Alkaline water read and decide!
As ever, it’s a real privilege to share our monthly ‘write ups’ with you, we hope you like the new look and feel. This year we welcome your voice – what would you like us to write about? Are there any ‘knotty’ nutrition topics you want us to cover? Drop us a line and let us know.
Have you noticed that each New Year comes with the usual motivations for change, especially in terms of health and wealth? Let’s be honest, we all want a long life and prosperity for the New Year, right? And why not, especially if this longevity and prosperity will lead us to optimal fulfilment of God’s will for our lives.
Have you ever considered that apart from the new habit of writing 2023 instead of 2022, the New Year per se, brings nothing new if we don’t engage ourselves in practical positive behavioural changes? Please don’t shoot me, but the New Year cannot do anything to improve our health or wealth unless we decide to act on those motivational quotes and resolutions, and turn them into tangible consistent actions. In other words, you and I have a part to play in how ‘happy’ the New Year will be when it comes to our health, and this, in turn, will affect our capacity for wealth.
The main thrust of this month’s instalment: is a reminder of the need to avoid New Year diet fads. Every year we see unfounded marketing claims all over the tabloids and social media. Adverts with hyperbolic promises from so-called experts are rife on our timelines. They are usually pushing ‘fad diets’, pills, powders and potions which supposedly offer miracle results. As usual, we advise that you avoid subscribing to these. Please do not be deceived. In fact, check out our article from the January 2021 edition of Testify news, it details the fads and the facts too.
Whilst we don’t wish to duplicate our previous articles on this topic, we felt it necessary to tackle a particular fad that is doing the rounds. So get comfy and let’s talk about alkaline water.
Alkaline water fad
Let me first say that water fads have been around for a while, and in fact, alkaline water and alkaline diets are quite popular. Remember just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it is right, after all sin is popular… let’s not go there, but you get my drift!
Many big names are reported to be fans of alkaline water, including: Donald Trump, Barak Obama, and even Beyoncé.
What is the basis of this fad?
Alkaline water has a higher pH level than regular drinking water as it contains alkalising compounds including calcium, silica, potassium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. Because of this, some people believe that alkaline water helps our bodies metabolise nutrients and expel toxins more efficiently than regular tap water, leading to better health and performance.
Other people believe in the need for an alkaline diet to try to reduce the acidity of your blood, which they believe causes health problems.
Normal drinking water generally has a neutral pH of 7. Alkaline water typically claims to have a pH of 8 or 9, even though pH tests on some alkaline water samples have been shown to have a pH of 7.0 – 7.5!
Whilst drinking more water is a good thing for your overall health, we advise along with experts at the British Dietetic Association, that you don’t waste your hard earned money on overpriced water. Remember you pay for the water that comes from your tap!
The theory and beneficial claims regarding alkaline water are based on a basic misunderstanding of human physiology, and has no robust scientific backing whatsoever.
God is amazing and has created your body with the ability to regulate pH (acidity/alkalinity) itself, and there’s no need to tamper with this. Acid and alkaline levels vary significantly in different parts of the body – for example, the stomach is very acidic in order to help digest food, whilst the intestines then neutralise this acidity when food and drink pass through them.
It is important to note that the pH of water you drink will not have an impact on the pH of your blood.
The body carefully maintains the pH of the blood within a very specific pH range (pH 7.35 to 7.45), and if it failed to do so, you would become ill very quickly.
Some of the claims
Alkaline water enthusiasts claim that:
● Its increased hydrogen provides greater hydration than regular water, especially after a hard workout. This is false.
● Regular drinking water with a pH below 7 creates too much acid in your blood and cells.
● Regular water’s low pH is responsible for health problems, such as cancer.
● Water that is more alkaline supposedly reduces acid in the bloodstream.
● Improves metabolism.
● Increases energy.
● Slows ageing.
● Improves digestion.
● Reduces bone loss.
Please note that this is unproven and misleading information.
What is true?
Your healthy body can balance pH levels perfectly. Your kidneys are your built-in filtration system. It’s their job to balance the acid levels in your body. If your blood gets too acidic, your body brings it down by breathing out more carbon dioxide.
Your stomach is the great equaliser. Your gastric juices – a combination of digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid — neutralise everything you eat and drink. Basically, your stomach will re-acidify alkaline water before it can do anything the health claims promise.
Is It Safe?
Overall, studies show that alkaline water does not pose serious health problems. However if you have kidney disease, this could cause problems. Some people have complained that it tastes a little bitter, and others have described issues with dry skin and stomach upsets.
In summary
There is no need for alkaline water in your diet. Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, modest carbohydrates, and moderate protein portions. Drink plenty of regular water – it doesn’t have to be bottled; if you are buying bottled water you don’t need alkaline water!
We hope you have found this helpful. Have a happy, healthy, wealthy and ‘unfaddy’ new year!
For more information on healthy eating and myth busting of fad diets and health claims, contact our team on admin@foodforpurpose.org.
References:
https://www.bda.uk.com/
resource/fad-diets.html
https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-alkaline-water