Alkaline Ionized Water

We all know that water is essential for life. Water contains vital minerals that we need to stay healthy and strong and the hydrating effects of water can help us lose weight, maintain health, reduce disease, reduce the occurrence of headaches, and improve our overall wellness. But when you reach for a glass of water, do you give any thought to what you are drinking?

Well, you should…   Read: Techincal information on Alkaline Ionised Water

Studies are showing that our bodies need a variety of things from water… and frankly, we just aren’t getting them.
Even water run through various treatment methods can be ineffective at killing bacteria or cleaning out impurities… and some of them even take out the good things we need in water!
So when you choose water to drink, how do you know which water is the best water for you? After all, there are so many water purification methods out there that it is difficult to know which one is actually providing the best water.

You can start by asking these questions:

Water Purity:
How free is the water of contaminants and impurities?
While most municipal water systems in civilised Western countries are free of harmful bacteria, they are by no means free of chemical residues, heavy metals, chlorine by-products, and other micro organisms.

Alkalinity:
Is the water alkaline enough to help balance our bodies’ tissues – which are already overly acidic?
This is measured by a simple “pH” test.

Water oxidation:
Does the water have an oxidizing or anti-oxidant effect on the body?
Oxidants speed up cell degeneration while antioxidants prevent it. The standard here is the water found in quick flowing mountain streams – a natural antioxidant. The antioxidant property of water is measured with an O.R.P. meter (Oxidation-Reduction-Potential).

Mineral Content:
Healthy water should contain many minerals, including calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and trace elements. These are vital to a healthy life.

However...
Our bodies need fewer contaminants and bacteria than we’re getting.
Our bodies need water that is more alkaline than we’re getting.
Our water needs to be anti-oxidizing… and we’re not getting that either.
And our water needs to be a source of minerals, but many common water treatment systems strip those minerals from the water!

Some common types of purified water:

Municipal (tap) water contains various contaminants in levels permitted by the local authority, with overall guidelines set by the national and local governments and water authorities. However, in South Africa and other developing countries these are very poorly monitored and very seldom adhered to, resulting in extremely high levels of contamination in most cases. Tap water can range from acid to neutral to mildly alkaline (pH 4.3-7.5), which means it can either add further acidity to the body, or in some cases be very mildly neutralizing. Municipal tap water has no antioxidant properties, in fact is strongly oxidizing. Any antioxidant properties that may have been present in its original natural sources have been dissipated through contact with environmental pollutants, metal pipes, and the municipal treatment process.

Home Filtration Systems / Filters
There are two broad categories: mechanical filtration and fine filtration. In mechanical filtration, water is passed through a fine strainer to remove particles of sand, suspended dirt, rust and scale. These are trapped by the filter, improving the clarity and appeal of water Fine filtration is generally of two types: activated carbon (charcoal) or ceramic. There is an enormous range of quality, from inexpensive tap-mounted or pitcher to high-end filters costing thousands of Rand

Activated carbon (charcoal)
Activated Carbon filters account for most of the filters sold domestically, since they are inexpensive and simple to install. They can remove Cryptosporidium and Giardia, and varying amounts of chlorine products, as well as sour taste and bad odors. However, depending on the type of carbon used, they may leave heavy metals – such as arsenic, copper and lead, as well as volatile organic compounds. If a carbon filter is not changed regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, and stop being effective against the removal of trihalomethanes (a chlorine by-product).

Pitcher type/Pour-through filters:
Most reduce only a small number of organic contaminants.
Limited water volumes.
Frequent filter change is required.

Ceramic filters:
Ceramic materials are compressed into a densely packed arrangement, blocking the migration of particles smaller than 0.2 to 0.3 microns. These are useful for removing bacteria from unsafe water supplies, asbestos and cysts. However, ceramic filters cannot reduce volatile organic compounds, trihalomethanes, mercury or lead. Filtration does not significantly affect the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of the source water, likewise, it is oxidizing; there are no antioxidant properties in filtered water.

