Our diets are overly acidic, so we need alkaline water to balance our body’s pH and maintain proper health. Here’s why alkaline water is worth trying.
Many of the foods we put into our bodies have a low pH, which means that they are acidic: corn, meat, some cheeses, wine, fowl, fish, processed sugar, coffee, and most grains, for example. For many, these foods make up a large part of their daily food intake.
The problem with consuming too many acidic foods is that it lowers your body’s pH to an unhealthy level. Symptoms of an overly acidified body can include a lack of energy, a lower body temperature, a tendency to get infections, nervous and agitation, headaches, mouth sores, sensitive gums, ulcers, leg cramps and spasms, hives, dry skin, gastritis, acid reflux, pain in the nerves of the teeth, and bone loss. In addition, some experts say that accelerated aging can be linked to a too-acid body pH.
Unfortunately, even most of the water we drink is unnaturally acidic. Though it is meant to be a neutral 7, the extras in water tend to lower the pH. That is why alkaline water can help.
The solution? Alkaline water
Alkaline water has a naturally higher pH level – usually around 7.5-9.5, depending on the brand – to help your body counteract the acidity in the rest of your diet.
The benefits of drinking alkaline water include increasing intracellular hydration, preventing free radicals from forming and damaging other cells, flushing out wastes, providing essential minerals, and helping maintain normal blood flow.
Alkaline water is also said to be better at hydrating the body because it penetrates cell walls more effectively than “regular” water.
Advantages Of Drinking Alkaline Water
It contains dissolved minerals.
Alkaline water has a higher pH value than normal, pure water, thanks to its dissolved minerals. The key explanation for why normal, pure water has a lower pH level that it does not contain all the dissolved minerals that alkaline water contains.
These dissolved minerals can be absorbed more readily by the body and, as a result, can help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.
Manage acidity in your body
Since alkaline water has a higher pH level than normal, pure water can help to regulate the acidity of the human body. With this in mind, alkaline water can be very helpful for those who have diabetes, arthritis, cancer, acid reflux, or almost any other chronic condition caused by high acid levels.
Absorptions of alkaline water
In reality, alkaline water comprises small clusters of water molecules. As a result, alkaline water is much simpler to consume than pure water. This means that you can be more hydrated, so it’s much easier for water to get in and out of your body cells.
Okay, these were some of the greatest benefits of alkaline water. But now it’s time for us to dwell on the negative side of alkaline water. Here are some main reasons why drinking alkaline water may not be your best idea!
Disadvantages Of Drinking Alkaline Water
It’s not proven
Although there are many people out there who claim that alkaline water is a natural cure for all kinds of chronic diseases and conditions of health, no official studies could back up these rumors.
Some people claim that if you keep yourself hydrated with normal water and eat a balanced diet, you’ll get almost the same results you’d get from drinking alkaline water.
Is more expensive
Due to the special filters needed for the alkaline process, it’s pretty fair to assume that you’ll have to spend a little more if you want to drink this kind of water.
But there’s one more solution you can try! You can buy drops of alkaline water that can be added to your normal water to make it more alkaline. It sounds pretty fair. And you can still buy pre-bottled alkaline water, of course.
But whichever one of these choices you select, you’ll spend more money than you would have if you bought standard water.
Invest in special filters
If you’re one of those who like to drink alkaline water in their house, you will have to invest in special filters that will make your water alkaline through electrolysis.
But before you finally decide to do this, you should probably take some time to consider whether it is worth the effort. Consider the benefits and drawbacks that alkaline water has to offer first. But, then, don’t make a rash call!
Possible side effects from drinking alkaline water
While a lot of people out there consider alkaline water clean, it can cause some nasty side effects. Harmful side effects of drinking alkaline water include vomiting, hand tremors, confusion, nausea, facial or extreme tingling, and muscle twitching.
And on top of all this, excessive alkalinity in your body may cause skin irritation and, in certain instances, gastrointestinal problems.
Too much alkalinity may also cause a health disorder called metabolic alkalosis. Metabolic alkalosis can cause a decrease in your body’s free calcium, which may end up causing serious damage to your bone health.
However, the underactive parathyroid gland is the most common cause of hypocalcemia.
Finding Quality Alkaline Water
Those interested in looking into alkaline bottled water companies might start with the likes of Penta, Fiji, Life Essence, San Pelligrino, and Evamor (my personal favorite). Each of these bottled waters has a pH of greater than 7. Some, like Life Essence, reach up to 9.5.
Other companies, like Kangen and Alkaviva, offer ionizers to alkalinize the water you drink. Since alkaline water tends to be expensive, this is a viable option for many people. However, for those who would like to buy bottled alkaline water regardless, I recommend Evamor water for both quality and price.
The best place to find alkaline water is at a health food store, where you will find people with the knowledge to answer your questions and help you find what you need. In addition, there are scores of websites that provide free information on this subject.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader concerned about their health should contact a doctor for advice.
Jay
Self assessed Germaphobe, specializing in everything water, water filters, health and nutrition. Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, I've acquired immense amount of knowledge when it comes to natural, biology, and everything about human anatomy.
