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ALKALINE WATER FACT OR FICTION? Story by DR. RONDRICK WILLIAMSON
I
t’s a proven fact that staying hydrated is an integral part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The benefits of drinking water used to go unchallenged, but nowadays with spring water from here and filtered water from there, the simplicity of good ol’ H2O has gone down the drain. Alkaline water has been a topic of constant debate for several years. Alkalinity and acidity are measured on the pH scale, ranging from 1 (extremely acidic) to 14 (extremely alkaline). This scale measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in compounds from household electronic batteries to organic garden vegetables. Alkaline water is simply water that has been altered to increase its pH. In the United States tap water is regulated and must measure between a 6.5 and 9.5 (depending on the region of the country). So is alkaline water a better choice? Proponents claim that alkaline water has many health benefits, and helps keep the body in an alkaline, and ultimately more healthy state. The US National Institutes of Health is conducting studies to determine the benefits of alkaline water in the fight against cancer. According to cancertutor.com, ionized water (which is very alkaline) works effectively when added during the course of active cancer treatment. Because the water contains good antioxidants, it neutralizes free radicals, making many oxygen molecules available to the cancer cells— either slowing the
growth of cancer killing the cancer cells altogether. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an alkaline environment, thus the theory of increasing the body’s pH leads supports reports that alkaline water is in fact beneficial. Ionized (alkaline) water has the ability to rid the body of excessive waste products. This characteristic is helpful, even for individuals who are not battling cancer. Water molecules in the body do not float around individually, they exist in clusters. These high pH clusters are significantly smaller than normal water clusters and because of their reduced size, water can penetrate more places within the body—providing additional, internal therapy for cancer patients. Adding to the—list of prospective health benefits, alkaline water has been noted to reverse dry skin, poor hydration, and exhaustion. Many have even reported losing unwanted weight after introducing the popular water into their diet. A recent health study reports that people who regularly drank alkaline water lost an average of 12 pounds over a two month period. I agree that alkaline water shows promise in providing health benefits to the body, however more professional medical research over a longer period of time is needed. Consult with your doctor or a certified healthcare professional to for more information on how alkaline water could be beneficial to you.
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