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The Alkaline Couple Theory of Sagen Ishizuka


I have introduced "The Healthy Food of Sagen Ishizuka" 4 times, but there are only two more posts to go. It takes a lot of my time and effort after my last post to introduce the final part of the book, the alkaline couple theory (couples of natron and potash salt). This is because no matter how many times I read Chapter 4, which describes the nature, effects, and results of the alkaline couple theory, I found it difficult to understand, and I had no idea which part to extract in order to interest readers in this section.

What is the alkaline couple theory that Sagen preached, and how should we use the alkaline couple theory when thinking about things? In conclusion, the alkaline couple theory is difficult to understand, so it cannot be explained in a simple way. I hope that each person will study it thoroughly and deepen their understanding.


Below I will list some key points that will be important in understanding the alkaline theory of couples.


It is difficult to compare the chemical properties and effects of natron and potash salts because they are not directly visible. This is true of most things too, as people tend to judge which is better based on its appearance without considering its internal workings.


In the oriental medicine at the time when Sagen was active, cold medicines containing potassium salts were administered for fever diseases, and febrile medicines containing natron salts were administered for cold diseases, but since there were no cold diseases in Europe, there were antipyretics for fever diseases but no febrile medicines. It is also thought that European doctors did not know why potash salts have a fever-reducing effect on febrile diseases.


Regarding the distribution of natron salt and potassium salt, natron salt is found mainly in foods on the ocean side, while potassium salt is found mainly in foods on the mountain side. Similarly, the air on the ocean side contains a lot of natron salt, while the air on the mountain side contains a lot of potassium salt.


The properties and functions of natron and potash depend on each other, natron controls potash, and potash controls natron, and these two, together with the organic matter of starch, fat, and protein, play a vital role in maintaining a proper balance between the amounts of natron and potash, and the difference between them.


That's all I have to say. If I continue to explain, I'll end up giving away the entire contents of Chapter 4, so I'd like those who are interested to look it up for themselves.


By understanding the properties of natron salt and potash salt, you will be able to understand why the clay stove (Kamado in Japanese) used in old houses had the shape it did, and why salt is used to make preserved foods. You will also have information to help you decide whether it is better to heal your illness by the sea or by the mountains.


The alkaline couple theory showed us the need to look not only at external appearances but also at internal workings when judging things. Trace amounts of natron and potassium salts are found in food, which affect the properties of the food and the health of the person who eats it. This cannot be seen from the outside of the food. Sagen used the terms natron and potassium salts to provide chemical proof of why people who live in a particular area must eat food that is produced in that area. In other words, he sounded a warning against easily abandoning old eating habits and adopting the newly introduced Western eating habits in Japan.


Western-style food may look good and be richly seasoned, but we should carefully consider whether it is good for us to eat it regularly to maintain our health. I think we need to recognize that rice, miso, soy sauce, pickles, tofu, and other foods that Japanese people have eaten since ancient times contain important nutrients that cannot be seen with the naked eye, and we need to re-realize the importance of these foods and reconstruct our eating habits.


Source: Healthy Foods (published by Rural Culture Association, annotated by Hiroshi Maruyama, translated by Masanori Hashimoto)


21st, Oct. 2024: Taka

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