Baking Soda Uses for Cancer Prevention and Testing

The Truth About Cancer

By Dr. David Jockers DC, MS, CSCS

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), commonly known as baking soda, is a natural substance used for a variety of household baking and cleaning purposes. But did you know that there are baking soda uses for helping the body to prevent cancer, as well as it being a tool to identify and stabilize cancer growth?

No one cause is associated with cancer development, nor is there one cure for this complex disease. Cancer is a disease that initiates damaging activity within tissue and cells triggering genetic mutations and abnormalities. This cascade of effects causes adverse changes to the body’s metabolic processes. These unhealthy metabolic functions can be reversed using natural health strategies − including the use of baking soda to heal and stabilize natural healing dynamics.

Many buffering systems equip the human body with the ability to optimize internal functions for as long a period as possible. One of these known systems is referred to as pH. For example, a healthy body should have a blood pH level of 7.365 which is slightly alkaline. Regulating pH balance is key to total health and wellness and is primarily reliant on healthy lifestyle habits, including a proper diet.

Baking Soda Helps Regulate pH Levels

Given its alkalizing (or basic) pH of approximately 9.0, baking soda counteracts the acidity that accumulates in the body. Baking soda is useful to regulate by buffering the pH of cells, tissues, and voltage homeostasis within cells. It is also useful to increase oxygenation and carbon dioxide. Baking soda can also be used to aid the body in the detoxification process and support the body in healing from radiation exposure and oxidative damage.

Natural health care practitioners utilize sodium bicarbonate to defend against numerous health ailments. Some of these include the common cold, kidney disease, diabetes, the flu, and cancer. When used as a bath soak, the body can absorb the health benefits of baking soda through the skin. It can also be used as a nebulizer to treat lung conditions.

Identifying Cancer with Baking Soda

Recent research reveals that baking soda is a useful agent in identifying cancer cell growth. Acids become built up in cancerous areas of the body and the bicarbonate is converted into carbon dioxide. These changes in bicarbonate can be viewed on an MRI scan with high sensitivity as determined by a United Kingdom cancer research group.

Cancer cells flourish in an acidic environment and these regions are significantly lower in pH than other surrounding tissue. The researchers found that MRI sensitivity increased by more than 20,000 times when experimenting with mice diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. When bicarbonate was localized into the cancerous tissue, evidence was clear that the tumors with the highest acidity had a significantly higher conversion rate of bicarbonate into carbon dioxide.

Lead scientist of this pioneering study was Professor Kevin Brindle with the UK’s Cambridge Research Institute at the University of Cambridge. Professor Brindle stated, “This technique could be used as a highly-sensitive early warning system for the signs of cancer. By exploiting the body’s natural pH balancing system, we have found a potentially safe way of measuring pH to see what’s going on inside patients. MRIs can pick up on the abnormal pH levels found in cancer and it is possible that this could be used to pinpoint where the disease is present and when it is responding to treatment.”

Baking Soda Suppresses Cancer Growth Rate

Energy is produced by cancer cells through a process called anaerobic glycolysis which relies on glucose as the primary fuel source. Acidic metabolites such as lactic acid are byproducts of this metabolic pathway. As a result of this biochemical event, studies have found that the extracellular pH in cancerous regions is generally lower than normal tissue.

A highly acidic environment stimulates invasive tumor growth in both primary and metastatic cancer types. Consumption of sodium bicarbonate has been shown to increase the pH of tumors and slow the formation of spontaneous metastases in metastatic breast cancer mouse models. Baking soda was also found to decrease the rate of lymph node involvement and reduce the occurrence that the cancer would spread to the liver.

Researchers in this field of study reasonably assume that increasing systemic levels of pH using buffers such as sodium bicarbonate will lower peritumoral and intratumoral acidosis. Further, the reduction of tumor acid levels exhibited in mouse models has been found to reduce tumor growth and metastasis without adversely altering blood or unaffected tissue pH concentrations.

The use of baking soda is also a likely route to enhancing the effects of conventional chemotherapy treatment. Tumor acidosis promotes chemoresistance with specific chemotherapy drugs such as paclitaxel and doxorubicin. Utilizing baking soda to improve pH levels is a potential benefit for those seeking standard cancer treatment.

Research clearly indicates that baking soda along with the use of a variety of other natural healing strategies can be used to naturally defend against cancer as well as strengthen immune coordination. However, cancer is a highly complex disease − no one should consider a solo therapy to be effective at curing cancer as no treatment can accomplish such a task.

How Do You Use Baking Soda in Your Body?

If the body is in an acidic state baking soda is beneficial to increasing pH concentrations. Contrary to popular opinion, baking soda (unlike baking powder), does not contain aluminum. Purchasing “aluminum-free” baking soda is unnecessary, but purchasing “aluminum-free” baking powder for baking needs should be highly considered.

However, commercial baking soda products including the Arm & Hammer brand utilize a chemical process that converts trona ore into soda ash. Soda ash reacts with carbon dioxide to produce baking soda. Although not necessarily a hazard, this product does result from a chemical process. Consider purchasing preferred brands such as Bob’s Red Mill, Frontier, and other natural brands. These companies source their sodium bicarbonate directly from the ground in its natural environment.

Safety of Baking Soda

Each tumor is distinguished by its own unique traits and all may not be extremely acidic. Regardless of the tumors acidity, balancing and creating a slightly alkaline internal body environment is beneficial to the body’s internal systems. Ideally, pH strip testing should result between 7.0 and 8.0. If a reading higher than 8.0 results, discontinue baking soda use immediately until pH decreases.

Testing and monitoring both urine and saliva pH should be used in conjunction with sodium bicarbonate treatments. You can do this with a pH test or an electronic tester. Test every morning and chart the results. Test both urinary and salivary pH when you get out of a bath with baking soda. Again, if the pH climbs above 8.0, stop use of baking soda treatments until the pH lowers.

Unmonitored use of baking soda therapy can have health hazards. Some of these consequences include reduced stomach pH concentration, kidney complications, alkalosis, etc. To avoid these dangers be responsible with use and take the time to chart your pH levels throughout your day. Avoid consuming baking soda within 30 minutes of a meal to limit digestive problems.

The Baking Soda Protocol

Only consume this drink when you have tested your pH throughout the day and your results are acidic. As a reminder, do not drink this beverage 30 minutes before or after a meal to avoid lowering stomach acid secretions and inhibiting proper digestion. This beverage will aid in neutralizing pH, buffer stomach acid, and lower acidosis. Drink the following mixture throughout the day except before and after meals until your pH levels are stabilized between 7.0 and 8.0.

Ingredients:
•Tall glass
•½ tsp baking soda
•2 tbs fresh lemon juice
•8 oz. purified water

Directions:
1.Mix baking soda with fresh lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar. The combination will result in a foam or fizz. This is normal.
2.Once all bubbling has stopped, add water to the mixture and drink all at once.