7 Reasons Drinking Alkaline Water 

 

When it comes to your body, there is no other substance more important than water. If you drink lots of water on a regular basis, you know you’re doing something very beneficial for your health, but have you heard about alkaline water?
Alkaline water is less acidic than tap water. “Alkaline” refers to water’s pH level, the number that measures how acid or alkaline something is on a scale of 0 to 14. Something that has a pH of 1, for example, would be extremely acidic, while something with a pH of 13 is considered to be very alkaline.
The thinking behind alkaline water and optimum health is that maintaining a bodily pH level of 7.4 is key. As so many foods in the modern diet are considered acidic, drinking water with a higher pH than normal is believed help your body stay alkaline and disease-free, improving all aspects of health.
If you’ve ever had an aquarium, you probably know that the water the fish swim in must be at the correct pH for them to survive. Plants also flourish when soil is at the correct pH level, so it only makes sense that humans thrive better when their pH is at an optimal level, right?
While there have only been a handful of scientific studies to prove the benefits of alkaline water to date, fans say the proof is in their improved health and the way they feel– and, research published in the Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology in 2012, found that alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 was able to soothe acid reflux as the high pH level kills pepsin, the enzyme involved in breaking down food proteins, and a major cause of acid reflux.
A study out of Shanghai suggested that drinking alkaline water may be helpful for those who suffer from diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.
As alkaline water has a higher pH level than your regular drinking water, some experts believe it helps to neutralize the acid in your body, which offers numerous benefits – in fact, some go as far as saying that if you change the type of water, you drink, you might just change your life.

7 Benefits of Drinking Alkaline Water

Drinking alkaline water may:
1. Boost your immune system. As alkaline water is loaded with antioxidants, drinking it can help boost your immune system so that you’ll be less likely to catch the flu or a cold, and even lessen the odds of developing more serious conditions like cancer, helping your body to fight off disease and heal itself. The water can neutralize damaging free radicals and convert them into oxygen to be used for tissue oxygenation and energy production.
2. Promote better digestion. Acidity interferes with the normal digestive process. When an overproduction of stomach acids results from spicy foods, alcohol, overeating, stress and other factors, the acids often go back into the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux which causes heartburn. Frequent episodes can even permanently damage the walls of the esophagus, or worse, trigger cancers. Acidity is often accompanied by other problems like bloating, nausea, indigestion or vomiting. By including alkalizing water in your diet, along with more alkalizing foods, it can help neutralize the effects of acid, supporting better digestion.
3. Improve your energy levels. Drinking lots of water is well-known to improve energy levels, as a dehydrated body is a fatigued body. Alkaline water can take that a step further, as it helps deliver nutrients to the body more efficiently than traditional tap water, providing you with more energy throughout the day.
4. Slows the aging process. As alkaline water is negatively charged and an “antioxidant,” it can battle free radicals. That not only helps prevent disease; but it can also slow the aging process, including signs like sagging skin and wrinkles, by reducing cellular and DNA damage caused by free radicals. Getting older by itself doesn’t cause aging – aging is the result of damage to body tissues.
5. Give you a more beautiful complexion. Drinking alkaline water not only helps keep the skin hydrated like regular water, but because it also can fight those aging free radicals, it more effectively improves skin health, keeping your appearance younger. No matter what your age, drinking alkaline water is a good way to enjoy a more beautiful, glowing complexion.
6. Lower your risk of osteoporosis. As most people’s diets are too acidic, that can lead to a loss of bone mineral density, and possibly osteoporosis. The consequences of osteoporosis can affect someone for life. If it isn’t prevented in the early stages or is left untreated, it can progress without one knowing, until a bone breaks. Although the hips, wrists and spine are the most common places for an osteoporosis-related bone fracture, almost any bone can be susceptible.
7. Support weight loss. One of the reasons for being overweight or obese is that toxins have accumulated in the body, and are stored away in fat tissue. Excessive acidity in the body’s tissues can cause serious problems. When there is too much acid, that acid can’t be easily processed and excreted, so the body holds onto fat as an adaptive mechanism, resulting in weight gain. Reducing acidity in the body can, therefore, help prevent the storage of fat, which is why those who drink alkaline water, and follow a more alkalizing diet in general, often experience noticeable weight loss.

Where To Buy Alkaline Water

These days, with the word spread about the benefits of alkaline water, it’s fairly easy to find. You can purchase bottles of Essentia 9.5 pH Drinking Water from this page on Amazon, and there are also companies that sell products like ionizers, which they claim have the ability to make regular water alkaline through a chemical process called electrolysis. Makers of these ionizers say that the electricity used to separate molecules in the water, make it more acidic or more alkaline, though their effectiveness is still debatable because of the significant amount of time and power involved. The amount of hydroxide that could be generated in a fast moving stream of water, like a running tap, would be minimal at best.

