Video Blog #1 – Testing the pH of Different Drinks!

Welcome to my maiden video blog! I’ve been meaning to join the multimedia-multiplatform-web-2.0-blogosphere for a long time and after dipping my toes in the water with a few video interviews (with Dr Young, Guy Cohen & blood microscopist Gareth Edwards to come next week) – I decided that this was the week I was going to kick things off. And I’ve kicked them off in style!

Video Blog – Testing the pH of Different Drinks!

(and the importance of maintaining an alkaline pH)

Welcome to my maiden video blog! I’ve been meaning to join the multimedia-multiplatform-web-2.0-blogosphere for a long time and after dipping my toes in the water with a few video interviews (with Dr Young, Guy Cohen & blood microscopist Gareth Edwards to come next week) – I decided that this was the week I was going to kick things off. And I’ve kicked them off in style!

Have you ever wondered if pH drops actually work? Or have you ever wondered exactly, just how acidic cola, beer or wine really is?

Well now you are just about to find out – I’ve got the definitive proof!

I invested my cold, hard cash in a scientifically super-accurate pH meter to test the pH of a range of different drinks and here is the outcome! Click below to watch the video and find out once and for all – which is the most alkaline, which is the most acidic and do pH drops really work!?

Why pH is Important

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, forum or newsletter you’ll know that I am a huge fan of alkaline water. It makes sense really given that I write the world’s biggest and longest-running alkaline diet blog. But alkaline water is just so important to our body that I won’t pass up the opportunity to talk about it again.

Every day we simply have to consume between 3-5 liters of water to stay healthy, hydrated and full of vitality.

I’ve blogged about why we need lots of water extensively here, but lets look at it this way:

So if we’re consuming around 4 litres of water every day, hadn’t we better make sure that this water is good for us?

In my opinion, consuming 4 litres of acidic water (water below pH 7.365) does certainly hydrate us, but it also puts incredible strain on our body. This volume of acid-forming liquid going into our body has to be dealt with and it takes an unbelievable amount of energy for our body to keep us alkaline.

To put this in context and make it more understandable, let’s look at the facts and the basics of the body.

Just in the same way that our body HAS to maintain a certain temperature and will do WHATEVER it takes to maintain that temperature (even a slight variation can cause major damage, stress or death) it will do WHATEVER it takes to maintain the pH of our fluids (including our blood) at pH 7.365.

When we consume foods and beverages that are acid-forming (below pH 7.365) it creates havoc in the body as the body tries to neutralise this.

Now, we were designed to be alkaline, so the body does have a small alkaline buffering system, however, this really is small and is only large enough to cope with the acids that our body creates itself through normal bodily functioning.

So when we throw our modern diet and lack of exercise on top of that we start getting problems.

Now, I’m not going to say ‘only drink water if it is alkaline and don’t drink it otherwise’ because that would be madness. But what I will say is that if you are going to drink 3-5 litres per day then you should try to make it as alkaline as possible.

And as for drinking cola, beer, wine, fruit juice, sports or energy drinks etc….well, you watch the video and make up your own mind!

IMPORTANT – The pH Scale is Logarithmic!

This is absolutely vital to be aware of! The pH scale is logarithmic! What does that mean?! It means this:

If pH 7 is neutral, or considered to be zero, then every point up, or down, the pH scale is multiplied by 10x the previous number.

For instance:

• pH 6 is 10 times more acidic than pH 7
• pH 5 is 100 times more acidic than pH 7
• pH 4 is 1000 times more acidic than pH 7
• pH 3 is 10,000 times more acidic than pH 7

And so on… so you can imagine the damage you are doing to your body if you are consistently drinking liquids that are pH 3 or below!

Are you interested to find out how acidic or alkaline your drinks are?

Watch the video:

How to Make Alkaline Water

There are several ways and several pieces of equipment that you can use to make alkaline water. They are all different and they all have their pro’s and con’s. This is a blog post in itself, so don’t be surprised if it becomes on (and then accuse me of being lazy!).

Here they are, in price order, with the pro’s and con’s listed out!

[EDIT: Since this article was written I have produced 'The Definitive Guide to Alkaline Water' - a free PDF download. Get it here!]

Water Ionizer: Water ionizers are, unsurprisingly, products that ionize water. The water is ionized (electrically enhanced) by running it over positive and negative electrodes. This separates the water into alkaline (70%) and acidic (30%). This is exceptionally beneficial as the alkaline water is then used for drinking, while the acidic water can be used on the outside of the body as it is proven to kill many types of bacteria.

