Alkalinity promotes Candida overgrowth

It amazes me how easily misconceptions are so readily accepted as fact. This is really evidenced by the myth that alkalinity kills Candida. As "evidence" the alkaline proponents point to baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and ammonium chloride killing Candida. But they assume that this is because these substances are alkalinizing, when in fact this has nothing to do with it.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) can be used to treat Candidiasis. It has NOTHING to do with creating an alkaline state though. A high enough concentration of sodium bicarbonate will cause an osmotic shift causing the Candida to dehydrate. Same principle as we see with putting a fresh water fish in to saltwater. The osmotic shift will cause the fish to dehydrate as the fresher water moves from the fish cells in to the higher concentration of saltwater on the outside of the cells in an attempt to reach an equilibrium. But the Candida will quickly rebound from the alkalinity, which not only turns on the Candida growth gene, but also promotes its conversion in to its highly aggressive and pathogenic fungal form.

Ammonia compounds also kill pathogens as well, but again this has NOTHING to do with acidity or alkalinity:

http://www.essind.com/FAQ/FAQDN-intro.htm

"How do quaternary disinfectants actually work? Quat-based disinfectants carry a positive charge. Bacteria, viruses and fungi carry a negative charge. When a bacteria-laden surface is sprayed or mopped with a disinfectant, the charge distribution of the bacteria cell changes from negative to positive. This results in the disruption of the bacteria cell wall and eventual death to the microbe."

It is quite simple. Acidity controls Candida and alkalinity promotes it. For example, antibiotic use can cause Candida overgrowth. This is because the antibiotics kill off the beneficial acid forming Lactobacillus bacteria. This shifts the terrain pH to the alkaline side and the Candida flourishes. By the same principle many of the "alkaline forming" foods help because they provide fibers that increase the growth of acid forming bacteria, and these acids control the Candida overgrowth by turning off the Candida growth gene. In addition the acidity keeps the Candida in a benign yeast form as opposed to its highly aggressive fungal form, which is formed from alkalinity.