How to Create a Thriving Intestinal Ecology
as the Foundation for True Health
Designed to Help You Rebuild Your
Intestinal Flora, Alkaline Mineral
Reserves, & Digestive Force
with SUMMER BOCK Health Coach,
Herbalist & Fermentationist
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
© 2006-2014 Summer Bock all rights reserved www.SummerBock.com
1
Contents
PRINCIPLE 1: pH...................... 3
About the Author.................... 15
Resources........................... 16
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
© 2006-2014 Summer Bock all rights reserved www.SummerBock.com
2
PRINCIPLE 1: pH
The Acid-Alkaline Mystery Explained
Alkalinity and acidity is a slightly confusing topic. So I’m going to simplify it and
focus on the relevant pieces.
Getting (and keeping) your body more alkaline can be a pivotal point in your
healing process. According to Gabriel Cousens MD, the average urine pH for a
healthy vegetarian should be about 7.2. Using this logic, the average pH of a meat
eater should be around 6.8 at a minimum.
pH is a way of measuring the acidity or alkalinity of liquids. Water is supposedly
neutral at a pH of 7. Anything below that is acid and anything above that is
alkaline.
Each of your bodily fluids has a different pH. Think back to the anatomy and
physiology of the digestive tract. The saliva is alkaline, the stomach is acidic, and
bile is highly alkaline.
acid
stomach : 1.5
alkaline
saliva: 7.1
blood: 7.4
pancreatic juice: 8.8
The pH of urine fluctuates rapidly with each meal depending on what was eaten and
what needs to be excreted. This is why you have to do an average pH of your urine
to get a clearer picture of what’s going on.
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
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Enzymes are not just for digesting food!
The pH of the blood is the body’s highest priority. It must stay at a 7.35-7.45
range. This is related to enzymes! Just like there are enzymes in your mouth that
function optimally at an alkaline pH, there are enzymes in your blood that keep
your heart beating and other metabolic processes running smoothly.
Your body will do whatever it takes to maintain this tight range of pH in the blood.
Besides enzymes, there are various proteins in the blood that require this specific
range of pH in order to function.
All normal metabolic cellular processes have acidic byproducts. Because of this, the
body is continually neutralizing these metabolically-produced acids to maintain the
stability of the pH of the blood. There are 3 buffering systems in the body for
neutralizing normal metabolic acids.
These systems are:
1.
Buffer Systems

Carbonic Acid-Bicarbonate Buffer System

Protein Buffer System

Phosphate Buffer System
2.
Exhalation of Carbon Dioxide
3.
Elimination of Hydrogen Ions via Kidneys
(I borrowed these 3 systems from Dr. Ben Kim. http://drbenkim.com/ph-body-blood-foodsacid-alkaline.htm check out his great article on pH. This guy is speaking my language!!!)
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
© 2006-2014 Summer Bock all rights reserved www.SummerBock.com
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Minerals neutralize acids
This is why I’m always talking about building your mineral reserves. This stockpile
of minerals within you is the buffering system for your body, which allows the fluids
of your body to get to the proper pH without having to strip minerals from the
biggest source available...your bones!!!
Over time, people with a highly acidic overall pH often experience osteoporosis or
osteopenia.
How to build your mineral stores
You build your mineral stores (and raise your pH) by eating alkaline-forming foods.
Now here is where I’m going to clear up all the confusion. If you look at the list of
alkaline-forming foods below, you might notice things like apple cider vinegar, raw
sauerkraut, citrus, grapefruit, lemon, and lime fall in this category. These are acidic
foods. They are filled with organic acids and if you stuck a pH strip to the juices, it
would read ‘acidic’.
But the important thing to know is that when it comes to the foods you eat they
have either an acidic effect on the body or an alkaline effect.
For a food to have an alkaline effect on the body, it has to be filled with assimilable
minerals that can be used to neutralize the acids produced naturally in your body.
Alkaline forming foods have a ‘clean burn’ which means that the byproducts after
digestion are mineral salts, water, and carbon dioxide. The lungs breathe out the
carbon dioxide and the kidneys eliminate the water and mineral salts.
When a food is acid-forming it is because it doesn’t have a ‘clean burn.’ Instead it
has various acidic byproducts that require more neutralization from the body’s
buffering systems.
