Ever thought that water can treat various ailments and slow your aging? Yes, it can. But not the regular plain water. Though plain water plays a vital role in your body functioning and keeping you healthy, alkaline water can do much more. It is a potent drink with numerous benefits. Alkaline water is made by altering the pH of regular water. Plain water is neutral with pH 7.0 while alkaline water has pH value slightly more than 7.0.
It has minerals added to it and is rich in essential ingredients like bicarbonates of calcium, magnesium, silica and more that make it alkaline. This water is also anti-oxidizing. Here you get to learn about the numerous benefits of drinking alkaline water and why it is better than the plain water.
What Alkaline Water Good For?
Experts have revealed through extensive clinical research that alkaline water is replete with miraculous benefits for general health and healthy physiological functioning. Drinking this water helps in the neutralization of the acidic nature of the bloodstream. It is a potent antioxidant that fights against oxidative damage wreaked by toxic free radicals and boosts the metabolic rate of the body.
Alkaline water is a significant part of the popular diet termed the alkaline diet that can affect and control the pH balance of the body.
6 Remarkable Health Benefits of Alkaline Water
The most significant health benefit of alkaline water is that it neutralizes the acidic nature of the bloodstream. Research and study suggest that an intake of this water can even increase the lifespan of a person. It can cure various diseases and keeps you young and active. Here are the six most remarkable health benefits of alkaline water:
1. Detoxification Effects
Junk and fried foods have become an essential part of modern lifestyle. It is difficult to control one’s tongue that keeps on craving for such eats. An overdose of toxins through junk food and the like wreaks massive damage on the body in the form of chronic illness, fatigue, digestive issues, vomiting, intestinal inflammation, food poisoning, acid reflux, deterioration of mental health and more.
Detoxification is the process of elimination of such toxins from the body. Several detoxification drinks and methods are gaining popularity for cleansing your system, but you need not do much for it. Just drink alkaline water and feel light, active and fully energized. If you take water with high pH on a daily basis, it aids in the process of detoxification. It enhances the kidneys in their function of flushing out toxins like mercury and heavy metals from the body.
There is a science journal named Ambio published in the year 2003 that stated how drinking alkaline water protected the women of Sweden from overexposure to harmful mercury. It is one of the best benefits of drinking water.
2. Weight Loss
One of the most straightforward health benefits of drinking water lies in shedding the extra flab. Yes, alkaline water helps in accelerating the weight loss. Benefits of alkaline water weight loss are practically impeccable. It is incredibly beneficial for the weight loss schedule. There is a science journal named Original Internist published in the year 2011 that stated that alkaline water helps in the fight against obesity. Drinking 2 liters of alkaline water on a daily basis can help in shedding 12 pounds of body weight on an average.
Begin your day with a glass of alkaline water whose pH value is around 10. It helps in cleansing the gastrointestinal tract right before breakfast. Drink a glass of alkaline water, whose pH value is about 9, an hour before every meal and try not to eat between the meals. It helps in curbing the appetite significantly. Drink another glass of the same pH at least an hour after having the lunch to flush out the leftover food from the stomach into the intestines. You should also drink the alkaline water before and after your work-out.
Drinking the water before hitting the gym helps you stay hydrated. After that, you should drink the water an hour post work out to curb the dehydration that occurs with perspiration. End your day with another glass of alkaline water an hour before going to bed at night. Follow the regime faithfully to see visible results.
3. Cures Acid Reflux or Heartburn
Water with alkaline minerals is a savior for people who suffer from chronic heartburn which is a health condition that is characterized by the over secretion of gastric acids that rise against the esophagus and induce a burning sensation in the heart and the throat because of its corrosive nature. The enzyme called pepsin is what is responsible for the acidity. Drinking alkaline water helps in the inhibition of the biochemical activity of pepsin.
