Water is alkaline when it has its pH level adjusted so that it is around 8 or 9, making it a base. Many of its proponents believe this improves your body's health because the body tends to gravitate towards being acidic, which can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. There are expensive water ionizers that will release chemicals and supplements into the water to turn it alkaline. These are fine options, but you can also create your own alkaline water.
Step 1
Fill a glass with about 8 ounces of water. Don't use straight tap water, since this usually has chemicals added during the purification process. Use distilled or filtered water, or water purified through reverse osmosis.
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Step 2
Add 0.4 grams of sea calcium to the mixture. While this might seem like an insignificant amount, pH levels are sensitive, and this amount will make a big difference.
Step 3
Place half a capsule of magnesium complex into the water. Mix the water with a spoon or stirring stick. This method combats potential calcium or magnesium deficiencies in addition to making alkaline water, according to alkalinehealth.net.
Step 4
Consider purchasing a water ionizer and a water distiller to speed the process of making alkaline water. This is a good option for those who will drink multiple glasses a day.
Step 5
Use pH drops, which use highly-concentrated alkaline minerals to "dramatically increase the alkalinity of the liquid, according to energiseforlife.com. This method is advantageous because pH drops can be packed in a purse or bag and added to any water drank throughout the day.
Step 6
Add lemon or lime juice to your water. This is the cheapest option, according to energiseforlife.com. Even though lemons and limes are acidic fruits, they have minerals in them that have an alkaline effect on your body, although they are better used as a quick fix than a permanent solution since this option's health benefits don't stand up to other alternatives in the long run.
Things You'll Need
Sea calcium
Magnesium complex
Glass
Distilled or filtered water
pH drops
Lemons or limes
Tip
Drink 2-to-3 glasses of alkaline water each day.
Related Reading
Water ionizers are appliances that are attached to kitchen faucets and used to treat regular tap water with minerals and an electrical current in order to produce ionized water. Ionized water is alkaline, or low pH, water containing large amounts of electrically charged hydroxyl ions as well as free electrons. According to proponents, drinking ionized water exclusively can positively benefit your health in a variety of ways, and these supporters strongly advocate purchasing water ionizers. However, remember that none of the health claims in support of ionized water has been scientifically proved. In fact, the Los Angeles Times reports that some scientists regard the claims surrounding ionized water as "ridiculous."
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Cancer Prevention Benefits
The most commonly cited benefit of water ionizers and drinking ionized water is the anti-cancer benefit the water is thought to deliver to the body. According to many water ionizer proponents and retailers, ionized water has strong antioxidant properties. An antioxidant is a compound that is believed to prevent free radical damage to cells and their DNA by neutralizing and eliminating these free radicals and keeping them from causing the cellular disruptions that can lead to cancer. According to Ion Life, the hydroxyl ions in ionized water can neutralize free radicals in the same way that other, acknowledged antioxidants like Vitamin A and C can. And, as Watershed points out, once the hydroxyl ion gets rid of these free radicals with its extra electrons, the result is an oxygen molecule, an essential element for proper body functions.
Cardiovascular System Benefits
Alkaline Water Plus reports recent research has indicated that heart disease--as well as the overall health of the veins and arteries in the entire cardiovascular system--is strongly correlated with oxidative damage: in other words, the free radicals produced by normal oxygen metabolism can cause damage to various parts of the cardiovascular system, making heart disease more likely. Since water ionizers produce water that is believed by many to act as a preventative measure against free radical damage, supporters advocate their use for this reason as well.
Skin Benefits
Water ionizers are also thought to produce water that is much more beneficial to skin than regular tap water if you use it regularly to wash with. Ionized water is said to confer its antioxidant effects to skin, causing it to appear younger and to remove fine wrinkles, as well as decreasing the amount of skin bacteria present so that acne breakouts are less common. Watershed reports that ionized water acts as strong detoxifying agent; this is thought to benefit both the internal organs as well as the appearance and health of the skin.
Taste Benefits
Ionized water is said to taste better and smoother than regular tap--or even filtered--water. It is also thought to hydrate food better than water that is not ionized, and this hydration may enhance the flavor of all foods that are cooked with it.