Bottled Water
Many people swear by bottled water as an alternative to their tap water. But there is a huge variety in quality. Bottled water includes many labels: spring, prepared, artesian, mineral, drinking, purified, filtered, demineralized, distilled and others. Researchers estimate that 25% or more of bottled water is actually bottled tap water, “sometimes further treated, sometimes not.” (The “further” treatment generally consists of carbon filtration and/or ozonation. Ozonation is a process whereby ozone is used instead of chlorine to kill microbes.)
This is known as prepared water.

Spring water
Spring water is derived from an underground formation naturally flowing to the surface. It must be collected only at the spring. Most commercial spring water undergoes filtering or purifying processes before bottling and therefore does not retain minerals.

Mineral water
Mineral water contains no less than 500 ppm (parts per million) dissolved mineral solids. The dissolved minerals must be present at source and may include calcium, magnesium, potassium, fluoride, sodium, silica, chlorides, bicarbonates, sulphanates and iron.
No minerals may be added to this water.

Demineralized water
Demineralized water generally refers to treatment by reverse osmosis (RO).
Although Reverse Osmosis is effective in removing bacteria and viruses, it is not recommended that you rely on it solely if your water is contaminated with bacteria and viruses. In that case, ultraviolet treatment should be added.
RO systems can under certain conditions act as intensive breeding ground for bacteria. In addition, reverse osmosis water is de-mineralized. It provides no calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium or trace elements to the body. Because of this, mineral supplements are sometimes recommended.
Unfortunately, reverse osmosis creates water that is highly acidic and oxidizing. Therefore it is not recommended for long-term drinking. According to Zoltan P. Rona MD, “Because it is free of dissolved minerals, it has the special property of being able to actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them. Fasting using (RO) water can be dangerous because of the rapid loss of electrolytes and trace minerals, deficiencies of which can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. RO water is an active absorber and when it comes into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic…Cells, tissues and organs do not like to be dipped in acid and will do anything to buffer this acidity including the removal of minerals from the skeleton and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood.”

However, all is not lost...

NatureZone Ionised Mineral Water is pure, natural water drawn from a pristine well deep below the earth’s surface in the beautiful, unspoilt Caversham Valley in the KZN Midlands. This mineral-rich water is naturally filtered by Mother Nature through 145 metres of shale and earth, and due to the crystal-clear quality of our water, absolutely no filtration whatsoever is required or used in our bottling process.

It then passes through a magnetic vortex ionisation process, before being energised at a frequency of 528Hz (the frequency at which DNA heals or regenerates itself), after which it passes through the Colloidal Silver Ionisation Vessel, where the main ionisation process occurs.

This resultant structured water, treated by electrolysis to increase its reduction potential, provides a safe source of free electrons to block the oxidation of normal tissue by free oxygen radicals. We believe that our reduced water, water with an excess of free electrons to donate to active oxygen, is an excellent solution because:

1. The reduction potential of water can be dramatically increased over other antioxidants in food or vitamin supplements.
2. The molecular weight of ionic water is low, making it fast acting and able to reach all tissues of the body in a very short time.

The above processes not only charge the reduced water with electrons, it also reduces the size of reduced water molecule clusters. NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) analysis reveals that tap water consists of clusters of 18 to 20 H20 molecules and well water 13 to 15 molecules.
Electrolysis, or ionisation of water in our structured Ionised Water reduces these clusters to 5 to 6 water molecules per cluster, which obviously vastly improves antioxidant and electrolytic properties, and the resultant healing and re-hydration benefits.

This is fantastic news for athletes, and many top athletes are now experiencing the (legal) advantages of ionised alkaline water, with amazing results. A cyclist or adventure racer for example, using ionised water, would need to only carry a third of what he/she would have needed previously with normal bottled water.
Post-race re-hydration is also dramatically improved with the extra electrolytic effectiveness, and the antioxidant properties help with flushing toxins and lactic acid build-up from the body, ensuring a much quicker recovery period.

