Drinking Soda When Sick is An Excellent Way to Recover - It Now Makes So Much Sense How My Mom Cared For Me For Fever and Flu

yerrag

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When I had fever or flu as a child, I stayed in my bed lying down with a blanket to keep me even warmer. It wasn't comfortable, but I looked forward to the unlimited supply of Seven-Up or Sprite, something usually reserved for an occasion and not drank regularly.

It was not just a way to keep me hydrated, I am to find out last night. It was also to boost my CO2 levels, especially in blood.

In figuring out how to lower my BP, which I have determined to be from a chronic bacterial colonization (aka low-grade infection: low grade meaning no fever) residing in biofilm in plaque in my blood vessels, I have began using an antibiotic and vitamin E to aid my immune system in reducing the bacterial load.

During my sleep, aside from an increased need to wake up and urinate, I would see an increase in urine pH each time I would urinate over the night. I would also notice towards dawn that I would be snoring like a pig.

Just as interesting is that I would also snore occasionally, in limited bursts, once and sometimes twice in my sleep, and this snore would sound different from the pig snore, as this would sound like a giant sucking sound.

Note: I use a sleep app that would also record my snores.

In addition, I also noticed two things, courtesy of having an o2ring that records my spO2 and heart rate and movement. One was that during the time I make giant sucking sounds, my spO2 level would drop way down to as much as 71, but transiently. The other was that these bunches of spO2 dips would be followed shortly by me waking up to urinate.

These observations would lead me to conclude that ff:

- the immune system, in fighting bacterial infection, would use up plenty of oxygen to deal with the bacteria.

-the immune system would divert oxygen away from oxidative metabolism, and in so doing, reduce CO2 production, and as the night wears on, CO2 stores would diminish as blood becomes more alkaline. Near dawn, it becomes difficult to effect tissue oxygenation as CO2 dwindles. And this is why I would snore in an effort to pull in more oxygen.

I had been on an 250mg tetracycline for a week, and over this time, my CO2 deficit accumulated. To such a point that I was beginning to feel acid reflux. So last night, I skipped dinner, skipped the antibiotic, and popped open a soda water can, and drank that with ice.

I felt immediate relief from the acid reflux. I slept better, though I still woke up to urinate with the same frequency, but I did not sucking sound snore and did not pig snore. The urine pH readings I took each time I woke up to pee reflected this change. The pH was lower.

The soda is a big boon. Good to have when dealing and recovering from an infection. Or so it would seem to me.
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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Something I also learned from this episode:

The urine becoming very alkaline is not a good thing. I began seeing the urine getting alkaline progressively as the night wore on as a good thing.

Then when things turned south as I began to feel unwell, I had to reconsider. It turns out that becoming more alkaline meant having less CO2.

Then the pig snores started to happen.

Then the feeling of acid reflux.

I would never learn of these reading studies or medical books. Somehow it never got observed. Maybe the funding for such a study that would make this observation "evidence-based" just won't happen.

It may wreck the livelihoods of the sleep therapists who cater to the C-PAP industry and its meds.
 
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yerrag

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I am sharing this although this post is not likely to make sense for many. For the few who can distill its essence, it will be of value and serve you well.
 

bogbody

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my mom always gave me sprite and ginger ale when i was sick too. i loved it.
 

Doc Sandoz

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my mom always gave me sprite and ginger ale when i was sick too. i loved it.
Same here and, when feeling a bit better, little glass ramekins of custard baked in a water bath in the oven. Sugar eggs and milk. Very Peat.
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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Inaut

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Good thread. When I read your first post, I instantly thought of my father who had high BP, urinates frequently and definitely has gut issues. Thanks for sharing !!
 

xpat

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Thank you. This explains why a relative doctor of ours always prescribed cola when we had a cold or flu.
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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my mom always gave me sprite and ginger ale when i was sick too. i loved it.

Good memories!

Good thread. When I read your first post, I instantly thought of my father who had high BP, urinates frequently and definitely has gut issues. Thanks for sharing !!

I hope to learn more about this from my own experience. I'm my own test subject. Hopefully, I can glean enough from it to share insights that could benefit your father.
 