Alkaline water makes for the best natural treatment of acidic indigestion with its inactivation of pepsin. Its content of bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium helps in the neutralization of acidity and the cure of acid reflux. There is a science journal named Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology published in the year 2012 that stated that regular drinking of alkaline water whose pH value is about 8.0 could aid in the natural cure of GERD which is a condition of chronic heartburn.
Read More: Home Remedies for Acid Reflux
4. Maintenance of Healthy Bones and Teeth
Extensive clinical research on water which is slightly alkaline has revealed that drinking it can reduce two critical pointers that indicate the loss of bone density. One of them is S-CTX, and the other is the PTH. Drinking alkaline water comes with two health benefits for the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.
It injects the body with ample amounts of calcium and magnesium that are two of the most significant minerals required for the enhancement of bone density. Another point to note is that it is more convenient for your body to absorb the minerals from water than from food or mineral supplements. Thus drinking alkaline water can help in strengthening your bones.
Moreover, drinking alkaline water increases the pH value of urine which helps in reducing the loss of bone density to a great extent. Water with high pH is more beneficial for the development of strong bones and teeth over the long term. There is a science journal named Bone published in the year 2009 that stated that alkaline water could prevent osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and weakness of bones. Add alkaline water to your diet immediately to get stronger bones and teeth.
5. Potent Antioxidant
The natural and powerful antioxidant nature of alkaline water is profoundly beneficial for fighting against oxidative stress wreaked by the toxic free radicals and heavy metals like methylmercury, lithium, etc., which percolate into the body from the food we eat, the environment that surrounds us and more. It is the miraculous alkaline water that enhances the kidneys to fight against this oxidative damage and flush out the toxins from the body. It detoxifies the bloodstream keeping you hale and hearty.
Further, the antioxidant nature of the water is what makes it beneficial for slowing down the aging process. The toxic free radicals are known to prevent the growth of new cells accelerating the aging process. As the antioxidants present in the alkaline water kill the free radicals, your body cells can quickly regenerate. It significantly minimizes the aging signs that become visible on your skin. Thus, alkaline water maintains the youthfulness and vitality of your skin.
When combined with vitamin C, the antioxidant properties of the water get powerfully enhanced, and as such it is advised to take citrus fruits while drinking alkaline water. There is a science journal named Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology published in the year 2006 that stated the same. Drinking water with high pH can even help in the stabilization of the oxygen systems of the body.
6. Beneficial for Cardiac Health
There is a medical science journal named Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine published in the year 2004 that stated that drinking alkaline water can significantly curb the risks of strokes and cardiac attacks
The numerous benefits of alkaline water make it a magic potion. It can do wonders for your heart too. Consumption of alkaline water on a daily basis can dramatically reduce the blood pressure and control its fluctuations as well. It can also keep the cholesterol levels in check and control the levels of blood glucose as well. The effects of alkaline water on the cardiovascular system includes control of hypertension, maintenance of the healthy flow of blood, maintenance of cardiac rhythm, keeping cholesterol in check and more.
How Does Alkaline Water Clean out Your System?
The alkaline water detoxifies the system most thoroughly and helps in staying healthy and purified. However, the routine of alkaline water detox can only be implemented by following the steps mentioned below.
A. Follow a healthy and balanced diet
The first and most primary step in detoxification of the body lies in taking care not to inject any toxins into the system. Opt for organic food like fresh fruits and vegetables and quit the junk food altogether. The foods that support the alkaline water detox diet include cruciferous veggies, citrus fruits, and onions and garlic. It is recommended to prepare the meal using this water to obtain its maximum benefits and reduce the toxicity of foods.
B. Drink alkaline water and exercise
Regular and rigorous training goes a long way in enhancing the efficiency of the health benefits of alkaline water. The increased rate of respiration, improved blood circulation and healthy perspiration all contribute to the detoxification of the body. Exercise and consequent sweating help in the elimination of acidic toxins from the body. Drink alkaline water rich in minerals, in abundance to keep your body constantly hydrated. Flush out the toxins through the kidneys and skin hence absorbing the maximum benefits of drinking water.
