/Nexus - 1504 - New Times Magazine/pages/0021/image.png)
Page Content (OCR)
What the WHO is saying is that /ong-term consumption of distilled water may lead to mineral deficiencies and health problems. So, if demineralised water is not healthy, what about alkaline water with minerals? distilled water may lead to mineral deficiencies and health A search of the Internet under the term "alkaline water health problems. benefits" brings up over 650 references. A great majority of So, if demineralised water is not healthy, what about alkaline these have been put up by the vendors of "alkaline water water with minerals? ionizers [sic]". Amongst the websites you will find claims such as drinking alkaline water helps prevent, reverse or cure the Minerals and alkalising following conditions: Spring water with dissolved minerals typically gives pH * High blood pressure * Morning sickness readings above 7.0. This "alkaline" pH reading is due entirely to + Diabetes * Osteoporosis the presence of dissolved minerals such as calcium and * Poor blood circulation * Hyperacidity magnesium. In the body, minerals act as natural acid buffers ¢ Constipation * Diarrhoea and help to neutralise acidic wastes. So, would it be fair to ¢« Common colds « Water retention assume that mineralised water can alkalise the body? ¢ Muscle aches ¢ Hangovers Not exactly... The mineral content of municipal water is * Urea stones * Body odour negligible. The alkalising effect would be too small to be ¢ Slow wound-healing * Obesity measured. * Chronic fatigue * Migraine Even spring water with a higher mineral content than town * Gout and arthritis * Gastric problems. water has insufficient mineral content to We are told that these and other health affect the body's natural acid-forming waste conditions too numerous to mention, rocesses in any significant way. including cancer, can be cured with alkaline However, you can alkalise your body by water. Does this sound too good to be true? eating lots of fruits and raw vegetables. Well, it is! To discover the truth, let's first These contain many important acid- . take a look at electrical water ionisers. uffering minerals, and a high water Ultimately, foom the boty, helps to Flush acidic wastes overacidity Is the ater ionisers eso'e relatively simple Another option is to add "colloidal" and result of years of process known as electrolysis, discovered "ionic" mineral supplements to your diet. TH in 1832, to produce a chemically altered Again, the minerals act asa natural acid poor nutrition and solution. Electrolysis uses 2 pair of uffer and they can also help supplement dehydration... oppositely charged platinum electrodes. As foods that have been depleted of minerals due to modern farming practices. So what makes the body acidic? water is passed over the electrodes, a direct electrical current reacts with the dissolved minerals to create a chemically altered synthetic solution. Positive ions naturally present in the water are attracted by the electrical current at the negative electrode, which is a heavy metal plate. Here they acquire negatively charged electrons (hydroxyl ions). The process also releases hydrogen gas. The negative ions are attracted to the positive electrode and give up electrons, with the effect of lowering the pH level. The so-called "acid So if we don't eat enough cleansing, water" comprises almost 50 per cent alkaline foods such as fresh fruits, of the solution and is usually vegetables and legumes and if we don't drink sufficient water to discarded down the drain as waste water. flush out toxins, we can create an overly acidic cellular environment. Ultimately, overacidity is the result of years of Is there scientific evidence? As logical as it may seem, the notion that you can alkalise your body with alkaline water is just plain wrong. Acid bodies There is valid research showing that the consumption of too many rocessed foods, sugars and starches increases the body's toxic load and eads to a generally acidic condition. It is a fact that certain diseases seem to thrive in a body overloaded with accumulated toxins, which are merely the natural metabolic by-products of iving and breathing. oor nutrition and dehydration. Are there any medical data to support the bold health claims Now, here is the trap... If water helps flush toxins and made for alkaline ionised water? In the early 1950s, Japanese revents acidic waste build-up, then surely drinking "alkaline" researchers believed that alkaline water with a pH greater than water will help neutralise acids far better? Alkaline neutralises 9.0 could offer relief to sufferers of gastric hyperacidity. acidic. This seems like good advice. It sounds like common However, as we shall see, this belief was later proved to be sense, doesn't it? misplaced. As logical as it may seem, the notion that you can alkalise Here is what the Health Services Department at the University your body with alkaline water is just plain wrong. But it is of Columbia, USA, has to say: human nature to think that more is better, and of course a quick "A normal pH, the measure of acidity vs. alkalinity, is fix is always very appealing. What better way to correct years carefully monitored by various body systems to stay between of poor diet, lack of exercise and chronic dehydration than by 7.35 and 7.45. This is slightly on the alkaline side of neutral (7 simply drinking "alkalising" water? Easy! Sadly, this claim just on a scale of 1-14). Activities like changing your respiration doesn't hold water. Why? rate or eating different foods impact the pH slightly, but the Ultimately, overacidity is the result of years of poor nutrition and aT tn dehydration... As logical as it may seem, the notion your body with alkaline water is Is there scientific evidence? Are there any medical data to support the bold health claims made for alkaline ionised water? In the early 1950s, Japanese researchers believed that alkaline water with a pH greater than 9.0 could offer relief to sufferers of gastric hyperacidity. However, as we shall see, this belief was later proved to be misplaced. Here is what the Health Services Department at the University of Columbia, USA, has to say: "A normal pH, the measure of acidity vs. alkalinity, is carefully monitored by various body systems to stay between 7.35 and 7.45. This is slightly on the alkaline side of neutral (7 on a scale of 1-14). Activities like changing your respiration rate or eating different foods impact the pH slightly, but the JUNE — JULY 2008 NEXUS * 21 Alkaline water claims that you can alkalise just plain wrong. www.nexusmagazine.com