Believe it or not, some of the water we drink can be deemed "unhealthy." Why? Well, a healthy body needs to maintain a pH (potential of hydrogen) of about 6.3-7.3, which can be incredibly strenuous on a body that consumes an acidic diet.
What it means for your health
An acidic body leads to disease and an overall poor quality of life. Acidosis, an excessively acid condition of the body fluids or tissues, leads to weight gain and diabetes, cancer and other crippling diseases, immune deficiency, hormonal problems, premature aging, chronic fatigue, aching muscles, headaches, vulnerability to infections, dry and pale skin, dull hair, cramps, and... you get the point.
When a body is consuming an acid-forming diet, calcium from the bones is used to neutralize the acidity, resulting in weak bones. Check out the acidosis cycle from perque.com below:
The culprits
Much of the water we drink in our everyday lives, such as SmartWater, Dasani, Aquafina, and Poland Spings, can be classified as acidic. Don't be fooled by SmartWater, there is nothing smart about it. In fact, it's owned by Coca-Cola... that explains it. Not to mention, Dasani is a Coca-Cola company as well, while Aquafina is owned by Pepsi. Avoid these water bottles at all costs, as they have a pH of 4.0, which is disgusting. Instead, aim to drink Fiji water (pH of 7.5), Zephyr Hills (7.5), or Arrowhead water (7.0). Check out this chart from fit4maui.com to find healthy water below:
What should we do?
Do your best to maintain the balance between acids and bases. Adding Himalayan pink salt (which I will be writing about in the coming weeks) to your food and water can go a long way in creating a healthy pH balance. If you'd like to test the pH of you're own body, you can: https://www.amazon.com/pH-Strips-testing-increased-accuracy/dp/B00M4X5J20
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To maximizing health,Jordan Paris, NASM CPT
