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ARTIFICAL ALKALINE WATER AND WHY AVOID IT
http://www.drlwilson.com/articles/ALKA.%20WATER.htm
by Lawrence Wilson, MD
© March 2012, the Center for Development, Inc.
This article is a warning to avoid drinking artificially
alkalinized water. I am sorry to have to write it, but
there is a push to get people to buy alkaline water
machines, and the propaganda is intense. Also,
when one starts to use it, one feels better; so many
people just assume they are becoming healthier,
which is not the case in my experience of over 30
years. I am not selling any competing products, and
am only interested in keeping people well.
One reason for the popularity of these machines is
that some people do indeed feel better for a while
drinking alkaline water. Quick benefits may include
fewer aches and pains, and perhaps a little more
energy. However, the problems with the alkaline
water machines more than make up for any benefits
they confer.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIALLY ALKALINIZED WATER?
This is most often tap water that is put through an
electrical machine that often runs the water over
platinum and titanium plates. This process causes
the exchange of some platinum and titanium ions
that makes the water more alkaline in its pH. The
machine also has a carbon filter in most cases to
remove some impurities. With some units, one can
also add a white powder that makes the water even
more alkaline.
This is very different from naturally alkaline spring
water, for example. Spring water passes over rocks
in the earth and picks up various trace minerals,
which affect its pH. Good spring water usually has a
slightly alkaline pH of about 8 or even 9.0, but not
much more.
THE RATIONALE FOR DRINKING ALKALINE WATER
The pH balance of the body is very important, and
most people’s bodies are too acidic at the cellular
level. It does not matter if the saliva, urine or other
fluids test alkaline. In almost all cases, the body cells,
which are the site of metabolism, are too acidic. This
predisposes one to many metabolic imbalances and
diseases including cancer. The rationale for drinking
alkaline water is that it will correct this important
physiological imbalance.
Problems with this rationale for alkaline water: The
main problems with this theory are:
1. The real cause of excess acidity at the cellular
level is a deficiency of what are called the
alkalinizing or alkaline reserve minerals. These
come from what one was born with, and from the
diet. If one lives a stressful life, one also depletes
these quickly. They include calcium, magnesium,
zinc, selenium, and a few others.
Unfortunately, drinking artificially alkalinized water
does little or nothing to replace these vital minerals.
In fact, it may deplete them for unusual reasons. It
may make the body think it is alkaline, so the body
does not need to hold on to its alkaline reserve
minerals as much, and it eliminates some of them,
making the person even more deficient.
2. Water from alkaline water machines replaces the
vital minerals with a little cadmium, lead, arsenic
and other toxic metals found in tap water and not
filtered by any carbon filters that I am aware of.
Some filtering systems claim to filter out toxic metals,
but I have not observed this in practice. Those filters
that I have seen that are said to remove a lot of toxic
metals tend to damage the water even worse.
Reverse osmosis is an example of this type, along
with KDF and other types of “advanced” filtration
media.
3. In addition, the alkaline water machines also
replace the good minerals with a little platinum and
titanium found in the plates that the water passes
over to make it alkaline. These are both supremely
toxic metals, especially platinum.
In addition, I have observed slightly higher levels of
nickel in those who use alkaline water machines for
several years. The nickel is probably leached from
the stainless steel in the machine, or perhaps from a
nickel-plated machine part. Nickel is a deadly toxic
metal. The alkalinity of the water may cause a little
to be leached out of the machine parts.
4. Carbon filtration also does not remove enough of
the toxic chemicals in the water, so one is also
getting a dose of chlorine, fluorides, aluminum,
copper, residues of medical drugs in many areas,
pesticides and more.
5. As a result, alkaline water machines do not really
balance the body’s pH, although they will change it
a little, giving some people the impression they are
getting well when, in fact, they are becoming more
ill.
The only way to truly balance the body is to
replenish the alkaline reserve minerals. To do this,
one must eat a lot of cooked vegetables. The cooked
vegetables, and perhaps some mineral supplements,
when carefully chosen such as kelp, can and do
supply the alkaline reserve minerals. Good quality,
natural spring water also supplies some alkaline
minerals, as does good quality sea salt. Using these
on a daily basis, the body can be slowly remineralized. This is the way to do it, not drinking
artificially alkalinized water.
Is the water from an alkaline water machine the
same as naturally alkaline spring water? Definitely
not… First, alkaline spring waters usually have a pH
of about 8 or possibly 8.5. The water from the
machines is often much higher, up to 12 or 13. This is
not healthful.
