.4. If the food that comes out of the stomach into the duodenum is less than a pH of 8, then a healthy pancreas and gallbladder will secrete additional sodium bicarbonate in order to bring up the pH of the liquid food to an 8.2 to 8.4 pH. The secretion of sodium bicarbonate is only possible if the foundational elements of sodium, chloride, carbon dioxide and water are available from the blood. The stomach is the major organ for producing the alkaline sodium bicarbonate and is
responsible for alkalizing and not digesting the food and liquids that we ingest.
Dr. Gabe also states, “the food enters your intestines where secretions from your pancreas neutralize the stomach acids. So no matter what you eat, the food in stomach is acidic and the food in the intestines is alkaline.”
I would like you to understand that the pancreas and the gallbladder are only second in line or back-up glands to bring up the pH of the food or liquids ingested to the ideal 8.2 to 8.4 by secreting sodium bicarbonate. The alkalizing of our food and drink is very important in order that the liquefied food can be transformed into new stem cells in the crypts of the small intestine or the root system of the body for making new blood. If the liquid food is too acidic, it will harm and even destroy the intestinal villi. This will lead to many if not all sickness and dis-ease including all blood disorders.
Dr. Gabe then states, “You cannot change the acidity of any part of your body except your urine. Your bloodstream and organs control acidity in a very narrow range. Anything that changes acidity in your body would make you very sick and could even kill you. Promoters of these products claim that cancer cells cannot live in an alkaline environment and
that is true, but neither can any of the other cells in your body.
First of all, there is no such thing as a cancer cell. There are only cells which have become cancerous. Cancerous cells-originally healthy cells-have been spoiled with dietary and/or metabolic acids. When you increase your alkalinity by simply using sodium bicarbonate, not only does your urine pH go up above 8, but your tears, sweat and saliva will also go up.
Our bodies are alkaline by design and acidic by function. Any food or drink that we ingest that will maintain that alkaline design will also preserve the body from aging and will keep it healthy, energetic and youthful.
Our body cells love alkalinity just like the ocean fish that swim in a pH of 8.3. My clinical microscopy and analysis over a 30 year period of research tells us that body cells thrive in mild, moderate and high pH fluids ranging from 7.3 to 11 pH. Body cells do not tolerate even a mild acid state. In fact cancerous cells thrive in a pH of 5.5.
Dr. Merkin goes on to state that “all chemical reactions in your body are started by chemicals called enzymes. For example, if you convert chemical A to chemical B and release energy, enzymes must start these reactions. All
enzymes function in a very narrow range of acidity. (The degree of acidity or alkalinity is expressed as “pH.”). If your blood changes its acidity or alkalinity for any reason, it is quickly changed back to the normal pH or these enzymes would not function and the necessary chemical reactions would not proceed in your body.
It is amazing to me how so many functions of the body are still not properly understood by so-called modern medicine medical practice that is still actually resting on the wrong foundational germ theory of Louis Pasteur. First of all, the body runs on electrons not enzymes.
The enzymes of the body are the exhaust or the acidic waste products of energy consumption. We no more need enzymes to run our body then a car needs carbon monoxide to run. They are both acidic waste products of metabolism or energy consumption that need to be eliminated as quickly as possible through their exhaust systems. For the
human body, acids would be eliminated through urination, perspiration, defecation or respiration.”
Dr. Gabe states, “When you hold your breath, carbon dioxide accumulates in your bloodstream very rapidly and your blood turns acidic, and you will become uncomfortable or even pass out.
This forces you to start breathing again immediately, and the pH returns to normal. If your kidneys are damaged and cannot regulate the acidity of your bloodstream, chemical reactions stop, poisons accumulate in your bloodstream, and you can die.”
Here Dr. Gabe is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He is right that when you hold your breath and if the blood cannot purify itself from the acidity, then you would die. But, this is the same thing that happens when you over-indulge
in acidic lifestyles and diets. This is the same thing that happens when the body cannot eliminate its acidic waste products fast enough through its elimination systems and organs. So, dietary and/or metabolic acids that are not
eliminated are thrown out into the blood and then into the connective tissues and fatty tissues leading to latent tissue acidosis the only cause of dis-ease. If this process continues and the lymphatic system does not or cannot eliminate the
acid buildup, because of lack of alkaline hydration and exercise, through perspiration or back into circulation and then eliminated through urination, the acidic body wastes will begin building up and breaking down the body cells and tissues even while the blood is maintaining its alkaline state at 7.365 to 7.4.
When the acidity of the tissues continue, the blood overcompensates by pulling alkalinity from the bones and muscles into the blood and we then note a remarkable increase in the blood pH from 7.36 to 7.4 to 7.5. When the pH of the blood increases in alkalinity, we now know that the tissues are acidic and the body has entered into latent tissue acidosis. If this continues and the alkaline reserves of the body begin to be used up, the pH of the blood will reverse and go from a state of alkalosis or latent tissue acidosis to compensated acidosis to decompensated acidosis until death. That is why we see very sick people wasting away as the body is pulling its alkaline mineral resources from the bones and tissues into the blood in order to maintain the delicate pH balance of the blood at 7.365 to 7.4. When the human body is alkaline by design and acidic by function and is actively engaged in maintaining that alkaline design through an alkaline lifestyle and diet, it is theoretically impossible to lose bone mass or muscle mass or to get sick or tired.
Gabe states, “certain foods can leave end-products called ash that can make your urine either acid or alkaline, but urine is the only body fluid that can have its acidity changed by food or supplements.”
The fact is that the urine is a direct reflection of the tissue pH, caused indirectly, in part, by food and drink, and can be either acidic or alkaline.
