Correct your acid / alkaline balance with the water you drink: What the experts say

In health circles there has been much recent talk about acid /alkaline imbalance. Lets see if we can clarify how expertsrecommend we correct this imbalance.

The problem Your body functions best when neither too acid nor too alkaline.Unfortunately almost all of us have become acidic due to diet,drinks and stress -- both psychological and from pollution. Acidscan build up in our body, causing systems to be out of balance.

The effects According to Dr. Stefan Kuprowsky, "Acid wastes build up in thebody in the form of cholesterol, gallstones, kidney stones, arterialplaque, urates, phosphates and sulfates. These acidic wasteproducts are the direct cause of premature aging and the onset ofchronic disease."

When this occurs, the body will restore its optimal pH by depletingcertain minerals, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium,from organs and bones. In addition, your immune system maybecome fatigued from dealing with an excess of acid. Your bodythen stores acidic wastes in 'hiding places' such as muscles etc.rather than releasing the acids into the bloodstream.

As Dr.Robert Atkins, the well-known author, health and diet expert,notes: "Just about every condition I can think of, from arthritis todiabetes to cancer, is associated with acidity."

"The countless names of illnesses do not really matter. What doesmatter is that they all come from the same root cause...too muchtissue acid waste in the body!" Theodore A. Baroody, ND, Ph.D.

What can be done? A vast body of research reveals that you can help neutralize acidbuild-up in the blood and maintain a balanced pH, by taking somesimple steps, such as: -- Exercise -- Avoiding highly acid-forming food and drink. -- Drinking the right water

What is the "right" water? "International studies show that populations with little or no historyof illness, such as cancer, drink higher pH (alkaline) waters. Afterall potential risk factors were considered and factored out, itbecame evident that they had been drinking waters with a pH of 9.0to 10.0." Dr. Leonard Horowitz in "Aids and Ebola"

Alkaline ionized water "first came to notice in Japan, whereresearchers noted that people drinking water that came from certainfast- moving rocky mountain streams enjoyed extraordinarily goodhealth. It turned out that this naturally occurring water was alkalineand had a different structure and electrical properties." Larry Clapp,PhD. in "Prostate Health in 90 days"

Alkaline water is produced at home with a small kitchen appliancecalled a water ionizer (long in use in Japan and Korea). As waterionizers have become popular in North America, more healthprofessionals have had the opportunity to evaluate their effects onclients:

Sue Pollock, N.D. writes, we can "assist the body in being morealkaline with ...drinking alkaline water."

"I believe that the best water is water that is alkaline (reduced) andpurified using a small device known as a water ionizer." (Dr. StefanKuprowsky)

"It is my opinion that ionized water will change the way in which allhealth practitioners and the public approach their health in thecoming years." Dr. T. Baroody in "Alkalize or Die."

Why not just rely on a change of diet? According to Sang Whang, researcher and author of "ReverseAging", the danger is that we might omit important foods:

"Since the waste products that we are trying to discharge areacidic, the right kind of water is alkaline water...My personalrecommendation is to enjoy the foods that we like, but do not over-eat or exclude any food. Eat in moderation following theprofessional dieticians' "balanced diet" concept, and let alkalinewater do the job of cleansing acidic wastes."