The REAL Reason Why Apple Cider Vinegar Helps with WEIGHT LOSS - Dr. Berg

Summary

In this informative video, Dr. Berg dispels the myth that apple cider vinegar is nutrient-rich and instead highlights its true benefit: acetic acid, which helps balance the body's pH. He explains that many people are overly alkaline, which can lead to health issues, and apple cider vinegar can improve digestion, mineral absorption, and even alleviate symptoms of acid reflux. Dr. Berg also shares a homemade apple cider vinegar drink recipe, emphasizing its potential weight loss benefits and its role as a natural remedy for various ailments.

Takeaways

• 🍎 Apple cider vinegar is often misunderstood to be nutrient-rich, but it's actually low in vitamins and minerals.
• 🌟 The key component of apple cider vinegar is acetic acid, which is important for its health benefits.
• 🔍 Contrary to common belief, many people's bodies are too alkaline, not too acidic, according to Dr. Berg's experience.
• 🌡 The body's pH varies by region, but blood pH is a critical indicator, which is difficult to measure accurately.
• 💊 Apple cider vinegar can help balance the body's pH, aiding in mineral transport, enzyme function, thyroid stimulation, and metabolism.
• 🍽️ It's beneficial for digestive issues like heartburn and acid reflux, which are often caused by an overly alkaline stomach.
• 👶 As people age, their stomach pH increases, becoming more alkaline, which can affect protein digestion and mineral absorption.
• 🦴 An overly alkaline body can lead to soft tissue calcification, contributing to conditions like arthritis and cataracts.
• 💧 High cortisol levels from stress can cause an alkaline state, which may lead to calcium deficiency symptoms.
• 🚫 Avoid highly alkaline waters, as they can exacerbate the body's alkalinity and hinder calcium absorption.
• 🥤 A simple apple cider vinegar concoction, including lemon and cranberry juice, can aid weight loss and improve digestion.

Q & A

What is the primary myth about apple cider vinegar that Dr. Berg addresses in the video?

The primary myth Dr. Berg addresses is that apple cider vinegar contains a lot of nutrients, which is not true according to him.

What does Dr. Berg claim is the most important component of apple cider vinegar?

Dr. Berg claims that the most important component of apple cider vinegar is acetic acid.

According to Dr. Berg, what is the common pH imbalance in most bodies he has checked?

Dr. Berg states that most bodies he has checked are excessively alkaline, contrary to the common belief that people are too acidic.

Why does Dr. Berg believe that apple cider vinegar is effective for various conditions?

Dr. Berg believes apple cider vinegar is effective because it can slightly change the body's pH, which is crucial for mineral transport, enzyme function, thyroid stimulation, and metabolism.

What is the pH level of acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar?

The pH level of acetic acid in apple cider vinegar is 2.5, which is very acidic and similar to stomach acid pH.

How does Dr. Berg suggest apple cider vinegar can help with heartburn and acid reflux?

Dr. Berg suggests that apple cider vinegar can help with heartburn and acid reflux because it can make the stomach more acidic, allowing the valve at the top of the stomach to close properly and preventing acid regurgitation.

What does Dr. Berg say about the pH levels in the stomach as people age?

Dr. Berg says that as people age, especially over 50, 60, and 70, the pH in their stomachs becomes more alkaline, which can lead to digestive issues and mineral absorption problems.

What is the role of potassium according to Dr. Berg's explanation in the video?

According to Dr. Berg, potassium loss is associated with an alkaline body, and when potassium is lost, it makes the body more alkaline. Apple cider vinegar can help retain potassium by making the body more acidic.

What does Dr. Berg suggest as a remedy for twitching caused by stress and pH imbalance?

Dr. Berg suggests drinking apple cider vinegar to lower the pH and mobilize calcium, which can alleviate twitching caused by stress and pH imbalance.

How does Dr. Berg describe the effect of high-protein diets on the body's pH levels?

Dr. Berg describes that high-protein diets can lead to the production of guanidine, a very alkaline chemical waste, which can cause issues like twitching, nerve pain, and arthritis.

What is the cranberry drink recipe that Dr. Berg recommends in the video, and what are its purported benefits?

The cranberry drink recipe involves mixing apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and cranberry juice. Dr. Berg recommends this drink before meals for its purported benefits of stimulating the thyroid, acidifying the stomach, and aiding weight loss.

