ALKALINE WATER

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. ALKALINE WATER FACTS & TERMS
1. What is alkaline water?
2. ORP value
3. Ionized water
4. Structured water
5. Hexagonal water
6. Your local water source

2. ALKALINE WATER
1. How does it work?
2. How much do I need?
3. What to expect/detoxing.

3. ALKALINE & YOU

1. 10 top tips to alkalize your life
2. The pH scale and your body
3. How to measure your alkalinity
4. Why it is important to alkalize your body
5. The difference between alkaline water and an alkaline diet
6. Can anyone do this?
7. Alkaline water and medication
8. Doctors orders

4. THE ALKALINE DIET

1. A brief overview
2. 10 foods to improve your health

5. AN ALKALINE HOME
1. 10 top tips to alkalize your home
2. Your pets will thank you
3. Your plants will feed you better
4. Alkaline water and children
 CHAPTER 1

ALKALINE WATER
FACTS & TERMS
Before delving into the benefits of alkaline water and details on
how to use it (we'll cover this in the next chapter), first we need to
look at some facts and terms. Why? Without understanding these
concepts, it is easy to get confused when it comes to truly grasping
what alkaline water is all about. So, to help you learn the
information you need to be knowledgeable about this topic, let's
cover these in a little more detail below.

1. What Does Alkaline Mean?

If you're not familiar with the pH scale, then the term alkaline
may not mean much to you. What is the pH scale? The pH scale
ranges from 0 to 14, and it is used to classify the acidity or alka-
linity of a substance - such as a food, drink, cleaning product and
so on. While this may sound quite technical and it can be, a quick
example from daily life will demonstrate how much you already
know about the basics of the pH scale. For instance, you're no
doubt aware that vinegar is quite acidic, while baking soda lies on
the base (another term for alkalinity) side of the pH scale.

With this fact in mind, alkaline simply means anything that is

above 7 on the pH scale. Why? Since 7 is the mid-point of the
scale, anything above this neutral reading is considered a base
or alkaline in nature. People also often mistakenly think that
moving one number on the scale means only a small change in
alkalinity; actually every subsequent number represents a tenfold
change in pH! In other words, moving from 8 to 9 increases the
alkalinity by 10 times. This effect compounds, so if you move from
pH 8 to pH 10, the alkalinity increases by 100 times!

2. What Is Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP)?

Not to be confused with alkaline water, Oxidation
Reduction Potential (ORP) is a separate term that refers to some-
thing entirely different. While it sounds quite complicated, ORP
is relatively easy to understand and it's vital that you do so. Why?
According to some experts, drinking alkaline water benefits your
health in a meaningful way, yet the Oxidation Reduction Potential
(ORP) of your water is likely even more important.
- Understanding ORP.
You've no doubt heard a great deal about antioxidants and how good they
are for you. The reason antioxidants are beneficial, is because they can put
a stop to the harmful oxidation process within your system. This oxidation
is caused by oxygen containing free radicals - which are atoms or groups of
atoms (molecules) that have an unpaired electron in their outermost ring.
Why does this matter? Since this missing electron causes them to be un-
stable, the free radical will try to attach itself to or steal an electron from a
stable, healthy molecule in your body to compensate. Losing an electron to
a free radical transforms the once healthy molecule into a new free radical
- one that will now target your other healthy molecules. This process
contin-ues in whats referred to as a free radical cascade, which is a string
of free radical reactions that travels from cell to cell. In other words,
allowing many free radicals to roam free in your body is a bad idea!
Also, its important to note that while we need oxygen to live and for our
cells to function, this very same oxygen can form into the oxygen containing
free radicals weve been discussing. Called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS),
these are a specific subgroup of free radicals that are all formed from
oxygen. These include hydroxyl anions, organic hydroperoxide, superoxides,
hydrogen peroxide and more. Why is this important? These are responsi-
ble for oxidative stress in your system, and according to experts this can be
responsible for or contribute to inflammatory diseases, heart disease,
atherosclerosis, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, gene mutation
and even cancer.
Turning back to our topic, Oxidation Reduction Potential is a
measurement of the capacity to neutralize these types of active
oxygen molecules that may be running rampant within your body
and doing damage to your cells. The only difference here is that
ORP is referring to the antioxidant action of your water, rather
than from well-known antioxidants like vitamin C, glutathione,
CoQ10 and others all which typically come from the foods in
your diet.

-How Does ORP Work?

As already mentioned, high ORP water can help protect you from
damaging oxidation. How does it accomplish this? Water with a
high ORP value, means that the water molecules themselves have
many more electrons to donate than normal. These unique water
molecules can easily give away electrons to the active oxygen
molecules (free radicals) which need them or even bond with
them, in order to neutralize them and prevent them from stealing
electrons from the healthy cells in your body.
Interestingly, some hold that high ORP water cannot actually act
as an antioxidant on its own, but is only effective when consumed
with a strong antioxidant like vitamin C. The high ORP water can
then recharge the vitamin C (or other antioxidant) allowing it to
neutralize more free radicals than it otherwise could. Either way,
while alkaline water is important, some believe that high ORP
water is even more beneficial to your body.
3. Ionized Water
Water ionization is a unique process, which can be
achieved in a couple of different ways. The first is
through electrolysis, where electrically charged
plates separate your tap water into positive and
negative streams. Unfortunately, some believe
that this is actually electrocuting your water, and
removing all of the beneficial memory that has been
stored in your H2O! In addition, these units are bulky
and very expensive, and the high ORP water they
produce may only last for about 10 seconds.
Fortunately, there is a superior way - which is far
more portable, affordable and natural. What is it?
Rather than subjecting your water to outside
electricity, this method takes advantage of the
natural charge held by the mineral ions already
present in your tap water. Some units also add
minerals into the water - to ensure proper alka-
lizing and ionization occur. Either way, by passing
your plain tap water over magnesium, this natu-
rally gives your water a small negative electrical
charge through ion exchange. Some units also use
tap magnets or magnetized ceramics, to further
increase the ORP value that is produced by the unit.
While all of this sounds complicated, the upshot is
that just by using the simple fact that the hydrogen
in water is drawn to magnesium, natural ionization
can occur. This leaves you with water that has a
small negative electrical charge, without resort-
ing to the man-made (and expensive) electrolysis
technique.
4. Structured Water
After a small electrical charge is formed during the natural
ionization process just covered, this charge will reorganize your
tap water into structured H2O. What is this and why does it
matter? Structured water refers to water that is organized in a
special form or pattern on a molecular level (it also has other
unique properties like the ability to absorb greater amounts of
certain types of light). Science is just delving into this exciting new
frontier, and much more research is needed until this topic
is fully explored.