Another huge benefit is the Alkalinity that results from the ionisation process. The pH of Ionised water changes as a result, and becomes alkaline. Bad diets, including meat and potatoes, fried foods, refined bread, soft drink colas and sugars, build up acid salts in the body. Often these deposits, by having to be stored away from the blood flow, can remain in the body for decades. Stress, both mental and physical, can create acid deposits in the body. Mental stress can also make you feel depressed. Doctors in Japan, following more than forty years of research and testing, believe that daily drinking of alkaline water, besides the normal documented benefits, can also lift depression.

Alkaline electrolytic water is also an excellent long term treatment for a lot of diseases including the organs ie heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and therefore every complaint affected by these, it can also destroy cancer tumours. It is probably the best anti-aging substance as it is antioxidant and much more available to the body cells due to the low molecular structure, than vegetables, fruit, or herbs. It removes plaque, cholesteral, fat etc. from the arterial tubes, reducing high blood pressure, angina and heart attacks through artherosclerosis

Arthritis And Alkaline Water
Uric acid is nearly insoluble in water, alcohol, and ether, but soluble in solutions of alkaline salts. In other words, it becomes soluble in alkaline water. Arthritis and gout are caused by uric acid deposited between the joints, non-dissolved due to the low alkalinity of an older person's blood. Drinking acid free alkaline water will gradually elevate one's blood pH and the gout will disappear naturally.
As we live with poor waste disposal systems for a long period of time, some parts of our body build up more acids than others, and they can clog up capillary vessels around those acidic areas. This causes some body organs to function in a sluggish manner. We feel tired and run down sometimes for no reason whatsoever, and adult diseases such as high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, allergies, etc. start to set in.
Alkaline water can alleviate this to a large degree.

Kidney And Bladder Problems
As the body consumes toxins, the kidneys become over burdened with acid wastes. Nephritis, uremia poisoning, and bladder problems are all acid related conditions which can be treated by the consumption of alkaline water. Kidney stones begin as tiny specks and they gradually build into solid stones, composed of phosphates, urates and others. They are another form of acidic salts. Drinking plenty of alkaline water will prevent kidney stones from forming, and even after their formation, it can dissolve them. Japanese doctors have used alkaline water for years to treat the kidneys.

Illnesses Treated/Improved By Alkaline Electrolytic Water
High blood pressure; Dehydration; Arthritis; Acidosis; Acne; Colic; Candida yeast; Thrush; Kidney problems; Liver problems; Gall Stones and Kidney stones; Lowers blood sugar; Ties up Free Radicals; Powerful Antioxidant; Obesity (Assists Weight loss); Diabetes; Constipation; Poor Circulation; High Cholesterol

NatureZone Ionised water which is alkaline and electrolytic with its low molecular weight, smaller molecule clusters and scavenging ability, is a better antioxidant than anything else as it is more available to the cells of the body, and you are able to, and should, drink plenty of it. The other immense advantage is the alkalinity of the water and its ability to flush out the body systems of the fatty acid build ups which cause obesity, artherosclerosis, heart and stroke problems, cancer, arthritis and a whole host of other ailments

The benefits of NatureZone Ionised Water

Ionised water hydrates up to 6 times more effectively than tap water
Ionised water is a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger
Ionised water provides dissolved oxygen throughout the body for energy and vitality
Ionised water promotes bowel regularity
Ionised water improves nutrient uptake
Ionised water acts as a detox by washing acidic waste from the body
Ionised water alkalinises the body

In addition, our NatureZone Structured Water is also energised at 528Hz – (the frequency at which DNA heals itself) AND magnetically ionised.
This imparts incredible healing properties to the water (for more information, browse “Solfeggio Frequencies”).

Expanding a New Scientific View Of the Functional Properties of Water

Functional water is water that has been exposed to external energy fields. This includes electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic (infrared, microwave, nuclear), ultrasound, and vortex implosion. The most widely used energy sources to make functional water are electrolysis and magnetic fields. The most scientifically studied functional water process is electrolysis.
The following is a report from the Waterlife Conference, November 2, 2001, Columbia University, New York City. © 2001 Bruce L. Erickson and Richard A. Wullaert, Ph.D.