What is Dr. Berg's opinion on synthetic vitamin C, and what does he suggest as an alternative?

Dr. Berg considers synthetic vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, to be a fake vitamin C. He suggests that the real benefit for the immune system comes from the acid, and recommends taking apple cider vinegar as an alternative.

Outlines

00:00

🍎 Apple Cider Vinegar: Myths vs. Benefits

Dr. Berg discusses the common misconception that apple cider vinegar is nutrient-rich, clarifying that it lacks substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals. Instead, its efficacy is attributed to acetic acid, which helps balance the body's pH levels, often skewed towards alkalinity. He emphasizes the importance of pH in various bodily functions, including mineral transport and enzyme activity, and suggests that apple cider vinegar can alleviate conditions related to excess alkalinity, such as heartburn and indigestion, by restoring the stomach's pH balance.

05:03

🌡 The Impact of Alkalinity on Health

This section delves into how an overly alkaline body can lead to health issues, such as difficulty in absorbing minerals like calcium, which can result in conditions like arthritis and cataracts. Dr. Berg explains that stress and high cortisol levels contribute to systemic alkalosis, and warns against the consumption of highly alkaline water. He suggests that apple cider vinegar can help restore pH balance, thereby mitigating symptoms associated with alkalosis, such as muscle twitches, cramping, and nerve pain. Additionally, he touches on the relationship between potassium loss and alkalinity, and how apple cider vinegar can aid in potassium retention.

10:03

🍏 Apple Cider Vinegar as a Health Elixir

Dr. Berg presents apple cider vinegar as a natural remedy for various ailments, including those related to high protein diets that can lead to an alkaline waste product called guanidine. He recommends apple cider vinegar for its ability to cleanse the body of such residues, improve digestion, and support the immune system. The section also addresses the common practice of taking vitamin C for colds and suggests that the acid in apple cider vinegar may be more beneficial. To demonstrate its practical application, Dr. Berg shares a recipe for a health-promoting drink combining apple cider vinegar with other ingredients like lemon juice and cranberry juice, which can be consumed before meals to enhance digestion and potentially aid in weight loss.

Keywords

💡Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a liquid made from fermented apple juice and is a central topic in the video. It is traditionally used for various health benefits, though the video emphasizes its role in correcting body pH rather than its nutrient content. The script mentions that apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which is key to its health effects, such as aiding digestion and potentially reducing symptoms of alkalosis.

💡Acetic Acid

Acetic acid is the main component of apple cider vinegar and is highlighted in the video as a crucial element for its health benefits. It is an organic compound with a pH of 2.5, which is very acidic and similar to stomach acid. The video suggests that the acidic nature of acetic acid helps to balance the body's pH, which can lead to improved digestion, mineral absorption, and various other health benefits.

💡pH

pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is, with values ranging from 0 (highly acidic) to 14 (highly basic). The video discusses the importance of maintaining a balanced pH in the body, particularly in the blood, for optimal health. It argues that many people are excessively alkaline, which can lead to various health issues, and that apple cider vinegar can help restore a more balanced pH.

💡Alkalosis

Alkalosis refers to a condition where the blood is overly alkaline, which is contrary to the common belief that people are generally too acidic. The video suggests that alkalosis can lead to health issues such as difficulty absorbing minerals and the development of calcium deposits in soft tissues. Apple cider vinegar is presented as a remedy to help correct this condition.

💡Mineral Absorption

Mineral absorption is the process by which the body takes in essential minerals from the diet. The video explains that an overly alkaline body pH can hinder this process, leading to deficiencies and health problems. Apple cider vinegar is said to improve mineral absorption by helping to balance the body's pH.

💡Calcium

Calcium is a vital mineral for the body, important for bone health and other functions. The video discusses how an alkaline pH can lead to issues with calcium absorption, resulting in soft tissue calcification and conditions like arthritis and cataracts. Apple cider vinegar is presented as a means to improve calcium absorption and prevent such issues.

💡Cortisol

Cortisol is a hormone associated with the body's stress response. The video explains that high cortisol levels can lead to alkalosis, which in turn affects the body's pH balance. This can result in a range of health issues, including difficulty absorbing calcium and other minerals.

💡Potassium

Potassium is an essential electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance and supports muscle function, among other roles. The video mentions that alkaline bodies tend to lose potassium, which can exacerbate alkalosis. Apple cider vinegar is suggested as a way to help retain potassium by balancing the body's pH.

