Alkaline water and its benefits are one of the latest fads. There is a development in the existing scenario. People are conscious about fitness and healthy dieting world. We know that drinking alkaline water is more beneficial than other types of water. It helps to delay the aging process and control pH levels of the body. The water neutralizes acid levels in the body. So, it is beneficial in preventing certain chronic diseases. Let’s understand what are the benefits of alkaline water?
Before that let us understand:
What is Alkaline Water?
Many of you may be aware about alkaline water. It’s the recent craze developed in health-oriented people. There are various brands hitting grocery shelves for this product. Alkaline water is also made of hydrogen and oxygen, but with higher pH than other waters. The treatment of these products helps to have a more basic pH in water. It ranges between 8 and 10 instead of water’s usual neutral 7. They turn the chemistry inside the water from acidic to alkaline. This makes you hydrated and healthy.
Benefits of Alkaline Water:
1. Boost bone health
Alkaline water contains calcium. It helps in bone resorption. Here your body breaks down old bone cells. It then replaces with new bone cells. Bone resorption and density of minerals in the water is beneficial. It helps to boost bone health. Potassium in the water helps in effective functioning of the muscles. Alkaline water reduces acid cells in the body. This reduces the risk of getting fractures and bone loss through urine.
2. Regulates blood pressure
High blood pressure cases have increased in recent times. Doctors often recommend medications for blood pressure that’s too high. They may also ask you to make some lifestyle changes. Dehydration may also cause high blood pressure. Alkaline water contains sodium that helps to regulate blood pressure and boost immunity. It has alkaline minerals that helps our body to absorb the nutrients.
3. Helps in weight loss
Alkaline water helps in burning fat quicker and leading to healthy body. The body is a holistic system, and drinking alkaline water is the best way to get a fat-free body. When you drink alkaline water, you please your hunger, and thus induces weight loss. Drinking alkaline water and exercising is beneficial for our health. Eating soluble fiber and avoiding trans fats helps in belly fat elimination.
4. Reduces acidity
Harmful pathogens grow in acidic environment. If the pH level of body is low there are more chances to have health issues from harmful bacteria in food. Alkaline water balances acidity in your stomach. This is beneficial and allows the body to fight against food borne pathogens. Drinking alkaline water can deactivate an enzyme called pepsin. This enzyme handles acid reflux in our body.
5. Beneficial in pregnancy
Blood becomes acidic during pregnancy. Drinking alkaline water can stabilize the body’s pH levels. It restores the alkaline minerals absorbed by the fetus. Alkaline water also helps the placenta have enough alkaline minerals. This neutralizes all the acidic discharge from the fetus. When you are expecting a baby, drinking alkaline water can bring health and safety. Alkaline water is generally safe for pregnancy. There have been no adverse effects on mom or baby by drinking this water.
6. Helps in detoxification of body
Alkaline water is electron-rich water. So, when we drink alkaline water, it’s like drinking an antioxidant. When you breathe negative ions, it’s like breathing in an antioxidant. It regulates the pH of your blood. Drinking alkaline water helps to contribute electrons. It reduces the inflammatory electron-deficient state in the body. It helps to remove toxins from our body and helps in detoxification of the body.
7. Boosts hair growth
We all want beautiful, shiny and healthy hair and will do anything to achieve that goal. But, most of the miracle products we reach are full of harmful toxins and chemicals. Skin pores clogged with dirt make it difficult for new hair to grow. Alkaline water is healthy for your scalp. You can use it to wash and rinse your hair. It helps to keep the scalp clean with good blood circulation.
8. Improves heart health
Alkaline water helps with the viscosity of your blood. Viscosity is the measurement of how thick your blood is. The viscosity level reduces in persons who drink alkaline water. This means that the blood flow was more efficient, and the delivery of oxygen was easier. The arteries get clogged because of the plaque which deposits in the inner lining of the artery. This can block the arteries and cause heart attacks. Drinking alkaline water will help to unclog the arteries.
9. Increases energy levels
Alkaline water can help in producing more white blood cells. It also produces antibodies that can kill bacterial or viral infection. Thus, it increases the energy levels and acts as a great immunity booster. The water contains antioxidants that reduces the chances of catching flu or cold. The water can neutralize damaging free radicals. It converts them into oxygen. These are useful for tissue oxygenation and energy production.
10. Delays aging process
The alkaline water has negative charge and an antioxidant. It can battle free radicals. This helps to slow down the aging process, including signs like sagging skin and wrinkles. It reduces cellular and DNA damage cause by free radicals. Alkaline water increases collagen in the body. It means your skin will have fewer wrinkles. There will be more glow on the skin.
11. Enhances your skin
Alkaline water helps to dissolve the nutrients faster and hydrate your body. This helps to keep your skin glowing. The antioxidants in the water helps to reduce dark spots. It is also beneficial to fight against free radicals that cause skin issues. The water fights with the toxins and thus prevents acne. Toning your skin with alkaline water helps to remove any residue left on your skin. The residue may be due to use of soap.