- Energy and Water

Dr. Masaru Emoto is recognized as the father of the research
into how energy can transform the structure and even behavior of
water. He performed experiments in which water was
subjected to negative thoughts or discordant music (like heavy
metal); the result was disorganized water on a molecular level.
On the other hand, Dr. Emoto found that when water was
subjected to positive thoughts or beautiful, coherent music (like
classical symphonies), the water spontaneously organized into
crystalline snowflakes on a molecular level! This was
accomplished without ever physically touching the water, and
while there are critics of Dr. Emotos methodology, his results are
truly astounding.
Dr. Emoto asserted that water has a memory, and it can store
positive or negative energy and impart this to the organism that
drinks it. This idea informs the notion that molecular cohesion
and structure of water can be damaged, when sloshing and
being jarred against the twists and turns of city pipes. While
this may sound far-fetched, supporters of structured water
point out that organized H2O is produced out in nature. How? Just
by flowing down a stream, with the pebbles and rocks and gentle
bends of the waterway, the water is naturally reorganized into
structured water that is excellent for health and superior hydra-
tion.
Therefore, is it any wonder that people think that spring water
tastes better? It almost certainly more energetic and coherent on
a molecular level (as long as it hasnt been interfered with
by people), as well as free of contaminants typically found in mu-
nicipal drinking water.
-Definable Pattern
Moving from how energy can affect your water and even form
structure within it, lets talk more about the characteristics of
structured water. Structured water means that the water has a
very definable order or pattern that is surprisingly stable, which
is associated with the small negative electrical charge already
mentioned. On the surface this may not seem like a significant
difference from ordinary water. Yet, advocates of the benefits of
structured water disagree strongly. They point out that
structured water is akin to a new phase of water, differing from
the liquid, gaseous and solid phases or forms that youre no
doubt familiar with. What is this new phase?

-Liquid Crystalline
Dr. Pollack, respected professor of bioengineering who has been
researching this topic in greater depth, describes structured
water as being a liquid crystalline structure. This may seem
impossible at first glance. Water in its solid form (ice) has a very
definable crystalline structure, and advocates of structured water
describe it as having much the same properties - yet remaining
liquid. The benefits of having water in a crystalline structure are
just being unfolded, but the differences discovered thus far have
been profound.
-Better Hydration
For instance, one such difference is in the cluster
sizes between regular and structured water.
Structured water has smaller cluster sizes
(meaning less surface tension as well), which
allows the water molecules to be absorbed by the
body more easily for better hydration. In fact,
structured water is sometimes called micro-clus-
tered water for this very reason.
How much smaller is it? Regular water clus-
ters are typically about 15-26 molecules in size,
whereas structured water is only 5-6 molecules
bound together. In other words, its only a third to
a fifth the size of regular water clusters!

Another reason that structured water hydrates

better, is because of the different shapes between
ordinary and structured waters molecules. Our
bodys cell structure is pentagonal; regular water
is also in large, pentagonal molecules. While this
may sound like a good thing as they share the
same shape, their large size and identical shape
make it difficult for regular water to be absorbed
10
into our cells. In contrast, structured water is hexagonal in
shape and also much smaller (well cover this more in the next
section), making it more readily absorbed into the cells that
need it.

-Electrical Charge
Finally, not only is structured water the same type of water that
is found in the cells of your body, but as already mentioned it
holds a negative charge. Why is this important? According to Dr.
Pollack, structured water works much like a battery, storing
and delivery this energy.
5. Hexagonal Water
With multiple terms used to describe the same basic substance,
you may be feeling a bit confused and may like some clarifica-
tion. As youve already learned in the previous section, struc-
tured water is an exciting discovery that could have far-reach-
ing health benefits. Yet, you may be wondering what the term
hexagonal water is referring to.
Simply put, hexagonal water refers to the change in shape and
organization that the water undergoes, when it becomes struc-
tured. How so? Ordinary water is in large clusters that have five
sides, called pentagonal clusters. In contrast, hexagonal water
is just that - six sided clusters that are made up of six water
molecules which are bound together in a ring-like formation.
This larger structure is held in place by a hydrogen bond shared
between these six different water molecules. You could think of
a single formation of hexagonal water being much like a single
floor tile.
The next step is to continue building more of these hexagonal
structures, which then join together. To follow the same analogy,
this would be like laying more floor tiles next to the first one and
connecting them together with mortar. In terms of creating struc-
tured water, sheets of hexagonal water are produced and then
stacked one upon another. In contrast, the pentagonal clusters
in regular water dont come together in this way, but are random
and disorganized - creating yet another difficulty when it comes to
hydration.
In summary, water that is fully structured throughout has unique
properties that may have exciting health ramifications. While
science is just beginning to look into this new vista of unexplored
territory, researchers like Dr. Gerald Pollack have found that
structured water within the body plays a vital role for health. The
question that remains is how to get the water within the bodys
tissues to structure correctly (or restructure if illness, disease or
injury is present). While Dr. Pollack states that further research is
absolutely needed, one possible route is to drink structured
water to promote health and well-being.

6. Your Local Water Source

While a high-quality water filter should be able to remove most
common contaminants from your drinking water, your local
water source is still important. Why is this the case? The mineral
content of your water matters, especially if you're using a water
ionizer or filter to create alkaline water for you and your family to
drink. Low mineral content will make the process far less effec-
tive, as it relies upon the unique electrical charge of dissolved
minerals to ionize the water. However, if you're using a filtration
system that simply adds minerals to the water to alkalize it, then
this won't be an important consideration.
-Dont Filter Away Important Minerals
Not only can the mineral content of your water impact how
effectively it can be ionized, these are essential elements that
your body requires to function correctly. The minerals and trace
elements present in your water, such as magnesium and calcium,
are good for your health. In fact, some conditions or symptoms
contaminants removed), and it will also help to alkalize your body
- all three being accomplished from just drinking water!
In contrast, some other units are designed to actually remove all
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in your water, but that means remov-
ing health-promoting minerals. As drinking water that is devoid of
natural minerals can deplete the stores of them in your body over
time, you should steer clear of these type of filters, unless they
are able to re-introduce the essential minerals again through an
additional alkalizing filter.

-Be Mindful of Contaminants

In addition, being aware of the specific contaminants present in
your local water supply, will help you to purchase the filtration
system which can most effectively remove them. For example,
many if not most municipalities add fluoride, chlorine or chlora-
mine (or all three) to their drinking water - additives which many
believe to be harmful.
You may also be aware of the rising concern over lead from old
pipes leaching into the citys water supply, or the presence of
heavy metals (which can have profoundly negative effects on your
health in even small doses). Finally, if you want to truly remove
nearly all the bacteria in your water, a heavy-duty filter is re-
quired. With all of these potential dangers lurking in that innocu-
ous-looking glass of water filled from your kitchen faucet, you
will likely want a filter that can effectively get rid of these
alarming additives or contaminants.
 CHAPTER 2

ALKALINE WATER
ESSENTIALS
Having covered key alkaline water facts and terms, it's now time
to examine the essentials of using alkaline water in your daily
life. We'll cover how alkaline water works to improve your health
and well-being, how much you need to be effective, what you can
expect and the possible detoxing you may experience.