Alkaline-forming foods help build and nourish the body. Having an alkaline overall
body pH helps prevents heart disease, cancer, AIDS, and heart attack.
People who are more alkaline tend to get sick less often, have a bright outlook on
life, are calm, centered, balanced, and don’t get sick easily.
People who are more acidic overall have a tendency towards depression, anxiety,
mood swings, and low energy.
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You can tell when someone has very low mineral reserves (other than the pH tests
below) when they drink coffee they get really jittery. This is because the nervous
system functions using minerals. When your mineral stores are depleted from living
an acidic lifestyle, you see the effects of this through a frayed nervous system.
People who have lived for years on a diet high in processed foods are suffering from
this imbalance.
The “LESS” LIST
Acid-forming,
Low-Nutrient,
Clogging, and Parasite Food
Anti-nutrient,
Difficult-to-digest,
Alcohol
Tofu and Soy Products
All refined, chemicalized, or processed
Pasta
foods
Peanuts
Beans
Popcorn
Black Pepper
Potatoes
Bottled Salad Dressings
Processed Cereals
Bread
Salt
Cake
Seeds (roasted, salted)
Canned and Frozen Food
Soft Drinks
Chocolate
Sugar
Cigarettes
Distilled Vinegar
Coffee (decaf or otherwise)
Eggs
Crackers
Foods cooked with Oils
Eggs
Garlic
Foods cooked with Oils
Yeast (dry, nutritional)
Grains
Honey
Fruits that have been Glazed or Sulfured
Processed Milks (no aseptic containers including soy, rice, almond, oatmeal)
Meat, Fish, Birds, Shellfish
Mushrooms (except Reishi)
Nightshades (Potatoes, Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Goji Berry, Cayenne, Peppers, etc.)
Nuts (Cashew, Coconut, Peanut, Walnut)
Processed Milks (Soy, Rice, Almond, Oatmeal)
Sweeteners (All concentrated sweeteners – artificial or natural)
Tea (black, green, white, decaf)
Vinegar (white distilled, pasteurized, red wine, white wine, rice, and balsamic)
Complaining, Whining, and Negative thoughts are also considered to have an acid
effect on the body. Emotional detox will help clear this out. You can learn more
about Emotional Detox in Gut Rebuilding.
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The “MORE” LIST
Alkaline-forming, Cleansing, Nutrient-Dense, and Friendly Bacteria Food
Beans (Adzuki, Chickpea, and Mung – not canned)
Berries
Citrus
Coconut Water (ideally fresh not canned)
Dried Fruit (Apricot, Figs, Prunes, Raisins, Dates, etc)
Fresh Fruits (tropical fruits are less alkalinizing in colder climates)
Green Smoothies
Greens (salad, dark-leafy, wild, etc)
Herbs (caffeine-free teas, spices, & seasonings)
Juice (fresh, raw)
Miso Paste (not more than 2 Tablespons per day)
Mushrooms (Reishi only)
Nuts (Chestnuts, Almonds, Walnuts – only if soaked, Hazelnuts)
Organic Oils Raw & Cold-Pressed (Olive, Flax, Macadamia, Sunflower, Sesame)
Sauerkraut (raw unpasteurized)
Seaweeds (Dulse, Wakame, Sea Palm, Kombu, etc.)
Seeds (Sesame, Chia, Flax, Sunflower, Pumpkin)
Sprouts (all grains, beans, seeds, nuts that are on the YES list)
Sweet Potatoes
Vegetables (except nightshades)
Vinegar (raw apple cider vinegar)
Appreciation, Fun, Joy, and other positive experiences and thoughts are considered
to have an alkaline forming effect on the body. So does exercise, deep breathing,
and relaxation.
Foods You Should Not Overdo
These are foods that can feed beneficial bacteria, but only when eaten in
the proper amounts. Some people will eliminate dairy COMPLETELY from
the diet as it is acid-forming and contributes to inflammation.
Avocado
Banana
Coconut water
Grains
Dairy
Bone Broth
Fats
Sugars
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Fat Intake: Liver and Lymph Support
Your liver and lymph help digest and absorb the fats you eat. This supports
digestion and keeps things from fermenting and putrefying in your gut.
