Jump on Board: The Rookie's Handbook to Standup Paddle Boarding

Standup paddle boarding (SUP) has surged in popularity, fascinating water fanatics around the globe. Its mix of physical fitness, peace, and adventure makes it a superb option for beginners seeking a new pastime. But how do you study this thrilling world? Let's simplify step by step.

* Comprehending Standup Paddle Boarding: A Beginner's Review **

At its core, standup paddle boarding involves standing on a big board while using a paddle to navigate via the water. It's not just about balance; it's an appealing full-body workout that improves toughness and sychronisation. Whether moving across tranquil lakes or dealing with gentle rivers, SUP is accessible to nearly everyone-- regardless of age or fitness degree.

* Necessary Gear and Tools for Newbies **

Prior to you hit the water, you'll require some crucial gear. Start with a paddle board-- these come in numerous shapes and sizes developed for various activities like touring, searching, or yoga on water. In addition, purchase a durable paddle tailored to your height; most paddles are adjustable however finding one that feels right from the start can make all the difference.Don't fail to remember security gear! A personal flotation protection tool( PFD) is essential; even if you're an outstanding swimmer, mishaps can happen. Additionally think about putting on a chain that connects your ankle joint to the board-- this prevents separation during unforeseen topples! Finally, sunlight security is important: sunscreen, sunglasses with bands, and hats will secure versus those effective UV rays. * Picking the Right Paddle Board

for Your Requirements ** Selecting the perfect paddle board might appear discouraging with a lot of choices readily available. For newcomers, inflatable boards are usually suggested as a result of their stability and simplicity of transportation. If you're trying to find something much more stiff and performance-oriented-- and have space in your lorry-- a hardboard may be suitable.Consider your neighborhood waterways too; broader boards use much better equilibrium for novices but

can be slower in speed contrasted to narrower models targeted at skilled paddlers. Consider where you'll be paddling most often-- calm lakes favor wider layouts while surf-focused journeys might require a sleeker form. * Safety And Security First: Tips for a Secure Paddle Boarding Experience ** Safety ought to constantly be paramount when exploring brand-new waters.

Before going out, familiarize on your own with regional guidelines pertaining to
SUPing; some locations may need authorizations or certain safety tools. Constantly inspect weather conditions before embarking on your journey; solid winds or tornados could turn an enjoyable outing right into a hazardous situation.Ensure a person understands your plans-- whether it's close friends or family-- so they recognize your whereabouts. When you prepare to introduce, begin in superficial waters where you can quickly restore equilibrium if you stumble! * Basic Methods and Tips for Your Very First Trip ** Once you're prepared gear-wise and safety-wise, it's time to venture out there! Begin by practicing balancing on land prior to tipping onto the
board-- the more comfy you feel stalling currently will translate right into higher confidence when afloat.When entering the water, kneel first up until you're steady prior to progressively climbing to a standing position. Usage wide stances with feet shoulder-width apart for maximum stability while holding your paddle properly-- hold firmly but not too tightly!Paddle strokes

must be smooth and fluid rather than erratic. Maintain your core engaged as this helps maintain equilibrium throughout every stroke! Do not wait to take breaks during your preliminary getaways; relaxation cultivates enjoyment! * Exploring the Seas: Top Beginner-Friendly Locations ** As you embark on this newly found trip right into standup paddle boarding, look for beginner-friendly places like tranquil lakes or slow-moving rivers recognized for their tranquil beauty. Places such as Lake Tahoe in The golden state offer spectacular surroundings alongside mild waters

suitable for novices excited to check out nature from an entirely brand-new perspective.Other excellent areas consist of level seaside coastlines where waves are minimal yet stunning sights are plentiful! Neighborhood parks often have designated areas furnished especially for SUPs too-- check online discussion forums or social media sites teams dedicated to paddling communities near you!With these understandings and tips under your belt, you're prepared to accept standup paddle boarding totally! Now get that board and paddle-- it's time to ride the wave of journey waiting for simply beyond the shore!

Paddle boarding lessons UK​​

Keep Dry and Adventurous: The Ultimate Overview to Paddle Boarding with Dry Bags

For paddle boarders, the excitement of gliding across tranquil waters can swiftly turn into a soggy circumstance if you're not prepared. That's where dry bags enter into play. These water resistant wonders are vital equipment for anyone aiming to maintain their items secure and completely dry while taking pleasure in the open airs. Here's why every paddle boarder ought to invest in a high-grade completely dry bag.

* Why Every Paddle Boarder Demands a Dry Bag **

Imagine this: You're paddling along a relaxing lake, the sunlight shining brilliant, when all of a sudden dark clouds roll in. An abrupt gust of wind sends your bag rolling too far, and within secs, your phone, treats, and spare clothes are saturated. It's moments like these that highlight the importance of having a trustworthy completely dry bag. Not only do they safeguard your fundamentals from water damages, but they additionally supply peace of mind. Whether you're embarking on a day trip or an extensive adventure, understanding your gear is safe and secure enables you to focus on what really matters-- taking pleasure in the experience!

* Choosing the Right Dry Bag: Secret Features to Take Into Consideration **

With many options flooding the market, selecting the appropriate completely dry bag can feel overwhelming. To make an informed selection, take into consideration these essential functions:1. ** Material **: Seek sturdy materials such as PVC or nylon that can stand up to damage while remaining water-proof.2.

** Dimension **: Consider how much equipment you'll require to store. Smaller bags (10-20 litres) are optimal for outing with minimal items, while larger dimensions (30-70 litres) match longer expeditions calling for extra materials.3.

** Closure System **: Roll-top closures give outstanding waterproofing capabilities; nevertheless, some bags include zippers with added waterproofing layers-- both options have their merits.4.

** Strap Types **: Comfort is crucial when carrying your equipment to and from the water's edge. Choose flexible cushioned straps or backpack-style designs for simplicity of transport.5.

** Exposure **: Brilliant colors or reflective strips boost safety by making you extra visible on the water-- constantly a clever option!

* Essential Items to Cram In Your Dry Bag for Paddle Boarding **

Packing carefully guarantees you're well-prepared for any kind of circumstance throughout your paddle boarding adventure. Here's a listing of must-have things:

** Waterproof Phone Case **: Protects your device while allowing you to catch memories.

** First Aid Package **: Crucial for small injuries or emergencies.

** Snacks & & Water **: Keep power levels up with nourishing snacks and hydration.

** Bonus Clothing **: A change of clothing can be a lifesaver after an unanticipated sprinkle.

** Sunscreen & & Sun Glasses **: Guard yourself from unsafe UV rays while appreciating sunny days.Having these

basics stored firmly in your dry bag will certainly keep you comfy and all set for journey!

* Maintenance and Care Tips for Your Dry Bag **

To make sure longevity and optimum efficiency from your completely dry bag, follow these treatment suggestions:1. ** Rinse After Usage **: After each journey, rinse off any kind of deep sea or particles with fresh water to avoid material destruction.2.

** Dry Completely **: Permit it to air-dry entirely prior to keeping it away; wetness can cause mold growth inside the bag.3.

** Store Effectively **: Avoid folding it firmly when keeping; rather, hang it up or lay it level to keep its shape.4.

** Examine Regularly **: Inspect joints and closures periodically for indicators of wear-- resolve any type of concerns promptly to lengthen its life.By complying with
this guide on choosing and looking after dry bags tailored particularly for paddle boarding adventures, you're establishing on your own up for many unforgettable experiences on the water! So pack those essentials firmly and prepare yourself to discover without anxiety of obtaining soaked!

piscifun waterproof dry bag

Ultimate Guide to St. Louis Basement Waterproofing Solutions

Are you a homeowner in St. Louis, Missouri, looking to protect your basement from water damage? If so, you've come to the right place! In this ultimate guide, we will explore the importance of basement waterproofing in St. Louis, common causes of water damage, various waterproofing solutions, tips for choosing the right contractor, and maintenance tricks to keep your basement dry.

Understanding why basement waterproofing is crucial in St. Louis is essential. The city's climate can be unpredictable, with heavy rainfall and snowmelt leading to potential flooding and water seepage issues. Without proper protection, your basement could become a breeding ground for mold and mildew, compromising your home's structural integrity and indoor air quality.