The ideal pH of the urine is 7.2 or above. Most folks have urine pH lower then 7.2. My own clinical research has indicated that an acidic urine pH will manifest as body fatigue and tiredness. A urine pH that is over 7.2 will manifest an energetic body.
Dr. Gabe says that “ALKALINE-ASH FOODS include fresh fruit and raw vegetables. ACID-ASH FOODS include ALL
ANIMAL PRODUCTS, whole grains, beans and other seeds. These foods can change the acidity of your urine, but that’s irrelevant since your urine is contained in your bladder and does not affect the pH of any other part of your body.”
Here Dr. Gabe has really lost his way. Alkaline foods include low sugar fruits, green vegetables, healthy oils, whole unprocessed salts, and alkaline water. Acid foods include dairy products, animal flesh, eggs, vinegar, soy sauce, peanuts, corn, high sugar fruits, high sugar root vegetables like potato and beet, mushrooms, algae, coffee, tea,
tap water, tobacco, marijuana, most all prescription drugs, just to name a few. For a complete updated list of acid and alkaline foods and drinks read, The pH Miracle for Weight Loss, by Dr. Robert and Shelley Young.”
http://www.phmiracleliving.com/books.htm
It is also important to note that the pH of the urine is a direct indicator of the pH of the body tissues. When the urine pH is acidic, you are more likely to be sick and/or tired. When your urine pH is alkaline or above 7.2 pH, you are more likely
to be healthy and fit. People who are sick will always have an acidic urine pH. People who are healthy and fit will always have an alkaline pH.
It is that simple. That is why I have been teaching and instructing tens of thousands of people for many years that if you want to be healthy and fit, you have to pee and sweat your way to health.
Dr. Gabe goes on to say that “when you take in more protein than your body needs, your body cannot store it, and so the excess amino acids are converted to organic acids that would acidify your blood. But your blood never becomes acidic because as soon as the proteins are converted to organic acids, calcium leaves your bones to neutralize the acid and to try and prevent any change in pH. Because of this, many scientists think that taking in too much protein may weaken bones to cause osteoporosis.”
Well, “right on” Dr. Gabe. You finally have explained something that conforms to the way that the human body actually works. The body does, indeed, pull calcium ions from the bones and magnesium ions from the muscles to buffer the organic acids from animal proteins in order to maintain the delicate alkaline pH of the blood. But, it is very important to remember when you are pulling alkaline minerals from the tissues and organs in order to maintain the alkalinity of the blood, you end up with acidic tissues and organs that leaves weak and brittle bones, tissues and organs.
I would like to add that eating animal protein results in the release of uric, nitric, sulphuric, and phosphoric acids which the body tissues and organs do not manage well. You can test the morning urine after eating animal proteins and note the lowered acidic urine pH. The morning urine pH is a direct indicator of tissue pH and a person’s lifestyle and dietary choices over the last 24 hours.
Dr. Gabe and I are in agreement that the body pulls alkaline minerals from the bones to maintain the alkalinity of the blood at the expense of weak or degenerative bones such as in the symptom of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is the direct result of an acidic lifestyle and diet, especially the ingestion of animal proteins. You can protect your bones, muscles and other organs with an alkaline lifestyle and diet. So give up the “beef” Gabe, whether from animal or from emotions.
They are both acidic and compromise the delicate pH of the body fluids.
Gabe also states that, “cranberries have been shown to help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, but not because of their acidity. They contain chemicals that prevent bacteria from sticking to urinary tract cells.”
I would explain it this way. Cranberries contain antioxidants that buffer the acids in the fluids of the body including the urinary tract. Bacteria is the result of cells that have transformed because of the over-acidic state of the body. Acids act
like molecular glue. The antioxidants of the cranberries help to buffer those acids with alkaline compounds thus reversing the very thing that causes the infection, that is, metabolic and/or dietary ACID.”
Dr. Gabe states: “taking calcium supplements or drinking alkaline water will not change the pH of your blood. If you hear someone say that your body is too acidic and you should use their product to make it more alkaline, you would be wise not to believe anything else the person tells you.”
I would like you to understand that taking alkaline supplements or drinking alkaline water will help prevent the blood from pulling alkaline compounds from other parts of the body and thus helping to maintain its alkaline design. Nobel prize winner in medicine, Dr. Alexis Carrel, in 1912 stated, “the human cell is immortal as long as we maintain the alkaline fluids that it is bathed in.” I stated in 1986 that the human body is alkaline by design, however, acidic by function. If you
can maintain the alkaline design of the body with an alkaline lifestyle and diet you will never get sick, tired or suffer from ANY dis-ease or disease.
People have been listening to allopathic medical spokesperson like Dr. Gabe Mirkin for many decades. Part of the reason that western medical science is in such disarray, part of the reason that 750,000 people die from medical treatment every year in America, and part of the reason that drug companies spend so much money wooing doctors, is that western medical science is controlled by inadequate, wrong-headed, and self-invested research programs and methodology. That research is controlled in large part by the pharmaceutical industry in conjunction with medical schools.
Almost all non-traditional and alternative medical practitioners use products that cannot be patented and do not reap obscene profits from people who are unhealthy and sick. I think it is fair to say that medicine controlled by patents are more about money than health. Thus, with this value system, there is little reason for profit-oriented pharmaceutical
companies to look beyond the present broken-down system and model.
I encourage spokespersons such as Dr. Gabe Mirkin to look beyond the present system and to ask new questions about how the body works, why so many people are sick, why the elderly are on half a dozen medicines or more, why so many people die in the care of our medical system, and why so many people are becoming increasingly distrustful
of the present medical system.
Posted by Robert O. Young D.Sc., Ph.D., NMD
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