How To Make Your Own Alkaline Water

It’s easy to make your alkaline water at home. Before you get started, be sure that you have distilled or filtered water, or water that’s been purified through reverse osmosis. You don’t want to use straight tap water, because it usually has chemicals added during the purification process. You also need to have a pH kit to test your water, which can be purchased from this page on Amazon. It should come with a pH color chart and pH strips. If you plan to alkalize your water using pH drops (other options are listed below) be sure and purchase those too – they’re available from this page.
Once you’ve got everything you need, you’ll need to test your water’s pH level (both before and after alkalizing). This will determine how much of an adjustment you’ll need to make. As water is naturally a seven on the pH scale, impurities in water tend to make it more acidic, which means it’s likely under a 7. The ideal pH level for pure drinking water is said to be around 8-9, which can be achieved by alkalizing it.
To test your water, dip a pH strip into it. Let it sit for a moment, and then compare its color with the colors on the pH chart. Make a note of your water’s pH level, and then move on to the next process: alkalizing your water.

There are two preferred methods for alkalization of water:
1. Add pH drops. pH drops are highly concentrated and contain potent alkaline minerals. If you’ve purchased them (such as these), just follow the directions on the bottle to determine how many drops to put into your water. This is an excellent method to utilize, as pH drops can easily be carried around in a purse or bag, and added to your water during the day when you’re out and about.
Once again, keep in mind that pH drops only increase water’s alkalinity and don’t filter things like fluoride, chlorine or other chemicals often in tap water, which is why only filtered, distilled or purified water should be used.
2. Alkalizing with baking soda. You can also alkalize your water with baking soda. If you follow a low-sodium diet, be aware that baking soda is high in sodium, so this method is probably not for you.
Add a 1/8 tablespoon of baking soda to eight ounces of purified, distilled or filtered water. Don’t add more than the suggested amount of baking soda to your water as it can make you ill.
As baking soda has a high alkaline content, when it’s mixed into the water, it increases its alkaline properties. Be sure to blend vigorously so that the baking soda is thoroughly mixed into the water.
After you’ve completed either process, test your water to determine its pH level. Remember, 8-9 is ideal.

Alkaline water is the opposite of acidic water. It has a higher pH level than plain water.
Claims of health benefits have helped increase the popularity of alkaline diets and sales of machines that turn water alkaline. Ionizing machines are one example of these products, which can cost over a thousand dollars.
But what scientific evidence lies behind drinking alkaline water? Are there any proven health benefits?

Contents of this article:

1. What is alkaline water?
2. Alkaline water and bone health
3. Alkaline water and cancer
4. Alkaline water and acid reflux
5. Summary of health benefits to drinking alkaline water
6. Why is hydration important?

What is alkaline water?

Alkaline water has a high pH:

pH is said to be an abbreviation of "power of hydrogen."

• Neutral is a pH of 7.0
• Regular water from rainfall is usually slightly acidic, just below neutral on the pH scale
• Acidic, or basic, water is below a pH of 7.0, down to zero
• Vinegar is around pH 3, lemon juice is around pH 2, and battery acid is around pH 1
• Alkaline water is above pH 7
• Baking soda is between pH 8 and 9, and Milk of Magnesia is between pH 10 and 11

The pH of water is changed by chemicals and gases. Carbon dioxide from the air increases acidity, for example. This is why rainwater's pH is below neutral.
Water that is too high or too low in pH has adverse effects. Water that is too alkaline has a bitter taste. It can cause deposits to encrust pipes and appliances. Highly acidic water may corrode metals or even dissolve them.

How to get alkaline drinking water

Machines called ionizers make water alkaline, but they are expensive.
Bottled mineral water tends to be neutral or slightly alkaline. Some manufacturers may state the pH level of their bottled waters.
Sparkling waters are acidic. Carbonation introduces carbon dioxide, which lowers the pH.

Alkaline water and bone health

Bottled mineral water may be slightly alkaline.

Some research has been done into effects of alkaline intake on bones. A study published in Bone found an effect on bone resorption. Bone resorption is the process where old bone cells are broken down and replaced by new ones.
Less bone resorption and more mineral density result in better bone strength.
The study examined a very small number of people, though. Only 30 women took part in the research.
The authors concluded "that a bicarbonate- and calcium-rich alkali mineral water decreased bone resorption more than a calcium-rich acidic mineral water."
They called for more work to be done, to see if the benefit of less bone resorption was long-term and could improve bone mineral density.

Large review of evidence

Another study, published in Nutrition Journal, looked at an alkaline diet rather than alkaline drinking.
The review looked into whether an acidic diet could cause osteoporosis, a disease marked by weak and brittle bones.
Reviewing the background to the study, the authors noted a high number of claims being made on the Internet. These claims suggested "that alkaline diets and related commercial products counteract acidity, help the body regulate its pH, and thus prevent disease processes."
The review used high-quality evidence to conclude that acid from the modern diet does not cause osteoporosis. It also concluded that an alkaline diet or alkaline supplements or salts do not prevent osteoporosis.