12. Improves hydration
Medical research has reviewed that body is in its best health when it is alkaline. Alkaline water delivers essential nutrients to the body. This is possible in an efficient manner than tap water. The water molecules in alkaline water are tiny and the cells can absorb them. This helps to re-hydrate your body. Alkaline water contains minerals like calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. They help in balancing electrolytes and preventing dehydration.
13. Helps to treat ovarian cysts
Ovarian cyst may cause due to imbalance of estrogen in the body. Drinking alkaline water may help in removing excess estrogen from our body. This also helps in curing ovarian cyst. It reduces inflammation. The magnesium in the water reduces the pain associated with ovarian cysts. The water contains antioxidants that fight against radical that cause reproductive problems. Drinking alkaline water helps to lose weight, that may be a cause of ovarian cyst.
14. Cures dry eyes
The major cause of dry eyes is the digital world. This causes due to prolong screen time without blinking the eyes. Alkaline water hydrates the body and help the eyes to get more tears. This will help to overcome dryness. Wash your eyelids daily using alkaline water. This will help to keep your eyelids free from dust. Dry eye if not treated immediately will lead to dry eye syndrome. So, take necessary precautions and consult a doctor immediately.
15. Aids in diabetes treatment
In today’s world majority of the population suffer from diabetes. So, taking preventive and corrective measure is very important. Drinking alkaline water helps to keep blood sugar level in check. This is beneficial to lead a healthy and peaceful life. It helps to prevent pancreatitis. Our pancreas produce insulin and this keeps our blood sugar in check. But, during pancreatitis the pancreas get inflamed, which will damage insulin-secreting cells. This will increase the blood sugar level. Alkaline water has necessary antioxidants. It reduces inflammation of pancreas and help in diabetes treatment.
How to make water alkaline at home?
To be honest, water is excellent for us and there is no justification needed. Lot of individuals drink regular water. There are many people who drink other types of water. It depends on their health benefits. Alkaline water is one of them. Regular drinking water has a pH of 7 where as alkaline water has a pH ranging from 7.5 to 9. People believe that doing so will keep their blood pH level as alkaline as expected. This will help them to stay fit and healthy. If you want to test the entire matter, let’s have a look on how to make alkaline water at home. Here are the four recognized methods:
1) Using baking soda
With a pH level of 9 baking soda is one of the most approved and easiest method to alkalize your drinking water. For about 8 fluids ounces of regular water, mix 1/8th tablespoon of baking soda. Mix the combination until it dissolves. Now the water is ready for drinking.
2) Using lemons
Lemon in its raw form is acidic in nature with a pH of around 2. Drinking a mix of lemon and water makes the water alkaline and the pH rises above 7. This is a reason behind people demanding for lemon water to drink in the morning. Take about 1.5-2 litres of water in a vessel. Slice a lemon into 8 pieces and add them to the water in the vessel. Don’t squeeze the lemons. Cover the vessel with a lid and let it rest for 8-10 hours at room temperature. The water is now alkaline and ready to drink.
3) Using pH drops
The use of pH drops is to convert regular water into alkaline water. We can make these drops from concentrated electrolytes and minerals. So, you have to add 2-3 drops to a glass of water to rise the pH level. The liquid is available at the market in small bottles, that are easy to carry.
4) Using an ionizing water pitcher
Alkaline water filter pitcher is useful to reduce chlorine. It also removes other toxins from regular water. We then have to add some alkaline minerals to hydrate the water. It helps to alkaline the water up to 10 pH level. The pitcher is also beneficial in reducing the Oxygen Reduction Potential (ORP). It provides antioxidant to alkaline water.
Side effects:
In nature, water streams down mountains. It gets alkaline minerals from the permeable rock through which it runs. This impacts its pH and making it alkaline in a natural manner. Ionization or electrolysis is the technique of processing synthetic alkaline water. In the entire process of electrolysis, a water ionizer breaks water molecules. It uses electrical energy to produce alkaline water in synthetic manner. Run the tap water over platinum and titanium plates. It triggers the exchange of ions. This makes the water more alkaline in its pH value.
All water contains a pH that combines with the minerals in the water. The body comes across synthetic ionized water at a point. It feels as if it’s receiving more alkaline minerals. This may be more than what is actually present in the water. It triggers to reduce its own mineral reserves. This may lead to mineral shortage. People may think that alkaline water is safe. But it might produce unfavourable negative side effects. Examples of these negative side effects are:
- The natural level of acidity in stomach is low. It removes germs and expel other unfavourable pathogens from entering your blood stream.
- High alkaline in the body might trigger intestinal problems and skin inflammations.
- Excess alkalinity might likewise upset the body’s regular pH. This causes metabolic alkalosis, a condition that might produce the following signs:
- Queasiness
- Throwing up
- Hand trembling
- Muscle twitching
- Tingling in the fingers or face
- Confusion
People think consuming alkaline water is safe as it includes natural minerals. Besides, you must take care with synthetic alkaline water. It consists of fewer minerals required for excellent health. The high pH would be a concern of thinking. Overuse might leave you lacking these.
We should try not consuming alkaline water thirty minutes before meals. You should have this water one and a half to two hours after meals. Our stomach has to be acidic to absorb the food we consume. Drinking alkaline water with meals will decrease the food digestion procedure.