Re: Alkaline vs Acidic. Aloe Vera? Lemon Juice? ACV?

I have a few suggestions for you.

The alkaline vs. acidic line of reasoning can lead you astray and to some poor dietary choices, such as potatoes. While it's true that that PH is very important, I don't think you can control it in the way envisioned by alkaline diet authors.

First off, the digestive system has three main sections, each with different functions, and different ph's that support those functions.

The stomach should be highly acidic: 1-4
The duodenum/small bowel/ileum: starts highly alkaline, up to ph 10, should be neutral in the middle to support absorption, around ph 7, and becomes more acidic toward the ileum as the environment becomes more like the colon.

The colon should be acidic: around 5.5.

Stomach ph is controlled by gastric acid. Duodenal/small bowel ph is conrolled by bicarbonate/bile/gastric acid. colonic ph is controlled by bacteria, which need a healthy layer of mucin in order to properly colonize and maintain proper acidity.

You should look towards supporting the controlling mechanism of each section of the digestive system and let the ph find it's own balance.

Betaine HCL in the stomach, bile salts and pancreatic enzymes for the small bowel, and whey protein (or other highly absorbable protein source) for the support of colonic mucin. Protein should be taken separately from fat.

Any carbs, proteins or fats that don't get absorbed in the small bowel provide potential fuel for dysbiosis.

So small meals and proper absorption are key. What you can eat depends on your level of malabsorption and candida infection. Sorry, there's no simple answer. I suggest you do what I did and start out conservatively, study until you understand what's happening with you, and then add or remove foods as you go.

I'm able to eat whatever I want now, with some minor consequences, but no relapses. It took me 8 months to get to this point. I still support my system with modest doses of Betaine HCL, pancreatic enzymes, and whey protein + butyrate. Occasionally, I supplement with bile salts.

Malabsorption is complex, and warrants a lot of independent research to understand. Some search terms would be: bile + fat malabsorption, protein malabsorption, disaccharide malabsorption, blunted villi, pancreatic enzymes, mucin, butyrate, colonocytes, goblet cells. Etc.

I hope this gives you some food for thought.

T.