Alkaline water and cancer

A review of the effects of alkalis on cancer was published in the journal BMJ Open.
The review assessed thousands of studies. However, the authors found only one proper, randomized test of acid in the diet and cancer of the urinary bladder.
They found no studies about alkaline water and cancer in humans. The review did find some other types of study of alkaline water, "none of which supported the promotions that suggest alkaline water supports good health."
They found only harms from alkaline water, including:

• Restricting the release of stomach acids
• Reducing gall bladder emptying
• Poisonous reactions
• Heart problems

The alkaline diet, said the authors, is promoted to correct "the acid state that the modern diet creates." The alkaline diet includes more fresh fruits and vegetables and reduced protein intake.
"The marketing of the alkaline diet promotes not only a diet, but also the sale of related supplements and water alkalinizer machines through almost every media medium, including websites, books, and videos," the authors wrote, adding:
"In our experience, patients with cancer are approached by salespeople who are promoting water alkalinizers as a way to treat their cancer."
The overall conclusion of the paper was there was no evidence to support the use of the alkaline diet:

"Despite the promotion of the alkaline diet and alkaline water by the media and salespeople, there is almost no actual research to either support or disprove them."

Alkaline water and acid reflux

Maintaining hydration is important for everyone.

Acid reflux disease is when the contents of the stomach, which are acidic, splash back up the food pipe.
Acid reflux that keeps happening for a long time can cause damage and a disease known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.
A study published in Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology found that drinking alkaline water might be worth further study as a supplement to other treatment for reflux disease.
It found that alkaline water at pH 8.8 stops an enzyme that is connected to reflux disease. It also appeared to reduce the acidity of the stomach contents.
The work was done in a laboratory rather than in humans. More research would be needed to support these findings.

Summary of health benefits to drinking alkaline water

There is no good evidence that drinking alkaline water is good for health or treats any medical conditions.
It may be wise to think twice about claims that alkaline diets or water are especially good for people.

Why is hydration important?

Getting enough fluid to keep the water balance of our bodies is vital for life.
Bodies are made up of water to about two-thirds of body mass. People start to dehydrate if they stop taking in water.
The body uses and loses water through sweating, urination, and so on. If not enough water is taken in, cells become deprived of nutrients very quickly. Blood pressure also starts to fall if there is not enough water to maintain a healthy blood volume.
Some people are more at risk from the effects of water loss than others. Dehydration in the very young or very old, for example, becomes dangerous quickly.

Written by Markus MacGill

 

You may have heard some of the various health claims about alkaline water. Some say it can help slow the aging process, regulate your body’s pH level, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer. But what exactly is alkaline water, and why all the hype?

Alkaline Water

Know the Difference

• Alkaline water has a pH of 8 or 9.
• Regular tap water generally has a pH of 6 to 7.

The “alkaline” in alkaline water refers to its pH level. The pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0-14. For example, something with a pH of 1 would be very acidic, and something with a pH of 13 would be very alkaline.
Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Because of this, some advocates of alkaline water believe it can neutralize the acid in your body. Normal drinking water is generally a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water generally has a pH of 8 or 9.

Natural or Artificial?

Water that is naturally alkaline occurs when water passes over rocks – like springs – and picks up minerals, which increase its alkaline level. There are companies that sell products, like ionizers, that claim to make water alkaline through a chemical process called electrolysis. Makers of ionizers say electricity is used to separate molecules in the water that are more acidic or more alkaline. Although some doctors and researchers say these claims are not backed quality research. 
A study published by the World Health Organization cautions against drinking low-mineral content water on a regular basis.

Where Do You Get It?

Alkaline water can be bought in many grocery or health food stores. Water ionizers are sold in many large chain stores as well.
You can also make your own at home. Even though lemon and lime juice is acidic, they contain minerals that can change the composition of water. Adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to a glass of water can make your water more alkaline. Adding pH drops is another way to make water more alkaline. It’s important to use distilled water when making alkaline water because tap water or bottled water may have other additives.

Does It Really Work?

Alkaline water is a somewhat controversial topic. Many health professionals argue against its use, saying there isn’t enough research to support the many health claims made by users and sellers. According to Mayo Clinic, regular water is best for most people as there is no scientific evidence that fully verifies the claims made by alkaline water proponents.
However, there are a few studies that suggest alkaline water might be helpful for certain conditions. For example, a 2012 study found that drinking alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 can help deactivate pepsin, which is the main enzyme that causes acid reflux. Another study suggested that drinking alkaline water may have benefits for people who suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Is It Safe?

