Alkaline Water: The facts, nothing but the facts.

How long has it been since I first heard a doctor telling people we need no help in alkaline balance – that’s it ‘just happens naturally’?

It began  almost 15 years ago as I remember – and continues today.

So.. I’m just a basic human. No degree. No white coat and stethoscope… but…

Please explain to me how the body can adjust its pH if all we eat is acid forming? It’s a simple and incontrovertible fact that alkaline neutralises acid, so a body chock full of acids can only be rebalanced by……….. I’d love these doctors to fill in the gap. What does it use to effect the rebalance?
Here’s a typical Doctor’s quote:

“It’s a complete waste of money. Your body maintains its pH within very tight parameters all by itself no matter what you drink. The idea that drinking alkaline water would have any affect is just counter to biochemical science and reality.”

(Monica Reinagel, nutritionist quoted in the National Post.)

So is there a middle ground in this argument? I do accept and understand that my body can and does regulate itself, but it doesn’t answer my query. And.. what about alkaline water vs. alkaline food?

Does the body regulate pH, and how?

It’s pretty simple. My body needs minerals. Minerals build our body, minerals aid digestion, minerals help me hydrate. I use minerals to build systems (ie skeletal~ calcium), I use minerals during digestion (Sodium Bicarbonate), I use minerals to support hydration, (Sodium).  And as my body sources and utilises these minerals, its actual metabolic process creates acid waste.

It’s pretty obvious that we need a steady intake of minerals in both our liquid and our solid intake. The only other way I know is to take an Epsom salt bath, or use magnesium oil.
Along with intake we also have to consider how we get rid of wastes if we are trying to understand the theory the good doctors propose of allround automatic balance. 

As much as we’d like it to, alkaline water doesn’t come anywhere near our daily required intake of alkaline minerals. Just look up RDA for calcium., then ask your water alkalizer man how much is in a glass of his water. Unless you live in a highly alkaline area it will be nowhere near your daily need.. and if it was you wouldn’t want to drink it. It’s be like a glassful of liquid chalk!  

Of course it can help, (just as water dripping on a rock can help crack a rock), but I think we are all seeking the most practical way to supply our daily alkaline minerals, aren’t we?
There are other homespun ways – like drinking bicarb of soda in water… taking supplements and persevering with a mineral rich diet.  It all works together.

Back to Reality

We are still baffled by the doctors’ statement of some sort of independently operating auto levelling pH system. Does it mean we can chug Coke all day to no effect? I did that as a kid. I was the Coke guzzling champ of high school.. and my teeth paid the price! It makes no sense.

So.. as I said earlier, I’m a mere mortal, a basic human.. but I’d really like to give the doctors who make this ‘Straight from the med school textbook’ statement a chance to explain themselves.

What I DO know is that whatever we use, our purpose of uptake of alkaline minerals is to replenish our depleted alkaline store within our body. The only assumption we make is that this buffer is depleted due to our modern acidic lifestyle. So it follows that whether it be food, water or supplement, it’s the alkaline minerals we want in an assimilable form. The four minerals are calcium, Magnesium, potassium and calcium. I use Alkaline Booster, which has all four minerals in a  balanced form. A teaspoon a day fulfils my daily needs. Yes, I also eat as many good alkaline greens as I can and choose to drink alkaline water. But in my experience, this method ‘fills the cracks’ in my alkalizing strategy. If I haven’t gotten enough with my water or my food, Alkaline Booster makes sure i have enough. And enough means I’m saving my skeleton.

Please note: Alkaline Booster isn’t yet in some of our stores but we are happy to send from Australia.