1. How Does It Work?

While alkaline water can be a controversial topic and not all
experts agree on its health benefits, many hold that it has the
amazing ability to gently remove acidic waste thats built up in
the tissues of your body. This is important, as if you eat a typical
modern diet filled with empty carbohydrates and highly processed
foods, this produces quite a lot of acidity.
Over time these excess wastes may be stored in your fatty tis-
sues, as your bodys trying to keep these toxins from circulating
throughout your system. Drinking alkaline water on a regular
basis may help your body to begin purging this backlog of acidic
waste to improve your health and vitality in a meaningful way.
2. How Much Do I Need?
When wondering how much alkaline water you should consume
every day, the answer is surprisingly simple; it's typically recom-
mended that you replace your normal drinking water with alka-
line water at every opportunity. Therefore, you should drink the
same amount of alkaline water as you would regular H20.

-Your Hydration Benchmark

In that case, according to WebMD the benchmark for staying
properly hydrated for optimum health, is to drink between half an
ounce and an ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight each
day. So, for example, a 200 pound person would drink some-
where between 100 to 200 ounces of water daily. Why such a large
range? The difference comes from both the climate where you
live and your activity level. If its currently hot outside and you are
very active, youll need more water than someone living in a cool-
er climate who doesnt exercise much. Either way, this range will
ensure that you get the baseline of hydration that you need for
optimum health.

-Start Slowly
However, when first starting off it is important that you slowly in-
crease the amount of alkaline water that you drink, starting with
perhaps half a glass of alkaline water per day and working up
from there. Why? As we'll see in the next section, drinking alka-
line water may help you to detox, which can cause some unpleas-
ant symptoms, but this process will ultimately be very healing for
your body.

17
3. What To Expect/Detoxing
You may have heard that drinking alkaline water can lead to de-
toxing, and this is certainly the case. This is especially true if you
also switch over to an alkaline diet at the same time. When done
correctly, detoxing doesnt have to be an unpleasant experience.
However, if you do experience some symptoms, this can be a
good signs, as it means that your body is getting the support that
it needs in order to release stored toxins.

While its possible that you may feel less than your best in the
short-term due to detoxing, the long term health benefits are
thought to be quite significant. In fact, many alternative health
experts recommend that you perform regular cleanses even if
you're already in good health, in order to keep your system run-
ning at peak efficiency.

If you're in poor health, have a poor diet or other reason to believe

that you have many stored toxins, then you will want to proceed
slowly. The goal is to allow the body to detox at a pace where you
pass through the healing crisis quickly (usually a few days time),
yet keep the intensity of your symptoms at a safe and tolerable
level.

These symptoms can include headache, achiness, feeling tired

or sluggish, difficulty sleeping and nausea are all common (much
like the flu). It's important to note, if you have poor health or
other reason for a high toxic load, you should proceed with detox
under the care of a qualified health practitioner.

Also, if your body is quite acidic, alkaline water can have an odd
taste when you first begin to drink it. This is because it is extract-
ing toxins from your system as soon as the alkaline water hits
your tongue. After using alkaline water for 1-3 weeks, this odd or
unpleasant taste should begin to subside as the toxic load in your
body is lowered and you should begin to enjoy the taste of alkaline
water.
 CHAPTER 3

ALKALINE & YOU

19
Now that you know the basics about alkaline water
and how to use it in your daily life, let's look at the
broader topic of alkalizing as a whole. What does
this mean? Switching over to alkaline water is just
one part of the equation, when it comes to alkalizing
your body. In addition, you likely have many ques-
tions about how this works in practical experience.

So, let's cover tips on how to alkalize, facts about

the pH scale and your body, how you can measure
your alkalinity, the importance of alkalizing, the
difference between alkaline water and an alkaline
diet, and whether this approach is compatible with
your doctor's orders.
10 Top Tips To Alkalize Your Life
While what you drink is extremely important, when it comes to al-
kalizing your life, this is only one of many factors that you should
examine. Here's 10 tips for you to keep in mind:

Tip #1: Water Is Life

While we've already covered what alkaline water is
and how it can benefit you, it bears repeating just how
important it is to consume plenty of life-giving water
each day. Many people are chronically dehydrated,
which is not good for your body and can also cause
you to overeat. If you routinely fail to drink enough
fluid, you're sometimes less able to discern the
difference between hunger and thirst.
While this may sound improbable, solid scientific
research has shown this to be the case. According
to a report quoted by the Diabetes Health magazine
website, thirty-seven percent of Americans have a
thirst mechanism which is so weak, that it is often
mistaken for feeling hungry instead. If this is the
case, what is the solution?
Start drinking plenty of water whether you feel the
urge to or not, and your thirst mechanism should
quickly normalize. Instead of craving foods with
high water content to provide the liquid your body so
desperately needs, you'll begin to realize that you're
only thirsty and you can reach for clean, alkaline
water to replenish your fluids. This will help keep you
from consuming more calories than you truly need,
and staying hydrated will likely help you to feel more
energized throughout the day as well.
Tip #2: Go Green!
We'll cover the alkaline diet in detail in the next
chapter, but if you can't adopt this eating plan
all at once then just start by going green.
Green, leafy vegetables like kale and collard
greens are wonderfully alkalizing. They also
contain many beneficial nutrients like vitamin C
and calcium .

-Tip #3: Cut Out Sugar

You almost certainly know how bad sugar is for your health in
general, promoting inflammation and even obesity. Yet, it is also
highly acidic when broken down in your body, which will thwart
your efforts to alkalize and revitalize your life. This can be a dif-
ficult habit to break, as sugar is quite addictive, especially if you
have an overgrowth of candida yeast in your system. Why?
The yeast feeds on sugar, but unfortunately once they digest it,
the waste they produce is toxic. So, getting rid of such an over-
growth is essential for health, but when you first stop eating
sugar you'll feel symptoms of withdrawal and even a potentially
strong die-off reaction (as the yeast begin to starve, which is a
good thing for you) - as you begin to deprive them of their pre-
ferred food. However, the payoff is a clean, healthy system that
functions at its best, so keep your eye on the ultimate goal and
cut sugar out of your diet.
If being less acidic and breaking free of yeast overgrowth isnt
enough motivation to say no to sugar, consider that it may be kill-
ing you sweetly. How? Dr. Mercola, one of the most popular and
respected health experts in the world, has identified a staggering
76 dangers that eating too much sugar can pose to your health!
The different ways that sugar can create serious risks for your
well-being are broken up into four broad categories of possible
bodily impairment, nutrient deficiency or imbalance, behavioral
changes and increased risk of sickness and disease. In other
words, if you want the healthiest body possible - avoid refined
sugar like the plague!
Are you curious about some of the ways sugar can
pose a hazard to your health? While we dont have
time to cover Dr. Mercolas entire list, here are just
some of the damaging effects of consuming too
much sugar:
Upsets the mineral relationships in your body
Interferes with the absorption of calcium,
magnesium, and protein
Body changes sugar into two to five times more fat
in the bloodstream compared to starch
Increases total cholesterol, triglycerides, and bad
cholesterol levels
Decreases good cholesterol levels
Leads to difficulty in concentration, drowsiness,
and crankiness in children
Addictive and intoxicating, similar to alcohol
Feeds cancer cells
Can induce cell death
Obesity
Promotes chronic degenerative diseases
Headaches, including migraines
Causes atherosclerosis and cardiovascular
diseases
May lead to autoimmune diseases
Suppression of immune system, increasing risk of
contracting infectious diseases
Loss of tissue elasticity and function
Premature aging
Weaker eyesight
Lowers ability of enzymes to function
Slows down ability of adrenal glands to function
Increases free radicals and oxidative stress
This small sampling of the exhaustive list of dan-
gers of consuming excessive sugar should be
enough to give you pause, as there is an epidem-
ic today of not only consuming refined sugar but
eating huge amounts of it. Dr. Mercola recommends
that moderation in sugar intake should be your rule,
though many would argue that you should also only
eat sugar that is naturally-occurring.