The issue that many health professionals have with alkaline water is not its safety, but rather the health claims that are made about it.
There is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of alkaline water as a treatment for any health condition. Medical experts warn against believing all the marketing claims.
Drinking natural alkaline water is generally considered safe, since it contains natural minerals. However, you should use caution with artificial alkaline water, which likely contains fewer minerals necessary for good health than its high pH would have you believe, and overuse may leave you deficient.
You can install an alkaline water ionizer / ioniser on your kitchen sink. It takes tap water, filters it and then using electrolysis, splits it into water containing mostly acid minerals and water containing mostly alkaline minerals. The two types of water come out in two separate pipes. Those models with titanium electrodes or platinum-coated titanium electrodes have an expected life of ten years, much longer than any other type of electrode.

What is alkaline water?

Several health writers maintain that the key to health and longevity is the management and disposal of acidic waste products. Alkaline ionised water can be rich in alkaline minerals, though of course it depends on what's in your tap water to start with. These alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, nickel and manganese help make your body more alkaline and remove acid waste products from your body.

Some models have a cartridge that lets you add crushed coral or other alkaline minerals. This is a good idea, especially if you live in an area with poor mineral content in the water supply (such as West Australia, where I live).
The ionizer removes some but not all of the acid-forming minerals from the alkaline water, depending upon the pH level you select. For example, at a pH of 9.0 about a third of the harmful added fluorides are removed. The same applies to the other acid-forming minerals.
The sediment and carbon pre-filters remove the chlorine and particle matter.
The alkaline water apparently has another characteristic - the water molecules are reconfigured into a lighter, simpler form that are more easily absorbed by your body and your cells. However, I have found no scientific evidence that this is possible.
Another claim is that ionised alkaline water gives you an additional source of oxygen, provided in a body-friendly way. The effect is similar to deep breathing, exercise or sleeping in fresh air. Oxygen is an important degenerative disease treatment and anti-ageing therapy. Insufficient oxygen leads to many degenerative diseases.
I heard one scientist say that yes, ionised water provides a raised level of oxygen in your blood, but it would not be much more than you would get from a few deep breaths. In defence of alkaline water, I did feel slightly energised after drinking it, and it did tend to keep me awake if I drank a glass before going to bed. All other people I know who have drank alkaline water did not report this effect.
Many plants thrive on alkaline ionised water.
The acid water has some properties similar to the water from a natural hot mineral spring. It will restore skin acidity after washing, and you can use it as a hair conditioner. Some people say it protects you from acne. However, I was always reluctant to use it on my skin because of the high level of acidic pollutants in municipal water, such as fluorides. It is a versatile disinfectant both on your body, and for domestic tasks such as cleaning vegetables or washing the toilet. It adds substantially to the life of cut flowers.

Is alkaline water good for you?

Here is my experience after drinking alkaline water for 10 years. What I have to say here has cost this website many referrals. Alkaline water is a large and organised industry, and my being truthful about the long-term health problems caused by alkaline water has not earned me friends in the industry.
For ten years I drank alkaline water almost exclusively. The pH was between 8 and 9, usually closer to 8. The alkaline water tasted sweet and good, but I cannot attribute any health benefits to the alkaline water over this extensive period.

When I used to drink alkaline water, I tried not to drink it within an hour before or after a meal. This is important for high protein meals, which need an acid stomach in which to digest. Most people need more acid in their stomachs, and can improve their digestion by drinking lemon juice in water, or supplementing with apple cider vinegar or other acid foods and drinks. A glass of alkaline water does not help with the digestion of your protein food!
In early 2010 I was diagnosed with severe acid reflux and GERD / GORD. I suffered blockage, heartburn, and infection of the lower oesophagus. Typical symptoms that others suffer include:

• Diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome.
• Allergies. Poorly digested proteins tend to switch on allergies.
• Malabsorption, causing micronutrient deficiencies.
• Poor digestion of foods with recognisable foods appearing in faeces.
• A tendency to get gut infections since acid is required to sterilise the contents of the stomach. Bacterial and yeast overgrowth means that food is fermented instead of being digested, resulting in wind, gas and bloating. It may also be part of the mechanism by which CFS sufferers are susceptible to gut viruses like Epstein-Barr.
• The pyloric sphincter will not open properly to allow the stomach contents into the duodenum. Food will tend to stay in the stomach for too long.

Whilst investigating why my stomach was digesting poorly, and my lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) was not closing efficiently, I discovered that both the LES and the pyloric sphincter are pH sensitive. In simple terms, the valves for entry and exit to your stomach are confused by ongoing alkalinity. One of the keys for efficient digestion is a strongly acid stomach. I stopped drinking alkaline water, and started treatment with apple cider vinegar. There was an immediate improvement in my digestion and the reflux disappeared within days.
I believe that long term use if alkaline water causes acid reflux and other health problems.

