Edgar Cayce's Everyday Health. Carol Ann Baraff

or acid-alkaline balance, is clearly a central concern. In this context, carbonated drinks are broadly described as conducive to acid formation:

      In the diet—keep away from fats, from any carbonated drinks or drinks made from carbonated waters. Do not take any of these, nor any of the malt drinks or things of that nature; nor vinegar nor anything of that nature. Keep close to the alkalines.

      337-28

      Eat right! That is, about twenty percent acid to eighty percent alkaline foods! Beware of all soft drinks, or carbonated waters, or distilled drinks of any character.

      263-8

      Q. Of what foods should I beware?

      A. Those that are excessively acid-producing. Those that have been indicated of too much carbonated waters, or those foods that produce an excess of fermentation in their activity.

      361-10

      Similar concerns about certain types of alcohol show that this, too, was sometimes considered too acidic for the body to handle. Perhaps this is doubly true of alcohol and seltzer combinations:

      Q. Is this trouble with the stomach a return of the old trouble?

      A. Not so much a return as a continuation, excited by too much of carbonated or distilled waters, see? No hard drinks, no malts, nor any drinks of that kind for this body.

      348-24

      . . . Keep away from beer, wines, whiskey, or even drinks that carry carbonated water; or do so . . . to thine own undoing!

      391-18

      Q. Skin eruptions on back and arms? Cause and treatment.

      A. Warnings have been indicated to the body of diets, especially as related to carbonated waters and hard drinks and hops in drinks. Eliminate these, this will disappear.

      416-18

      . . . Do not mix too much of varied characters of the carbonated waters with drink, or strong drink. These make for a disturbance to the very portions that are causing reactions.

      877-16

      Keep away from meats, wines, any form of drinks made with carbonated waters.

      987-5

      As mentioned above, skin eruptions can be a sign of toxic reactions taking place in the digestive system. Another person with eczema tendencies was told to: “Leave off too much of the carbonated waters, and drinks with same.” (416-12) Similarly, in a case of acute rash caused by poison ivy, the advice was: “Little or no meat, and none of carbonated waters!” (1635-2)

      Too much carbonation in the system can also be gas producing, as some readings attest:

      As indicated, there should be the refraining from any carbonated waters, or those things that tend to make for gas in the digestive system.

      1315-11

      Take no form of carbonated waters, no form of any drink with those formations from hops or of fermentations.

      477-2

      Other comments were more generally negative with the reasons being somewhat difficult to interpret:

      Do not take any form of drinks that carry carbonated waters. The gases of these, as well as all such, are detrimental and only add fire to the unbalanced chemical forces that are segregating themselves in the body.

      1013-3

      Do not take any drinks with carbonated waters, nor with the products of hops or the like. These are harmful, as they—through their activities upon the system—tend to charge this effluvium that has caused the disturbance in the circulation.

      1709-6

      . . . Never too much of any drinks with carbonated waters. These are detrimental to the better reactions of an already disturbed assimilation.

      1772-2

      . . . Especially no carbonated waters should ever be taken! These are hard upon the system.

      1880-1

      Underlying these prohibitions is the concept of carbonation as a stimulant that affects the body’s chemical balance. In cases of intestinal issues, it can easily be overdone to the point of causing distress and even an allergic type of reaction. Carbonation should, therefore, probably be avoided in conditions such as digestive upset, acid stomach, poor assimilation, toxicity, and thinning walls.

      With that covered, we can now turn to some of Cayce’s more positive comments. The bulk of these by far concern Coca-Cola, which is regarded as highly alkaline! Taken medicinally, with or without carbonation, the beverage is regarded as a purifier of kidney, bladder, and liver circulation. Small, occasional doses are specified, and timing is important:

      Q. Does Coca-Cola aid or deter?

      A. Coca-Cola for the body is a stimulant, and will aid at times and deter at others. Taken when tired, very good, but do not gulp—drink slowly.

      257-167

      . . . If a few drinks of Coca-Cola or any super-alkaline-reacting vibrations would be taken, these would clarify and purify . . .

      1268-2

      . . . This is one body that would do well to occasionally take a Coca-Cola; not to become as a habituate action, but occasionally this would be good for the body. There are influences in same that would purify the lower hepatic circulation, that would be beneficial. Preferably, though, use that perfectly prepared—bottled, rather than from the counter—for they are more uniform.

      1334-2

      . . . Or if desirable drink Coca-Cola—a little Coca-Cola; this will act almost in the same way and manner in purifying or clearing the ducts through the kidneys, and thus reduce the general forces and influences there.

      540-11

      . . . If the acidity is indicated through the kidneys, or from the urine itself, then drink a little of the carbonated waters, as would be indicated with Coca-Cola—but that which is bottled is the better . . .

      540-11

      Keep away from any carbonated waters, save at times—or rather regularly—we would have a little Coca-Cola. This, with some of the activities in same, acts upon the kidneys to aid in relieving the tensions there.

      584-8

      . . . Carbonated drinks may be taken, especially Coca-Cola or those of such derivatives. These will aid especially in purifying the activity and coordinating same through the kidneys and the eliminating system.

      849-26

      In these cases the carbonation itself is clearly regarded as a beneficial element. This is equally true with a number of other types of fizzy drinks, some of which might be prepared at home:

      . . . Those drinks with a little charged water would be very well—as Coca-Cola or Orangeade or the like, if taken once or twice a day; for their reaction upon the system as related to especially the hepatic or the kidney and liver circulation would be good.

      1476-2

      Soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Cherry Cola, Pepsi-Cola or any of the Cola drinks, may be taken in moderation, . . .

      1945-1

      Noons—we would drink a little Coca-Cola, Orangeade, Lemonade, or the like . . .

      327-2

      Then any mild drink such as half and half carbonated and plain water will be very well, or Coca-Cola would be very well, to assist in purifying the flow through the kidneys; but not until such improvement is shown . . .

      2367-1

      Coca-Cola, limeades and such are well for the body. These will act with the kidneys in the eliminations.

      391-17