In other words, eat wonderfully sweet fruits that

still have all of the great fiber, water and nutrients
present - not refined sugar that has removed all of
these good things and highly concentrated just the
sweet stuff. Also, make the naturally sweet foods
that you eat part of a balanced diet that includes
all types of healthy, whole foods - for better vitality
overall.
Tip #4: Raw Foods
The form in which you eat your food can be just as important as what items you
choose to consume. Simply put, raw foods which have not been cooked or pro-
cessed tend to be far healthier overall. Obviously, some items like meat need to
be cooked for safety reasons, but many food choices can be eaten raw. Cooking
can devitalize food in a significant way, lowering nutrient content and destroy-
ing naturally occurring enzymes. This begins to happen at just 116 degrees
Fahrenheit or about 47 degrees Celsius. As these enzymes allow you to better
digest your food, and they can keep your gastrointestinal tract in balance as
well, eating more raw food can be extremely healthy.
In fact, many people believe that the vital life force or cellular energy of foods is
best transferred from our diet into our bodies, when our food isnt processed,
altered or cooked. Since all plants take in sunlight and convert it into cellular
energy via photosynthesis, some say this stored charge can be absorbed by our
system. Whats the result? More vitality in your body.
This is an interesting topic, as weve already talked about water and how many
believe that it can actually store energy and it even has memory! If energy is
neither created nor destroyed just converted to different forms, than eating the
highest energy food that you can is the best course of action.
In addition to getting wonderful enzymes and nutrients that havent been
compromised due to cooking some or all of them out, a partially or totally raw
food diet will usually lead to weight loss. Why? Since this diet includes tons of
natural fiber and foods with high water content, your meals can be very filling -
with less calories.
Also, have you ever noticed that you may tend to eat fun foods
that taste good but are nearly void of nutrition when youre bored,
lonely, sad or just in a rush? These can also be addictive, with
high amounts of sugar and other additives that excite your
tastebuds. In other words, you dont really need the calories in
many cases, but you just want the experience of eating something
tasty.

When eating raw foods youll likely find that you stop eating in this
way, as natural foods tend to fill you up and dont lend themselves
to overeating nearly as much as processed foods do. After all, can
you picture yourself eating apple after apple if you arent really
hungry? Yet, youll probably eat half a bag of chips when youre
watching tv, even if youre not really hungry.

Finally, though WebMD points out that certain key nutrients can
be missing from an all raw food diet, they also say there are cer-
tainly possible health benefits to eating at least more of your food
in raw form. Since youll eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
when eating raw foods, this may reduce your risk of heart failure,
osteoporosis, kidney disease, stomach cancer and stroke - due to
having less sodium in your diet. Also, according to an article in the
October 2012 edition of Food Technology Magazine:

Indubitably, the most nutritious foods on the planet are plant

foods...Plant foods contain hundreds of bioactive compounds
vitamins, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals...the bioactive
compounds in plant foods interact with cells, enzymes, hor-
mones, and DNA, playing a role in controlling gene expression
and cell changes that lead to chronic disease.

In essence, the genetic makeup of humans is not static; it is

dynamic, and nutrients from foods can sway gene expression in a
positive direction.

While you may not be willing or ready to give up all meat or other
animal-based foods like dairy, this quote stresses that fresh plant
foods are tremendously healthy and should be a big part of any
smart diet to avoid chronic disease.
Tip #5: Try Green Tea
Many people miss out on the opportunity to add extra nutrients and beneficial
compounds to their diet, by choosing to drink only water. While drinking water
is very good, certain teas have tremendous health properties. A case in point,
matcha is a type of green tea that can truly invigorate your life. How so?

Most green tea is made by allowing the leaves to steep in water, after which the
leaves are discarded. In contrast, matcha tea is made by adding powdered tea
leaves to water so you end up ingesting the entire leaf. This may be why it has
such high levels of phytochemicals and antioxidants. These compounds have
been linked to better cholesterol ratios, reduction in cancer risk and faster
metabolism.

This boost in metabolism is thought to be due to the small dose of caffeine

(much less than the amount in coffee) in every cup, and from the Epigallocat-
echin gallate (EGCG) that green tea contains. EGCG is a type of strong antioxi-
dant classified as catechins, and it helps to keep levels of the hormone norepi-
nephrine high in your body. Since this hormone signals your body to burn fat,
green tea can help you to lose weight. How much do you need? Much research
has been done on this topic with varying results, but one study gave partici-
pants a supplement with 50mg of caffeine and 90mg of EGCG three times a day.
The result was a four percent boost in metabolism on average, which meant
between .7 and 1.5 pounds of weight loss per month.

To get this same dosage from drinking green tea, youll need to drink anywhere
from a few cups to ten cups daily. Why the large range? The amount of EGCG
can be drastically different in various green tea products, so its important that
you purchase a high quality source. On average, a good rule of thumb is to
drink at least 5 cups each day, for an easy boost in your efforts to lose weight.
Be careful not to drink too much (10 cups is pushing it for many people) if
youre sensitive to caffeine or begin having trouble sleeping - as in all things,
moderation is typically best!

So, to get some potent health benefits and even drop a few pounds, adding mat-
cha tea to your daily routine is a tasty and easy solution. Just remember to use
alkaline water when making your tea, for the most beneficial drink possible.
Tip #6: Give Up Coffee
If you're like many people in today's modern world, you may
find it difficult to do without caffeine. If this is the case, your
body may be in desperate need of vital trace minerals. Shoring
up these deficiencies can often completely remove your caf-
feine cravings. Or, perhaps you've already given up your need
for a caffeine fix, yet you still drink decaffeinated coffee instead.
This form of coffee can be even more toxic, due to the chemi-
cal washes it undergoes to remove the caffeine. In all, you're
far better off drinking wholesome natural liquids, like alkaline
water or matcha tea instead.

Tip #7:
Going Slowly Is Better Than
Doing Nothing At All
It can be easy to fall into the trap of
thinking that your two options are to
either reinvent your life from the ground
up or do nothing at all. If you're new to
alkalizing, there are likely many changes
that you need to make to your lifestyle.
This can be overwhelming at times, and
you may be tempted to give up before you
ever get started.
The best advice is that it's better to make
relatively small changes slowly over time,
than to simply throw in the towel before
you even begin. So, for example, you
can first switch over to drinking alkaline
water, then build up to drinking enough
water daily, then begin slowly moving to a
more alkaline diet, and so on.
Tip #8: Get Educated
It can be easy to lose motivation if you don't fully under-
stand the benefits of a specific action, so take some time
to get a clear view of how alkalizing will impact your life for
the better. You likely want more vibrant health, a great-
er level of energy or a feeling of wellness that currently
eludes you. Keep these goals in mind if you're tempted to
give up in your quest to alkalize your life.

