First, it's worth nothing that Dyer is confused about what foods are "alkaline" and what foods are "acidic".

Ryan,

First, thanks for an extremely helpful response and link, which makes things perhaps at least a bit less unclear. But yet, re-reading Dyer's exact words, I agree: if he had meant "acid-forming", he should simply have said that. Instead, he talks about "foods high in alkalinity..." which literally means they themselves contain "alkalinity."

So I'd guess he actually did believe, when saying that, that he was referring to their content, not their impact. Thus, I'm guessing he simply heard it somewhere else and misunderstood. But at least that explains where he's getting it from, and what he probably should have meant to say.

Yet another problem is that he's still apparently getting the list wrong: He specificly recommends nuts, nonyeast breads, and olive oil as "alkaline"[-causing, presumably] yet the link you have supplied clearly lists all three categories as strong "acidifiers!"

So my point would still remain: that he's still spouting stuff without even taking the time to make sure he's giving the right advice, such as by understanding -- to at least the degree you do -- what the whole acid/alkaline thing is about, and making sure he didn't recommend the wrong foods, which he still apparently did.

Yes, we can still all agree on vegetables. But so? My mom said as much, without all the mumbo-jumbo.

Hmm... Interesting. Lactate production doesn't lower pH after all. Good to know! I guess there are urban legends where I least expect them.

We know that foods cannot change blood pH because of buffering. But perhaps it is possible that the adjustment the body makes to counteract the acid or alkaline has an effect?

E.g. if protein consumption forms acidic compounds in the blood, your body will compensate by releasing alkaline ions to mainain pH. What are the ions made of and where to those elements come from. It is claimed that they are calcium based and therefore a sustained acidic diet has the capacity to reduce bone density.

Is this possible?

BTW I did a professional massage course. The physiology part was often toe curling. I was the only person to question loose terms like "toxins". They even went as far as claiming that "knots" in muscles were lumps of lactic acid!

But perhaps it is possible that the adjustment the body makes to counteract the acid or alkaline has an effect?

Either something is buffered or it isn't. "Buffered" means that variations in food acidity/alkalinity have no effect. By saying, something "has an effect" you're just disputing the statement that our organs and bloodstream are "buffered" against pH changes.

What are the ions made of and where to those elements come from.

An ion is made when some element adds or loses an electron. No "elements" are added. "Acids" are molecules who wish to either acquire an electron, or lose a proton (as Hydrogen) to another molecule. "Bases" are molecules which want to lose electrons or aquire protons.

So the two get together and exchange missing bits and new compounds result. That's called a "chemical reaction."

I did a professional massage course. The physiology part was often toe curling...

You know, it's been a long time since I did any chemistry, so I hope I'm remembering this all correctly, and am not making any mistakes.

But gosh, if I had to teach a course, I would spent at least fifteen minutes reading up on the topic before I started "teaching" others what was true and false.

Do your homework. It is NOT the pH of the foods themselves, it is how they react in the body.

For example, citrus fruits are acidic, especially lemons and limes - however when mixed with our stomach acids, the result is very alkaline-FORMING.

For acidosis doctors often will prescribe citric acid/sodium citrate - both very acidic - but again it has the OPPOSITE effect in the body.

Greg - speaking of doing homework, you might want to read through the comments section before posting.

Ryan - I wasn't responding to your comments, which I did read; I was responding to the original post, as many people do in forums. It doesn't have to be a discussion about others' comments. I was reinforcing the idea that the post is flawed.

But now that you mention it, I'm not saying I agree with Dyer or the 'law of attraction' either. It's just discouraging to read this critique of his work based purely on bad assumptions, and worse yet that although you pointed out its fatal flaw, you still seem to agree with the original post in some ways. The critique is based on a misunderstanding of the subject matter from a scientific/medical viewpoint.

Of course I'm aware that many health "gurus" don't seem to know what they are talking about either. We don't have to be like them. But Dr. Dyer actually seems like one of the better ones in many ways, at least he used to be.

Acid and alkaline-forming substances in foods are well understood by the medical community. Most foods and dietary substances have a limited effect on the blood ph, but as you know there are a few such as citric acid which can have a greater effect.

Vague references to "Toxins" are highly touted by health gurus, and also not well understood. But everyday bodily toxins are also very well understood, such as ammonia which is processed and converted by the liver, or there's BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen). Excess of normal body toxins can lead to acidosis, which in some cases can be corrected by dietary means, but usually indicates a bigger problem.

There are also a host of other reasons why the foods on the left side of the chart are likely to be more healthy, and it goes so far beyond whether they are simply acid or alkaline-forming. It seems a shame to start out with a misunderstanding about something as simple as this. Doesn't leave much of anywhere to go from there...

BTW, I know that diet can in fact have an effect on the blood ph, evidenced by the fact that one of my family members with kidney problems and subsequent acidosis was able to correct the (acidosis) problem with dietary means alone. And although there was chronic kidney failure eventually, the kidney functioned better and for at least 2 years longer than the doctors estimated.

Yes, for most people the left side of the chart is the place to stay, and the effect on body ph seems to be one of the many many reasons why...