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[Viking <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:

> Has anyone studied the effect of ingesting vinegar on body pH? Biting
>  insects seem to like me more than other people and I have wondered 
> if skin pH is the reason.
>
> Bev, the chemist, would substantial beer ingestion affect body pH?

Now, Gene, I'm not biting on this one....LOL
You KNOW the whole body pH thing is controversial.   I'll only say
this...Biochemistry is not my specialty, but I know enough to avoid
stepping in a pile. :)
Vinegar is a weak acid.  You have stronger acids in your stomach.  Blood
 normally should be about 7.4, ever so slightly alkaline.
There are many, many chemistries at work in your body.  Some operate
best in an acid environment, some operate best in an alkaline
environment.  The body has many buffering operations that hold various
systems to a near constant pH. These buffering mechanisms are affected
by organ health (things like kidney disease) as well as things like
exercise (the amount of hemoglobin can greatly affect how efficiently
the body can maintain it's buffer during exercise) and even external
temperature.  There are layers upon layers of buffering, and multiple
variables in considering all this. Trying to grab a moment in time from
something as complex as the human body is beyond my ability without a
LOT of research, which I am not willing to do this morning. :)

Gene, I think you know the effects of alcohol in the
body/blood...lol...perhaps you have alcoholic mosquitoes there at
Heartwood?  hehe
Mosquitos see differently than people.  They look for heat-warm blooded
folks.  You may just have a higher metabolic rate than most people.
Since I have thyroid disease, my normal body temperature is right around
96, instead of the normal 98.6.  If I were standing next to someone with
a higher normal body temp, the mosquito would go for them before me, I
think simply because they are a brighter beacon.  Like most insects,
they also like dark colors, so wearing white might help keep the bugs
off you as well as keep you cooler, which is going to in turn keep even
more bugs away.  I suspect diet is also a factor when it comes to one's
ability to attract mosquitoes, but I don't know how that would
work....Diet definitely plays a part in reducing a hunters
smell...Perhaps a diet high in citrus would help you?? ;)  Probably,
your best bet is to apply lotions, creams, or simply use mud to repel
skeeters..

Bev

--
erthnsky AT bellsouth.net  BevanRon of EarthNSky Farm      NW Georgia USDA Zone 7
34.498N 85.076W