Tip #9: Avoid Alcohol

You should avoid alcohol for a variety of different
reasons, as it is extremely hard on your body. It's
especially taxing on your detoxification system,
making your liver work overtime to get rid of the
mycotoxins (yes, toxins) it introduces to your body.
The buzz you feel when drinking alcohol is due
to this mild poisoning of your body, which is why
you experience a hangover the next morning. Your
body is reeling from the run-in with such a con-
centrated dose of toxins.
In addition to all of these negative health effects,
alcohol is also highly acid-producing within your
body. That means that when trying to alkalize for
improved vitality and health, you should steer well
clear of all alcohol products.
Tip #10: Mix It Up
A great start to your day is to rise and alkalize and
a green smoothie is an easy way to do this. There
are many excellent green powder products avail-
able today, if you cant get your hands on fresh
produce. While wheatgrass is likely the most pop-
ular option, many of these powders incorporate a
variety of different greens within them. This gives
you a spectrum of different vitamins, minerals and
nutrients for your body to make use of. Of special
note is chlorella, which is often sold in green pow-
der form. It has the most chlorophyll content by
weight of any plant in the world, and its tough cell
wall is thought to aid in detoxification (especially
when combined with cilantro).
2. The pH Scale and Your Body
According to well-known cardiologist Dr. Robert
Atkins, only your stomach contents, sweat and your
skin should have an acidic pH. Otherwise, nearly
every other component within your body is meant
to be slightly alkaline.

3. How To Measure Your

Alkalinity
If you're new to measuring the alka-
linity of your system, the good news
is that it's a straightforward process.
Using specially designed pH test
drops, you can quickly get a snapshot
of the alkaline-acid balance of your
system. How does it work?
These pH test drops have been care-
fully formulated and will turn various
colors when exposed to substances
of specific pH values. These values
are color-coded, and you simply look
up the correlating pH of the color
after adding drops to a sample of your
saliva or urine. This gives you an easy
way to see if your body is currently
alkaline or not, and you can make any
necessary adjustments to your diet or
fluid intake accordingly.
When it comes to measuring the pH
of your water, these drops work in the
same way, so you can easily ensure
that your alkaline water filter is pro-
ducing water of the right pH level. For
the best results possible, we recom-
mend using a product called pH Per-
fect which you can find here. Its im-
portant to note, that weve found using
litmus paper or pH testing strips does
not provide accurate results - so these
options should be avoided.
 4. Why It Is Important To Alkalize Your Body
Your body is designed to naturally flush out all of the toxins it
accumulates in the course of daily living. You can acquire toxins
through many different avenues, such as through respiration
(breathing), through substances that come into contact with the
skin (like household cleaners or even lotion), and even radiation
from sunlight. However, likely the majority of the toxins that your
detoxification system must deal with, enter your body via the
foods that you eat and the liquids you drink.
Advocates of alkaline living hold that toxins as well as things
like alcohol, sugar, unhealthy foods and even stress all cause
over-acidity within your body to develop. This may be stored as
acidic waste, in an effort to remove it from circulation within your
system. Why does this matter? Storing toxins and acidic waste
over the long term may cause you to feel poorly, which is why its
so important to alkalize your body day in and day out using your
diet and by drinking alkaline water.

5. The Difference Between Alkaline Water

and An Alkaline Diet
While drinking alkaline water and adhering to an
alkaline diet are the best way to reduce the acid
burden upon your system, you may be wondering
about the differences between the two. If you don't
feel that you can start doing both right away, then
the best advice is to first add drinking alkaline wa-
ter to your daily routine. Why?
First off, drinking an abundance of good, clean wa-
ter is always recommended for detoxification. This
effect is enhanced by drinking alkaline water, likely
providing an even more potent detoxification effect
for your body to enjoy. In addition, once you have
purchased a quality alkaline water filter or alkaline
water machine, drinking alkaline water doesn't take
much effort to add to your routine.
6. Can Anyone Do This?
As already mentioned, while experts are divided on the al-
kalinity issue, those in favor of this way of living believe that
it can help nearly anyone to experience improved health. As
always, you should discuss any changes in diet or supple-
mentation with your doctor or healthcare practitioner before
adopting them.
That said, for the most part, almost anyone should be able
to follow the alkaline diet and drink alkaline water, unless
you have very specific dietary needs or an illness that doesn't
allow you to do so. Those caveats aside, many people with
diverse issues and conditions swear by the alkaline lifestyle,
and its ability to deliver a more vibrant life.
However, if you have long-standing health issues or are elder-
ly, then it is recommended that you add alkaline water to your
routine slowly. Why? You likely have a large amount of stored
toxins which must be flushed from your body, so its important
that you dont begin to detox too quickly. In fact, professional
medical support is best if you wish to detox when in this type
of situation.
7. Doctor's Orders
Your doctor may recommend that you drink plenty
of water, especially if youre sick or elderly. Certain
health conditions can put you at greater risk for
dehydration, and your thirst mechanism naturally
grows weaker as you age. BBC News reported that
according to research, twenty percent of seniors
dont drink adequate amounts of water on a daily
basis, mostly because they forget to do so or have
limited social interactions which could act as cues
to drink more water (such as regular meals with
others).
In terms of your doctors orders and following the
alkaline diet, if your healthcare practitioner has
prescribed specific dietary guidelines that don't
align with the alkaline diet in part or in whole,
discuss this issue with them. It is important to note
that most primary care physicians actually have
very little formal training in regards to diet, natural
supplementation or many other complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) techniques.
Many people find that a practitioner that has tradi-
tional western medical training combined with CAM
training are able to provide the most balanced ap-
proach to medical treatment. This is especially true
if you're open to more holistic healing and if diet,
nutrition, supplementation and so on are important
to you. That said, you should only follow the alkaline
lifestyle if a qualified medical practitioner clears you
to do so in your particular situation.
 CHAPTER 4

THE ALKALINE DIET

The basics of the alkaline diet, are to steer clear of foods which are
acid-producing within the body, and consume mostly alkaline foods
instead. Why is this important? According to trusted health expert
Dr. Oz, new scientific research suggests that you may be at risk for
kidney or liver damage, if you eat too many acid-producing foods
in your diet. You may have a higher chance of developing diabetes
as well so adopting an alkaline diet may be very important for
your optimum health. In addition to these possible health risks of
an overly acidic diet, according to Dr. Mercolas website:

The 1931 Nobel laureate in medicine, German Otto Warburg,

Ph.D., first discovered that cancer cells have a fundamentally dif-
ferent energy metabolism compared to healthy cells.

The crux of his Nobel thesis was that malignant tumors frequently
exhibit an increase in anaerobic glycolysis -- a process whereby
glucose is used as a fuel by cancer cells with lactic acid as an an-
aerobic byproduct -- compared to normal tissues.

...This conversion of glucose to lactate generates a lower, more

acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue
from lactic acid buildup. Thus, larger tumors tend to exhibit a
more acidic pH.