Research shows that alkaline-promoting / acid-reducing medicines and drugs are harmful

Conventional medicine and the drug companies promote alkaline tablets and acid blockers to treat stomach reflux problems. The standard medical treatment for dyspeptic symptoms such as acid reflux is to try to reduce acidity in the stomach. The most common way of doing this is using a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors. They include: aciphex (raberprazole), kapidex (dexlansoprazole), nexium (esomeprazole), prevacid (lansoprazole), prilosec (omeprazole) and protonix (pantoprazole).
In the short term, alkalinity provides fast and temporary relief of the symptoms of acid reflux and heartburn. However, the opposite is needed for a cure. For good health and long life your stomach needs to be constantly and strongly acidic. The research (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9) proving this has been conveniently ignored for 50 years.
Several new studies (10,11,12) published in the journal Gastroenterology show that these drugs actually cause the problems they are prescribed to treat! After a two-month course of esomeprazole (Nexium), 44% of the healthy volunteers developed heartburn, acid reflux, or dyspepsia. Even worse, the researchers showed that the rebound acid secretion could lead to dependence on the drugs.

The simple cure for acid reflux (GERD, GORD)

I got genuine relief from my acid reflux within a couple of hours. My acid reflux was completely healed after two weeks, and has not recurred.
For most people the cure for acid reflux / heartburn is easy: make your stomach more acidic. The traditional and most effective remedy is apple cider vinegar (ACV). Whey made from raw milk (preferably using kefir), lemon juice and Swedish bitters are also effective. The whey I am referring to here is the acidic, clear liquid that remains after you make curds or cheese from milk (NOT whey powder). You can make the best whey yourself, using kefir. I know several people who have healed long-term degenerative diseases with this single remedy.
Take a between one and four teaspoons of ACV in a glass of water before a meal. A lesser quantity of acidic water after a meal helps to wash out any food particles that may be stopping the LES from closing properly. The acidity also helps it to close correctly, and helps with digestion.

If you take an acid such as ACV between meals or before going to bed, rinse your mouth to avoid damaging your tooth enamel.
Kombucha, kefir and rejuvelac are acidic and help heal stomach acidity problems. They also contain natural probiotic microorganisms, essential for healing digestive problems.
The simple and clear logic behind all this, and a more detailed discussion are available in my ebook Grow Youthful.
Recipes and a detailed discussion of suitable foods are available in The Grow Youthful Recipe Book.

Other Warnings

Do not consume alkaline water with any medicines, supplements, or other additives. The alkaline water is reactive, and can form potentially dangerous by-products when mixed with a drug or other chemical compounds.
You should store ionised water in sealed glass bottles rather than plastic bottles, because it is reactive and can react with some plastics. It also reacts with the air and loses its ionisation if it is left exposed (of course, the alkaline minerals remain).

Unidentified toxins

James P McMahon of Utah writes: "If your tap water contains unregulated contaminants such as pharmaceuticals these may be transformed by the ionizing process into unknown compounds with unknown health risks. Tests have shown that ozone converts some pharmaceuticals into other unknown compounds as opposed to removing them. The electrical process in alkaline ionizers produces peroxide which acts precisely the same as ozone."
In Perth, Australia, where I live, the water has fluorides added in the mistaken belief that it improves the dental health of the population. I explain in Grow Youthful how these fluorides are harmful to your health. My tap water is also high in chlorine and other toxic pollutants.
For six months I did an experiment where I used my ioniser on the maximum setting. I filled glass bottles with water at a pH of about 10. I then added 2 ml of 5% apple cider vinegar into each bottle. This brought the pH down to 6.5, so my drinking water was neutral to very slightly acidic. This also removed most of the toxic fluoride from my drinking water.
My logic was that on the maximum setting, my ioniser will got rid of most of the acidic toxins, especially the fluorides. (Few other water filters can remove the fluorides in water - only a water distiller, and some reverse osmosis filters).
My experience: sometimes my ionized water tasted good, other days it was weird, even unpleasant. Over the months it did not feel good, and I did not feel well drinking it during this experimental period. My conclusion is that there are unknown compounds in my tap water that the ionising process converted into unknown toxins, and this water was not healthy.