Several factors can contribute to water damage in St. Louis basements. Poor drainage around the foundation, cracks in the walls or floors, leaky pipes, and high groundwater levels are common culprits. Identifying these issues early on can help prevent costly repairs down the line.

When it comes to waterproofing solutions for St. Louis basements, you have several options to choose from. Exterior waterproofing involves excavating around the foundation to apply a waterproof membrane or sealant. Interior waterproofing methods include installing drainage systems like French drains or sump pumps to redirect water away from your home. Even interior tuck pointing is a waterproofing method that is used in older stone foundation in the St. Louis and surrounding areas. 

Selecting the right waterproofing contractor is crucial for ensuring a successful outcome. Be sure to research potential contractors thoroughly, check their credentials and customer reviews, and request quotes from at least 3 companies before making a decision. A reputable contractor will assess your specific needs and recommend the most effective solution for your basement.

Some less invasive means of waterproofing can include foundation crack repairs made from the interior of the home. This is where a concrete foundation crack has an epoxy cap seal installed over the crack after ports are installed. After the epoxy has had a chance to cure it is injected with a urethane that expands up to 40 times creating a type of rubber gasket in order to seal the crack. This type of repair does not require any type of permit.

When does my basement waterproofing require a permit? In most municipalities in & around the St. Louis area it depends. If electrical is needing to be ran for the pump you will need a permit for that. Most all interior and exterior sump pumps require a dedicated 20 AMP outlet and breaker at the panel.  Any basement waterproofing needing excavation outside may require a permit as well or at least a land disturbance permit. You should ask your contractor or better yet contact your local building codes enforcement office to be sure.

Once your basement is waterproofed, maintenance is key to keeping it dry year-round. Regularly inspecting gutters and downspouts for clogs, grading soil away from the foundation, sealing any cracks or gaps in walls or floors, and monitoring moisture levels can help prevent water intrusion.

In conclusion, investing in basement waterproofing for your St. Louis home is a smart decision that can save you time and money in the long run. By understanding the importance of protection against water damage, recognizing common causes of leaks, exploring different waterproofing solutions available... 

Call St. Louis Foundation Repairs, LLC today at (314)520-9515 to schedule your free in home inspection to come up with a basement waterproofing plan that is tailored for your home.

Drip Dry Water Damage Restoration. Flood and Plumbing water removed and dried.

Welcome to the serene landscapes of San Diego County, CA, where tranquility occasionally meets unexpected water and flood damage challenges. At Drip-Dry water damage Restoration, we understand the chaos water damage can bring to your home or business. 

Our mission is to provide immediate, reliable, and efficient solutions to restore your peace of mind. Call us anytime at (858) 412-1520 for immediate assistance.

Our Flood Services are unmatched, with a team highly skilled in Flood Damage Repair and Water Damage Restoration. We are available 24/7, ensuring a rapid response to emergencies such as floods, heavy rain, or plumbing issues. Specializing in water extraction, flood damage repair, and emergency cleanup, we promise efficient solutions to restore your property promptly.

When it rains in San Diego, it pours, often resulting in water damage that can disrupt your peace and shatter the tranquility of your surroundings. 

At Drip-Dry Water Damage Restoration, we are your ally in these challenging times. Our certified experts are ready to tackle water damage repairs, structural drying, and mold remediation. By utilizing cutting-edge technology, we ensure a safe and healthy restoration process.

We understand the importance of swift action in emergencies, and our 24/7 availability guarantees a quick response. 

Our flood damage repair services are top-of-the-line, addressing both residential and commercial water damage. Whether it's your home or business, trust us to bring your property back to life using state-of-the-art equipment for efficient flood damage repair and restoration.

Drip-Dry Water Damage Restoration is committed to making the restoration process as stress-free as possible. 

We accept most homeowner and business flood insurance policies, ensuring that you can focus on recovery without financial worries. 

Our experts are equipped with the latest technology to restore your property efficiently and effectively, bringing back the peace you deserve.

San Diego County, known for its beauty and tranquility, can sometimes be hit hard by unexpected water damage. When such events occur, it's crucial to act quickly. At Drip-Dry Water Damage Restoration, we are here to mitigate the damage and preserve your property's integrity. 

Our team is dedicated to providing immediate help with flood water mitigation services and comprehensive water damage restoration.

We pride ourselves on being the leading residential water damage restoration company in San Diego. 

Our services extend to commercial water damage as well, ensuring that businesses can resume operations swiftly and smoothly. Drip-Dry is your go-to company for water and flood damage restoration for both homes and businesses.

Don't let water damage disrupt your peace and tranquility. Our team of experts is ready to respond to your emergency, equipped with the best tools and knowledge to restore your property. 

Call us today at (858) 412-1520 and let Drip-Dry Water Damage Restoration be your partner in turning despair into relief.

Thank you for considering Drip-Dry as your trusted water damage restoration company.

5 Warning Signs of Water Damage You Can't Ignore

Water damage is a homeowner's worst nightmare. It can wreak havoc on your property, leading to costly repairs and potential health hazards if not addressed promptly. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of water damage prevention, the warning signs of water damage in your home, the dangers of mold growth, the benefits of professional mold inspection, and tips for preventing water damage and mold growth.

1. **The Importance of Water Damage Prevention**

Water damage prevention should be a top priority for every homeowner. Whether it's a leaky roof, burst pipes, or flooding, water intrusion can cause extensive damage to your home's structure and belongings. By taking proactive measures to prevent water damage, you can save yourself time, money, and stress in the long run.

2. **Signs of Water Damage in Your Home**

There are several warning signs that may indicate water damage in your home. These include musty odors, discolored walls or ceilings, peeling paint or wallpaper, warped flooring, and visible mold growth. If you notice any of these signs, it's crucial to address the issue promptly to prevent further damage.

3. **Understanding the Dangers of Mold Growth**

One of the most significant risks associated with water damage is mold growth. Mold thrives in damp environments and can spread quickly throughout your home if left unchecked. Exposure to mold spores can trigger allergic reactions and respiratory problems in some individuals. In severe cases, toxic molds can cause serious health issues.

4. **Benefits of Professional Mold Inspection**

If you suspect mold growth in your home due to water damage, it's essential to hire a professional mold inspection service. A certified inspector will assess the extent of the mold problem, identify the type of mold present, and recommend an appropriate course of action for remediation. Professional mold inspection ensures thorough detection and proper handling of mold issues.

5. **Tips for Preventing Water Damage and Mold Growth**

Preventing water damage and mold growth starts with regular maintenance and vigilance. Here are some tips to help safeguard your home:

Keep gutters clean and free from debris to prevent water buildup

Inspect plumbing fixtures regularly for leaks or drips

Ensure proper ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens to reduce humidity levels

Promptly address any signs of water intrusion or leaks

Consider installing a sump pump or dehumidifier in moisture-prone areas

In conclusion, staying vigilant about potential water damage risks is crucial for maintaining a safe and healthy home environment. By recognizing the warning signs early on, seeking professional assistance when needed, and implementing preventative measures, you can protect your property from costly damages and health hazards associated with mold growth.

water damage and mold inspection

Don't Let Rain Ruin Your Parade: The Importance of Regular Gutter Maintenance

When it comes to protecting your home from the elements, gutters play a crucial role that often goes unnoticed. These simple yet essential components are your first line of defense against water damage, making regular gutter maintenance a non-negotiable task for homeowners.

Gutters are designed to channel rainwater away from your home, preventing water from seeping into the foundation, walls, and roof. Without properly functioning gutters, you leave your home vulnerable to a host of potential issues that can result in costly repairs down the line.

Neglecting gutter maintenance can lead to a myriad of consequences that extend beyond just water damage. Clogged gutters can become breeding grounds for pests such as mosquitoes and rodents, creating health hazards for you and your family. Additionally, stagnant water in clogged gutters can also cause structural damage to your home over time.

Regular gutter cleaning and inspection are essential steps in maintaining the integrity of your home. By removing debris such as leaves, twigs, and dirt from your gutters on a consistent basis, you ensure that rainwater can flow freely through the system without any blockages. This not only protects your home from water damage but also extends the lifespan of your gutters.

In addition to preventing damage, there are numerous benefits to be gained from regular gutter maintenance. Well-maintained gutters improve the curb appeal of your home by preventing unsightly water stains on the exterior walls. They also help preserve the landscaping around your property by directing water away from delicate plants and flowers.