Secondly, natural alkaline spring water and some well
water are high in calcium and magnesium, which are
excellent for one’s health.
Water from the
machines, by contrast, is artificially made to be
alkaline by mixing the water with a small amount of
platinum and perhaps titanium, both of which are
toxic metals.
Why is the diet important? Much of the acidity of
the body is due to a diet that is too high in grains,
cereals, beans, and sugars. Refined food diets are the
worst, but so are most people’s high carbohydrate
natural food diets. All of these foods have an acidic
reaction in the body due to their peculiar mineral
content. Red meats also have a more acidic reaction
due to other factors such as their high iron content
and the bacteria needed to digest them properly.
Even eating some fruits today seem to have an acidic
reaction. This is due to their content of fruit acids,
their higher sugar content, their unbalanced mineral
content today thanks to hybridization, and genetic
modification. Some fruits are still alkaline forming,
but not all by any means. We find that fruit is not a
healthful food today.
The diets need to be corrected by eating at least 70%
cooked vegetables each and every day. This is the
only way to obtain enough alkaline reserve minerals.
Also, consuming sea salt only, and natural spring
water, and supplements of kelp, for example, also
help. Drinking an artificially alkalinized water does
not help very much, and makes the person worse for
the reasons outlined above.
TYPES OF ALKALINE WATER PROCESSING
I know of three types of alkaline water systems.
None are recommended, and all are harmful, but the
worst are the first type – the electrical machines.
Type #1. Free-standing electrical home units. The
first type of alkaline water machines are most
popular. They are free-standing kitchen units.
These include the Kangen, Jupiter, I-Water, and
others. These devices begin with tap water, which is
already a toxic product.
The water passes through a carbon filter which does
not remove most toxins and mainly improves the
taste.
If the filter becomes clogged or just old, it may also
become a breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and
even parasites.
Then the water passes over electrified platinumcovered titanium plates to alkalinize it. Adjusting
the electrical flow determines how much of the
toxic platinum is added to the water.
Then some machines may add a calcium solution or
powder to the water to further enhance its alkalinity.
Problems with these machines, that are heavily and
falsely advertised in my opinion, include:
Yin disease. Drinking any artificially alkalinized
water, or even very alkaline well or spring water,
tends to make one’s body more yin. This is the
worst problem with highly alkaline water. Yin means
expanded, ill and centrifugal in its effect, in
traditional Chinese and Taoist medical terminology.
This is a physics quality of matter. Today, becoming
more yin is almost always extremely harmful for the
body, because most bodies are already too far in this
direction due to ionizing radiation, toxic metals and
chemicals in the environment, and mineral
deficiencies. It does not matter that you may feel
better on this water. Becoming yin is always
eventually a disaster. Please read the articles on this
website entitled Yin Disease and Yin and Yang Healing
to learn more about this serious condition.
The other problems with this type of alkaline water
machine have been mentioned above. Just for
review, they are:
Cleanliness. Tap water is not a very good base water.
It is quite variable, and most tap water in America
and elsewhere is not of excellent quality. It contains
some chlorine compounds, fluorides, medical drug
residues, hundreds of toxic chemicals, toxic metals
and more.
Carbon filters cannot remove most toxic metals and
many toxic chemicals, no matter what the
manufacturers claim. When water passes quickly
over carbon, not that much is removed. Also, as the
carbon filter becomes dirty, it stops working well and
may well make the water even more contaminated.
This is why changing carbon filters often is absolutely
necessary.
Platinum is too toxic for any human exposure. While
the amount of exposure is small, we have noted that
after using the machine for more than about 3 to 6
months, some who use it begin to develop a little
platinum toxicity. While this may be okay for most
people, some with delicate kidneys or liver problems
may be affected. The amount of platinum absorbed
from the water depends upon one’s tap water and
one’s body chemistry. The more poorly nourished
one is, the more platinum one is likely to absorb.
Other factors such as one’s age, vitality, etc. also
have an effect on platinum absorption. However, any
platinum is too much.
Mineral depletion. Drinking alkaline water seems to
deplete some of the alkaline reserve minerals in the
body. I am not sure why this happens, but perhaps
the body is flooded with alkaline water, so it excretes
some alkaline reserve minerals because the body
may believe the minerals are not needed any more.
White powders added to the water. Some alkaline
water machines use a whitish powder that is added
to the water to make it more alkaline. One must find
out exactly what it is. Most is not that pure. Avoid
coral calcium powder, for example, or some other
contaminated product that adds more toxic metals.