Kykeon

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from a historic perspective drying fruit was a way to conserve them in the winter time, and sick people were given these dried fruits, probably because it was observed that it speeds up recovery. My mother always gave me coca-cola and pretzel sticks when i was sick, extra sodium and sugar.
 

Guacamayo

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@yerrag I'm confused...but also very intrigued. So according to your recent experience, does carboned water acidify increase CO2 and thereby acidify the body? Does that mean people living at altitude, where CO2 is more abundant, need to alkalize their bodies by drinking less soda/carbonated drinks?
 
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yerrag

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@yerrag I'm confused...but also very intrigued. So according to your recent experience, does carboned water acidify increase CO2 and thereby acidify the body? Does that mean people living at altitude, where CO2 is more abundant, need to alkalize their bodies by drinking less soda/carbonated drinks?
Carbonated water provides the body carbon dioxide. So it can provide both acidity in the form of carbonic acid as well as alkalinity in the form of bicarbonate. It depends on what the body determines it needs.

In my situation where over a period of one week while asleep my oxidative metabolism was down regulated (as the body focused on immune system activity which shifted glucose metabolism towards the pentose phosphate pathway), I incurred a reduction in CO2 stores due to less CO2 production. This caused me to produce less gastric juice (as HCl production requires carbonic acid as a raw material) , and this led to acid reflux. I also began to snore, because there wasn't enough CO2 in my blood to effect good tissue oxygenation, and snoring was an attempt to breathe in more oxygen.

In high altitude areas, you have a higher ratio of CO2 to O2 in the atmosphere only because O2 is less abundant, but it doesn't necessarily mean that your blood is more acidic.

It still depends on the person's own personal acid-base balance status - how he adapts to the thinner air. Those with good CO2 stores in their body will find it easy to achieve the optimal blood pH, such that his breathing rate is relaxed, and his breathing rate is relaxed because he can easily oxygenate his tissues becaus there is enough CO2 in blood.

If one drinks carbonated beverages, it only provides him with enough of a buffer system to easily adjust his mix of carbonic acid, CO2, and bicarbonate to find the optimal mix.

How responsive the body adapts to high altitude is also dependent on how much acids other than carbonic acid is in his blood and tissues, acids such as lactic acid, keto acids, and acids from medication and supplementation, as well as acids made by the immune system to fight infection.

The more predominant carbonic acid is over the other acids in providing acidity to the body, the more adaptable the body, as carbonic acid can quickly be exhaled thru the lungs (as CO2) to lower acidity, while the other acids have to be excreted in a slower fashion thru the kidneys.

So, drinking carbonated beverages will not be less helpful in high altitudes.
 
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akgrrrl

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When I had fever or flu as a child, I stayed in my bed lying down with a blanket to keep me even warmer. It wasn't comfortable, but I looked forward to the unlimited supply of Seven-Up or Sprite, something usually reserved for an occasion and not drank regularly.

It was not just a way to keep me hydrated, I am to find out last night. It was also to boost my CO2 levels, especially in blood.

In figuring out how to lower my BP, which I have determined to be from a chronic bacterial colonization (aka low-grade infection: low grade meaning no fever) residing in biofilm in plaque in my blood vessels, I have began using an antibiotic and vitamin E to aid my immune system in reducing the bacterial load.

During my sleep, aside from an increased need to wake up and urinate, I would see an increase in urine pH each time I would urinate over the night. I would also notice towards dawn that I would be snoring like a pig.

Just as interesting is that I would also snore occasionally, in limited bursts, once and sometimes twice in my sleep, and this snore would sound different from the pig snore, as this would sound like a giant sucking sound.

Note: I use a sleep app that would also record my snores.

In addition, I also noticed two things, courtesy of having an o2ring that records my spO2 and heart rate and movement. One was that during the time I make giant sucking sounds, my spO2 level would drop way down to as much as 71, but transiently. The other was that these bunches of spO2 dips would be followed shortly by me waking up to urinate.

These observations would lead me to conclude that ff:

- the immune system, in fighting bacterial infection, would use up plenty of oxygen to deal with the bacteria.

-the immune system would divert oxygen away from oxidative metabolism, and in so doing, reduce CO2 production, and as the night wears on, CO2 stores would diminish as blood becomes more alkaline. Near dawn, it becomes difficult to effect tissue oxygenation as CO2 dwindles. And this is why I would snore in an effort to pull in more oxygen.

