ACV & Baking Soda Tonic: Boost Health Naturally - Ted's Q&A

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Best Time to Take?

Posted by Amy on 10/01/2007

I'm confused as to what times to take the acv before meals, or after and when you take the acv between meals and when you use the baking soda and when you are not to use the baking soda for digestion or just to raise your ph. If you take the acv and baking soda before a meal, then you can get indigestion or heart burn. If you take the acv without soda after a meal, you can get indigestion or heart burn. When is the best time to take acv & water and acv, baking soda & water?

Replied by Ted
Bangkok, Thailand
391 posts

Amy: Usually the best times to take it is 30 minutes or more before meals in the morning. Another time before sleep is it taken after meals 30 minutes or more. Generally the remedy is for baking soda, or baking soda plus apple cider vineger.

However, if ACV is taken alone, it can be taken during meals. ACV taken alone is somewhat contraindicated for people with acid reflux, GERD, and acid indigestion, at the very least. Of course, the ACV can dilute the acidic effects, such as 2 tablespoon per one glass of water.

If a person with a worse case acid reflux, ACV taken alone without baking soda would invariably lead to an acid reflux problems, regardless of whether they take it before, during or after. And hence baking soda is added to prevent the related acid problems, as its pH is very close to the body's own natural pH.

For some reason if the food is sour, usually it is the citric acid, but might possibly apply to just ACV, the digestion process slows down, usually it is for the stomach.

Hence, if the solution is alkalized and diluted with sufficient amount of water, it passes through the stomach and goes through the system faster, without the acid indigestion.

The reason why it is taken at those times is it causes the least problems, namely the laxative effect. If for example baking soda are taken along with food, the laxative effect would be noticeable more so than at other times.

Still, there is some possible exception, if plenty of water was taken during the course of the meals. The acid/base effect and concentration would be so minimized as to minimized the problems.

The problem still exists as to how much water is to be taken. Certain cultures, such as some Italians take baking soda after meal, so to help with digestion. Of course, I have seen people reporting laxative effects at those times, so maybe they were taken after meals, to perhaps reduce the indigestion problems, or bulging of the stomach, at a small risks of laxative effect.

The original remedy actually calls for three times a day, but most people prefer twice a day, so this became a minimum intake. The three times a day were supposed to be once in the morning, once in the later afternoon (about 2-5 p.m.) and another one before sleep. Most people are working at the later afternoon, but this is the times they are also most sleepy or that they are too busy.

The reason why that specific times were done especially 2-5 p.m, was in certain autistics in school, they have real problems during those time period that the body is most toxic. Taking during those time would invariable lead them to be more calm, better concentration, less tantrums, etc. The other reason is workers who exert a lot of physical exertion where the body's acidity increase and oxygen level needs increase just about between 3-6 p.m. Hence, the baking soda would neutralize the acidity from lactic acid, which would reduce some muscle pains, alkalizing will also increase the oxygen to the needed body.

I had one case of a person who took at a between 10-12 p.m. which he reported to have headaches. Upon changing to the original time in the morning, the problem disappeared.

You might ask why before sleep and why in the morning. Most people die in their sleep which occured between 2- 4 a.m. in the morning. It is those times where the body is also the most acid. Hence, if taken before sleep it would give some electrolytes for the body to recover during sleep. As to why in the morning is that before a person begins works the body's demand for oxygen rises and acidity also increase, so the alkalizing is taken as a preemptive move for physical exertion and other problems that goes along with working in office hours, such as 9 a.m. to 5 a.m.

The problem appears to be that if the person is PROPERLY RESTED and does not work, or is a housewife, who do not do too much chores in the morning hour. Taking the alkalizing remedy during the morning hours in this case would not help and taking later in a day just before physical exertion is needed.

I could not possibly cover ever possible scenario, but in general keeping a pH in the region of 7 helps the body recover faster. A short term alertness and awakefulness is possible if the body is acidic, but the engine would be overheated and breakdown. However the opposite occurs in case of ADHD, hyperactivity, where alkalizing is important foundation. While hypoactivity, the opposite is needed. Most people are high stressed and hence alkalizing is important, while some who lacks stress, which is rare these days the opposite is desireable, in the short-term only.

When is the best time to take acv & water and acv, baking soda & water?

Therefore the best times is in the morning 30 minutes or more before eating, and before sleeping 30 miutes or more after eating. It is taken on two times a day. If apple cider vinegar alone is taken the minimum water on two tablespoon is one full glass of water to dilute the effects of acid. But if the apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, it is taken at least 1/2 glass of water, but 1 glass is more ideal. The reason for the minimum is some people cannot drink too much water and can have problems. Hence the remedy best choice to to pursue the minimum, finding the optimum dose therefore becomes a individual's decision to find it himself because of differences in weight, sex, height, and age.

It should be noted that honey is added to reduce the smell of ACV, which some find it repulsive. Sometimes I take a more purified form such as malic acid, citric acid, baking soda, and perhaps sodium acetate, to avoid the smell of ACV. There is another way around it, which is 2 tablespoon of lime juice (or lemon) plus 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water, at least. More sensitive people will prefer a 1 glass of water, but taken slowly of course. Whether it is ACV, ACV baking soda, baking soda, or lime (lemon) and baking soda, it is still taken at least two times a day, once in the morning and once before bedtime still.

This rule might have some exceptions as some issues was raised here. One issue of alkalizing that must be considered and this issue is raised many time: the body can further alkalize itself if certain acid diets are avoided, namely cola, sugar, white bread, cheese, for example. The one final that has got people surprised on alkalizing is deep breathing which is very important. Getting enough sleep is can also raise the pH quite well also. However this assumes that all good habits were already exercised.


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