Can Alkaline Diet help for Cancer?

Why Alkaline Diet is suggested to help for Cancer

The alkaline diet is suggested to help treat and prevent cancer because it makes blood pH alkaline.

According to the alkaline diet theory, an alkaline blood pH can turn the body into a hostile environment for cancer cells. Hence, they can’t thrive and survive anymore compared to an acidic blood pH, which is a perfect environment for cancer cells to develop and multiply.

Research and studies do confirm that an acidic blood pH environment makes people more vulnerable to chronic diseases and illnesses.

Through eating proper food and following a healthy and “alkaline lifestyle” including how we live and think, the alkaline diet is believed to be able to reset the blood pH.

This body shift from an acidic and dangerous medium to a normal alkaline environment is believed to prevent cancerous cells from developing and eventually eliminate them. 

However, specifically for cancer treatment, a special alkaline diet program is required as it is imperative to push the body into higher levels of alkalinity before resetting the blood pH to a normal pH level.

Many famous doctors claim that they have cured cancer patients based on specific alkaline diets and protocols. For instance, the well-known Dr. Leonard Coldwell claims to have cured 35,000 (thirty five thousand) cancer patients, and had a success rate over 90%.

Doctor Coldwell even stated that he can cure any cancer condition in just 16 days. This is based on using the alkaline diet as a crucial part of a complete healing protocol that Dr. Coldwell claims to have perfected.

How Alkaline Diet works for Cancer

The alkaline diet works to restore blood pH alkalinity through consuming specific alkaline metabolite producing foods and alkalinizing elements.

Plus, the alkaline diet promotes an “alkaline lifestyle” that requires changing the way we live and think, hence eliminating all negativity including stress and anxiety. 

The food types included in the alkaline diet have an alkalizing effect and consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables, some nuts and seeds among others, which can normalize the blood’s pH levels. 

Accordingly, the blood’s pH will move from its acidity and becomes more alkaline. By the same token, eating acid forming food, will make the blood pH turn more acidic.

A pH of 7 being neutral, a pH of zero is considered completely acidic, while a pH of 14 would be completely alkaline. However, for the treatment of cancer, it is not enough to restore the blood pH alkalinity to the normal level between 7.35 and 7.45. 

This is mainly because once the cancer cells have already developed and started spreading out, resetting the blood pH to normal alkalinity will not be enough to kill these vicious cells and get rid of them completely. Hence, they can still survive and spread out again. 

Accordingly, proponents of the alkaline diet suggest to increase the blood pH level up to 7.5, which is over alkalinized, to achieve a strong healing process. 

This allows the body to act powerfully on the cancer cells, in order to stop them from developing and kill them. 

It is also equally important to maintain this high alkaline pH level for a certain period of time, until cancer cells are killed. Otherwise, the alkaline diet treatment will not work to cure cancer completely.  
In this regards, patients need to be aware that a high level of blood alkalinity, over pH 7.6 can be extremely dangerous, and is associated with high mortality rates of up to 80%. 

Alkaline Diet program for Cancer

The standard alkaline diet suggests consuming 80% of the food we eat from alkaline forming food, and 20% from acidic forming food. This would reset the blood pH to normal level, which is slightly alkaline, i.e. between 7.35 and 7.45.

The food types that should be consumed to help the blood pH become more alkaline and return to normal, include a variety of fruits and vegetables, some nuts and seeds among others. It is also important to stay away from acid promoting foods such as meat, poultry, cheese, fish, eggs, and grains.

However, in the case of cancer, a higher level of blood alkalinity should be reached in order to kill the cancer cells. Food by itself is not enough to achieve the required blood pH of 7.5. Accordingly, it becomes critical to introduce additional factors and components into the alkaline diet treatment program.

Once the treatment is over, and cancer cells have been eliminated, the blood pH can be then maintained at normal levels between 7.35 and 7.45. The consumption of the alkaline forming food can be lowered to 65%, and the acidic forming food can be raised to 35%.

Baking Soda shots for Cancer

Baking soda shots are introduced into the cancer treatment in order to achieve this higher level of alkaline body pH, and hence overcome acidosis which is a main problem in cancer patients.