If you want to use an alkaline water machine, at least
do not add the powder, and turn off the alkalization
feature and just use it as a water filter. Preferably
unplug the unit so there is less chance that the
platinum plates are electrified and leaching a little
platinum into your body. Your water is still passing
over platinum, which is perhaps harmful. I have seen
terrible problems caused by these machines when
used daily for more than 6 months or so, even though
the damage is very subtle at first.
I do not like the advertising for these machines with
claims that most Japanese hospitals and most
Japanese people use them. I do not believe this is
true at all.
Type #2. ‘Water Store’ alkaline water. A few health
food stores and water stores are selling even more
dangerous alkaline water. They begin with reverse
osmosis water. Then they add a calcium solution or
powder, often coral calcium, to alkalinize it.
Problems with this methodology are:
Yin. Once again, any alkaline water seems to have a
negative yin effect. Reverse osmosis does not
hydrate the body well at all and should never be used
for daily drinking water by most people.
The calcium solution or powder, especially if it is
made from coral calcium, may contain toxic metals.
Very toxic, possibly. When toxic metals are added to
reverse osmosis water, the ‘hungry water’ seems
to take up the metals easily and drive them deep into
the body cells and the kidneys.
All the problems of reverse osmosis water. These
are detailed in the article entitled Water For Drinking.
They include making one yin, not hydrating the body
well at all, mineral depletion, and plastic poisoning.
Type #3. The Alkastream alkaline water units. This
type of alkaline water machine is a non-electric,
counter-top or under-the-sink unit that adds a
magnesium compound to tap water to alkalinize it. It
avoids the costly and dangerous platinum plates, but
it still makes the body too yin, uses tap water which is
of poor quality, and possibly ruins the water and
causes toxicity from the magnesium compounds used
to make the water alkaline.
Avoid this system as well.
Alkaline Water: If You Fall for This "Water Fad"
You Could Do Some Major Damage
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/11/alkaline-water-interview.aspx
September 11, 2010
Most of them are not.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
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?
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.[i]
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.
It is my impression that the scientific justification
for these water systems is absent and these
consumers have merely fallen under the spell of a
skilled marketer who selectively misused
pseudoscientific information, and twisted it
around to scare them into buying their product.
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.
In truth, there are very, very few legitimate
scientific studies about the effects of alkaline
water on human health.
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
ionizers and alkalizers are being marketed by
multi-level marketing (MLM) companies with lessthan-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 alkaline
water as a regular source of water.
Please understand I have no ax to grind here, and
I am not selling any competing products. The sole
purpose of this report is as a public health
message to warn people that alkaline water is not
all it is hyped up to be.
I have no doubts that many people do notice
improvements in their health when they initially
start drinking alkaline water, but I believe there
are other reasons for this, and I am convinced
that this is not a healthful strategy in the long run,
so it is my strong recommendation to avoid
alkaline water ionizers.
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.
Ionized water or 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, ionized water refers to alkaline
water, which has a pH greater than 7.
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.
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. [iii]
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.”
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 [ii].
The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, and a pH of 7 is
neutral.
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 11 [iv].
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.” [v]
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:
Well, everything EXCEPT a pH recommendation there are no health-based guidelines for pH!
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. [vi]
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.”
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.[vii]
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:
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. [viii]
“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.”
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. [ix]
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.
In this voluminous tome, you would expect to find
everything you’d ever want to know about your
drinking water, right?
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
7.5.
Alkalinity Research I: Flora and Fauna
Although the research is clear that alkaline water
has detrimental effects on plants and animals,
there are not many studies with humans.
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. [x]
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.[xi]
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.[xii] 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.[xiii]
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 ionizer 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.[xiv] 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 [xv], which found both
pH extremes to be problematic.
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.[xvi]
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
close to 7, which is neutral.
Somewhere between 6 and 8 is likely fine.
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.
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.[xvii]
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?
Water Ionizers Are NOT Filters!
It is really important to understand that the
ionization process in no way, shape, or form
purifies your water. Many of them have
additional carbon-based filtration systems added,
as reverse osmosis or distilled water will not allow
the ionizer to produce alkaline water.
If for whatever reason the information I am
presenting here does not convince you to avoid
using ionizers, then you will need to carefully
analyze the water filter that is being used.
This article only addresses ionizers and alkaline
water. In the near future I will post a
comprehensive review of water filters as it is
complex issue that is beyond the scope of this
article.