Considered by many experts to be the 20th centurys greatest

biochemist (according to Dr. Mercola, these findings were a pro-
found revelation. Not only does a tumor typically have a more acid-
ic pH (or at least portions of it), Dr. Warburg also discovered that
even when there is plenty of oxygen present, cancer cells prefer to
create energy anaerobically (without oxygen). No healthy cells act
in this way, and doing so causes the cancer cells to generate large
amounts of the toxic lactic acid. Since the word acid is right in its
name, lactic acid is low on pH scale and highly acidic!

Further, not only do cancer cells prefer to make their energy with-
out oxygen even though it is acid-producing and far less efficient,
they often thrive in an environment with little or no oxygen. This is
astonishing, as youd think that every living cell needs oxygen to
survive, but according to a study from the University of Colorado
Denver published in 2012 this often (or even usually) isnt the case.

They found that when a tumor outgrew its blood supply and sec-
tions of the tumor had very low oxygen levels as a result, its growth
didnt slow down - it sped up. This happens because low oxygen
levels cause the tumor to produce a specific cancer stem cell
marker - which spurs the tumor to grow more and also to metas-
tasize. Researchers theorized that this was the tumors attempt
to seek out new oxygen sources, but this isnt proven. What is
clear is that a low oxygen environment doesnt impede tumor
growth, and will likely promote it.

-The Basics
Having seen that there can be real health benefits to sticking to
an alkaline lifestyle, lets move on now to the ins and outs of the
alkaline diet. In terms of the foods you can and can't eat, fine to
consume are many fruits and vegetables (especially lower sugar,
less starchy options), and some seeds, nuts and beans. On the list
of foods to eliminate or avoid are meat, most grains, eggs, dairy,
sugar and processed foods.

While these are the basics, you may want some more in-depth
information, as to some specific foods that can help boost your
health in particular ways all while keeping you alkaline. Though
there are many options to choose from, let's talk about 10 foods
to improve your health in a meaningful way.
1. 10 Foods To Improve Your Health

Food #1: Spinach Food #2: Broccoli

You may associate spinach with old As most naturally green foods are
Popeye cartoons, where he eats a alkalizing, broccoli is no exception in
can of cooked spinach and instantly this regard. Yet, the benefits of this
becomes incredibly strong. Yet, you cruciferous veggie don't stop there.
might have overlooked raw spinach as When eating broccoli, you'll also get
a base for your diet plan, but this food double the vitamin C dose found in an
truly has some major health benefits. orange, nearly the same amount of
calcium found in whole milk (but with
First off, it is one of the most alkaliz- better absorption) and even anti-viral
ing foods you can consume. Secondly, and anti-cancer properties due to to
you can use it to replace options like the selenium it contains.
lettuce in your salads, which is largely
just empty space. Why? Lettuce is
mostly water with a few trace nu-
trients, nothing more. In contrast,
spinach is rich in zinc, niacin, fiber, vi-
tamins K, E, A, B6 and C, magnesium,
potassium, manganese, phosphorus,
folate and iron. It also has plenty of
flavonoids which work as antioxidants,
helping to shield your cells from free
radical damage (especially in your
colon).
These vitamins and minerals translate
into an abundance of positive health
effects, such as supporting cardiovas-
cular health, possibly helping to lower
blood pressure and even improving
cognitive function.
Food #3: Avocados
An important source of healthy fat in
the alkaline diet, avocados are alkaliz-
ing yet their benefits don't stop there.
In fact, according to Dr. Mercola, the
avocado has more than twenty differ-
ent health benefits an astonishing
number. Among other things, this
potent food provides a fifth of your
recommended daily requirement of
vitamin C, B6, B5 and potassium (dou-
ble the potassium found in a banana).
A single avocado also delivers thirty
percent of your daily folate and just
over a third of your daily vitamin K
requirement. It also provides niacin,
riboflavin and vitamin E and can help
boost the absorption of other key nu-
trients like lutein and beta-carotene.
Finally, the good fats it contains is one
of its most unique properties, making
the avocado an alkalizing superfood
you can't afford to ignore.
Food #4: Limes
While you may not reach for limes
often, they can be a key addition to
your diet when trying to alkalize. They
also have some interesting health
benefits, such as a good dose of anti-
oxidants and potassium. In addition,
studies have found that a specific type
of lime (the Kaffir lime) is able to fight
bacteria such as E. coli. Finally, an-
other study found that lime juice and
peel when given to rabbits, was able
to slow the formation of plaque on
the walls of their arteries. Whether
this benefit will translate over to
humans remains to be seen, but such
research at least suggests that limes
can be a great food for you to enjoy.
Food #5: Tomatoes
Having only covered green foods so
far in this list, you may be starting to
think that foods of other colors aren't
alkalizing. That's not the case, and
tomatoes are both alkalizing and have
some health benefits to add to the
mix. In fact, this brightly hued fruit
(yes, it is a fruit, although there is
often confusion on this point) is on the
American Diabetes Association's list
of diabetic superfoods. This is due to
the nutrients it can provide, like
vitamin E, C and iron.
Food #6: Watermelon
Another reddish food (at least on the
inside), watermelon is both tasty and
alkalizing. Yet, it's not just a re-
freshing treat on a hot summer day
watermelon has some unique nutrient
content to commend it. How so?
Along with tomatoes, watermelons
are high in lycopene, which is a ca-
rotenoid phytonutrient that's thought
to be especially important for cardio-
vascular health. It may also play a key
role in the health of your bones, so
don't forget to add this delicious fruit
to your diet.
Food #7: White Navy Beans
Getting adequate amounts of protein
on the alkaline diet is important, and
since you'll be avoiding meat and
dairy, foods like white navy beans
become an essential source of protein
for you to take advantage of. This
alkalizing food can also help aid your
body in detoxification, as it's a tre-
mendous source of the trace mineral
molybdenum. While you've probably
never heard of this substance, it is
required to manufacture and activate
several detoxifying enzymes. White
navy beans are also low on the glyce-
mic index (meaning they won't spike
your blood sugar), are high in fiber
and a good source of antioxidants like
zinc and magnesium.
Food #8: Almonds
On the alkaline side of the scale, al-
monds are a healthy nut that delivers
plenty of good fat. In addition, ac-
cording to five separate large epide-
miological studies, eating any type of
nuts regularly reduces risk for heart
disease. Even more encouraging, the
Nurses Health Study concluded that
when replacing the saturated fats
in their diet (mostly from dairy and
meat) with fat from nut consumption
instead, an astonishing forty-five
percent drop in heart disease risk
was estimated.
This clearly shows that nuts should
be on the menu, but many nuts are
not alkalizing or not to the extent that
almonds are. So, reach for a small
handful or helping most days, to pro-
vide the heart protection you need.
Food #9: Black Radishes
Though red radishes are both good for
you and alkalizing, black radishes are
even more so. Why? They are higher
on the alkalizing scale and they have
powerful detoxification properties.
One scientific study found that when
compared to other cruciferous veg-
etables, Spanish black radishes had
quadruple the amount of glucosino-
lates and tests showed these radishes
effective at reducing certain types of
toxicity.
Food #10: Cucumbers
A potent alkalizing food, cucumbers
are made up of mostly water. Yet,
that doesn't prevent them from being
a source of some healthy nutrients,
including unique phytonutrients called
cucurbitacins. Cucumbers contain
several different types of these, and
preliminary research points to these
being likely useful for fighting cancer.
While the concentrations of these
phytonutrients in cucumbers isn't
currently known to combat cancer
(studies on their anti-cancer effects
were done in-vitro), further research
may reveal this fact in the future.
In addition, one cup of cucumber de-
livers eleven percent of your recom-
mended daily requirement for vitamin
K. Why is this important? Low intake
of this vitamin has been linked to bone
fractures, so eating cucumbers (and
other healthy fruits and vegetables)
may keep your bones strong.
 CHAPTER 5