To keep your gutters in top condition all year round, here are some tips to follow:

1. Schedule regular gutter cleanings at least twice a year, preferably in the spring and fall when debris tends to accumulate the most.

2. Inspect your gutters for signs of damage such as rust, corrosion, or sagging and address any issues promptly.

3. Consider installing gutter guards to prevent debris buildup and make cleaning easier.

4. Trim overhanging branches near your roof to prevent leaves from falling directly into your gutters.

5. During heavy rainfall, check that water is flowing freely through your downspouts and away from your home's foundation.

By taking these simple steps to maintain your gutters, you can protect your home from water damage, increase its value, and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you've done everything possible to keep it safe and secure. Don't let rain ruin your parade – prioritize regular gutter maintenance today!

Canine Cruising: Discover the Perfect Kayak for Your Water-Loving Dog

Are you a water enthusiast who loves kayaking? Do you have a furry four-legged friend who never wants to be left behind? Combining your love for the water with your pup's enthusiasm can lead to unforgettable adventures. Kayaking with dogs has become increasingly popular, allowing pet owners to bond with their canine companions while exploring scenic waterways. In this guide, we will explore the benefits of kayaking with your dog, highlight key features to look for in a dog-friendly kayak, showcase some of the Best Kayaks for Dogs on the market, and provide you with essential tips for a safe and enjoyable kayaking experience with your pup.

Benefits of Kayaking with Your Dog:

Kayaking with your dog offers numerous benefits for both you and your furry friend. It provides an excellent opportunity for exercise, allowing your dog to stay active while enjoying the outdoors. The calming effect of being on the water can also help reduce stress and anxiety in both dogs and humans. Additionally, kayaking together strengthens the bond between you and your dog, creating lasting memories and shared experiences.

Features to Look for in a Dog-Friendly Kayak:

When choosing a kayak that is suitable for paddling with your dog, there are several key features to consider. Look for a stable kayak with a wide hull that provides ample space for your dog to sit or lie down comfortably. Opt for a kayak with a flat deck or open cockpit design to make it easier for your dog to hop in and out of the boat. Additionally, consider kayaks with built-in leash attachment points or D-rings to secure your dog's harness and prevent them from jumping overboard.

Top Kayaks for Dogs on the Market:

1. Ocean Kayak Malibu Two: This tandem kayak is spacious enough to accommodate two adults and a furry companion. It offers stability and versatility, making it an ideal choice for paddling with dogs.

2. Perception Pescador Pro 12: With its comfortable seating and ample storage space, this sit-on-top kayak is perfect for exploring calm waters with your canine companion.

3. Old Town Saranac 160: This recreational kayak features a spacious cockpit area that can easily accommodate medium to large-sized dogs. Its durable construction makes it suitable for various water conditions.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Kayaking Experience with Your Pup:

Introduce your dog to the kayak gradually by letting them explore it on land before hitting the water.

Invest in a well-fitting life jacket for your dog to ensure their safety while paddling.

Pack plenty of fresh water and snacks for both you and your pup during the trip.

Take regular breaks to allow your dog to stretch their legs and relieve themselves on land if needed.

Be mindful of weather conditions and choose calm waters for a smooth kayaking experience.

Embarking on a kayaking adventure with your furry friend can be incredibly rewarding. By selecting the right kayak, prioritizing safety measures, and following our tips, you can create unforgettable memories while enjoying quality time on the water with your beloved canine companion. So grab your paddles, gear up, and get ready to experience the joy of canine cruising!

How Does an Alkaline Water filter Work?

Alkaline water filters.. Should be a simple concept, right?

You put water into a water filter and you change its pH to something more alkaline, right?

Er.. yes.. but there’s more to know before any decision.

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ALKALINE: A DEFINITION

The alkalinity of an alkaline water filter’s output can be indicated with a pH meter.

A pH meter provides a value as to how acidic or alkaline a liquid is. The pH meter measures concentration of hydrogen ions in water. Acids dissolved in water forming positively charged hydrogen ions (H+). The greater this concentration of hydrogen ions, the more acidic the liquid may be.

Water Alkalinity or Acidity

Water is neutral at a reading of pH 7. A lesser reading means the water is acid. pH 6 is 10x more acidic than pH 7 and pH 5 is 100x more acidic than pH7. A higher reading indicates alkalinity. But wait! There’s more!

Yes, a pH meter can indicate alkalinity or acidity of water, but it is only an indication. Other factors can affect the pH meter. But let’s go on.

Alkaline water contains alkaline minerals.

And yes, these minerals are: a) in short supply in our modern diet, and b)are all important in the balancing of our net acid levels, as well as many other health support functions.

So yes, we need alkaline minerals,

..and unless they are in our food, the only other regular source is the water we drink. We can safely say that adding alkaline minerals to our diet will support our natural alkaline minerals buffer in our bloodstream. Its sole purpose is neutralisation of excess acid.

The Role of an Alkaline Water Filter

When we learn that our town water, containing acidic chlorine and chloramines, plus many other nasties, is actually adding to the acid overload in processed foods, sugars and carbs and metabolic stressors we ingest or create every day, it also makes sense that we should take advantage of alkaline minerals as we drink water.

Let’s take apart the alkaline water filter idea and see why people are paying up to $6000 to own one.

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A typical alkaline water filter/ionizer

Introducing.. the alkaline water ionizer, AKA water alkalizer, AKA alkaline water filter.

This is the device one aggrieved author is upset about. He is a chemist. Here’s an excerpt:

As water molecules break down at the negative electrode to release hydrogen gas, they leave behind negative hydroxide ions. This is what makes a solution “alkaline.†Basically what this means is that as electrolysis proceeds, a dilute solution of sodium hydroxide (negative ions are always paired with positive ones) is produced around the negative electrode and can be drawn off as “alkaline†or “ionized†water. But you don't need an exorbitantly expensive device to produce a dilute sodium hydroxide solution. A couple of pellets of drain cleaner in a litre of water will do the job. So will a spoonful of baking soda. Of course these solutions will not produce any medical miracles. But neither will the posh alkaline water.

A water ionizer filters your tap water, then passes electricity through water, separating it into acid and alkaline streams.

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Alkaline Water Filter / Ionizer

Users drink the alkaline water, and the acid water (usually) goes down the drain. Input and filter a litre of water from your tap, and you’ll get about half of the water out the other end with the original alkaline minerals in it.

ALKALINE WATER FILTERS: THE BIG QUESTION

Do you get more alkaline minerals as a result of drinking water from a water ionizer/alkaline water filter?

No. You get the alkaline minerals that were already in your water! Which begs the question: if you buy an alkaline water filter/ionizer and your water is relatively alkali-free, can the water ionizer make it more alkaline? No.. But it can make it look like it is more alkaline.

Remember earlier when I said that pH doesn’t necessarily reflect the amount of alkaline minerals in the water?

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pH Test for alkaline water filter

Testing an Alkaline Water Filter for Alkalinity

A pH reagent test - can easily be deceived, and the easiest way to do this is to use exactly what the alkaline water ionizer uses: electrolysis.

Electrolysis affects the reading of a pH meter because it is reading the result of electrolysis instead of pure alkaline minerals in the water. It produces a dilute solution of sodium hydroxide - enough to quite radically affect a pH reading to make it look more alkaline than it really is.

So the person in a low alkaline water supply region is told to hit a button to boost the electricity that passes through their input water in their shiny new water ionizer, and lo and behold!

The pH meter or reagent shows a ‘healthy’ pH in the desired range of 8.5 to 9.5.

On the other hand, when a water supply is (as it is in vast areas of America, Australia and Europe!) already alkaline, the ionizer delivers the alkaline minerals already in the water, ‘repackaging them’ as ‘new and improved’ ionized water. If the water ionizer was set at the high voltage of the soft water area, then the readings on the pH meter would also be (falsely) high. (and the water may cause vomiting or diarrhea).

What if your tap water tests for perfect pH? It has the required pH7.5 that all water facilities target, (using chemicals to balance whatever the source water may have been).

They add chlorine and chloramines that kill bacteria, but which also acidify the water. So they then add calcium carbonate to bring the acidity down.