Is Your Water Filter Certified?
In order to ensure your water is pure, you should
use a high quality water filter in your home and
workplace. You can narrow down the choices by
making sure the product you choose is certified
by a reputable independent water certification
agency.
One of the best, most stringent certification is UL.
If a water purifier is certified by UL, the product
claims have been verified, the system is
structurally sound, and the literature and labeling
is not misleading.
Look for the UL water mark.
Two other less rigorous certifications are Pace
Analytical, and The Water Quality Association
(WQA).
There is no national regulation of water products states have their own regulations, which vary
greatly state by state.
The EPA has published a chart listing their limits
for every type of water contaminant, including
microorganisms, disinfectants and disinfectant
byproducts, organic and inorganic chemicals, and
radionuclides, viewable here.
Please beware that some companies may mislead
you by listing their UL certification, but this
certification is usually only good for the electrical
components, and has no bearing on water quality
whatsoever. The UL water mark that signifies that
a water treatment device’s performance has been
certified looks like:
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-inthe-dark treatments, like alkaline water.
References
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.
i “It’ll quench your thirst, of course” (January 22,
2007) Los Angeles Times: The Healthy Skeptic
ii “Water on the web: pH,” National Curriculum
for Colleges and High Schools
iii “Water properties: Ph” USGS: Water Science for
Schools
iv N Mesner and J Geiger. (June 2005)
“Understanding your watershed: What is pH?,”
Utah State University Extension
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.
v “Guidelines for drinking-water quality,” World
Health Organization, First addendum to third
edition, Volume 1 Recommendations
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.
vi DD Warnoke and DM Kraukopf (September
1983) “Greenhouse growth media: testing and
nutrition guidelines” Michigan State University
Extension Bulletin E-1736
vii J Christensen. “Alkaline water plant damage”
GardenGuides.com
xii RJ Gillies et al. “Causes and effects of
heterogeneous perfusion in tumors,” Neoplasia
August 1999; 1(3): 197-207
viii JGM Roelofs. “Inlet of alkaline river water into
peaty lowlands: Effects on water quality and
Stratiotes aloides L. stands” Aquatic Botany
Volume 39, Issues 3-4, 1991, Pages 267-293.
xiii D Rotin, et al. “Cytotoxicity of compounds that
interfere with the regulation of intracellular pH: A
potential new class of anticancer drugs,” Cancer
Res. Mar 15, 1987 ; 47(6): 1497-504
ix TY Yesaki and GK Iwama. “Survival, acid-base
regulation, ion regulation, and ammonia excretion
in rainbow trout in highly alkaline hard water,”
Dept. of Animal Science, University of British
Columbia, Canada (March 5, 1992) JSTOR:
Physiological Zoology, Vol. 65, No. 4, Jul-Aug
1992, pages 763-787.
xiv Q Chen, et al. “Pharmacologic ascorbic acid
concentrations selectively kill cancer cells: Action
as a pro-drug to deliver hydrogen peroxide to
tissues,” PNAS September 20, 2005, vol. 102, no.
38, pages 13604-13609
x HJ Majima, et al. “Prevention of mitochondrial
injury by manganese superoxide dismutase
reveals a primary mechanism for alkaline-induced
cell death,” Journal of Biological Chemistry, 273,
pages 8217-8224 (April 3, 1998)
xi HH Szeto. “Mitochondria-targeted peptide
antioxidants: Novel neuroprotective agents,”
AAPS Journal 2006; 8(3): E521-E531
xv I Rosborg, et al. “Inorganic constituents of well
water in one acid and one alkaline area of south
Sweden,” (May 13, 2002) Lund University, Lund,
Sweden Water; Air and Soil Pollution (2003) 142:
261-277
xvi NV Vorobjeva, et al. “The bacterial effects of
electrolyzed oxidizing water on bacterial strains
involved in hospital infections” Artificial Organs
(June 2004) vol. 28, issue 6, 590-592
xvii M Emoto. Water Crystal Study (Japan)
Ray Kurzweil Talks About Alkaline Water
http://glowing-health.com/alkaline-water/ray-kurzweil-alkaine-water.html
Dr. Kurzweil is one of the world’s leading inventors,
thinkers, and futurists. He has been awarded 12
honorary doctorates, been honored by 3 US
Presidents and is the recipient of many of the
nation’s highest awards for excellence.
Ray drinks 10 glasses of Alkaline Water per
day, and believes it will help him live a long
and healthy life. In this short interview he
answers a few basic questions about Alkaline
Water.