I had been on an 250mg tetracycline for a week, and over this time, my CO2 deficit accumulated. To such a point that I was beginning to feel acid reflux. So last night, I skipped dinner, skipped the antibiotic, and popped open a soda water can, and drank that with ice.

I felt immediate relief from the acid reflux. I slept better, though I still woke up to urinate with the same frequency, but I did not sucking sound snore and did not pig snore. The urine pH readings I took each time I woke up to pee reflected this change. The pH was lower.

The soda is a big boon. Good to have when dealing and recovering from an infection. Or so it would seem to me.
Yerrag, Doc Sandoz posted a method of blending Co2 from a small tank into a footbath by a Doc in (india? Africa?) Whose primitive method was saving feet and lives from diabetes and some other conditions. I have my tank, waiting on shipping for the nozzle, cant wait to see how an infusion impacts a couple of my old guys and my own lack of circulation bow the knee.
 

Dr. B

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good stuff, i also was given sprite, soda, gatorade, when throwing up or having a fever as a kid

Carbonated water provides the body carbon dioxide. So it can provide both acidity in the form of carbonic acid as well as alkalinity in the form of bicarbonate. It depends on what the body determines it needs.

In my situation where over a period of one week while asleep my oxidative metabolism was down regulated (as the body focused on immune system activity which shifted glucose metabolism towards the pentose phosphate pathway), I incurred a reduction in CO2 stores due to less CO2 production. This caused me to produce less gastric juice (as HCl production requires carbonic acid as a raw material) , and this led to acid reflux. I also began to snore, because there wasn't enough CO2 in my blood to effect good tissue oxygenation, and snoring was an attempt to breathe in more oxygen.

In high altitude areas, you have a higher ratio of CO2 to O2 in the atmosphere only because O2 is less abundant, but it doesn't necessarily mean that your blood is more acidic.

It still depends on the person's own personal acid-base balance status - how he adapts to the thinner air. Those with good CO2 stores in their body will find it easy to achieve the optimal blood pH, such that his breathing rate is relaxed, and his breathing rate is relaxed because he can easily oxygenate his tissues becaus there is enough CO2 in blood.

If one drinks carbonated beverages, it only provides him with enough of a buffer system to easily adjust his mix of carbonic acid, CO2, and bicarbonate to find the optimal mix.

How responsive the body adapts to high altitude is also dependent on how much acids other than carbonic acid is in his blood and tissues, acids such as lactic acid, keto acids, and acids from medication and supplementation, as well as acids made by the immune system to fight infection.

The more predominant carbonic acid is over the other acids in providing acidity to the body, the more adaptable the body, as carbonic acid can quickly be exhaled thru the lungs (as CO2) to lower acidity, while the other acids have to be excreted in a slower fashion thru the kidneys.

So, drinking carbonated beverages will not be less helpful in high altitudes.

carbon dioxide contains both carbonic acid and bicarbonate?


Same here and, when feeling a bit better, little glass ramekins of custard baked in a water bath in the oven. Sugar eggs and milk. Very Peat.

how were they baked in a water bath in the oven? sounds interesting !
 

Doc Sandoz

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how were they baked in a water bath in the oven? sounds interesting !
She put the little pyrex ramekins filled with raw custard in a baking dish with about 1/2" of water in the bottom. Kinda like a double boiler, that way the stuff is protected from burning on the bottom before it's done through.
 

akgrrrl

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She put the little pyrex ramekins filled with raw custard in a baking dish with about 1/2" of water in the bottom. Kinda like a double boiler, that way the stuff is protected from burning on the bottom before it's done through.
Hi Doc thanks for being here and all you contribute to the forum. I've been laying low and not on the forum much, glad to see you here.
 

Jam

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carbon dioxide contains both carbonic acid and bicarbonate?