AN ALKALINE HOME
It's easy to overlook your environment when alka-
lising, yet the products you use in your home are
also important. Why? They may have harsh chemi-
cals that are highly acidic (not to mention toxic), so
consider using some more natural alternatives. To
help you get started, let's look at 10 tips for alkaliz-
ing your home, how your pets and houseplants will
benefit too, and alkaline water and your children's
health.
1. 10 Top Tips To Alkalize Your Home

Tip #1: Use Alkaline Water When Cooking

While this may seem like common sense, some
people may overlook this simple step. Replacing your
regular drinking water with alkaline water is terrific,
but you should also use alkaline water any time
you're going to be ingesting the final product, as that
water makes its way into your food.

Tip #2:
Don't Overlook Your Toothpaste
If it goes in your mouth, you should examine
it closely and your toothpaste is no exception.
Instead of using brands that include harsh
chemicals and additives like fluoride, opt for
a natural toothpaste option instead. The good
news is, with the rising popularity of natural
products and cleansers, it is far easier to find
alternatives at the store these days. Or, if
youre someone who prefers to make your own,
there are many recipes or natural tooth clean-
ers you can use. For instance, simply dissolving
baking soda in water and then wetting your
toothbrush in the solution, makes for an easy
and all-natural tooth cleaning solution!
Tip #3:
Don't Forget Your Beauty Products.
You may not think of it as a major pathway into
your body, but your skin can readily absorb toxins.
That means you should be careful, using more
natural beauty products (like makeup and moistur-
izer) whenever possible. In fact, Ayurvedic wisdom
teaches that you shouldnt put anything on your skin
that you wouldnt put in your mouth! While this may
come as a shock to you, the principle is that the less
processed and altered from its natural form, the
better it is for your health - just like eating whole
foods instead of devitalized, processed ones.
There are many options to go the natural route for
your beauty and personal care, once you begin look-
ing. After all, while the beauty industry has made a
fortune from selling high-priced wonder products
filled with unpronounceable ingredients, you dont
have to make it so complicated. Keeping clean and
promoting beauty can be easy and simple - as we
truly dont need that much.
In fact your kitchen can provide the straightforward,
all-natural choices that you want, such as lemon,
honey, essential oils (beautifully hydrating, cleans-
ing, refreshing and they smell good too), baking
soda, olive oil, vinegar and coconut oil. These same
alternatives can not only cleanse your body, they
can be used to clean your home too (well cover
this in a bit more detail later on) - for an all around
healthy and chemical-free life.
Tip #4:
Remember Soap and Shampoo
Last in the category of personal care products, don't
overlook the soap and shampoo you use in the shower.
Opt for choices that use more natural ingredients and
steer clear of ones with man-made chemicals and
synthetic ingredients like dyes. A good example of a
natural soap is Castille soap, the uses are near endless.
Our society today has become accustomed to
over-cleaning, cleaning away natural oils which are
there to protect us, which causes the body to over-pro-
duce sebum, it is a vicious cycle. Although it is nice and
recommended to have a daily shower to stay hygienic
and clean, the need to use harsh chemicals and soap is
not necessary or recommended as a daily practice as it
causes more harm than good.

Heres a quick, cheap and easy DIY shampoo recipe:

1 cup water
1 tbsp baking soda
Dilute the baking soda in the cup of water.

Gently pour a little of the liquid over the front of your hair so it
runs backwards, if you have long hair continue by dipping the
ends into the cup of water for 10 seconds, then continue by
pouring the remainder of the liquid over your scalp and down
the lengths, making sure you do not get it in your eyes in the
process. You will feel a squeaky clean-ness to your hair
when pulling your fingers through it. If you do not feel this,
your hair may have a lot of excess buildup from products,
repeat the process until desired effect is reached. Rinse your
hair.
 Here is the equally quick, cheap and easy DIY conditioner recipe:
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar - ACV is preferable, although any type will do

To condition your hair use 1 tbsp vinegar diluted in 1 cup of water

and repeat the same process as with the baking soda solution.
Make sure you do not get any of the liquid in your eyes. Rinse and
watch how shiny and clean your hair is from this quick, easy and
cost efficient method.
However getting your hair and scalp accustomed to not using
soap after years of this practice, may be a bit of a transition
phase, where your scalp will continue to over-produce sebum and
you may experience a period of extra greasy hair. This process
will pass in the space of 2-4 weeks and you will experience less
need to wash your hair, as your hair will no longer produce excess
sebum.

Tip #5: Clean Your Produce.

Each year the Environmental Working Group posts a list of the
twelve fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residue from
their own tests (termed the "Dirty Dozen"). Currently,
strawberries top the list, with other common produce items
including apples, grapes, peaches, celery, kale and cucumbers
making an appearance.
This just highlights how even eating healthy fruits and vegetables
can add to your toxin intake, in the form of unseen pesticides
and insecticides. One way to combat this is to buy organic
produce whenever possible, but that isn't always an option or
feasible within your budget. An alternative is to focus on the worst
offenders and buy organic versions of these, while washing the
rest of your fruits and vegetables in a homemade and all-natural
produce wash solution.
Here's a recipe from Dr. Oz' website, a well-known and
trusted source of health advice:

1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda
1/2 lemon

Combine the ingredients in a clean, empty spray bottle

and spritz on your produce. You can scrub with a
brush quickly (if possible) and then rinse well before
eating.

Dont want to go through the trouble of making

your own cleaner? Then you can just use alkaline
water, as it cleans too. The micro-clustered wa-
ter and the negative ions remove and change the
molecular structure of the bacteria and diminish
it. You can also get the best of both worlds, by
making your own produce wash but replacing
plain water with alkaline water when making it.
Tip #6: Use Safe, Natural Cleaners.
This is a rising trend today, and using natural cleaners has be-
come quite popular within the home. People are realizing that
you can't spray and scrub chemicals all over your home, and then
expect it to be the most healthy environment possible. After all,
these chemicals can leave residue on the surfaces they clean,
such as your kitchen countertops. Since you prepare food on your
counter, some residual amount of these chemicals may make
their way into your food. In addition, the air quality of your home
can definitely suffer.

So, for an alkaline home, either purchase safe, all-natural cleaner

at the store or you can make your own for a cheaper alternative.
As already mentioned, just all-natural items you have in your
kitchen can in many cases be all that you need to safely keep your
home clean.