Wholistic Approach to Water
The current focus on water treatment is on what shouldn’t be in the water. This assumes that the removal of “bad’ things in water will make the water good (i.e., have a positive health benefit). From an historical point of view, this may be true, except some of the techniques/chemicals used to remove the “bad” things may add new components that reduce the health benefits of the water. Thus, the current concern for the toxic byproducts of chlorine disinfection. The wholistic approach would be to consider what negative functions we are adding to water in our effort to remove or reduce existing components (microbes, toxins, chemicals, etc.) that produce negative functions. The next thing is to consider what we can do to water to produce positive functions. Another way to use the wholistic approach to water is to be concerned with what role the solvent (water) plays in the effectiveness of what’s in it (solutes).
Microbiologist has long recognized the import role that biological water plays in the formation of cell membranes, enzymes, and even DNA. Water restructures itself to accommodate biological processes [1]. Thus, nature shows us that altering the structure and properties of the water can have significant effects on what can be accomplished by what is in the water.

Functional Water
There is Functional Medicine and Functional Food, so why not Functional Water. Functional (or Structured)water can be defined as water that produces a positive health benefit. If we look at the basic functions of water in the body, such as solvent, lubricant, nutrient delivery, waste removal, and most of all, enabling almost all key biological processes (i.e., life), it is clear that water produces a positive health benefit. One example of an historical version of structured water is the mineral water used at spas for internal and external health benefits. Another example is the addition of fluorides to drinking water, which is supposed to produce a positive dental benefit (when calcium fluoride is used, not sodium fluoride, which is the chemical used mostly by local water companies). Not everyone agrees that fluoride in any form is beneficial.

If we want to see the health benefits of water, just look at what the lack of sufficient water in the body (dehydration) can cause [2]:
• Increased risk of kidney stones.
• Increased risk of urinary tract cancers.
• Increased risk of colon cancer.
• Increased risk of breast cancer.
Some people feel that many of our health problems are due to chronic dehydration, and that proper hydration alone would cure many of our common diseases [3].

It is clear that water has medicinal and functional value. The key issue is what state should the water be in to provide the optimal medicinal and functional value. Unaltered source water from deep wells or protected springs would be a good start, but there are very few sources of water that are not treated by chemicals such as chlorine, ozone, and other chemicals. Thus, we should consider new treatment concepts that may restore or improve the medicinal/functional properties of conventionally treated water.
The historical way that functional water is produced is for nature or man to add minerals.
Recently, man has decided to make aquaceuticals. That is, water with nutraceuticals (vitamins, herbs, minerals, etc.) that presumably produce a health benefit. Note that in all these cases, water is just the carrier (solvent) and the health benefits are assumed to come from the additives (solutes). Now what if the properties of the solvent (water) could be altered so that it contributed synergistically or catalytically to improve the health benefits of the solutes. This approach to making functional water has been actively pursued in recent years, particularly in Japan and Russia.

The Japanese Functional Water Foundation defines structured water as water that has been exposed to external energy fields. This includes electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic (infrared, microwave, nuclear), ultrasound, and vortex implosion. The most widely used energy sources to make functional water are electrolysis and magnetic fields. The most scientifically studied functional water process is electrolysis.

Electrolyzed Alkaline Water
The Japanese and Russians have used electrolysis in combination with ion separation to produce functional waters with a wide range of beneficial properties for over 200 applications [4, 5].
For example, since 1966 the Japanese have been drinking ionised alkaline water to increase and enhance calcium absorption. Approximately 15 million Japanese now drink this water. The Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare has certified that alkaline ionised water (a reducing water) assists in the alleviation of gastrointestinal disorders, acidosis, chronic diarrhea, and poor digestion. This same water is used in agriculture for enhancing plant growth. The acid electrolyzed water (an oxidizing water) that is produced by the same process [6] (and at the same time) is used as a disinfectant and pesticide.

Recent research in Japan has shown that ionised alkaline drinking water has a synergistic effect on antioxidants. For example, the antioxidant strength of vitamin C in electrolyzed alkaline water is several times greater than vitamin C in tap water. The synergistic effect is due to the higher dissociation/ionization constant of the functional (electrolyzed) water [7].
Other studies have shown that ionised water produces antioxidant behavior and protects DNA from free radical damage [8]. Clinical studies have shown that mice fed electrolyzed alkaline water lived 30% longer. This structured water enhanced the immune system and inhibited autoimmune disease [9].

