By Victoria H.

Alkaline water has received a lot of attention for its perceived health benefits. Some people are still unsure about whether it brings any real benefits, however. The truth is plain water isn’t as healthy as alkaline water. The alkaline helps to balance out the acidity within our bodies. Here are some of the health benefits of using a water ionizer to make alkaline water in your home.

Detoxification
Our normal daily diets in the US leave a lot of acidic waste products floating around our body. This acid isn’t neutralized and we can feel terrible as a result. We don’t have to accept this is a natural part of an aging digestion system. Alkaline water helps to detoxify the body. It neutralizes the acids and helps to wash away these waste products from your healthy cells and tissues.

Super Hydration
Hydration is the reason why we drink water in the first place. Alkaline water has a different affect to plain water. It provides ‘super hydration’ for you. The alkaline molecules form micro clusters of water so it’s better able to be absorbed by cells and tissues. This increases the rate at which your body feels hydrated. It also means more water gets to where it needs to be.

An Acidic Lifestyle
Most of us live a lifestyle which directly contributes to an acidic pH in the body. It’s something we rarely even consider in our lifestyle decisions. Our body’s pH should be almost neutral. It should be around the 6.8-6.9 mark, which makes it ever so slightly acidic. The problem is everything from eating fast food to fighting through smog every morning on the way to work lowers the number.

Those who suffer from it the most develop a condition known as acidosis. Acidosis, as outlined by the Medline Encyclopedia, is where the body produces too much acid which the lungs and kidneys can’t remove.

Symptoms of acidosis are metabolic acidosis and respiratory acidosis. In other words, you’ll develop breathing problems and your digestive system will be slower. The only option is alkaline water. The more acid it can neutralize the better you will feel.

Normally, acidosis is caused by a weakness in the chest caused by an injury or some sort of pre-existing medical condition. So many Americans suffer from it today because of how unhealthy the average person is.

Antioxidant and Oxygenate
Free radicals in the body are another product of an acidic lifestyle. To put it simply, free radicals are dangerous versions of electrons which can damage and destroy organic matter. These are what destroy the ozone layer when we release aerosols into the atmosphere. Alkaline molecules have extra electrons they can give to something acidic. When you ingest alkaline water, each molecule gives up an electron and sends it to a free radical. The free radical is blocked and won’t cause any damage to the body.

Use a water ionizer for this. This means the water molecules will actively look for free radicals it can destroy.

Another advantage of free radical suppression is the way the reaction produces oxygen molecules. This oxygen is used for producing more energy to keep you going for the rest of the day.

Illness Deprivation
There’s a reason why we still become ill despite the advances we’ve made in medicine. Viruses thrive on acidic environments. There are very few people suffering from cancers who have a slightly alkaline body. By neutralizing the acid you’re shifting your body’s pH level to 7 and above. You’re preventing things which can potentially harm you from being able to grow. They can’t survive in this sort of environment.

Furthermore, oxygen is the enemy for them. They must find a new host quickly if they want to transfer themselves to another individual. These molecules can’t stick on a surface and remain there due to the heavily oxygenated outside world we live in.

What about Complications?
It’s true some people have experienced complications with drinking alkaline water. In practically every case, it was found the person was taking medication. Not necessarily strong medications, though. We’re talking about medications you can buy at the store without a prescription.

Alkaline water is still reactive. It isn’t a neutral substance. If an acidic substance enters your body it will react with it. Alcohol is acidic, so doctors tell you not to drink alcohol when taking certain medications.

You should ask your doctor about whether you should drink alkaline water with specific medications. They will be able to give you more of an insight into whether this is a good idea or whether it can cause problems. A common side effect of taking medication with alkaline water is acid reflux. Drinking more alkaline water will just make it worse. In essence, the sufferer is complicating their problems.