Ray Kurzweil has been called “the restless
genius” by the Wall Street Journal and “the
ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes
magazine, Kurzweil’s ideas on the future has
been touted by his many fans, who range from
Bill Gates to Bill Clinton. Time magazine writes,
“Kurzweil’s eclectic career and propensity
of combining science with practical—often
humanitarian—applications have inspired
comparisons with Thomas Edison".
Question: I have read on the Internet that it is
not possible to create alkaline or acid water
from pure water and that water that is pure
enough to drink can't be split into alkaline and
acid
components.
Is
this
true?
Answer: As responsible scientists, we had the
same skepticism when we first heard about
alkaline water.
Therefore, the first thing we did was to
purchase a water alkalinizer as well as an
accurate electronic pH meter. We ran tap water
with pH 7.1 from our home faucet into the
device and found that the water coming out of
the alkaline outlet had a pH of 9.5 (indicating
very alkaline), while the water from the acid
outlet measured pH 4.5 (indicating very acidic).
We repeated this experiment with a variety of
tap waters obtaining alkaline outputs with a pH
ranging from 9.5 to 9.9. It is true that "pure" or
distilled water cannot be ionized. If you were to
try to "split" distilled water, it would not work.
Tap or spring water, however, has dissolved
minerals in it. It's the minerals in the water;
primarily calcium, potassium and magnesium
that allow water to be "split" by an electric
current into alkaline, "electron-rich" (i.e.,
containing negatively charged ions that can
engage in chemical reactions to provide
electrons to positively charged free radicals)
and acid, "electron-deficient" components.
Individuals who say it is not possible to split tap
or spring water are misinformed. One site on
the Internet states "Ionized water is nothing
more than sales fiction; the term is
meaningless to chemists. Most water that is
fit for drinking is too un-conductive to
undergo significant electrolysis."
The above statement is easily shown to be
incorrect with a simple pH meter and an
electrolysis machine. Most tap waters run
through the machine produce highly alkaline
water as measured by a pH meter.
Question: Since you advocate drinking
alkaline water, why not simply mix
something like sodium bicarbonate (baking
soda) with water and drink that? There are,
in fact, alkaline waters sold that are made
by mixing water with bicarbonate. Wouldn't
that work as well and be much less
expensive than a water alkalinizer?
Answer: There are more benefits to "alkaline
water" than simply the alkalinity or pH. The
most important feature of alkaline water
produced by a water alkalinizer is its oxidation
reduction potential (ORP). Water with a high
negative ORP is of particular value in its ability
to neutralize oxygen free radicals.
ORP can also be directly tested using an ORP
sensor and meter. We have conducted these
experiments as well. We found that water
coming directly from the tap had an ORP of
+290mV, while the water coming out of the
water alkalinizer had a negative ORP. The
more negative the ORP of a substance (that
is, the higher it’s negative ORP), the more
likely it is to engage in chemical reactions
that donate electrons. These electrons are
immediately available to engage in reactions
that neutralize positively charged free radicals.
This is the key benefit of water produced by
a water alkalinizer that is not available by
simply drinking water than has had some
bicarb’ or other compounds dissolved in it
to
make
it
alkaline.
Although water mixed with bicarbonate is
indeed alkaline, it does not have a negative
ORP; rather it has a positive ORP, meaning
that it is unable to neutralize dangerous oxygen
free radicals. Alkaline water produced by
running tap water through an electrolysis
machine does have a high negative ORP,
meaning that it does have the ability to
neutralize oxygen free radicals. We have
confirmed these ORP measurements through
our direct tests.
Question: OK, why is it important to drink
alkaline water with a high negative ORP?
Answer: All chemical reactions occur with the
transfer of electrons. Negatively charged
entities are said to be reducing agents,
meaning they are relatively electron rich and
are able to donate electrons, reducing the
charge of the entity with which they react.
Relatively electron-poor entities are referred to
as oxidizing agents, meaning they tend to pull
electrons away. Thus, each substance in our
body may act as either an oxidizing or reducing
agent.
However, not just any negatively charged
ion will be able to engage in the specific
chemical reactions needed to neutralize
oxygen
free
radicals.
The
HCO3(bicarbonate) ions in alkaline bicarb water do
not have this potential, whereas the OH- and
mineral-rich water coming from an electrolysis
machine (from tap water) does have this
potential. That is implied in the negative value
of the "oxidation reduction potential."