Future Applications
There are many applications for structured water. Most of them have been subjected to limited testing and verification. A few of them have been extensively tested and are widely used outside the U.S. (human and animal drinking water, plant growth, food processing, disinfectant, pesticide). Based on this database, here are some possible future uses of functional water (used in the generic sense) in areas of interest to WaterLife.
Use functional water for drinking to enhance the health benefits of nutrients in the water or taken with the water (humans and animals).
Use functional water in cooking to improve the flavor and the nutritional value of foods.
Use functional water for plant growth so that nutrients are more absorbable and less water is required.
Use functional water for disinfection (water, food processing, medical and mouthwash).
Use functional water for skin problems (dermatitis, bruises, burns, bed sores).
Use functional water to reduce gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, constipation).

References
[1] Westhof, E.; Water and Biological Macromolecules, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1993. [2] Kleiner, S.; Water: An Essential but Overlooked Nutrient, J. Amer. Dietetic Assoc. 99 (1999) 200.[3] Batmanghelidj, F.; Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, Global Health Solutions, Falls Church, VA, 1992.[4] Proceedings of the Functional Water Symposiums, (1994 – 2000), Tokyo, Japan.[5] Bakhir, V.; Electrochemical Activation, 2 vol., All-Russian Institute for Medical Engineering, Moscow, 1992.[6] Kumon, K.; What is Functional Water, Artif. Organs 21(1997) 2.[7] Hanaoka, K.; Antioxidant Effects of Reduced Water Produced by Electrolysis of Sodium Chloride Solutions, (to be published in J Applied Electrochemistry, 2001).[8] Shirahata, S., et al: Electrolyzed-Reduced Water Scavenges Active Oxygen Species and Protect DNA from Oxidative Damage, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 234 (1997) 269.[9] Fernandes, G.; Effect of Electrolyzed Water Intake on Lifespan of Autoimmune Disease Prone Mice, FASEB Journal 12 (1998) A794.

The following is another article by the clinical nutritionist:
Dr. David Parker DIP ION, DIP EAV, Clinical Nutritionist, Electro-acupuncturist, Live Blood Analyst, Magnetic Field Therapist and BEST System Consultant.
www.stepstoperfecthealth.co.uk

“Today’s environment is not the best for our health, to put it mildly. The advert where the guy buys water sachets for large sums of money is not as far fetched as it seems when you consider water supplies and the chemicals that are put in or leach into the water supplies. So what can people do to try and maintain their health within a toxic environment?
One of the best ways is by drinking Ionised Alkalised Water. They could take supplements, herbal remedies, homeopathic remedies, allopathic medicines to name but a few ways of trying to maintain their health, but are the supplements and remedies being absorbed?
All treatments need one thing for them to have a chance of working, in whatever way they are designed to work, and that is a fluid medium. This fluid is WATER, not tea, coffee or any other beverage that you could name, just WATER. In theory the average adult has approximately 10 gallons of water in their body.
Today’s society is in danger of becoming “brainwashed” if they believe the water supplies are OK with the chemicals that are added and that leach into them. Have you ever thought about the quality of the water that you are drinking and, just as importantly, the amount of quality water you are drinking?
All tap water has at least chlorine in it, in order to sterilise the water, some supplies have fluoride as well. In some areas the water supply is recycled urine with chemicals added.
Eating a vegetarian diet is a way of starting to Alkalise, that is why people who have had ill health feel better on a vegetarian diet. The foods are primarily Alkaline and usually have a higher water content. However, most peoples fluid intake is still 50% Acid and 50% Alkaline, even bottled or filtered water is still at best a neutral pH which = 50% acid and 50% alkaline.