Some doctors recommend taking baking soda as intravenous shots in the body to elevate the blood pH level. Others do recommend injecting baking soda directly into the cancer cells area to alkaline its environment, and effectively kill the cancer cells.

Some also recommend drinking baking soda to overcome hypoxia which takes place when cancer cells shut down oxygen. This is actually how cancer cells are believed to survive and overcome the effect of chemotherapy.

Cesium Chloride for Cancer

Cesium chloride is a mineral salt taken orally or by injection into the body to achieve a higher level of blood pH. It is also known as ‘high pH therapy”. Cesium chloride is believed to neutralize the toxic materials produced by the cancerous cells.

The FDA blacklisted cesium chloride, and issued a safety warning in 2018 including potential risks of death, cardiac arrest, low potassium, fainting, among other risks. 

Vitamin C injections for Cancer

Vitamin C intravenous injections are also very important in the case of cancer. It is suggested to take high doses of vitamin C as it can help in fighting cancer cells.

Blood Oxygenation and Detox for Cancer

It is also critical to keep the body cells oxygenated because this is a major aspect to maintain during the treatment in order to kill the cancer cells. 
Furthermore, ensuring proper body detox is a main contributor to the healing process. 

Emotional factors

It remains a must to remain positive and stay away from stress and anxiety, as these negative emotions would promote an acidic environment, and would thus have detrimental effects on the healing process.

Alkaline Diet food for Cancer

It is important to understand that the food impact on blood acidity or alkalinity is not related to the food type itself but it is related to the metabolic wastes or ashes that the food produces.

Therefore, if the food produces acidic metabolic wastes or ashes, it will influence the blood’s pH to become more acidic. The same mechanism happens with foods that are more alkaline ash or metabolic waste producing. 

You can check the section about the alkaline diet misconceptions, to understand why people might confuse “acidic food” with “acid forming food”. A common example is lemon which is actually an acidic food, however it has an alkalinizing effect on the body.

Alkaline Diet food types

The various food types incorporated in the alkaline diet include alkaline forming foods such as fruits, vegetables and some nuts, legumes, seeds, and spices among others. Below we cover the various types of foods that are incorporated in the alkaline diet:

- Fruits: consuming a variety of fruits in the diet is highly suggested. These fruits include apples, cherries, berries, bananas and oranges among others.

- Vegetables: consuming a variety of vegetables in the diet is highly suggested. These vegetables include asparagus, broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers among others.

- Some nuts and seeds: consume nuts such as cashews, pine nuts, almonds, chestnuts, and seeds like pumpkin, sunflower, and flaxseeds as well.

- Spices: adding a variety of spices to your food is encouraged such as cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, curry powder, and black pepper.

- Lentils: eat lentils as they are mainly the only legumes considered in the alkaline forming group

- Green drinks: green drinks made from green vegetables are encouraged. 

- Alkaline water: alkaline water is suggested because it has a pH range of 9 to 11 and boosts alkalinity.

List of alkalizing foods

The following is a list of Alkaline foods that include Zucchini, Wheatgrass, Watercress, Tomato, Tofu , Thyme, Swiss Chard, Sweet Potato, Sunflower Seeds, Squash, Sprouts, Spinach, Soybeans, Sesame Seeds, Rhubarb, Red Beans, Radish, Quinoa, Pumpkin & Pumpkin Seeds, Pomegranate, Peppers, Peas, Parsley, Onion, Olive Oil, Okra, New Potatoes, Navy Beans, Mustard Greens, Mung Beans, Mint, Millet, Lime, Lima Beans, Lettuce, Lentils, Lemon, Leeks, Khorasan Wheat, Kelp, Kale, Herbal Teas, Green Beans, Grapefruit, Goat’s Milk, Gluten Free Breads, Ginger, Garlic, Flax Oil & Flax Seeds, Endive, Eggplant, Dandelion, Cumin, Cucumber, Collard Greens, Coconut, Cilantro, Chives, Chia, Celery, Cauliflower, Carrot, Cabbage, Buckwheat, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Beetroot, Basil, Avocado & Avocado Oil, Asparagus, Arugula, Artichokes, Amaranth, Almonds & Almond Milk, Apple, Banana, Berries, Cantaloupe, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Orange, Peach, Pear, Watermelon, Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Mustard, Sea Salt.