💡GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where stomach acid flows back into the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms. The video argues against the common belief that GERD is caused by excess stomach acid; instead, it suggests that it is often due to an overly alkaline stomach, which apple cider vinegar can help to correct.

💡Immune System

The immune system is the body's defense mechanism against infections and diseases. The video suggests that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can support the immune system, potentially helping to fight off colds and viral infections by maintaining a balanced body pH.

💡Cranberry Drink

The 'Cranberry Drink' is a concoction mentioned in the video that includes apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and cranberry juice. It is promoted as a healthful beverage that can aid weight loss, stimulate the thyroid, and acidify the stomach, thus potentially offering various health benefits as discussed throughout the video.

Highlights

Apple cider vinegar does not contain a lot of nutrients but is rich in acetic acid, which is more important for its health benefits.

Most bodies are too alkaline, contrary to the common belief that everyone is too acidic.

Acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can help balance the body's pH, which is crucial for various bodily functions.

The body's pH varies in different parts, but blood pH is a true indicator, although difficult to test accurately.

Apple cider vinegar can help with conditions like GERD, acid reflux, and indigestion by making the stomach more acidic and closing the valve properly.

As people age, their stomach pH becomes more alkaline, requiring more acid to digest protein and absorb minerals.

An overly alkaline body can lead to soft tissue calcification, causing issues like arthritis, cataracts, and kidney stones.

High cortisol levels from stress can cause alkalosis, making the body too alkaline and leading to calcium blockage.

Drinking apple cider vinegar can help with potassium retention and prevent potassium deficiency symptoms.

Apple cider vinegar can be beneficial for conditions like high blood pressure, constipation, and irregular heartbeats due to its impact on pH balance.

High-protein diets can lead to an alkaline body and cause issues like twitching and nerve pain due to the waste product guanidine.

Apple cider vinegar can act as a cleanser, helping the body deal with the residue from high-protein diets.

Acetic acid in apple cider vinegar can boost the immune system, similar to the benefits of vitamin C, and is beneficial during colds or viral infections.

A homemade cranberry drink with apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and cranberry juice can aid weight loss and stimulate the thyroid.

The cranberry drink recipe includes optional ginger for an extra spicy kick and its health benefits.

The video suggests that if you need the health benefits of the drink, you will likely crave it and feel better after consuming it.

Transcripts

- Hey, Dr. Berg here.

In this video, we're gonna talk about apple cider vinegar.

What are the benefits,

what are the myths?

First of all, here's a myth,

that apple cider vinegar contains a lot of nutrients.

It really does not.

It doesn't have a lot of vitamin A,

it doesn't have a lot of vitamin C,

it doesn't have a lot of minerals.

What it does have is something even more important;

in fact, the real reason why apple cider vinegar

works for so many conditions has to do

with this one thing it has called acetic acid.

That's an acid,

and then the reason why it works is,

and this might go against a lot of philosophies out there,

is that the body,

most bodies that I check in my office

over many, many years are way too alkaline.

Now I know that goes against maybe what you have heard,

that everyone's too acid,

but that's not true.

You really have to,

when you talk about pH,

you really have to understand that every part of your body

has a different pH.

So if someone says, oh, yeah, you're too acid,

well, what pH are you talking about?

The urine?

Are you talking about the saliva?

The real, true indicator of pH

for a body should be in the blood,

but it's very difficult to test that

because soon as you take the blood out of the body,

it oxidizes and it can change the pH right away.

So you have to, it's very expensive to determine that.

So you have to go by symptoms.

And so if you ever wanted to really know,

just look up in, I don't know,

Google it, all the conditions for too acid called acidosis,

and look up for the conditions of alkalosis

and all those symptoms,

and you'll be able to see which ones you have,

and you can determine based on those two factors.

So what we're talking about is the blood pH here.

Most people have a blood pH,

which is excessively alkaline.

And yes, it's true that your blood

should be slightly alkaline,

but in this situation,

it becomes even too alkaline, okay?

And that's why apple cider vinegar works so well,

because it changes, if you change

the pH of your body just a slight bit,

you can create huge effects

because the pH is so important

in transporting minerals and allowing enzymes to work,

to stimulating the thyroid,

to increasing metabolism, all these things.