Clean, pure water is a cornerstone of good health. Your body is mostly water, so the ongoing intake of water is essential to your every function.
It's common knowledge that most water sources are now polluted, but there is tremendous confusion about what kind of drinking water is the most health promoting, and what kind of home water treatment produces the best drinking water.
Today, too many people are choosing soda instead of pure water as their primary beverage, and the health of an entire culture is at risk.
The number one source of calories in the U.S. comes from high fructose corn syrup primarily in the form of soda. Americans drink an average of one gallon of soda each week, and this excessive fructose consumption is a driving force behind obesity and chronic degenerative disease in this country.
The most practical and economical strategy to combat obesity and chronic disease is to replace all sodas and other sweet beverages with pure water.
The trouble is, most public water supplies are loaded with hazardous contaminants, such as disinfection byproducts (DBPs), fluoride, and pharmaceutical drugs, to name just a few. Nevertheless, you DO need to make water your beverage of choice if you want to be healthy - but it should be purified water.
But beyond water filtration, there's also the issue of pH - alkaline versus acidic water. There are quite a few astonishing health claims being made about alkaline water, but are they true? Most of them are not.
The theory behind alkaline water is, in a nutshell, that alkaline (ionized) water is a powerful antioxidant with surplus electrons that can "mop up" the dangerous free radicals you have coursing through your veins. Marketers claim alkaline water can correct excess acidity in your tissues, which can then prevent or reverse cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases.1
Above is my interview with Houston Tomasz on this topic. He's a 10-year veteran in the water filtration industry and this article expands on some of the items that we discuss in our interview. The segment is part of a much longer interview that we will air in future issues. Additionally, I have interviewed two other experts on this topic and they both agree that ionizers that produce alkaline water are not your best choice.

'Snake Oil on Tap'

When I posted a comment on my Facebook page, announcing I was interviewing Houston, I asked for questions and the most popular question by far was whether or not to drink alkaline water.
Many alkaline water enthusiasts are convinced its powers are unparalleled and will vehemently defend it. I am also certain that many will post vigorous objections to my position, and that is their choice. It is also my choice and responsibility to provide information on a system that many people are relying on to provide health benefits that I feel are unjustified.

One cannot look at the alkaline value alone to determine the value of the water. While many of the best waters should be slightly alkaline, it has much more to do tha pH alone.
There are a plethora of testimonials and so-called scientific studies on the Internet claiming alkaline water will cure your every ill. Many consumers, struggling to make sense of the scientific jargon, eventually throw up their hands in frustration. The reality is, most of the circulating information is distributed by clever marketers, with very little scientific validity to back up their claims.
Complicating matters is the fact that most water alkalizers are being marketed by multi-level marketing (MLM) companies with less-than-stellar ethics. They sell you a very expensive machine, for which you get a good discount if you sign up as a rep, and once you're part of the MLM, you can't very well change your mind about its benefits (especially if you're going to sell the units) - even if you realize that the alkaline water is no longer "working" for you.
I have been personally approached many times and encouraged to sell these systems and there would have been large revenue streams had I chosen to do so, but I would never promote anything that I would never use personally, and I can assure you that I would never use most of the machines on the market that produce alkaline water as a regular source of water.
Some people experience an initial "high" when they start drinking alkaline water. This can easily be attributed to detoxification, and the fact that they are likely just becoming better hydrated.
Detoxification is about the only benefit of this type of water, and this benefit is limited to very SHORT TERM USE (no more than a week or two). I will elaborate on what is known about alkaline water, but first you'll need a basic understanding of the properties of water and a few definitions.

Types of Water Available to You

As I will review in a future interview with Houston, there are many reasons why you want to avoid drinking tap water, or as Daniel Vitalis, a raw water enthusiast, refers to it: "tap liquid." He believes calling what flows from your unfiltered tap "water" is being overly generous, and I would have to agree. In terms of types of water, here are some basic definitions to keep in mind:

• Purified water: Water that is physically processed to remove impurities (e.g., distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, etc.)
• Distilled water: Water that is boiled and evaporated away from its dissolved minerals, and then the vapor is condensed.
• Bottled Water. This water is typically from a spring or has gone through reverse osmosis before it is bottled. However, some brands are simply bottled tap water that may or may not have gone through any additional filtering.
• Alkaline water: Water that has been separated into alkaline and acid fractions using electrolysis, which takes advantage of the naturally occurring electric charges found in the magnesium and calcium ions; in the drinking water industry.
• Deionized or demineralized water: Water in which the mineral ions (salts such as sodium, calcium, iron, copper, chloride and bromide) have been removed by exposing it to electrically charged resins that attract and bind to the salts.
• Hard and soft water: Hard water is any water containing an appreciable quantity of dissolved minerals; soft water is treated water in which the only cation (positively charged ion) is sodium.

Understanding PH

The concept of the acidity or alkalinity of your body - or of water - is based on the pH scale. So it's necessary to have a basic understanding of what pH is. PH is simply a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions. In fact, the acronym "pH" is short for "potential of hydrogen." The higher a liquid's pH, the fewer free hydrogen ions it has; the lower its pH, the more free hydrogen ions it has. One pH unit reflects a tenfold change in ion concentration - for example, there are ten times as many hydrogen ions available at a pH of 7 than at a pH of 8.²

The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, and a pH of 7 is neutral. Anything with a pH below 7 is considered acidic, with battery acid being the most extreme example, around 1. Anything with a pH above 7 is alkaline (or basic), with lye at the top of the scale, around 13.³ Natural water on our planet ranges in pH from 6.5 to 9.0, depending on surrounding soil and vegetation, seasonal variations and weather, and even time of day responses to sunlight. Human activities further influence the pH of our water, from the barrage of toxic industrial pollutants. According to an educational website called Water on the Web :

"Pollutants in water can cause it to have higher algal and plant growth, as a result of increased temperature or excess nutrients, causing pH levels to rise. Although these small changes in pH are not likely to have a direct impact on aquatic life, they greatly influence the availability and solubility of all chemical forms in the lake and may aggravate nutrient problems. For example, a change in pH may increase the solubility of phosphorus, making it more available for plant growth and resulting in a greater long-term demand for dissolved oxygen."