These are more expensive that distillers but are FAR more user friendly, as they simply attach to your tap and produce water at a pH of your choice instantly, as soon as you turn the tap on!

We are getting some amazing feedback from our customers. Click here for more info on water ionisers.

Water Distiller: using a distiller is a very efficient and effective method of purifying your water. As noted by Dr. Weil:

the process of distillation kills and removes virtually all bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and other organic and inorganic contaminants. Once distilled, the water is as pure as water can reasonably be.

What a recommendation! He also does a great job here of dispelling the incredibly inaccurate myth about distilled water leaching minerals from the body (ridiculous I know).

Distilled water is water that has been turned to steam and then condensed back into water. This process, as noted above kills all impurities, removes acid toxins and makes the water pH neutral/slightly alkaline and then an excellent base for adding pH drops or other alkaline ingredients.

Ionising Water Filter: These models are relatively cheap and do a sterling job! They are also easily transportable which almost make them a must-have. Imagine having alkaline water, on tap, directly on your office desk!

They work by passing the water through a series of filters and then the water sits in a pool of ionising, alkaline minerals.

Simply pour tap water in, wait a few minutes and you have alkaline water. When we tested the pH of the water that came through (see the video here) it was pH 8.5+ and after five minutes of leaving the water in the jug it was pH 9.5. Remarkable.

Pros: very cost effective and portable. While the filter is not as effective as with the full-blown ionisers and the water is certainly not as structured, these units are cheap, portable and effective. I personally just travelled from home in England to Turkey and took my Energise Water Filter with me! Here it is in my hotel room! You can also have one at work on your desk or even on the road in the car. It makes alkalising on-the-go so much more achievable!

Cons: not as effective at ionising the water as an electric model. The filter is probably not as effective either, and the parts need replacing more often.

pH Drops: pH drops are highly concentrated liquids containing very potent alkaline minerals. Once dropped into any water they dramatically increase the alkalinity of the liquid. I personally use Dr Young’s puripHy because not only is it the most potent (you need less drops so it is most cost effective) but it also actually purifies the water at the same time – ridding it of yeasts, molds, fungus, bacteria and acidic mycotoxins.

Pro’s – highly transportable and you can drop into any water from any source to increase the alkalinity.

Con’s – while the alkalinity is increased there isn’t actually any physical filtration.

Lemons and Limes!: Using lemons and limes is a cheap, quick, last-minute resort! While we all know that these fruits are acidic in their natural state, they actually have an alkalising effect on the body due to their high concentration of alkaline minerals (such as potassium and magnesium) and very little sugar.

A few squeezes of lemon or lime into your water helps to alkalise your hydration schedule!

Pro’s – very cheap, very tasty!
Con’s – don’t actually alkalise the water, and while they do have an alkalising effect on the body, it is not really comparable, long-term, to any of the other options above.

What I Do & What I Use

To give you an idea of how I keep myself hydrated and alkaline, here are the products I personally use in my daily life:

• Chanson Miracle MAX – I recently upgraded from my Jupiter Melody because I simply feel that the Chanson Ionizers are far, far superior. This is the model that I have installed in my home and when I am in my home all of the water I drink comes through this machine at a pH of around 9.5 – yep 1000 times more alkaline than my tap water!
• Dr Young’s puripHy – for all of the reasons listed earlier. I think it is the product with the most efficacy – from all of the pH drops I’ve tested this one has the most dramatic effect on the water. I also love that it purifies the water too, meaning that if I am out and about I don’t have to worry about the water I’m drinking! Being so potent means that it is also the most cost effective. You only have to use 5 drops per liter compared to 12-15 drops per liter as I’ve seen with other pH drops.
• The Energise Alkaline Water Jug – this is a fantastic product to have at home, on your desk at work or wherever, whenever you travel. As you might know if you read this blog – I travel a lot and this has made my life a million times easier. Seriously, invest in one now!

And that is all there is to it!

Keep alkaline, stay happy and be vibrant!
Ross (http://www.energiseforlife.com)

Tagged as: Alkaline Water, chanson alkaline water, ph drops, water ionizers

Note: This blog is only my opinion. It is not medical advice or diagnosis. Only opinions based upon our own personal experiences or information detailed in medical/academic journals or other publications is cited. WE DO NOT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE or prescribe any treatments. Please consult with a medical professional before making any diet or nutrition changes. Refer to our full disclaimer for more information.