Free radicals are among the most damaging
molecules in the body and are highly unstable
molecules that are oxidizing agents and are
electron deficient. They are a principal cause
of damage and disease in the body. Oxygen
free radicals contribute significantly to a broad
variety of harmful conditions in the body
ranging from life-threatening conditions such
as heart disease, stroke and cancer, to less
severe conditions such as sunburns, arthritis,
cataracts, and many others. Free radicals
MUST get electrons from somewhere and
will steal them from whatever molecules are
around, including normal, healthy tissues.
Damage to tissues results when free radicals
strip these electrons from healthy cells. If the
damage goes on unchecked, this will lead to
disease. For example, the oxidation of LDL
cholesterol particles in arterial walls by free
radicals triggers an immune system response
that results in atherosclerosis, the principal
cause of heart disease. The negative ions in
alkaline water from an electrolysis machine are
a rich source of electrons that can be donated
to these free radicals in the body, neutralizing
them and stopping them from damaging
healthy tissues. Specifically, these ions have
the potential to engage in the chemical
reactions necessary to neutralize oxygen free
radicals.
Vitamin C and E, grape seed extract and alpha
lipoic acid, for example, are all powerful
electron donors. The vegetable-rich diet we
recommend is alkaline and helps donate
electrons to the body. Alkaline, electron-rich
water falls in the same category. It can help
with your body's need for electrons to
counteract free radicals.
Interestingly, we also tested vegetable juice
with the ORP meter and found that it also has
a high negative ORP, meaning that it is able to
neutralize oxygen free radicals. So at least one
of the important benefits of eating vegetables
can be obtained from drinking the high
negative ORP alkaline water from an
electrolysis machine.
Another benefit of drinking alkaline water is
that it assists in the absorption of minerals. We
know that if the body is not absorbing enough
minerals, it will rob minerals from the body's
mineral reserves, chiefly calcium from the
bones.
It is well known that many chronic diseases
result in excess acidity of the body (metabolic
acidosis). We also know that the body tends to
become more acidic due to modern dietary
habits and lifestyles and the aging process
itself. By drinking high negative ORP alkaline
water, you combat metabolic acidosis and
improve absorption of nutrients.
The blood is carefully buffered to keep it in a
narrow range between pH 7.35 to 7.45. The
body keeps blood pH stable by utilizing alkaline
buffers, chiefly bicarbonate, to neutralize acidic
liquids (such as colas, which have a pH as low
as 2.5) and other acidic products and
byproducts. But as the blood stream receives
these acidic substances, the alkaline buffers
get used up.
Drinking alkaline water helps reduce the
burden on the limited alkaline buffers which
are needed for the body's natural
detoxification processes.
Question: Is there research that actually
shows the benefits of drinking alkaline
water?
Answer: A number of studies are summarized
below. One study described below suggests
that alkaline water encourages "friendly"
anaerobic microflora in the human intestinal
tract, and discourages "unfriendly" aerobic
organisms. The researcher (see Vorobjeva NV
below) writes: "Many diseases of the intestine
are due to a disturbance in the balance of the
microorganisms inhabiting the gut. The
treatment of such diseases involves the
restoration of the quantity and/or balance of
residential microflora in the intestinal tract. It is
known that aerobes and anaerobes grow at
different oxidation-reduction potentials (ORP).
The former require positive E(h) values up to
+400 mV. Anaerobes do not grow unless the
E(h) value is negative between -300 and -400
mV. In this work, it is suggested that
prerequisite for the recovery and maintenance
of obligatory anaerobic microflora in the
intestinal tract is a negative ORP value of the
intestinal milieu. Electrolyzed reducing water
with E(h) values between 0 and -300 mV
produced in electrolysis devices possesses this
property. Drinking such water favors the growth
of residential microflora in the gut. A sufficient
array
of
data
confirms
this
idea."
Dr. Grossman has also had many of his
patient’s report of health benefits they have
experienced from drinking alkaline electron-rich
water.
Question: How can alkaline water with a pH
of 9 or 10 be expected to affect the body
when the pH of the stomach is 2 or less?
Answer: It is important to remember that large
amounts of hydrochloric acid are present in the
stomach primarily when food is there. There is
only a small amount of acid in stomach when it
is empty, and this can be easily overcome
when alkaline electron-rich water is consumed.
Therefore, in order to gain maximum benefit,
we recommend drinking alkaline water in
between meals. Water consumed between
meals will very quickly pass through the
stomach and the GI tract.