Alkaline water is right on trend at the moment with experts and celebs extolling its remarkable health benefits when compared with sparkling water, filtered water or tap water. And it’s easy to see why – when drawn from a natural source, alkaline water is the purest water in the world. That's got to be good for you!
Here are just some of the benefits you’ll see when you drink alkaline water regularly:
- Body detoxification over time. If your diet contains toxins (and whose doesn’t in this modern age of processed foods and refined sugars?), alkaline water can help reduce the impact of these with continued ingestion.
- Stabilised and reduced high blood pressure. Drinking alkaline water every day keeps your heart healthier by reducing the conditions necessary for cardiovascular disease and heart attacks – high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.
- No more acid reflux. Gastric acid levels are at an all-time high, which can promote lousy gut flora and, in turn, lower our resistance to a bevvy of diseases. Because alkaline water has a pH of 8 or 9, it can help keep your stomach's acid levels in check, making you feel healthier in the long run.
- Reduced weight. When alkaline binds to metal toxins in your system, it helps your tissues rid itself of fat cells and send them to the liver for processing and filtering. It’s particularly useful for combating big bellies.
- Greater hydration. The symptoms of dehydration include headaches, fatigue, premature ageing and confusion. Drinking more alkaline water noticeably boosts your body's water levels faster, so you'll feel better quicker. Plus, it will improve your general wellbeing and flush out those toxins.
But just how much alkaline water should you drink? And will it make any difference if you drink it every day? That depends on the kind of water drinker you are.
If you already drink water religiously – around six to eight glasses every day – you can simply exchange your regular water with alkaline water. You can even up your rate to twelve glasses per day, (or the equivalent of two to three litres) to really fast track the benefits.
Don’t forget to transition slowly by only making every second glass alkaline water – just until your body gets used to functioning with new pH levels. Switching overnight to alkaline water can cause headaches, muscle pain, gas or flu-like symptoms in some people (not many, and particularly those who have a lot of toxins and acid waste to get rid of), so it's essential to take it easy at first.
But if you're new to a two to three-litre daily hydration regime, you should take it even slower. Start with three or four glasses of alkaline water per day and build up to twelve over a more extended period.
The good news is it will only take your body a few days to get used to lower acid levels – so you’ll see results sooner rather than later.
Whether you’re a newbie water drinker or a seasoned pro, you should never drink alkaline water with food because its low acid pH levels will slow down your digestive system. Try drinking it half an hour before each meal, or waiting thirty minutes to two hours after.
You should also drink alkaline water first thing in the morning and before, during and after exercise (sips only).