C. Drink a jug of alkaline water on a daily basis
Meet the sweat and the need for the elimination of toxins with drinking this water in plenty throughout the day on a regular basis.
D. Maintain regularity in bowel movement
Uniformity of bowel movement is highly essential for the elimination of acidic toxins in the body. You can achieve this by drinking plenty of alkaline water and eating healthy and organic fibrous food. Staying detoxified and hydrated helps in the maintenance of gastric health and well-being.
E. Maintenance of good body posture
It is essential to maintain a perfect body posture for the support of a healthy respiratory system. It is because the lungs help in the elimination of toxins through the process of respiration. Sit up straight or when standing, then stand erect. Slouching impeded the blood flow and decreases the respiratory capacity of the lungs.
[Read: Right Posture while Drinking Water ]
F. Take vitamin C with your diet
Vitamin C accelerates the efficiency of the alkaline water and improves its antioxidant nature. Drink it water along with taking fruits rich in vitamin C like oranges, limes, etc. Fora healthy balance of the pH.
Follow through with the alkaline water detox routine and brace yourself to feel amazed at the visible improvement in health and fitness with enhanced detoxification and improved hydration.
Methods of Preparation of Alkaline Water
It is a belief that drinking alkaline water can boost the metabolic rate of the body, cure acid reflux and aid the body in the quicker absorption of nutrients. Know how you can prepare the healthy alkaline water at home.
Determine the pH value before making it alkaline
The pH value of alkaline water should be between 8.0 and 9.0. You can check the pH value of the water by doing a simple litmus test. Buy a litmus test kit that comes with a few litmus strips and litmus scale. You can use it to check the pH value of the water.
Alkalize the plain water
Following are the ways to get alkaline water at home.
- Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water to make it alkaline. Stir gently until the soda gets completely dissolved. Avoid this method if you are on low sodium medication or diet.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to a glass of warm water with constant stirring. Ingestion of lemon water makes the water alkaline through internal biochemical reactions in the body. You can add a teaspoon of mineral salt to the lemon water to mineralize it.
- Get a vial of pH drops that are available easily at local drug stores. Add a few drops of the pH liquid to the water with stirring until the water turns perfectly alkaline as tested by litmus.
- Purchase a water ionizer that electrically ionizes the water and makes it alkaline. Attach the ionizer to the faucet and get alkaline water directly.
- Purchase a water filter with built-in reverse osmosis feature. This filter makes use of a fine osmotic membrane for the filtration of water that filters out several different kinds of components from water and gives you alkaline water.
Side Effects of Drinking Alkaline Water
Following are some of the side-effects of drinking alkaline water(3):
- The decrease in the natural acidic value of the bloodstream
- Inducement of nausea and vomiting
- Tremors and twitching of muscles
- Loss of mental clarity and confusion
Bottom Line
As you know, water constitutes 70% of your body and is an essential daily requirement. So why not replace the plain water with mineralized alkaline water which is much more beneficial for your health. The benefits of alkaline water are many; further, you can get it quickly at home. It is natural, much more potent and easy to incorporate in your routine. Drinking alkaline water is indeed healthy for the sound physiological functioning of the different internal organs of the body and can be taken daily for the maintenance of pH of blood. Give it a try and enjoy its long-term benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Is Ionized Water Different From Alkaline Water?
Ionized water refers to acidic water as well as alkaline water. It applies to the two types of water obtained by passing plain water between positive and negative electrodes. Alkaline water is water whose pH value is greater than 7.0.
2. How Does Alkaline Water Work?
Alkaline water works by enhancing the kidneys in flushing out the toxins out of the body thereby keeping the body healthy and detoxified.
3. How Does Alkaline Water Taste?
Alkaline water tastes lovely and is perfect for staying hydrated.