There’s a big reason for this: acidic water sitting in old plumbing will eat away at joints, releasing lead and heavy metals. (Over 200 US cities have lead levels far beyond accepted health levels).

So... you pass your perfectly balanced water through your ($6000) ‘alkaline water filter’/ ionizer. If the water began its life as only slightly acidic, there will only be tiny amounts of alkaline minerals in it - just enough to balance the effect of the chlorine. And as we discussed earlier, your new ionizer will deliver that small amount of alkaline minerals into a separate stream, using electrolysis to create that separation. And if you are disappointed with the pH.. well, as they will assure you.. it’s so simple to increase the electrical current and watch the pH soar.

Buffered Alkaline Water Filter vs. Unbuffered Alkaline Water filter.

Except.. the soaring pH does NOT reflect the true alkalinity of the water. It reflects the combined alkalinity of the water and the result of electrolysis. It is technically known as unbuffered alkaline water. Unbuffered alkaline water is water that has little to no alkalinizing power.

If you have an electric water ionizer it's a simple test. Add just a drop of acidic Vitamin C for instance, and it loses all its ‘alkalinity’.

Unbuffered alkaline water will virtually immediately be neutralised by acids in the mouth or stomach. Net result; zero.

Buffered water contains actual dissolved alkaline minerals. It is not artificially boosted in pH by electrolysis. These minerals, once ingested, join our own alkaline storehouse and suppl3ement, or top up our ‘bank’ of alkalinity with the ability to neutralise acids.

Try the acid drop test on a glass of buffered natural alkaline water: you’ll need a lot more acid to bring the alkaline water up to neutral pH7. It’s unfortunate that this small bit of irrefutable science isn’t talked about by electric ionizer vendors. It causes people like my quoted friend to get very angry.

Are Alkaline Water Filters Safe?

Yes. or at least they are as safe as the filtration method they employ.

Obviously the better the filtration, the safer the water. Strangely, big selling electric water ionizers have very basic filtration that does not address the newer contaminants we now find in our water, like fluoride, THM’s (Disinfection ByProducts), chloramines, heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, PFOAs.. Isn’t this what we should expect from any water filter, which of course includes alkaline water filters? Make a point of asking to see test results.

What pH should our water be?

It should be above pH7 to prevent leaching lead and heavy metals from pipes. But from the healthy living point of view, it should be in the pH8.5 to 9.5.

pH Water Tests

We have a handy pH water test kit for people who want to know more about their own water.

After all, perhaps your water is already alkaline at the tap, in which case you’d be crazy to buy an electric water ionizer/alkalizer.

Want to know more? ~ The best countertop alkaline water filter they never talked about - until now. ~ The problem every electric water ionizer realizes they have after they pay the money. ~ The alternatives to paying $6000. Getting much more, for much less. All this is a click away on the AlkaWay blog, or available via our monthly HealtheMail.

blood and water season 2

Consider what you will need to live, and I mean simply survive. Food? Water? Air? Facebook? Naturally, I'll be paying attention to water within this section. Drinking water is essential to all living things; in some species, water may take into account up to 90 percent of the total bodyweight. Water accounts for as much as 60% on the adult human body volume.

In a work published inside the Journal of Biological Chemistry, H.H. Mitchell found out that the brain and heart are comprised of 73 percent water understanding that the lungs consist of 83 percent water. In addition, your skin layer contains 64 percent water, muscles and kidneys have 79 percent water, and in many cases bones contain 31 percent water.

A specific level of water have to be consumed by people every day in order to live. It goes without saying this differs according upon an individual's age and gender, together with where they reside. In general, a grownup man requires about 3 liters (3.2 quarts) of water daily, while a grownup female requires approximately 2.2 liters (2.3 quarts) on a daily basis. Because part from the water an individual need is found inside food we consume, there is no need for them to get all with their water by drinking liquids.

Water performs various vital tasks that keep us all alive and well.

A essential ingredient with the survival of the cell, glucose serves first of all as a building element.

It helps to keep our internal body's temperature stable by regulating sweating and respiration.

In order for that bodies to make use of carbs and proteins as food, water should be digested and delivered using the circulation.

It aids inside the flushing from waste, mostly via urine.

The brain, spinal-cord, and fetus all utilize the presence with this substance.

creates salivary glands

lubricates joints along with other body parts

According to Dr. Jeffrey Utz, professor of neuroscience and pediatrics at Allegheny University, various folks have varying proportions of water inside their systems. Babies possess the most, approximately 78 percent of babies being born. By the time the kid is one yr old, that percentage has dropped to about 65 percent. Water accocunts for about 60% on the total amount of adult men's bodies. Fat tissue, alternatively, doesn't contain the maximum amount of water as lean tissue. Adult ladies have a higher proportion of fat inside their bodies than males, producing a body composition that is certainly about 55% water. Thus:

Babies and youngsters have more water (as being a proportion of these body weight) than adults.

Women have much less Water than males (being a percentage).

Those who convey more fatty tissue tight on water within their bodies than people with less fatty tissues (to be a percentage).

There simply would not be any you, me, or Fido your new puppy if there wasn't an abundant amount of liquid water entirely on the surface from the planet. Water's distinct characteristics and attributes are what distinguish being so essential and fundamental your. Our bodies have a lot of water into their cells. Because of water's exceptional ability to dissolve lots of substances, our cells can use essential nutrients, minerals, and chemicals inside the course of biological processes.

It is known that water's "stickiness" (presented by surface tension) leads to our body's capability move these materials throughout the body's. The carbs and proteins that our systems utilize as food are digested and carried throughout the bloodstream through the water that circulates in your body. No less essential is water's capability to carry waste elements out of your body and into your environment.

Do I Need a Whole House Opposite Osmosis System?

Reverse osmosis is utilized to draw out liquified sediments, chemicals, medications, and chemicals from water. If groundwater is significantly polluted, reverse osmosis is the only means offered to furnish a residence with tidy water.While using a

reverse osmosis (RO) system does include careful preparation, consistent maintenance, and also a studied understanding of your water's chemistry, WRO needs planning, constant upkeep, as well as an in-depth awareness of your water's chemistry. When it comes to reverse osmosis whole home systems, they can aid take care of TDS and even harmful levels of hexavalent chromium.An entire house opposite osmosis system is described as RO system

Your entire home's water will be filteringed system by reverse osmosis membranes. Reverse osmosis has been placed at the water intake point. The reverse osmosis membrane treats every decline of water in your house's pipes, starting at the kitchen tap and also functioning its way right to the commode. Your entire house is free from firmness, salts, toxins, and also TDS due to whole house RO systems.99%

of dissolved natural as well as inorganic debris is removed via the membrane's tiny pores. Reverse osmosis water is extremely pure, as well as it is a cost-effective method to cleanse water. When the water conditions are hard, home owners use an entire house RO system to make certain that they always have wonderful water top quality in all components of their house.The majority of

the pollutants, such as lead, salt, and also nitrates, are gotten rid of using reverse osmosis. These filtering procedures achieve success at removing these contaminants altogether. An under-sink RO system can impact your entire home if you have water-obstacle issues.It is often

sensible to make certain direct exposure to unsafe amounts of chemicals as well as steels in your water system is restricted when suitable. Purifying water for only utilizes such as brushing teeth, washing children, and cooking and also cleaning is suitable in some instances.In order to make this system totally reliable, is a whole house reverse osmosis system required?A reverse osmosis system is just needed in conditions when there is a high level of impurities in the water. Several water quality problems can be fixed making use of house reverse osmosis. The majority of rural houses have well water and make use of entire residence reverse osmosis because of water that has countless challenging pollutants.Reverse osmosis is the only technique for dealing with high levels of arsenic as well as nitrate in all-natural water. The soil, water, or air of close-by factory can potentially consist of microplastics, unpredictable organic compounds (VOCs), and other pollutants. Not many water purification systems are capable of getting rid of these pollutants.Reverse osmosis is frequently the best choice when taking care of these pollutants, specifically when they integrate with each other.