Most people are eating too much fat. Ever since the low-fat craze of the 80’s there
has been a massive resurgence of fat intake. I commonly hear in my practice, “But
it’s healthy fats, they’re good for me!” True, good fats are actually an essential part
of the diet, but that doesn’t mean more is better. You need to eat enough good fats
and learn how to stop there. To determine your fat intake go register for My Fitness
Pal or another App that can help you know exactly how much you’re eating. Track
and log your food for a week to see what you’re really eating. I recommend doing
this until you learn how to eat the right amounts of fats, sugars, protein, etc. This
will train you in portion control. Most people should generally eat 40-70 grams of
fat per day.
Olive Oil (1T) 13.5g
Flax Oil (1T) 11g
Avocado (1 medium) 25g
Almonds (1T) 6g
Sugar Intake
Sugar is so prevalent in the diet that overconsumption can create problems like
inflammation, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and more. It creates an unfriendly
environment for probiotics and instead feeds bad bacteria and yeasts. Please track
your sugar intake using My Fitness Pal and maintain 25-75 grams of sugar daily.
You can track this using My Fitness Pal or other nutrition apps on your phone or
computer.
Eating even less sugar: 25-35 grams of sugar daily is especially important for
people struggling with Candida, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and inflammation.
Fruit is the best way to get these sugars instead of concentrated sweeteners. Never
use artificial sweeteners as they are toxic and damage the nervous system.
Apple 16g
Banana 14g
Lemon 1g
Orange 17g
Dates (1 Medjool) 16g
Sweet Potato (1 cup baked in skin) 17g
Figs (1 dried) 4g
Raisins (1.5 Tablespoons) 12g
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
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How to Test Your Overall Body pH
Record your pH results in the pH logs below. We will go over these during the Q&A
sessions and on the Facebook group so I can assist you in interpreting them. Your
pH results will give us insight into determining the percentage of alkaline foods to
eat.
The pH tests help us determine your body’s ability to detoxify at a cellular level and
build your nutrient levels back to normal. We are testing for electrolytes and
mineral levels. There are 4 parts to this test. Please do all 4 parts to accurately
determine your overall pH.
Supplies/Prep For All 4 Tests Below






pH papers (found at most health food stores)
lemon
distilled water
pen
paper
timer
A note about pH Strips: Buy pH Strips that range from 5.5 - 8.5 or something
similar in range. Most health food stores carry these.
***No food or juice should be eaten 2 hours before beginning the saliva
and lemon tests.
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1.
Saliva pH
Wet a portion of the pH strip with your saliva. Spit directly onto the paper. Do
not lick the pH paper or put saliva on your finger, etc. Record the date and results
here.
SALIVA pH
Date
Result
Interpreting the Results
6.0 or below: Indicates that you may have a serious mineral and electrolyte
depletion. You may get sore easily when exercising excessively and can experience
intense cleansing reactions when on a cleanse or detox.
6.1-6.3: Mineral and electrolyte depletion are moderate. Finish all parts of the pH
testing.
6.4-6.8: You passed! This is a good sign. Finish all parts of the pH testing.
6.9 or higher: Something has possibly interfered with the testing. Wait another
hour and test again. If the results are the same, it could indicate stress possibly
caused by drugs, emotions, infections, parasites, etc. Finish all parts of the pH
testing.
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The Lemon Test
2.
Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into 2 ounces of distilled water. Put all juice-water
mixture in your mouth and swish it around. Then swallow. Wait for 2 minutes and
then begin a series of 6 saliva pH tests. Wait for exactly one minute in between
each reading. At least one of the last 3 readings must show 7.5 or higher in
order to pass this part of the test. Record your results.
Interpreting the Results
8.0 or higher: Indicates that your liver has adequate alkaline reserves. See
alkaline/acid info sheet. Finish all parts of the pH testing first.
7.5-8.0: You barely passed. You need to boost your minerals while cleansing. Finish
all parts of the pH testing.
7.0-7.4: Moderate reserves of alkaline minerals. Mineral boosting needed.