Alkaline Diet for Cancer: recommendations to Follow

- Consume organic foods: focus on organic foods that are naturally grown, and free from pesticides and other chemicals. This is recommended because these chemicals can influence the blood pH and make it more acidic, even if you are consuming vegetables.

- Differentiate between “acid food” and “acid forming food”: it’s important to understand the difference between acidic foods and acid forming foods. For instance, while lemons are acidic foods, however when they are consumed, they promote alkalinity in the body.

Alkaline Diet for Cancer: what you should avoid

The alkaline diet suggests limiting the consumption of acid forming foods such as:

- Fresh and processed meat: limit all meat and chicken products.

- Fish: limit fish products such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel among others.

- Dairy and eggs: limit all dairy products including cheeses, butter, yogurt, ice cream, as well as eggs.

- Avoid GMOs: GMOs are suggested to cause acidity in the body, and other negative health effects.

- Legumes: limit most legumes such as peas, beans, chickpeas, and soybeans.

- Sugar: limit sugar consumption and any products containing high amounts of sugar such as syrup.

- Coffee: avoid coffee and other caffeine products.

- Alcohol: avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

- Avoid grains:  whole grains are an important part of the American diet, however they should be avoided because they are acid-forming foods. Limit grains such as whole wheat bread, rye brad, white flour, bagels, white rice and pasta among others.

- Processed foods: avoid processed foods, they are high in sugar and salt.

- Some nuts: limit nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, and hazelnuts.

- Sodas and sweet beverages: limit all processed and sugary drinks such as sodas and juices.

- Avoid stress: it’s important to stay away from stress and anxiety, and avoid any negative emotions because this can have detrimental effects on the cancer healing process.

Alkaline Diet for Cancer: precautions

If a cancer patient is following an alkaline diet and undergoing chemotherapy, it should be taken into consideration that certain gastrointestinal disturbances do accompany chemotherapy. Mouth and esophageal ulcers, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation are all side effects of cancer treatment that influence food intake.

Therefore, a high fiber diet such as the alkaline diet, is not recommended in some of these situations, and some adjustments need to be made based on individual tolerances and side effects.  

For instance, making the fruits and vegetables into juices would be better tolerated in patients with mouth and esophageal ulcers, as well as patients with different stages of swallowing difficulties.

In addition, liquid forms will have a lower transit time than whole fruits, which is better for cases of recurrent vomiting.

Furthermore, the alkaline diet recommends removing major healthy sources of proteins that are considered acidic such as eggs, meat, fish and walnuts. These foods are major sources of omega 3 and omega 6 which should be a part of a healthy and balanced diet. 

It is important to be aware that the decrease in consumption of these food types would lower satiety and contribute to more hunger, brain fogginess associated with forgetfulness, mood changes, and risk of depression. 

Therefore, it’s also important to be aware of nutritional deficiencies. The alkaline diet does not include all food groups, and this poses a risk of malnutrition for individuals following this type of diet. Always make sure to follow up with a health professional.  

In addition, the increased consumption of fruits and vegetables may increase the exposure to pesticides that can lead to some medical issues or health complications, and affect blood pH level to make it more acidic. This would affect the cancer healing process, and hence it is recommended to eat organic. 

Another important factor to consider is extreme pH levels. Increased alkalinity in bodily fluids drive the body into “alkalosis”, over wise defined as a pH greater than 7.45, which poses several dangerous side effects to one’s health. 

Alkaline Diet for Cancer: side effects

The alkaline diet is of limited side effects because it is mainly focused on fruits and vegetables.

However, due to the high concentration of fibers, which contributes to more bulk and a decrease in transit time through the digestive tract, it might be best if avoided in cases of diarrhea, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), acid reflux, and in some periods of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).