The key 4 ingredients for creating safe, natural cleaners are

lemon, baking soda, coconut oil and vinegar. Additionally adding
essential oils and herbs can not only add wonderful aromas, but
also add wonderful benefits.
Tip #7:
Buy A High-Quality Air Filter or A
Vertical Garden Planter
Toxins don't just enter your body through your
mouth and your skin you can breathe in toxins as
well. During respiration oxygen is absorbed by your
system, but unwanted contaminants within the air
can also be absorbed. In fact, the air within your
home or office may be less pure than the air out-
doors, even though we typically associate air pollu-
tion as being a problem only when we're outside.
However, according to WebMD, your home's air
may be contaminated with things like fire-retar-
dant chemicals (from various products within your
home, like furniture upholstery), lead, formalde-
hyde, radon and other harsh chemicals found in
the fragrances of home cleaners. Sources for these
pollutants vary, from furniture like your mattress
or sofa, cleaners, your carpet and even paint on the
walls.
In addition, while not toxic, other things can be
floating around in your indoor air that can cause you
problems. These include substances like pet dander
and dust mites, which can aggravate allergies and
spark breathing issues for people with problems
like asthma. Also, other natural substances can
indeed be toxic, such as certain types of mold that
may be growing within your home.
Fortunately there are 2 ways of dealing with this,
you can introduce a high-quality air filter to remove
much of these contaminants, so you and your loved
ones can breathe easier, or you can introduce a
Vertical Garden Planter to help eliminate VOCs in
your home.
-Tip #8: Banish Tobacco.
While smoking is bad when it comes to creating acidity
in your body (not to mention the other detrimental health
effects and risks), it's also harmful for those around the
smoker. You're no doubt aware of the dangers of secondhand
smoke, which many say are more detrimental than firsthand
smoke, but now some experts are beginning to use the term
thirdhand smoke as well. What is this?

Tobacco smoke is a thoroughly nasty and toxic substance,

and when people smoke regularly indoors in an apartment or
home, a residue can begin to build up on the walls, drapes,
carpet and furniture. If you've ever visited the home of a
heavy smoker, you may have noticed that their walls are
tinged yellow or even darker.

This yellowing is due to the smoke residue, which research-

ers are now realizing may react with other common indoor
air pollutants to form a mixture of toxins that you subse-
quently breathe in. What does this mean? This thirdhand
smoke still contains toxins, so you could still be experiencing
the negative effects of smoke even when no one is actively
smoking at that current moment. Therefore, when trying
to create a healthy and alkaline home, banish all smoking
indoors.
Tip #9: Choose Natural Air Freshener
After taking steps to keep the air in your home clean and pure, such
as buying a vertical garden planter or an air filter and banishing
all smoking indoors, the last thing you want to do is to voluntarily
spray chemicals back into the air. Yet, many people do just that on
a regular basis, spraying aerosols filled with propellant, synthetic
fragrances and heavy chemicals in order to make their home smell
better. There is a better way, and that's to make your own natural
air freshener with a few simple ingredients. Your home will smell
fresh and clean, and you'll know that's it's healthy for you and your
family as well.

Here's one recipe, among many possible choices which you

can easily find online:
Put a saucepan on the stove, pour in a quart of water and
simmer until the water evaporates fully. This will disperse
the ingredients into the air, and give you the refreshing smell
you're after. You can add any number of different combina-
tions to the water, including ones like:

1 sliced orange, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a dash of

nutmeg and cloves
1 sliced lime and 1 piece chopped ginger root
1 sliced lemon, 2 tablespoons rosemary and a dash of
vanilla
Tip #10: Pick Out Some Plants
Plants soak up carbon dioxide and release oxygen, and you
likely know that getting enough oxygen into your cells is vital
for remaining alkaline. For this reason, it's a great practice to
keep plants indoors, as long as you don't overwater them and
allow the soil or stalks to become moldy. Also, it's import-
ant not to pick plants that will aggravate allergies, such as
flowers which will produce pollen. Instead, select plants that
naturally soak up toxins from your air, and there are many
which remove harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
from your indoor air. This will give you a one-two punch of
both added oxygen and extra air filtration.

In fact, NASA conducted a study on this topic, and came up

with a list of the fifty most effective plants for absorbing
toxins from the air indoors. Topping the list were the Areca
Palm, Lady Palm and Bamboo Palm. You can view the entire
list here.

Dont have enough room or dont like using up floor space

just to add plants? For an easy and space-saving way to add
plants to your home or office, check out our terrific range of
Vertical Garden Planters, available at our store here. These
are a stylish way to incorporate the benefits that many beau-
tiful plants can provide, without getting in the way.
2. Your Pets Will Thank You
While they do have some different needs from the
people within your home, pets are biological or-
ganisms too and when you create a clean, healthy
environment they will absolutely benefit as well. You
may choose to give them alkaline water to drink,
and having superior indoor air quality and avoiding
harsh cleaners may also improve their health.
Pets like dogs can have also have allergies, so the
steps you take to improve the life and well-being of
your family by alkalizing your home, can increase
the quality of life for your pets too. In addition, pets
don't know better than to eat off of surfaces like the
floor, and they also typically sleep on the floor as
well. So, by eliminating your use of harsh chemicals
to clean surfaces like your carpets and floors, this
can also help to lower your pets toxic burden.

3. Your Plants Will Feed You Better

Better quality water (purified alkaline water) and
less toxins and chemicals floating around in the
air, may improve the growth of your plants. Also,
there may be less toxins on and in the food that they
produce - for a healthier final product all-around.
This is especially true if you tend to grow things like
herbs around the kitchen sink window, as this area
is typically cleaned often, in addition to cleaners
for your dishes being used. If these products are
all-natural, then no chemical residue will make it's
way onto these plants which youll eventually eat.
4. Alkaline Water and Children
Growing children have unique nutritional needs, and
you no doubt want to provide them with the safest,
most health-promoting water possible. The first
step is to ensure that your home's drinking water is
clean, using a high-quality water filtration option.
Next, by providing alkaline water in the home, your
children can receive all the benefits of alkaline
water we've already discussed. Whether you decide
to give alkaline water to your kids is a personal de-
cision, and though some experts warn of potential
issues, others stress how beneficial this liquid is for
your entire family's health.

-Many Children Are Dehydrated.

Its also important to note, that many children are
chronically dehydrated, with a recent study con-
ducted by Harvard finding that over fifty percent of
American kids are dehydrated. This is a frightening
number, and may be due to either simply not drink-
ing enough fluids or replacing good, clean water
with sugary beverages instead. This is a strong
trend today, with roughly one in four children in the
U.S. not drinking any plain water each day. While
this figure could be because they are drinking milk
or some other liquid, many kids are choosing sweet
fruit juices or energy, sports or soft drinks instead.
In fact, a review of the available research found that
around seventy percent of boys between 2 years
and 9 years of age, consume sugary drinks every
day.

We hope this information has led to raised

awareness around these subjects and that your
life from here on will be increasingly alkaline and
invigorated!
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