So let's just take a deeper look

at this one acid, acetic acid.

The pH of acetic acid is very acidic.

It's 2.5.

That's almost like stomach acid pH.

It's way down there.

So it's really good for the stomach.

People take it for heartburn.

And by the way,

heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion,

that is a condition where your stomach is too alkaline

and the valve on top does not close,

and I know people say it's too much acid,

no, it's not.

In fact, if you have acid reflux or heartburn,

just take some apple cider vinegar

and see how much better you feel.

I mean, you'll feel wonderful,

because the valve will start closing on the top

and the stomach, the acid won't start

regurgitating up through that valve.

So it's good for GERD, acid reflux, indigestion, okay?

And as you age,

especially over the age of 50, 60, 70,

your pH in your stomach starts going lower,

I'm sorry, it goes higher and higher and higher,

so it becomes more and more alkaline.

So you need more acid as you age

to be able to digest protein and absorb minerals,

because if your pH is too alkaline,

which most people have a problem with too much alkaline,

they can't absorb calcium.

They can't absorb minerals like they used to.

So what happens,

especially with calcium,

is calcium starts building up in the soft tissues

throughout the body,

so you have the soft tissue calcification.

I mean, you see it in people that are getting older.

They're getting stiff,

they have arthritis, bursitis.

They get calcium developing on the eyes as cataracts,

on the joints as arthritis,

on the nerves as neuritis,

on the kidney as kidney stones,

on the gallbladder as gallstones,

on the teeth as tartar.

That could come from a pH problem.

It's an alkalosis, a systemic alkalosis,

which is your whole body is too alkaline.

One of the things that I like to do as well

is make sure they're taking the fat-soluble vitamins

to transport that calcium out,

like vitamin D and K2,

but in this video,

we're gonna talk about the pH piece of this thing.

Now what causes this alkaline state?

It has to do with this, in this book,

it's called Ciba Encyclopedia of Endocrinology Volume 4,

Frank Netter, MD.

This is one of the main books

that is used in medical schools,

and it's a great physiology book

to help you get some of the facts on how the body works.

So right here,

if you look on the page that talks about

high cortisol, that's a stress hormone,

high stress, high cortisol, causes alkalosis.

It makes your body too alkaline.

So unless you don't live on planet Earth,

you might not have this problem,

but most people I know live on planet Earth,

they have a lot of stress,

their bodies become too alkaline over time.

The worst thing you can do

is start drinking alkaline waters.

Now, it's okay to drink water that's already alkaline,

but don't try to alkalize it to an eight or a nine,

because you're gonna make your body worse,

and then you won't be able to absorb calcium

and things like that.

So with adrenal,

over, like, stress and high cortisol,

you become too alkaline,

and you lose this little thing called H+.

So if you've ever taken chemistry,

you'll notice that H+ is an acid.

So in other words,

the adrenal causes you to lose acid through the urine

and become too alkaline.

So here's how all the effects that stress can create.

An alkaline body,

which then blocks calcium.

So you have all this calcium that plugs up everything,

but it's unavailable to you,

so you start getting the twitch in the left eye.

You ever notice when people get stressed,

they have, start twitching?

You know why that is?

Because it changes the pH

and the person can't absorb calcium.

So then this is a calcium deficiency.

So you could take calcium,

but if the pH isn't right, it won't work.

The best thing to do if you have that twitch

is to drink apple cider vinegar.

Boom, drop the pH to make more acidic,

the calcium gets mobilized,

and the twitch goes away.

Cramping in the calf.

Apple cider vinegar is the best thing

to mobilize the calcium

and get rid of cramping in the calves.

Nerve pain, neuritis,

especially, like, migraine pain with arthritis that,

maybe it'll move from this joint

to this joint to this joint.

Oh my gosh, give 'em a little apple cider vinegar,

they are happy.

So with stress, you become too alkaline,

you lose acid, and you lose potassium,

and the only reason I'm bringing up this potassium,

which is a little extra thing,

is that alkaline bodies tend to have a potassium loss,

and then when you lose potassium,

you actually make the person more alkaline.

So they kind of work together.

You know, people say, well,

drink apple cider vinegar to increase your potassium.

That's not what's gonna do it.

Apple cider vinegar will help increase your potassium

because you'll stop losing the potassium

and you'll make the body more acidic and like it should be,

and so that'll help the potassium.

