Water choices are endless

I have recently settled in Vernon after living for most of my life in Australia. I am a scientist with a lifetime of work in the health sector — biotechnology, medicine and pharmaceutical development. 

In recent years I have developed a passion for natural health, and have recognized that good health starts with our life-giving fuels — the foods we eat and the water we drink. I have always had a strong interest in water. Australia, the driest continent on earth, does not have enough of it. Canada is the opposite — it has 70 per cent of the world’s fresh water!

Water is our most valuable commodity and our most essential element for life. We need between two and four litres of it every day just to stay alive. Fortunately, the recognition that the quality of the water we drink can have a major impact on our health is beginning to take hold.

Water is no longer just water! Check out your supermarket shelves — you will be confronted with a dazzling array of water types, and you may ask, “what water should I be drinking?” One opinion that is now gaining a lot of support in the medical and allied health fields is that our water should be alkaline and not acidic.  Modern day living has a tendency to generate very acidic diets, primarily from the consumption of large quantities of protein, complex carbohydrates, starches, sugars and processed foods. Adding to this food-based acidity are many of the waters and drinks currently available.

Most bottled waters are acidic. Pop/soda, sports drinks and many health drinks are highly acidic. Even reverse osmosis water, a very common drinking water source for most people these days, is also acidic. There is now a consensus of medical opinion that acidic diets are one of the major causes for the rising rates of chronic disease and illness in modern society.  This includes cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many others such as obesity. It is also now recognized that the adoption of an “alkaline” dietary lifestyle is associated with substantial improvements in many of these illnesses and health issues.

Medical opinion and common sense suggests that for good health the water we drink should be alkaline. After all, most of your body fluid is slightly alkaline (pH 7.4) and your body goes to extreme lengths to keep it that way. Most natural, oxygenated and unpolluted waters in our ecosystems are alkaline (pH7.5 or higher).  The natural waters that have historically been accredited with remarkable health benefits, such as the Lourdes water in France, are all alkaline (around pH9 or higher). For optimal health, it is suggested that you should consume moderately alkaline water at around pH8 to pH9. Water of this type is now becoming more available through the use of domestic water ionizers. These machines take tap water, ultra purify it, then generate alkaline water using an ionizing electric current. This process has the added benefit of oxygenating the water, providing highly beneficial anti-oxidants and the important mineral salts of calcium, magnesium and potassium that your body needs.

The ionization process also reduces the cluster size of water molecules — an important feature that increases the absorption rate of the water by your body. This reduces the bloating and dehydration that is common with acidic water and acidic drinks.  Athletes should always drink alkaline/ionized water for maximum hydration, peak aerobic performance and rapid recovery.

So, the next time you take a drink of water, think carefully about the type of water you are drinking.

To your health and vitality! 

Dr. Roger Drinkwater, B.Sc.(Hons), PhD is a retired professional scientist in the fields of physiology, biochemistry, toxicology and molecular genetics. In business he has been a founder and CEO of international biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. He currently consults within the pharmaceutical and health and wellness sectors. For further information, he can be contacted at rogerdrinkwater2009@gmail.com.

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