Most aquatic animals and plants have adapted to life in water with a very specific pH, and will die from even slight changes. A pH below 4 or above 10 will kill most fish, and very few animals can tolerate waters with a pH below 3 or above 11⁴ With living systems being so sensitive to changes in pH, it should come as no surprise that YOU, as another living organism on this planet, would be sensitive to your water's pH as well.

Guidelines for the PH of Your Drinking Water

So, what are the recommendations for optimal drinking water pH? The WHO has published a nearly-600 page document called " Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality."⁵ In this voluminous tome, you would expect to find everything you'd ever want to know about your drinking water, right? Well, everything EXCEPT a pH recommendation - there are no health-based guidelines for pH! They state that pH usually has "no direct impact on consumers," yet they also write pH is one of the "most important operational water quality parameters." They do recommend your water pH be in the range of 6.5 to 8.0 so as not to corrode your pipes - and they're NOT talking about your body's plumbing:

"Alkalinity and calcium management also contribute to the stability of water and control its aggressiveness to pipe and appliance. Failure to minimize corrosion can result in the contamination of drinking water and in adverse effects on its taste and appearance. Failure to minimize corrosion can result in the contamination of drinking water and in adverse effects on its taste and appearance."

It appears that the WHO is more concerned about the pipes in your house than the pipes in your body. Most likely the optimal pH of the water you were designed to drink is somewhere between 6.5 and 8. Above or below this level may have other purposes, such as disinfection, but I would be careful drinking water outside of these ranges.

Alkalinity Research I: Flora and Fauna

Although the research is clear that highly alkaline water has detrimental effects on plants and animals, there are not many studies with humans. A review of the literature turns up a variety of anecdotal evidence about the importance of pH to various living organisms, however, and as you might expect, optimal pH varies, depending on the organism. The scientific literature indicates pH is important for nutrition and vitality. For example:

• Michigan State University studied greenhouse growth media (including the pH of that media), finding it is extremely important for the media pH to be properly adjusted prior to planting. Too high of a pH (greater than 6.5) increases the chances of micronutrient deficiencies. Too low of a pH (less than 5.3) results in calcium and/or magnesium and/or manganese toxicity.⁶
• Ohio State University Extension Service reports that alkaline water affects a plant's ability to obtain nutrients from the soil and can alter the soil's pH over time.⁷
• An ecological study in the Netherlands found that an influx of alkaline water led to the demise of a native plant called Stratiotes aloides L.⁸
• Fish chronically exposed to alkaline soft water exhibit signs of stress (sometimes fatal), while fish in alkaline hard water experienced no such adverse effects, according to a study at the University of British Columbia.⁹

If you are a gardener, you can view a helpful illustration of the environmental effects of pH in your own garden. If your pH is low, your hydrangea produces pink flowers, but if your pH is high, you'll get blue flowers. But what about us bipeds?

Alkalinity Research II: Humans

There has been a great deal of debate about battling cancer by making your body alkaline. This has become a focus of interest as cancer rates have skyrocketed (along with many other chronic, debilitating diseases), while our bodies have become more acidic from our processed-food diets. The scientific research about the benefits of alkalinity is by no means conclusive. PH appears to have a major influence on cell mitochondria:

• Normal cells die under extremely alkaline conditions. A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry found that alkalosis (rising cellular pH) causes alkaline-induced cell death as a result of altering mitochondrial function.¹⁰
• Another study out of Cornell University states that antioxidants have not proven to be effective against many neurodegenerative diseases, and they state it may be a result of how the mitochondria operate within the cell in certain pH conditions.¹¹