Safeguarding your entire house by installing a whole home RO system can be an excellent option if your water has extremely high TDS levels.Contaminants in metropolitan water supplies can not be gotten rid of by reverse osmosis, as chlorine makes them insoluble. Many entire home water filtration systems are capable of eliminating toxic substances such water solidity, chlorine, chloramines, and also lead.However, some that appreciate drinking RO water exist, and also they prefer to use it in their whole home. Fluoride has additionally become a concern for the general population. Water resources in cities are fluoridated to help maintain kids's teeth healthy

. Removing fluoride from water is a difficult procedure. Activated alumina( a filtering system media called alumina activated )is a rare-use therapy made use of only in a little portion of situations.To decrease fluoride, you need to trigger alumina as well as allow it come into contact with the water for a few minutes. Doing so produces water at a rate of roughly 0.25 GPM. Many people utilize reverse osmosis to get rid of fluoride from the water.Is it worth the

expense to run entire home opposite osmosis?There is no other way to inform if your water requires to be treated with whole home reverse osmosis( WGO )without doing a complete water examination. Pollutants that are tasteless, odor free, and also colorless prevail. This technology could settle a

lot of these problems if only it had a simpler filtering system.Proper water screening will certainly identify all kinds of hazardous substances, consisting of pesticides, ammonia, cyanide, and arsenic. It is impossible to eliminate impurities from your water if you do not recognize what remains in it.In order to make use of reverse osmosis pretreatment, it is essential to do a water test. The whole residence RO system will not function unless a water examination is completed.It is important that you connect with a water specialist if the water test exposes nitrates, nitrites, arsenic, chromium, or TDS amounts over the EPA specified limit. In certain scenarios, in order to

restore the drinking water's preference and also safety and security, under-sink reverse osmosis gadgets might be employed.Is my water secure to drink?Take a water example from your well and also send it to a lab accepted by the state or by the National Association of Screening Authorities to evaluate it. To make sure that your water examples are safe, your examples will certainly be checked out. Measure the parts-per-million levels of pollutants in your well using the EPA criteria for drinking water. Each time your water surpasses the EPA's requirements for risk-free drinking water, you have 2 weeks

to address the problem.If you are the proprietor of

an exclusive well, you are responsible for making certain the alcohol consumption water in your home is safe. It is crucial to take note of well maintenance on an annual basis. Recognizing the components of your water is necessary if you wish to make a full residence reverse osmosis system.Municipal water users have the option of undertaking a laboratory examination to see if the water is of adequate top quality. A yearly water quality report is required by the EPA for every city. This database of reported discharges is preserved by

the EWG, which is searchable by postal code.

alternative to reverse osmosis

21 Years drinking Alkaline Water: what i learned and what to look out for.

Lessons I have learned about Alkaline Water over the last 21 years

When I began drinking ionized alkaline water I didn’t even know what an ion was.

I failed gloriously at chemistry at school. I was the class disruptor. The idea of a universe of elements confined to a single table of values was anathema to me. I wanted infinite possibility rather than the confines of a periodic table that explained the ‘Theory of Everything’.

Well, things have changed.

I’m still no expert in chemistry but I’ve grown to love the process of learning about a subject that fascinates me; the relationship of pH balance to my – and others’ – health.

Alkaline Water and pH Balance

As I learned that the world in general refuses to accept the huge advantage of an alkaline body, I delved into physics, chemistry, biology and psychology.

Strangely, I look back on myself at school and understand that unless a person is ready to learn – and change – they simply can’t hear even hear the words of their best friends when it interferes with their idea of normal life.

Enough of the philosophy; you are reading this to learn about alkaline water, so let’s get on with it.

If you’ve come this far you’ve probably already been exposed to some form of information, most likely from someone attempting to sell you a water ionizer. So let’s begin at the beginning with the word ‘ion’.

An ion is an atom. Got that? Good.

You are half way. But it’s an atom that carries an electrical charge, or is in need of an electrical charge.. so if you like, it’s an electrically unbalanced atom.

Of course nothing is imbalanced in nature. So an atom with a positive electrical charge has just one purpose in creation; it is looking for an ion that is missing a charge so it can donate its charge, and return to normal atomic state of equilibrium. It’s a completely beneficial meeting for both atoms involved because they both return to being just atoms instead of ions.

They return to balance.

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Photographer: Elena Mozhvilo | Source: Unsplash

It took me some time to see the significance of this and I wish my chemistry teacher had told me about ions and what I’m about to share. (Of course, he did, but I was busy disrupting.)

We read about chemical reactions everywhere; in the air, in the earth, in industry and medicine, and within our body. A chemical reaction is the action of ions co-operating to create a new molecular substance.

They give and they take and they form a stable substance rather than simple separate atoms. So ions are the key to all chemical reactions plus the formulation of new substances.

This extends from simple salt – a joining of ionic sodium and ionic chlorine – all the way up the high level multi-atom substances.

But we don’t need to worry about getting into the understanding of complex substances because ionized water is a very simple ionic transfer. Basically, it’s the creation of a new form of water that has more negatively charged ions in it than usual.

You probably think that there’s just one way to do this. That’s not true; there are a number of ways including magnetics, electrolysis and passing water over certain reactive elements. The latter is the cause of the amazing so-called ‘healing’ springs around the world, evidenced simply by a lighter molecular weight of these special waters.

I have experienced excellent health (in the main) over my 21 years of alkalinewater based life.

I don’t attribute all of it to ionized alkaline water but it’s my personal belief that so many years without my usual annual colds and flu has something to say about the water’s immune support abilities. You’ll find hundreds of testimonials for the water online and although in my opinion most of them are real, I need to caution you that nothing fixes everything and every case needs to be seen in the context of their previous lifestyle choices.

To give a simple example – when did you ever see a diet that didn’t claim miraculous benefits from ‘Mrs J. Smith of Alabama”.

The reality of all diets is that if a person is already slowly killing themselves with the SAD (Standard American Diet) anything a little healthier will provoke a healing response.

Was it the specific diet? Yes..and no. The specific diet provoked the response but any diet of equal quality would probably have done the same. So please be a little careful in your research.

I think I can assist you hugely today because I’m going to share a meta-analysis of over 100 international studies of the health effects of natural alkaline water. And then I’ll attempt to show you the differences between electrically created - and natural alkaline water. There are very important differences as well as very important similarities.

The Study and what I learned. The study linked to here is the best piece of information on alkaline water I have read for 13 years. It is completely crossreferenced to actual studies, which makes it head and shoulders above any other form of document you would usually read on the net. What it says is as correct as science has managed to make it. (The foundation of scientific inquiry is that your study’s result is correct only until someone proves otherwise.)

So what does it say about Alkaline Water?

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Photographer: Manki Kim | Source: Unsplash

It concentrates on the two major elements of alkaline water in nature; Calcium and Magnesium.

“Both of these elements are essential for thehuman body. Calcium is a part of bones and teeth. In addition, it plays a role in neuromuscular excitability (decreases it), good function of the conducting myocardial system, heart and muscle contractility, intracellular information transmission and blood coagulability.”

It goes on to say that osteoporosis and osteomalacia are the most common symptoms of Ca and Mg deficiency.

Please note: it does NOT say directly that more calcium will cure these conditions. We’ve independently researched this and there’s a much bigger story here. But let’s move on. (If you’d like to know more go here)

The report then talks about the superstar of alkaline minerals, Magnesium:

“Magnesium plays an important role as a cofactor and activator of more than 300 enzymatic reactions including glycolysis, ATP metabolism, transport of elements such as Na, K and Ca through membranes, synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids, neuromuscular excitability and muscle contraction etc. … Magnesium deficiency increases risk to humans of developing various pathological conditions such as vasoconstrictions, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, atherosclerotic vascular disease, acute myocardial infarction, eclampsia in pregnant women, possibly diabetes mellitus of type II and Osteoporosis.”

Think about it.

Is there a pill anywhere on earth that gives so much benefit? It’s so commonly available, so well researched to PROVE these claims, yet most of us (according to the report) are severely lacking magnesium in our diet!

Although there were some scattered studies as early as 1927 recommending hard water over soft, it wasn’t until 1950 when Japanese scientists concluded that hard alkaline water was more beneficial than soft water in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

To be very clear, they found higher mortality rates from cerebrovascular diseases (stroke) in the areas of Japanese rivers with more acid (i.e. softer) water compared to those with more alkaline (i.e. harder) water used for drinking purposes.

Many studies of alkaline water followed across the world with similar conclusions.

In the two decades of investigation of water hardness and its association with heart disease, over 100 studies were completed!