And just think about, look at this,

potassium deficiency, high blood pressure,

constipation, feeling of weakness,

fatigue, irregular heartbeats.

You know, when you hear these claims

about apple cider vinegar curing all these different things,

high blood pressure, constipation,

weakness, irregular heartbeats,

it's because of the retention of the potassium,

because the chain reaction that occurs

after getting the pH in a correct level.

People that drink a lot of protein drinks,

or they eat too much protein,

let's say they do the Atkins diet

or they're doing this high-protein diet,

what happens,

there's the waste from that protein,

it's called guanidine, it's a chemical,

very, very, very, very, very alkaline, okay?

And so that can cause

twitching, nerve pain,

and a lot of arthritis, okay?

Even when you do, like, the ketosis diet,

and you're doing more protein,

you may feel stiff,

you might feel more arthritic.

Drink some apple cider vinegar.

It flushes this thing out so nicely.

So apple cider vinegar is the antidote

to the residue of high protein,

for too much protein for your liver and your body.

So it's a really good cleanser.

So this acid, apple cider vinegar,

helps absorb minerals, helps mobilize calcium,

helps you digest protein better without the waste.

It helps the immune system,

and that's the last thing I want to talk about.

You've heard that people will take apple

like vitamin C for a cold, right,

or for a virus infection.

It's not the vitamin C necessarily

that's creating the big effect,

because most people aren't even taking vitamin C.

They're taking a vitamin C lookalike

or a fake vitamin C called ascorbic acid,

which is not really the true vitamin C complex,

which, again, I'll have people disagree on this video.

'Cause they make, you can make synthetic vitamin C

from ascorbic acid and cornstarch.

Well, first of all, corn has no vitamin C.

Cornstarch has no vitamin C.

Ascorbic acid has no vitamin C.

How can you take two things that don't have vitamin C,

mix them together, and make ascorbic acid

and think that's vitamin C?

It's just, it's fake.

The real benefit of vitamin C,

or ascorbic acid, is the acid.

You'd be much better taking the acetic acid

to help your immune system.

If you get a cold,

if you have a fever,

a viral infection,

start taking the apple cider vinegar.

It's really, really important.

So these are the true benefits of apple cider vinegar

because it acidifies an alkaline body.

So in the next section,

I'm just gonna show you a little concoction that I make

and I drink on a regular basis.

Okay, so let me show you how to make this.

This is in my book, chapter ten.

It's called the cranberry drink.

It should be called the apple cider vinegar drink.

Very simple, and you really should try this

because it will help you lose weight.

If you drink one of these before you ate three times a day,

you would lose a lot more weight,

because it stimulates the thyroid

and it acidifies the stomach.

The only thing that I would recommend

if you have a very slow metabolism

is you might want to omit the cranberry juice.

So you get the Bragg's apple cider vinegar,

I like this the best,

and simply teaspoon and some water.

Actually, do two.

Two teaspoons in the water before each meal,

and some people say don't consume water before a meal,

but this is an acid drink,

so it's gonna help stomach acids.

But check this out.

This is my favorite lemon juice.

Italian Volcano lemon juice.

So organic lemon juice,

and this stuff is magical, it's wonderful,

and you get it from the healthy store.

It's grown on these soils

where the volcanic ash fertilize the soil.

So you just do a teaspoon of this lemon right here.

You don't have to use this lemon juice.

You can use other lemon juice.

You could use lemons.

I like that lemon juice,

'cause I'm spoiled.

Cranberry juice.

Make sure you read the back label

and it just comes from whole cranberries,

'cause some people get the one that has

extra grape juice or apple juice.

You don't want that.

Just do a teaspoon of this,

and basically, this is your drink.

Now I like to,

and this is just me,

you don't have to do this,

you can add some ginger,

and there's some ginger root that you can shred in there,

and it makes it a little spicy.

I basically have this ginger extract that you can get.

It's a liquid form.

It's like ginger juice,

and you put a little ginger,

it's real spicy.

There's a lot of great properties.

It's a very good tonic.

Again, if you can't stand the taste,

chances are you probably don't need it, okay?

If you really need it,

you will crave it,

and it makes you feel better.

But I really want you to try this,

real simple, drink this before you eat,

and watch how much better you feel, okay?

So go ahead and do this,

and give me some comments below.

I'll see you in the next video.