We’ve seen many fad water marketing ideas come and go over the years. But one that seems to be sticking around is alkaline water.
It’s the best of the best if you are a bottled water marketer.. but does it really help our health?
Why is alkaline water so special?
Alkaline water, AKA ionized water, has a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Certain brands of bottled alkaline water have a pH level of 9.
Non-alkaline water typically sits at 7 – right in the middle of the pH scale. (Some can be much lower - acidic.
The pH scale has a range of 1 to 14. It allows us to determine how alkaline or acidic a liquid is –
pH1 = high acidity
pH 14 = very alkaline.
Let’s investigate alkaline water’s benefits.
- Hydrate Better.
In 2016 a study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found those who drank electrolyte-rich alkaline water after a strenuous workout had lower blood viscosity compared to those who drank regular purified water during recovery. This suggests that if you drink alkaline water after a workout you'll be better hydrated.
Blood viscosity is the measure of how efficiently blood flows through vessels, and doctors use it as an indicator of hydration. - Pump!
Let’s face it. As a nation we are chronically dehydrated. And yes, like it or not, good hydration is a cornerstone of physical performance, both in the gym and the court. We’re guessing that’s why the American College of Sports Medicine rolled out guidelines for fluid replacement during sports and exercise.
If, as the studies suggest, alkaline water is more hydrating than off-the-shelf filtered water, it will do a better job pumping those muscles during workouts.
We always fill up our stainless steel water bottles here at home from our UltraStream water filter and slurp as we pump at the gym. Of course, with UltraStream water it’s not just the natural alkaline minerals - it’s also the hydrogen infused in the water.
- Gut Health
A 2012 study in Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology concluded that alkaline water with a pH level of 8.8 may have therapeutic benefits for those with acid reflux.
The high pH level of alkaline water deactivates pepsin, an enzyme that breaks down proteins and causes the most damage to the pharynx, larynx, and lungs when reflux reaches past the upper oesophagus.
The symptom of this is heartburn. Maybe alkaline water can help. - Keeping Breathing
A survival study of laboratory mice found that those that were treated with alkaline water showed better survival and a longer lifespan than their non-alkaline treated counterparts. Alkaline water was also shown to slow aging in mice by increasing their survival functions.
Another study in Finland of almost 100,000 death certificates, correlated with details of their water source found that people who had consumed ‘hard’ (alkaline) water lived longer and had less serious disease.
Home Made DIY Alkaline Water
Today we understand the awful environmental; result of our rampant single-use plastics. An area larger than France in the Atlantic is covered with plastic waste. But that’s not all. We now know that our plastic addiction means we are ingesting the equivalent of a credit card of plastic every day.
How to alkalize at home.
- Lemon
Grab a bunch of lemons and start squeezing!
Lemons are acidic, scoring between 2 and 3 on the pH scale.
But post-metabolism, lemons leave an alkaline footprint. You’ll gain their alkalising effects (and zing) Jsimply by making a habit of adding a slice (or two) for reshly squeezed lemon juice to your drinking water. - Baking Soda
As an alkaline substance, baking soda (AKA sodium bicarbonate) can raise your drinking water’s pH level. Mix half a tablespoon with four litres of clean, potable water. Wait for it to dissolve before you start drinking. - Alkaline Booster
Of course if you really want the full effect of alkaline minerals it’s best to use a form that gives you the right amount of the big four - calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium in the right proportions. Our Alkaline Booster, formulated by our in-house naturopath to optimise absorption is as simple as one teaspoon a day in water. If you are a workhorse who carries your water with you, the AlkaSachets will do the same job in your portable bottle.
You can even alkalize water naturally using liquid alkaline drops - a great way to alkalize when travelling. - Water filter systems
Enhance tap water’s alkaline properties with bench top or undersink filters that help raise the pH levels. Not only does this help purify tap water, it also makes regular drinking water go from neutral to alkaline on the pH scale. Once installed it’s the easiest way to get your alkaline top-up every day. And if you decide on our UltraStream, you’ll also be getting added antioxidants in the infused molecular hydrogen, and an extraordinary level of protection from a huge range of modern contaminants, viruses, bacteria and more.
And of course, once installed, you’ll be saving hundreds of dollars plus doing your part in protecting our fragile planet. In the end, any way you go to alkalize is going to support your body’s ongoing fight against acidic dehydration and inflammation. It’s a scientific fact; alkaline neutralises acid!
Want to know more? Google AlkaWay. Wherever you are, we can help you.