Distilled water or reverse osmosis water leaches out minerals (see science section by Zolton). So unless you stay on a vegetarian diet and start to stabilise the environment you will still revert back to an overall acidic environment, most beverages including some herbal teas are acidic. This will reverse the balance that you are trying to establish back to acidity, unless your beverage is an alkalised beverage. It makes logical sense to drink alkaline water, as our body is approximately 80% water and needs alkalising as well as hydrating properly. Acidity causes “dryness”, this can be seen in conditions such as arthritis, skin problems, constipation, the list goes on and on. Alkaline ion water attracts the “acidic ions” and carries them out of the body, if you drink enough alkaline water.

Remember most water is 50 / 50, which makes the water a neutral pH, not alkaline

Healthy cells live in an alkaline environment. Unhealthy cells live in an Acid accumulated waste environment. The nearest that you can get to spring water is alkalised water because that’s what it is, it is not purified water as some people would have you believe.
Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Physical therapists most of the treatments are focused on normalising joint and tissue function, they do this by mobilisation of the associated tissues and joints. What is the objective of the mobilisation, to get more lubrication and movement coming into the area because it has become “dry”? Why do these areas exist, because the environment is acidic! Where does the lubrication come from, water, so are these people drinking enough of the right type of water, I think not!

Nutrition - one of the main problems with assimilating nutrition is “acidity” either not enough or too much in digestion. How does alkaline water affect this, by providing the stomach mucosa with water so that it can excrete the right amount of hydrochloric acid for food digestion? Alkaline water does not neutralise the stomach acid, because there is no acid present until you have eaten. The water is needed and absorbed by the stomach mucosa in order to make the right amount of hydrochloric acid.
As an ideal, you should not drink at all with your meals, this upsets the acid balance in the stomach and so the breakdown of foods. So why do people take an ANTI-ACID with their meals, when all they need to do is drink alkalised water before their meal, it does not make sense? 1 glass of alkalised water is equal to 3 glasses of ordinary or bottled water in its hydration capability. Because of its high hydration capability alkaline water also provides the Pancreas and Gall Bladder with the ability to neutralise the acid / food mix coming from the stomach into the duodenum and small intestine so that it will not damage or “burn” it.
One area called peyers patches has a lot to do with the immune system and can be damaged by this acidic mixture. If we do not neutralise these acidic contents from the stomach with alkaline then we have the makings of an acid environment, which in turn causes indigestion, malabsorption, heat, inflammation and other ensuing problems.

A water ioniser has two chambers one is a positive chamber and the other is a negative chamber. Alkaline minerals in tap water are electrically positive. Acid minerals in tap water are electrically negative. As water passes into the ioniser these minerals are mixed together until they pass over the chambers. The positive minerals are attracted into the negative electrode chamber. The negative minerals are attracted into the positive electrode chamber.
This is how the ioniser basically separates the water into Acid and Alkaline water, so you get two from one so to speak. It also essentially tells us why reverse osmosis and distillation are not good for us on a long-term basis, as there are no minerals in the water obtained from these units. When you drink this type of water it “leaches” the minerals from your body. Some ions are not good for us because they are acidic, these ions are separated in the ionisation process from the alkaline water so that you are not drinking them, only beneficial mineral ions are in alkalised water.
Bacteria cannot survive in alkaline calcium ion water, however they can in ordinary tap water, unless it is boiled and even after boiling the water will at least still contain some dead bacteria and chemicals

Reverse osmosis filters (RO) remove everything from the water, including any minerals that might have been present, leaving a mineral depleted water that is free of dissolved minerals.
It has the special property of being able to actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them. Fasting using (RO) water can be dangerous because of the rapid loss of electrolytes and trace minerals, deficiencies of which can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. RO water is an active absorber and when it comes into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic. Cells, tissues and organs do not like to be dipped in acid and will do anything to buffer this acidity including the removal of minerals from the skeleton and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood.

Some filtration systems will also remove certain bacteria as well as chemicals, but they will not alkalise the water. There are no filtration units that remove fluoride completely; fluoride can only be removed completely by distillation. Purified water is not alkalised water e.g. reverse osmosis and distilled water.”

Compiled by: David Parker DIP ION, DIP EAV, Clinical Nutritionist, Electro-acupuncturist, Live Blood Analyst, Magnetic Field Therapist and BEST System Consultant.
www.stepstoperfecthealth.co.uk