In the modern industrial world, our diets have changed considerably from the early days of hunting and gathering. Because of our modern food processing techniques, our diets are now lower in potassium in comparison to sodium. Modern diets are also poor in magnesium, potassium, as well as fiber, yet they are rich in saturated fats, simple sugars, sodium, and chloride.
The result is metabolic acidosis, where your body becomes more and more acidic over time.
What Is Alkaline Water?
Alkaline water is simply water with a higher pH level than regular drinking water. Typical water has a neutral pH of about 7, whereas alkaline water is usually about a pH of 8 or 9. Because of this, it is believed that alkaline water can reduce the acid levels throughout your body, bringing your body into a more neutral, normalized pH level. This is considered a good thing, because it reduces inflammation and oxidation throughout your cells.
What Happens When Your Body Is Too Acidic?
While we are meant to have a higher pH in our digestive tract to facilitate digestion, too much acid may result in ulcers and other damage. Even in your stomach, a basic layer in the epithelium prevents injury to the mucosal lining. A highly acidic diet – rich in fatty and fried foods, alcohol, and carbohydrates – may irritate this lining and eventually cause lasting damage.
Once the lining of your digestive tract becomes damaged, its efficiency becomes compromised. This means that nutrients are not transported efficiently nor is waste eliminated efficiently. Eventually, the buildup of acid in your digestive tract impacts your entire body, raising the acid levels, and increasing inflammation and oxidation in cells throughout your body. Inflammation is the cause of many conditions and diseases from heart and circulatory conditions to diabetes and fibromyalgia, and even cancer.
A healthy diet rich in greens and low in fats and sugars is an excellent step in reducing acid in your body. Drinking alkaline water helps to decrease acid even more effectively, especially in the digestive tract where the reduction in inflammation can have a significant impact on your overall digestion and health.
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