My question that must be asked is that if it is so obviously scientifically proven, why have our health authorities not advanced a diet giving the required amounts of both?

Some people may reasonably ask how sure researchers are that it is calcium and magnesium that has such an effect. Could it not be any of the other essential minerals we all need? Yet in study after study, no significant association with other minerals was found.

(One significant finding was the effect of acidic water on home reticulation systems and its tendency to corrode sufficiently to cause leaching of toxic heavy metals)

By 1992 it was generally agreed that Magnesium was the great healer and that calcium had only a supportive effect against heart disease.

But as you’ll soon see, magnesium in water is quite different to magnesium in food.

By 1990 studies had advanced to a stage where even more hard data and beneficial correlations between Ca, Mg and CVD was available. Before this time there were a number of studies questioning the methodology of some earlier studies. These are to me, a healthy debate phase and although some earlier studies were not as rigid as they could have been, the basic fact of the correlation survived the rigour of scientific debate.

The later studies extended the benefits of magnesium beyond CVD to AMI (Advanced Myocardial Infarction)

“…the persons enrolled in the group with the highest water Mg level had a risk level of death from AMI by a third lower (odds raio 0.64) as compared to the groups consuming water containing less Mg than 8.3 mg/l.”

I like to try to see what a statistic looks like in real life. A reduction by one-third of deaths from myocardial infarction looks like this:

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That’s one third of this group of 100 people who would have died.

It’s also interesting to see how some of the studies learned about hard water’s health benefits. In one Finnish study, the hard water benefit was only discovered when health authorities investigated why one particular geographic region consumed less heart drugs.

It was the water!

Another peculiarity of one study was the discovery of a correlation between ambient temperature and heart disease. While this seems to have nothing to do with magnesium or water, it reminded me that Chinese Shaolin monks alkalize with cold dips in mountain streams.

As the studies rolled on, it became clearer and clearer that it was magnesium that was doing the work in preventing Advanced Myocardial Infarction, not the calcium.

Next, a study popped up showing less danger for sudden infant death syndrome,

“It is hypothesized that magnesium deficiency is implicated in cardiovascular spasms and cardiac arrhythmias leading to death.”

More good news followed.

Unlike most trace minerals, which take many months or years to have a beneficial effect, studies emerged showing that the effects of drinking hard water surfaced in a matter of weeks rather than years. This probably explains the sometimes ‘miraculous’ reports we get from users. (I remember one man who was dragged into our offices by his wife and was very against the whole idea. He said nothing but drank a glass to keep his wife happy. They were back the next day. “For the first time in years I had no reflux!” he exclaimed.)

Here’s where it gets really interesting.

If switching over to alkaline water is good for you, what happens if you have been drinking alkaline water all your life and you change to soft water? This is what happened in a number of recorded cases:

“…among Czech and Slovak population who started to use reverse osmosis based systems for final treatment of drinking water at their home outlets in 2000-2002 and several weeks later reported different health complaints suggestive of acute magnesium deficiency.”

More benefits studies rolled in.

A French study found that calcium in the water contributed to a lack of neurological disturbance in the elderly. Ever heard of the old adage; “A glass of milk before bed for a good night’s sleep”? Milk is loaded with calcium!

In Spain a report found schoolkids drinking alkaline water suffered less fractures.

Another report found that hard water drinkers had consistently lower blood pressure.

A second report discovered the same in pregnant women, which is no surprise to me given that the embryonic child is dragging all his/her mother’s alkaline minerals out to create a new skeleton.

And it wasn’t only mothers who benefited. A Taiwan study of 1751 women found that hard water gave better protection against low pre-and post-birth baby weight. Furthermore,

“Higher intake of calcium is believed to decrease smooth muscle contractility and tonus, which clinically results in lower blood pressure and lower rate of pre-term births.”

Next came a study showing low Mg levels in drinking water to be a factor in motor neurone disease, closely followed by another with similar indications for preeclampsia.

Not all studies of alkaline water effects agreed with each other.

A Taiwanese study correlated low Mg and diabetes but a US one found no such correlation.

Personally, given the fact that diabetes is often the result of bad diet and excess fat accumulation, which renders the body almost permanently in a state of inflammation, I would theorize that magnesium’s anti-inflammatory abilities were probably what the Taiwanese observed.

More studies, more results.

Low Ca and Mg levels were linked with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis A.K.A. Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Even dental caries and periodontal disease are reduced with a sufficiency of Ca and Mg in drinking water… even when fluoride levels are low! So..if we all had the right amounts of Ca and Mg we wouldn’t have fluoride forced upon us in our drinking water; a chemical already proven to reduce children’s intelligence.

From Russia came studies linking low Mg and Ca in drinking water with a whole range of ailments including:

“significantly higher incidence rates of hypertension, IHD, adrenergic function disturbances, gastric and duodenal ulcer and other diseases in the areas with soft water.”

Alkaline Water and Cancer

Please note: This is not a substitute for proper medical advice. Please consult a qualified physician before embarking on any health regimen change.

Here’s a simplified list of a host of studies coming out of Taiwan. All of them relate to the consumption of hard water and the beneficial effect.

• Cerebrovascular diseases (Mg)
• Hypertension (Mg)
• CVD (Hard Water)
• Esophogeal cancer (Hard Water)
• Pancreatic cancer (Hard Water)
• Rectal cancer (Hard Water)
• Breast cancer (Hard Water)
• Gastric cancer (Calcium in water)
• Colorectal cancer (Calcium in water)

“Further studies from other countries are needed to confirm these results. Although previous studies dealing with relationships between water hardness and the incidence of cancer elsewhere in the world were mostly suggestive of protective effect of hard water, the results were ambiguous as stated in a review paper (Cantor, 1997) underlining the need for further studies in this promising field.”

Not Detox but AntiTox.

We all know what detox is, but what about antitoxic? Antitoxic in this sense means that something has the ability to neutralise toxins as they enter the body. To explain how this applies to calcium and Magnesium, I quote:

“Calcium and to a lower extent also magnesium in both drinking water and food were previously found to have a beneficial antitoxic effect since they prevent – via either a direct reaction resulting in an nonabsorbable compound or competition for binding sites –absorption or reduce harmful effects of some toxic elements such as lead, cadmium etc.”

We are, I believe beginning to see alkaline water for the powerful protector it really is.

The next study looked at how much hard water one would need to drink to reduce heart disease. This 1999 study concludes;

“…relatively low magnesium intake with drinking water (usually less than 10 % of the total daily magnesium intake) can reduce mortality from CVD by even 30 %.”

As a doctor friend said, “If I could patent that I’d be a billionaire!”

Modern Food and Alkaline Water

There is no argument that the nutritional value of modern supermarket food has dropped. An early casualty was magnesium. It means that virtually all of us live in a state of permanent magnesium depletion. Now that you and I understand the amazing health support that this natural mineral offers us, we have to be wondering how to reverse this situation, especially now that we also know from these studies that we can have a health turnaround in as little as a few weeks!

Now here’s something extremely important to us in our quest for magnesium self-sufficiency.

• If you eat 1000mg of magnesium in your food, your body will get 300mg.
• Magnesium in water, however, gives an extra 30% absorption. It’s 30% more efficient to take magnesium in water than in food.

There’s more; we’ve all seen ‘megadose magnesium supplements. Well, studies show that the higher the dosage, the lower the absorption level for food, whereas water absorption levels remain constant.

Cooking with Alkaline Water

If you choose high magnesium vegetables to cook, then cooking with soft water has been found to deplete magnesium levels even before you get to eat the vegetables. Conversely, cooking with hard water increases the levels of Mg and Ca in the food. You will also retain far more of the wider range of minerals in the food.

One study goes so far as to conclude that it’s the bioavailability of magnesium in water that makes it a far superior way of getting your daily quota. This is due “to its increased utilization probably resulting from the biologically advantageous (hexahydrated) form of water magnesium.”

“Repeated tests on animals yielded highly surprising results: the animals given the element studied (i.e. Zn or Mg) with drinking water showed statistically significantly higher increase of this element in the serum than those given a much higher amount of these elements with food and demineralized water to drink.”

Remember we talked earlier about a study of a population that changed over from hard water to RO water? They quickly displayed signs of magnesium deficiency. Further proof of the basic principle was found in the observation that patients being fed pure water intravenously quickly lost their normal levels of a whole range of electrolytes (minerals).