6.9 or below: Indicates a very low electrolyte reserve. Your digestion and liver are
likely affected by this. Nutritional and digestive rebuilding is highly recommended
through gentle cleansing, daily green smoothies or juice, and 100% alkaline
detoxifying foods.
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The Urine Test
3.
In order to complete this test, you will have test your very first urination of each
day.
Interpreting Results
7.0 or higher: Indicates that your liver has adequate alkaline reserves. See
alkaline/acid info sheet.
6.5-6.9: You have alkaline reserves, but you need to replenish them.
5.6-6.4: Depletion of alkaline minerals. You have to boost your mineral reserves
sufficiently enough to pass this test.
5.6 or below: Indicates a very low (or no) electrolyte reserve. Your digestion and
liver are likely affected by this. Eat 100% alkaline forming foods on the
acid/alkaline info sheet until you have built enough mineral reserves to see higher
pH readings from this test.
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
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4.
The Urine Average pH Test
Beginning with the first urination of the day, test your urine pH every single time
you urinate and write down the results.
Go to sleep that evening and wake up in the morning and test your first urination
of the second day.
Now you have a list of numbers. Scratch off the very first number from the first
day. I don’t want you to include this in your calculations. Now calculate the average
pH for the 24-hour period in which you tested. Email me your test results so I can
help you determine your next steps.
Interpreting Results
7.0 or higher: Indicates that your liver has adequate alkaline reserves. See
alkaline/acid info sheet.
6.5-6.9: You have alkaline reserves, but you need to replenish them fully.
5.6-6.4: Depletion of alkaline minerals.
5.6 or below: Indicates a very low (or no) electrolyte reserve. Your digestion and
liver are likely affected by this. It is unlikely that you passed Parts #1 and #2 and
#3. Eat 100% alkaline forming foods on the acid/alkaline info sheet until you have
built enough mineral reserves to pass this test in the future.
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Acid-Alkaline Eating Recommendations
If you pass the tests, you should eat around 80% alkaline and 20% acid-forming
foods. The list of acid-forming and alkaline-forming foods isn’t a list of good or bad
foods. It is merely a list of foods and how the body processes them. You can
increase the amount of alkaline-forming foods as necessary based on your test
results. Call in on the Live Q&A to get feedback for specific recommendations for
you based on your pH results.
That said, the more minerals you have, the more grounded you’ll feel and the more
energy you’ll be able to conduct through your nervous system. This will allow you
to process more stuck emotions, cleanse regularly, and evolve at a comfortable rate
as you heal.
The Nutrition Geek Detox is a 100% alkaline-forming cleanse, which shows you how
to eat 100% alkaline, see the results of this within one week, and speed up the
process of healing rapidly.
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About the Author
Summer Bock is a founder of OlyKraut and Summer Bock Dot Com. Her gourmet
sauerkraut company helps bolster the regional food economy in the Pacific
Northwest while inoculating bellies with friendly bacteria. She runs her own practice
as a Health Coach & Herbalist where she educates nutrition nerds across the world
to create a thriving body and unstoppable life! She’ll show you how to finally
resolve your health concerns by accessing your own internal healer to get rid of
toxins, build natural energy levels, rebuild native intestinal ecology, and boost
immune function to ultimately access your super human powers and extend your
life.
She is the creator of the Nutrition Geek Detox, Gut Rebuilding, and Gut Check: The
World's First Fermentationist Certification Program. She is a sought-after teacher
and speaker on fermentation, herbalism, gut ecology, emotional detox, and
cleansing. She taught emotional detox for The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in
NYC and headlined at the Breitenbush Herbal Medicine Gathering in 2012.
She holds degrees & certifications from Columbia University, The Evergreen State
College, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and The New Mexico College of
Natural Healing.
Summer Bock – Thriving Body + Unstoppable Life | Gut Rebuilding Handbook 04.21.2014
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Resources
Use these links to see the exact product I use. You may be able to purchase locally if
you have access to a health foods store.
pH strips
Click here to order using Amazon.
Probiotics
Order Friendly Force via HealthForce Nutritionals.
L-Glutamine
Click here to order using Amazon.
Holy Basil
Click here to order using Amazon.
Rhodiola Force Click here to order using Amazon.
Traditional Medicine - Organic Roasted Dandelion Root Tea
Click here to order using Amazon.
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