It is a scientific fact that about 70% of the human body is made up of water, and hence we’ve been rightly told that we need to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water per day. But we haven’t been guided on the kind of water that is best suited for our bodies. While every cell, tissue, and organ in our body needs water, not all water we drink is beneficial. The profound effects the right kind of water has on our mind, body, and spirit is not a concept alien to us.
Alkaline Water
Although bottled and packaged water is readily available and may seem like the most convenient choice, all the added contaminants, harmful chemicals in the plastic, and the acidity of the water make it harmful to the body, affecting the body’s pH and anti-oxidant balance.
For the unversed, pH is a scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution, giving it a number from 0 to 14, where a pH of 1 would be very acidic, and something with a pH of 14 would be very alkaline. The body’s normal pH is between 7.35 – 7.45 (alkaline), and the older we get, the more acidic our body tends to become. The other factors besides age are diet, stress, parasites, and over-the-counter medication. In this day and age, when most of us increasingly consume foods and beverages that are highly processed and sugar-laden, our body is left in a state of acidosis, leading to illness and accelerating the aging process. Most diseases, illnesses, and bad bacteria thrive in an acidic environment. Too much acid in the body also results in loss of energy, increased fatigue, and drowsiness. By deliberately restoring the body to an alkaline state, we can regain control of our health, and the easiest way to do this is by drinking water with a good amount of alkaline minerals.
It is observed that alkaline water can neutralize the acidity levels in the body. While normal packaged drinking water has a neutral pH of 7, alkaline water typically has a pH between 8.5 to 9.5, and is definitely more than just a health craze.
Alkaline water is known for its immune system support, skin hydration, anti-ageing, colon-cleansing, detoxifying properties
Anti-Oxidant Water
Besides acidosis, the other creepy molecules our bodies deal with on a daily basis are what we know as Free Radicals that cause diseases and accelerate aging. These unstable molecules resulting from normal metabolic processes damage the body’s cells, which loses its capacity to combat these radicals as we age, resulting in more free radicals and oxidative stress.
What if the water we drink also had properties that could combat the free radicals? The good news – water with a pH of 8 or more has a negative ORP value (oxidation-reduction potential) that gives alkaline water an edge over regular water. Put simply, ORP is the ability to act like a pro or anti-oxidant and more negative the water ORP value, the more anti-oxidizing it is known to be.
A High pH and negative ORP make alkaline water good and health-full for your body because it nourishes your body’s fluids and aids the body in returning to a balanced state to obtain optimal health.
Scientifically Backed Benefits
Besides acidosis, the other creepy molecules our bodies deal with on a daily basis are what we know as Free Radicals that cause diseases and accelerate aging. These unstable molecules resulting from normal metabolic processes damage the body’s cells, which loses its capacity to combat these radicals as we age, resulting in more free radicals and oxidative stress.
What if the water we drink also had properties that could combat the free radicals? The good news – water with a pH of 8 or more has a negative ORP value (oxidation-reduction potential) that gives alkaline water an edge over regular water. Put simply, ORP is the ability to act like a pro or anti-oxidant and more negative the water ORP value, the more anti-oxidizing it is known to be.
A High pH and negative ORP make alkaline water good and health-full for your body because it nourishes your body’s fluids and aids the body in returning to a balanced state to obtain optimal health.
According to research, it is found that drinking naturally carbonated artesian alkaline water with a pH level of 8.8 may help deactivate pepsin, the main enzyme that causes acid reflux (The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology, 2012). In addition, alkaline water is known for its immune system support, skin hydration, anti-aging, colon-cleansing, detoxifying, and weight loss properties. Hence, it comes as no surprise that several celebrities from Beyonce, Miranda Kerr, to Tom Brady have professed their love for alkaline water.
Watering It Down
So, where does one source alkaline water from?
The best source is water from the springs. Naturally occurring and minimally processed, spring water is rich in minerals that are the healthiest option for the body. Unless you are fortunate to live close to the springs where you can get freshwater, most people switch to packaged alkaline water sold in bottles. But by the time it reaches you going through the bottling, logistics, distribution, and retailing; the water loses its potency. Also, chemicals in the bottle leach into the water making it a not so healthy option.
This is where live water makes an appearance. Rapidly gaining fame in the fitness and health community, live water is here to stay in the world of quick-fading fads. Live water is water that comes from ionizing machines that produce alkaline water right at home. These devices not only filter tap water but also produce ionized water through electrolysis and can be used for various purposes, including drinking, cooking, as beauty water (pH 6), and cleaning.
Making The Switch
It is recommended to drink eight to twelve glasses of alkaline water each day to experience its optimal benefits, as with regular water. Rehydrating with alkaline water after a strenuous workout and kick-starting your day with alkaline water well gets your body prepped up for the rest of the day ahead and is known to give you the oomph to keep going. Furthermore, it is advised not to make a fast switch but rather transition slowly by starting with a few glasses of alkaline water and with a lower pH and gradually go up as your body gets used to the change.
So make use of water power by making the switch to better water. Changing water can indeed change your health and life!