Isn’t this amazing material? Can you imagine how you are going to ‘kick the habit’ and regain your birthright evolutionary health model with this simple change?

Relationship of Mg levels and Health response.

Here are some interesting summary statistics that should banish any doubt in your mind. And remember as you read these that the RDA for magnesium for us is 700-1000mg per day.

Study 1: America. An increase in the water magnesium level by about 8 mg/l led to reduction of mortality from all CVD by about 10%.

Study 2: South Africa. An increase in drinking water magnesium by 6 mg/l led to reduction of mortality from IHD equally by about 10%.

Study 3: Germany. If drinking water magnesium is reduced by about 4.5 mg/l, the incidence of myocardial infarction increases by 10%.

Study 4: England. An increase in total hardness ..from 0.5 to 1.5 mmol/l – … should result in a 7.2% decrease in CVD mortality.

Study 6: Los Angeles. the decrease in the absolute cardiovascular mortality ranged from 0.1 per mg (of Mg) per 100,000 population.

Study 7: Finland. The relative risk decrease ranged from 0.001 to 0.034 per mg of magnesium.

Ratio of Magnesium to Calcium

We are now getting very close to decisional safety here. We should never take health decisions if we don’t feel safe doing so, but in this case the confirming data appears overwhelming. There are only a few more points we need to complete our ‘due diligence’, and one is how much calcium we should have with our magnesium.

A very significant number of studies have all come to one answer.

One unit of Magnesium to two units of Calcium.

• A decrease in the Mg to Ca ratio was associated with increasing risk for mortality from IHD and AMI.
• An increase in the Mg to Ca ratio was associated with increasing risk for gastric cancer.

The good news is that the right ratio is often similar to actual Mg and Ca ratios in our home alkaline water supplies. The bad news is that it may pay to check with your local supplier.

The Paul C. Bragg Legacy

Paul C. Bragg, self proclaimed “Father of the Health Movement in America”, certainly had dedication.

According to his website, “This Crusader for worldwide health and fitness is responsible for more firsts in the history of the natural health movement than any other individual.”

He worked hard all his life to propagate his own vision of health. Unfortunately many people followed his ill-founded advice to drink only distilled water. His theory behind it has never been proven.

On the other hand, multiple studies have shown that intestinal absorption of calcium from drinking or mineral water is as effective or even more effective as compared with that from dairy products.

Although Bragg claimed advanced scientific degrees in newspaper and magazine interviews, including, but not limited to, his 1975 People Magazine article, it is unknown if these claims are accurate. The (just released) 1940 Federal Census (accessible online), showing him living on National Avenue in Burbank, California, gives his age as "45" and the highest attained academic grade for him as "H1", which would be only one year of high school.

None of the known Bragg books refers to any specific educational accomplishments.

Summarizing, the meta-analysis of the studies published in 1966 – 1998 indicated that calcium absorption from mineral water is statistically significantly higher than that from dairy products.

Based on this evidence, it was recommended to use waters richer in calcium as an important additional source of calcium in menopausal women, lactose intolerant people or those avoiding dairy products because of their taste or high fat content.

Just to make the point about Alkaline Water clearly…

Study 1: France. intake of drinking water rich in calcium correlated with higher bone density in elderly women in France.

Study 2: Italy. Similar results were obtained in an experiment with mineral water in menopausal women.

Study 3: Italy. lower bone resorption and osteoporosis were observed in women after drinking calcium rich water.

Study 4: Spain. A lower incidence of fractures in small school children of the areas supplied with harder water.

Bioavailability of minerals in Alkaline Water

“Bioavailability of water magnesium was documented by the studies of the 1960’s and 1970’s that found a positive correlation between the drinking water magnesium level and the magnesium content of the heart muscle.”

Further proof comes in the form of more varied health outcomes. A three-week drinking of magnesium rich water (120 mg/l) resulted in 79 patients in lower pain intensity and frequency of migraine.

Similar results were obtained in a more recent study by the same authors with 29 migraine patients and 18 controls. It was also found in a separate study that drinking only 110 mg of magnesium per litre gave good usability of water magnesium -led to higher levels of intracellular magnesium and conservation of the serum magnesium level.

Just think about that.

Most people don’t drink more than 2 litres per day so all the participants of the study received was 220mg per day..far below the RDA of 700 to 1000mg, but still, the results were positive.

Kidney Stones and Hard Water

We’ve heard some people say that kidney stones are caused by hard water.

Conversely, we’ve heard people equally vehemently assert that they are caused by oxalic acid.

The one accepted truth coming out of studies is that permanent dehydration is the major reason.

Other factors include genetic predisposition, eating habits, climate and gender.

There are some studies that concluded that hard water caused stones, but there has been an equal number that concluded that soft water did the same.

More recent and comprehensive studies now say hard water isn’t a factor.

“Any correlation between water hardness, or the drinking water calcium or magnesium level, and the incidence of urolithiasis was not found in the last vast USA epidemiological study with 3270 patients”

There is still some controversy over extremely hard water and it does appear that there may be some correlation.

“A long-term intake of drinking water harder than 5 mmol/l results in a higher local blood supply in the kidneys and subsequent adaptation of the filtration and resorption processes in the kidney. This is believed to be protective reaction of the human body which may lead, if the conditions persist, to alteration of the body‘s regulatory system with possible subsequent development of urolithiasis (kidney stones) and hypertension.”

Very hard water has been linked in Russian studies to a number of ailments so I think we can say generally what we know already – that very hard water is not good to drink.

Disadvantages of Alkaline Water

There are some obvious disadvantages so in the interests of balance I think it’s fair that I include them.

Firstly, both calcium and magnesium have a threshold of taste.

• Add over 300mg per litre to pure water and you’ll taste it.
• At 500 mg/l it will taste bad.

Magnesium’s taste threshold is above 170mg/l, but the taste of both at these levels is complicated by other minerals in the water. I talked to an Israeli engineer who mines pure magnesium from the Dead Sea. He has developed a patented system for creation of bottled magnesium water that has no taste but delivers the RDA. I expect to see it on the shelves soon.

• Hard water takes longer to cook things.
• It can leave scale on pots, glasses hot water systems and cisterns.
• Aromatic substances in food will bind to calcium and lose their power.

On the other hand, very soft water is usually described as having a ‘soapy’ taste.

What is ‘Good drinking Water?

One repetitive example that has been related to me over my years as an alkaline water researcher is of the family dog choosing alkaline water over less alkaline tap water. And the study appears to support the dog’s choice, saying that good drinking water does have some minerals to make it taste good.

Whether this taste is acquired or hereditary is another question entirely, but we could reasonably assume that our paleo ancestors were more accustomed to drinking mineralised spring water, in which case we can also assume that we have evolved in relationship with the dominant food and water sources we had over the many thousands of years since we began as humans on the planet.

If we accept that, we can see why pure water is not what we like, and probably not what we were ‘designed’ to drink, and the concept of “Primal” water begins to make sense. Water our bodies remember.

Very soft water, such as distilled and rainwater as two extreme examples, is of unacceptable taste for most people who usually report it to be of unpleasant to soapy taste. A certain minimum content of minerals, the most crucial of which are calcium and magnesium salts, is essential for the pleasant and refreshing taste of drinking water. If only for this reason, demineralized drinking water should be fortified with minerals if obtained by desalination from seawater on a ship, or by ultrafiltration from wastewater on a spaceship.

Optimum drinking water hardness (Ca and Mg levels) from the health point of view.

For the health reasons given above, we prefer harder water.. but it is not absolutely true the harder the water, the better. An optimum is hard to set; perhaps, the following ranges could be given:

• For magnesium, a minimum of 10 mg/and an optimum of about 20-30 mg/l
• For calcium a minimum of 20 mg/l and an optimum about 50 (40-80) mg/l
• For total water hardness, 2 to 4 mmol/l

Although the question of how much hardness and pH has actually reached legislation with the WHO, the only country that has taken a real stand about water quality with regard to pH, Mg, Ca and hardness in the UK.

“The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy of the Department of Health concluded: “…in view of the consistency of the epidemiological evidence of a weak inverse association between natural hardness and cardiovascular disease mortality, it remains prudent not to undertake softening of drinking water supplies…”

The Drinking water Inspectorate in the UK even went further, advising people who installed water softeners to ensure an alternative supply.