There are some scientific studies that really argue against alkalinity, at least with respect to preventing or treating cancer. Consider the research by Robert Gilles, who has studied tumor formation and acidity.¹² According to Gilles, tumors, by their very nature, make themselves acidic - even in an alkaline cellular structure. In other words, they make their own acidity. Scientists who are in the process of developing prototypes for potential new anticancer agents that selectively kill tumor cells by interfering with the regulation of intracellular pH , have found that alkaline treatments do NOT have the desired effect - but strongly acidic treatments do.¹³
Talk about fighting fire with fire - they are fighting acid-loving cancer cells with acid! LESS alkalinity inside a cancer cell seems to be what you want, not more. So, all of those salesmen promising alkaline water will lower your cancer risk are completely clueless when it comes to what the scientific research actually shows. Even more interesting is a 2005 study by the National Cancer Institute , which revisits the use of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to treat cancer. They found that, in pharmacologic doses administered intravenously, ascorbic acid successfully killed cancer cells without harming normal cells.¹⁴ This is yet another example of cancer cells being vulnerable to acidity, as opposed to alkalinity . It's clear that the relationship between alkalinity and cancer has been grossly oversimplified by those jumping to premature conclusions - and of course by those trying to profit off your fear. The bottom line is that alkaline water isn't cancer's magic bullet.

Balance Is Key

As is true with many things, in the end it's a matter of balance. Water that is too acidic or too alkaline can be detrimental to human health and lead to nutritional disequilibrium. This was demonstrated in a Swedish well water study,¹⁵ which found both pH extremes to be problematic. Your body simply was not designed to drink highly alkaline water all the time. So I believe it's best to be VERY careful when it comes to something as foundational as the water you drink on a daily basis. If you get it wrong, you could really cause yourself some major damage. It makes sense that you are designed to drink water that occurs naturally, which excludes alkaline water with pH levels of 8 and above.
And if you drink alkaline water all the time, you're going to raise the alkalinity of your stomach, which will buffer your stomach's acidity and impair your ability to digest food, as low stomach acid is one of the most common causes of ulcers. This can open the door for parasites in your small intestine, and your protein digestion may suffer. It also means you'll get less minerals and nutrients over time - in fact, some of these health effects can already be seen in hardcore alkaline water drinkers. Alkalinity is also potentially a problem because it is antibacterial, so it could potentially disrupt the balance of your body's beneficial bacteria.¹⁶

Living Water

What you want is pure water - water that is clean, balanced, and healthful, neither too alkaline nor too acidic. Ideally, the pH of your water should be somewhere between 6 and 8. And some of the most healthful waters in the world - that which emerge from mountain springs - are actually acidic in the range of 6.5 and would absolutely be my preference if it were readily available. This mountain spring water is 'structured' in a way that is not well understood. I hope to have more information about structured water in the near future.
If this is something that interests you there is a web site, FindaSpring.com, where you can find springs in your local area. That is "living water," which is living in the same way that raw food is " living food ." One reason I am such an advocate for eating plenty of fresh, organic raw food is for its biophotons. Biophotons are the smallest units of light, which are stored in and used by all biological organisms - including you. Vital energy finds its way into your cells from the biodynamic foods you eat.
In the same way that raw foods are alive with biophoton energy, natural water is "alive" in a similar way. If you really want to alkalinize your body, it would seem wise to encourage it with the highest quality water possible, which is obtained from vegetable juice. Green vegetable juices will help your body normalize your body's pH naturally. If this is new to you and you are interested in more information, you can review my juicing manual for free. I cannot think of "living water" without thinking of the visionary work of Dr. Masaru Emoto , the Japanese researcher who experimented with the crystal forms of water. What he discovered is that different forms of energy influence water's ability to organize into beautiful crystal forms.¹⁷
He demonstrated that water crystallization depends on the natural health of the water. He found that water from natural springs, healing water sources, etc., formed beautiful and complex crystalline geometries - like snowflakes. Water that had been distilled or polluted lost its inner order, and its ability to crystallize was profoundly disturbed. You wouldn't want to eat dead food... so why would you want to drink dead water?

Optimizing Your Body's PH: Back to Basics

The typical American diet is loaded with sugar and processed foods, which throws off your body's ability to optimize your pH. Although your body has mechanisms to buffer your pH, many of you are likely living in a state of low-grade acidosis from eating too many low-quality processed, devitalized food. Our ancestors had no problems with pH because they ate a pre-agricultural hunter-gatherer diet , rich in plant foods and high-quality meats, and devoid of grains. You can optimize your body's pH by eating like your ancestors did - a diet rich in raw, organic, whole foods - and this will help your body achieve homeostasis.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all nutrition plan that works for everyone, which is why Nutritional Typing is so helpful. Determining your nutritional type will help you narrow down the foods that are best for YOUR body's individual chemistry. A diet that makes one person "acidic" may make another person "alkaline," so there is no one single universal food list for perfect pH. For example, protein types can "over-alkalize" their systems by consuming too many dark green vegetables, which can worsen rather than improve their health, in spite of the many beneficial phytonutrients in leafy greens. (I am very familiar with this mistake as it's one I made prior to understanding nutritional typing!) I want you to be aware of just how important it is to understand your body at a deeper level. Your body is a complex, multi-faceted biochemical system that is unlikely to respond well to shot-in-the-dark treatments, like alkaline water.