Carbonic acid plays a very important role as a buffer in our blood. The equilibrium between carbon dioxide and carbonic acid is very important for controlling the acidity of body fluids, and the carbonic anhydrase increases the reaction rate by a factor of nearly a billion to keep the fluids at a stable pH. Carbon dioxide does change the pH of water. This is how it works:

Carbon dioxide dissolves slightly in water to form a weak acid called carbonic acid, H2CO3, according to the following reaction:

CO2 + H2O –> H2CO3

After that, carbonic acid reacts slightly and reversibly in water to form a hydronium cation, H3O+, and the bicarbonate ion, HCO3-, according to the following reaction:

H2CO3 + H2O –> HCO3- + H3O+

In the basement of human physiology are these lightning fast translations so for all intent and purpose drinking sparkling water is very similar to drinking bicarbonate water. Scientists have found in animal studies that sparkling water stimulates HCO3- secretion in both the stomach and the duodenum[2]. CO2 and HCO3- (bicarbonate ions) are interchangeable in the presence of water.
 
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yerrag

yerrag

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Yerrag, Doc Sandoz posted a method of blending Co2 from a small tank into a footbath by a Doc in (india? Africa?) Whose primitive method was saving feet and lives from diabetes and some other conditions. I have my tank, waiting on shipping for the nozzle, cant wait to see how an infusion impacts a couple of my old guys and my own lack of circulation bow the knee.
Interesting @Doc Sandoz could you pls. post again? Thanks.
 
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yerrag

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Carbonic acid plays a very important role as a buffer in our blood. The equilibrium between carbon dioxide and carbonic acid is very important for controlling the acidity of body fluids, and the carbonic anhydrase increases the reaction rate by a factor of nearly a billion to keep the fluids at a stable pH. Carbon dioxide does change the pH of water. This is how it works:

Carbon dioxide dissolves slightly in water to form a weak acid called carbonic acid, H2CO3, according to the following reaction:

CO2 + H2O –> H2CO3

After that, carbonic acid reacts slightly and reversibly in water to form a hydronium cation, H3O+, and the bicarbonate ion, HCO3-, according to the following reaction:

H2CO3 + H2O –> HCO3- + H3O+

In the basement of human physiology are these lightning fast translations so for all intent and purpose drinking sparkling water is very similar to drinking bicarbonate water. Scientists have found in animal studies that sparkling water stimulates HCO3- secretion in both the stomach and the duodenum[2]. CO2 and HCO3- (bicarbonate ions) are interchangeable in the presence of water.
With all due respect, I've listened to Mark Sircus before. I've bought a book or two of his, and found them to lack references. But that is alright if I had not learned from my mistakes in trusting his advice.

One may publish a book to learn later he was wrong, and later he may change his views upon discovery of new knowledge.

Mark has promoted magnesium chloride and magnesium bicarbonate in his writings. I have used both of them and found them to have negative consequences when taking without knowing one's context, especially from an acid-base balance perspective. But Mark has neglected to consider context.

Mag chloride is an acidic load and not to be taken as magnesium supplementation regularly. I took at least 400mg daily for 3 months, and my acidity worsened and I kept having this persistent dry cough that just won't go away. I was lucky enough to read an article by Remer which @Amazoniac shared, and realized the cause was my daily supplementation of mag chloride. Otherwise, I would have kept taking mag chloride and I would still be having that dry cough. Mark Sircus, to this day would still recommend mag chloride as supplementation.

I also took mag bicarbonate, and this was for 2 years. This is alkaline, I thought, so it is good. I even would go on record in this forum as saying it is the best magnesium supplement. How wrong I was. For 2 years, I kept urinating a lot, and it turns out it was due to this. I lost a lot of potassium and thiamine with all that urination. It would not kill me, but it was on knowing better about how the body regulates acid-base balance that I learned taking magnesium bicarbonate would just put me at a state of poorer health when my. body does not need it. From a state of good acid-base balance, I was to supplement my way to an acid-base imbalance.

Yeah, so don't take Mark Sircus' word without a large grain of salt.

Just a word of warning.

So, I'm not really going to believe him when he says taking carbonated water is the same as taking sodium bicarbonate.

And how does he also get away with saying bicarbonate can act as "both acid and base?"

Now, he's moved to hawking hydrogen gas on Pat Timpone's ORN. Nothing against Pat Timpone though. As for hydrogen gas- having Mark promote it just makes me more critical about hydrogen gas.
 
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Same here and, when feeling a bit better, little glass ramekins of custard baked in a water bath in the oven. Sugar eggs and milk. Very Peat.
 

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