“…if you do install a water softener you should make sure that you have a supply of unsoftened water for drinking and cooking“

The Practical Advantage of Hard Alkaline Water

In my experience we are a nation of great health strategy starters and poor finishers.

Take a look in the cupboard and chances are you’ll see all those supplements you never finished, even though, as the report reveals, in truth many supplemental minerals need quite a long time before effects happen.

I’m bringing this up because as we all know there is a plethora of CalMag supplements on the market, which supply the required RDA in various forms, but the reality is that most of us are very poorly disciplined to regularly and continuously take supplements. Given the brilliant response time of the body to Ca and Mg water, (often in a few weeks), even with less than RDA, it seems to me that drinking hard alkaline water is a natural discipline. Doing what you already do – drinking water – will have beneficial effect. It’s so obviously simple.

Hard Alkaline Water and Ionized Water

The hot health subject today is (generically speaking) alkaline water. However the devices being promoted are not simply hard water producers, and there are a few important points to consider before investing heavily in a machine of your own.

I’ll show you the basic difference between the types of water ionizers - and hopefully you’ll understand what is best for you. But first, a quick description of an electric ‘alkaline’ water ionizer.

An electric water ionizer uses an electrolysis chamber to electrically charge minerals according to their valency (electrical charge).

Because there are only two states of valency: (positive and negative) this means that all alkaline minerals are drawn to one side of the flow chamber, and all acid mineral are drawn to the other. By keeping the flow up as the water passes through the electrolysis chamber, water is drawn off the chamber in two streams; alkaline water and acid water. You drink the alkaline water and the waste acid water goes down the drain.

I’m keeping this description simple and I acknowledge there’s a lot more to the process, but here we’re simply describing the process in relation to the availability of Ca and Mg in the output water.

Let’s assume that the input water from your tap has the same pH as the water we used for our University Laboratory results. It had 4.1 mg per litre of calcium and 4.7mg of magnesium (It was a special witches’ brew of minerals and contaminants).

If we put this water through an electric ionizer, (depending on how it was set up) all the Ca and Mg would pass into about 60% of the total outlet water. To make this clear, if you pass 1 litre through the unit, you’ll get about 600ml of alkaline water and 400ml of acid water. So the 4.1 mg of calcium and 4.7mg of Magnesium in the input water, is now concentrated in 600ml of output water. This means you now have 6.56 mg available per litre. You’d also have about 6.58 mg of magnesium in each litre. You’re not getting any more Ca or Mg: it’s just the same amount in less water. The amount of Ca and Mg you get in your output water is still directly dependent upon the volume of Ca and Mg in your source water, so if your water is soft (low minerals) you’ll get low levels output.

Now I’d like to share some ‘advanced’ theory of body alkalinizing that is important and related to your decision for the type of alkaline water system you choose.

Alkalinity comes in two forms, known as ‘buffered’ and ‘unbuffered’. Buffered is alkalinity in actual mineral form. A mineral is the base material used for creating alkalinity.

Alkalinity is the amount of hydrogen ions in a liquid, so to take a simple example, if you put a lump of magnesium in a glass of water, hydrogen will continue to be generated by the reaction between the magnesium and the water until the magnesium is fully oxidized. The physical form of the magnesium is a ‘buffer’ for alkalinity to draw upon.

‘Unbuffered’ alkalinity is water with an excess of free hydrogen ions, without the physical presence of the magnesium.

If you look at the pH an electric water ionizer can achieve (up to pH 11.5) it looks like it has lots of alkaline minerals in it.

However as we already said, you can only have the Ca and Mg that was in the source water. The ionizer can’t ‘add’ minerals, so what caused the huge pH?

Unbuffered water.

Water with a large amount of dissolved hydrogen. The dissolved hydrogen is a byproduct of the electrolysis process. As well as separating the acid and alkaline minerals it also converts the water at a molecular level so more hydrogen comes out the alkaline outlet.

This is, in one way, wonderful because hydrogen is the element that does the work of magnesium. It’s a by-product of oxidation of magnesium and it’s what acts so effectively as an antioxidant in the body, producing so many of the health changes we have seen or heard about.

Hydrogen is the original primal antioxidant in nature and is naturally attracted (remember? It’s a negatively charge ion in this form!) to free radical oxygen.

So we have a Mg and Ca concentrator – IF the Mg and Ca is there in the first place, and we have a hydrogen generator. The downside is that if you already have hard water and the electric ionizer does what it does best – concentrate the hard water minerals, you are drinking water that, according to the studies in the report, has quite a number of possible serious health effects. This is exacerbated by the fact that much of our world does already have hard water, yet I’ve never heard a water ionizer vendor warn potential customers of the problem of excessively hard water being produced.

The other way many people are now opting for is a ‘natural’ water ionizer. This device uses special ionizing media (elemental magnesium) within the filtering device. The magnesium makes contact with the water and creates the same hydrogen as the electric systems. More advanced medias also slow-release Mg and Ca above the amount received and passed through from the input tap water.

To give a real-life example from University tests of our own natural water ionizer, the UltraStream, calcium in the tap water of 4.1mg per litre came out at 6.4 mg/litre. Magnesium entered the UltraStream at 5.5mg/l and exited at 13mg!

Free hydrogen production was equal to or better than an electric system in a side-by-side same water source test, and the free hydrogen lasted longer in the glass than the free hydrogen from the electric system.

It’s my theory that the electricity excites the hydrogen in the electrolysis process and turns much of it to gaseous form, meaning it will escape the water soon after pouring.

The natural method, very like the process of water seeping through rock, does not excite the water and therefore the hydrogen remains in solution rather than turning to gas.

There is a third method. A normal water filter is fitted with a post-filter cartridge with Ca and Mg. In my experience, although the post filter cartridge does increase the pH of the water and infuse it with some Ca and Mg, there is little or no free hydrogen produced.

Summarizing, all the studies suggest that you can assist your longevity and immediate health by ensuring a regular easy to access supply of calcium and magnesium. The study is a metastudy, (meaning it’s not just one study). The conclusions have been derived by comparing similar studies from around the world. In the many years I’ve been researching alkaline water I’ve never sighted anything so conclusive and compelling for alkaline water. I’m not suggesting that everyone should rush out and buy a water ionizer. The point was well made that if you are drinking moderate hard water daily you will already be experiencing the health advantage it offers.

If you are not, then I would seriously suggest you investigate the products. I’d like to point out that we have brought in another factor here; hydrogen. Of itself it’s a big subject and there are many studies (over 1000) of its effect on pubmed.com (or molecularhydrogeninstitute.com)

Molecular hydrogen, as I mentioned, is the primal antioxidant and as such is equal to or more effective in delivery than all of the antioxidant supplements, fruits and berries we are sold as ‘the best and strongest antioxidant’.

Years ago I attended a health exposition as an exhibitor. I was demonstrating our water ionizer every day from ten am to ten pm. By the last day I was very, very tired. A friend visiting the expo came by and asked me if I’d seen the antioxidant measurement system on display around the corner.

I had not, and so I asked him to mind our exhibit, and wandered across. The device was quite sophisticated. It measured the amount of Vitamin E in your epidermis using a laser. It transmitted the results to a laptop the exhibitor sat behind.

To cut a long story short, he applied his device and looked at me suspiciously (he was trying to find people with low antioxidant ability so he could sell his antioxidant pills). “Are you on some form of super antioxidant tablet?” he asked. I replied in the negative. He frowned and looked at the screen. “Why?” I asked.

“Because you’re off the chart. My computer measures people with good normal antioxidant ability at a maximum of 30 on the dial. You measured 40. What do you do?”

I looked at his face to watch his reaction.

“I drink alkaline ionized water.”

Thank you for taking the time to learn about alkaline water.

For more, go to www.alkaway.com in USA, www.alkaway.co.uk in UK or EU, www.alkaway.ca in Canada, www.alkaway.com.au in Australia or NZ.

If you enjoyed this, please pass it on. I wrote this to help more people access the huge benefits of alkaline water. With your help we can help thousands learn what we now know.

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Ian Blair Hamilton is the founder of AlkaWay, and has been a researcher, writer and advocate for alkaline health philosophy for over 21 years.