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Healthguy
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2008
Total Posts : 3

Posted 10/14/2008 1:08 AM (GMT -4)

I have been consuming distilled water for quite some time now but
recently came across some disturbing news that Distilled water is highly acidic.

I heard a completely different assessment from Andrew Weil who says this is just
a myth perpetuated by filter manufacturers.

My question is - Does anyone out there know how I can test whether or not the bottled water I
buy is PH balanced? Is there some sort of kit you can buy over the counter?
This way I can test whatever kind of water I choose without so much concern.

Thanks!

zen91351
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2008
Total Posts : 3

Posted 2/13/2009 1:29 PM (GMT -4)

If you do a search for alkaline water, you'll see many sites showing the whole thing is a scam (Kagan water, etc.). I was on the verge of buying one of the expensive units that separates the water into alkaline and acid (you drink the alkaline) when I came across articles at quackwatch leading to chemists who explain why the whole thing is nonsense. If you read up on it, I think you'll find that distilled water is an excellent choice and don't worry about the Ph. Just make sure you get enough minerals in your supplements to replace the calcium and magnesium that'll be missing from the distilled. Since practically everyone nowadays is magnesium deficient, it's important.

Molly McCully
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2009
Total Posts : 4

Posted 3/17/2009 8:58 PM (GMT -4)

The whole thing is probably not a scam. To test your water, get some pH test strips from your local health food store. Very interesting to go around testing things, especially precious bodily fluids!

MachineGhost
Registered Member

Date Joined Aug 2008
Total Posts : 26

Posted 3/30/2009 12:49 PM (GMT -4)

Distilled water is good for leeching the constituents from herbs in formulas, but not to drink. Not only is it acidic and devoid of minerals, it has a neutral or mildly positive mv ORP (i.e. it doesn't quench free radicals). Long term consumption is not a good idea.

It is not necessarily that "alkaline" water is good for you because it is alkaline or has minerals, but that it has a negative ORP which is an indirect measurement of the amount of antioxidant hydrogen ions in the water. It can also be "wetter" or "structured" which usually happens as a side effect of electrolysis.

Counterop alkaline water generators won't generate more than -300mv ORP no matter what the marketing claims are. The water is simply not in contact with the electrodes quick enough to get it high. So they are generally a scam in that respect. The batch type alkaline generators cost upwards of a thousand dollars.

Ideally you want a water with a pH of 9 to 10 and a -1000mv ORP. I've only seen this possible with a brand of drops called pHion pH Booster. A commercial brand of bottled water that has a pH of 9.5 is Essentia and it has a silky smooth texture. However, the ORP is no better than that of countertop alkalizers.

Healthguy said...
I have been consuming distilled water for quite some time now but
recently came across some disturbing news that Distilled water is highly acidic.

I heard a completely different assessment from Andrew Weil who says this is just
a myth perpetuated by filter manufacturers.

My question is - Does anyone out there know how I can test whether or not the bottled water I
buy is PH balanced? Is there some sort of kit you can buy over the counter?
This way I can test whatever kind of water I choose without so much concern.

Thanks!

SuperMatt
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2009
Total Posts : 2

Posted 4/30/2009 12:31 PM (GMT -4)

MachineGhost sounds interesting - do you know where you can get these $1K+ machines that can produce -1000mv.

I have done much research on this and even invested in an ORP meter myself.

Molly McCully
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2009
Total Posts : 4

Posted 5/21/2009 3:41 AM (GMT -4)

Dear Forum Moderator,

I have tried to upload an interesting article about quackwatch.org for your perusal but the upload utility won't accept microsoft word. What will it accept? Thanks, Molly McCully

The LEF Web Team
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2003
Total Posts : 6

Posted 7/11/2009 11:59 AM (GMT -4)

Dear Molly,

Why don't you try pasting/adding the link (URL) to the article you have found as part of your reply?

The LEF Web Team

Skorian
Registered Member

Date Joined Mar 2009
Total Posts : 6

Posted 7/22/2009 3:41 AM (GMT -4)

Up until about Dec of 07 I also drank distilled water. I drank it for about 5 years continually. It really messed me up. There are a number of things I believed falsely about it. Filtered and distilled water does indeed have an acidic PH. In fact distilled water has a PH of about 5. You can test it with litmus paper. It can leach electrolytes right out of your body. I have mostly recovered now, but whenever I see the topic of water I am sure to make known my experiences. I think distilled water is ok 2 weeks at a time a few times a year when drank in conjunction with an exceptionally healthy diet. NEVER while fasting. I think it could be beneficial under these conditions, but outside of that it can cause weakness and fatigue. It can cause heart problems by leaching potassium too low. It can cause anxiety, depression, and mental confusion. It doesn't happen overnight, but it can do great harm.>>

From this I no longer drink any water that does not test in the range of 7 to 8 in PH. I don't recommend reverse osmosis either, unless it is a system that puts minerals back in. Any filtration system that strips too much out of water can create the equivelant of distilled water. I understand the importance of clean water, but too much empty acid can be even worse then impurities in your water.

You should be able to search for PH testing supplies and find them.

medsec71
Registered Member

Date Joined Jun 2009
Total Posts : 6

Posted 8/12/2009 5:16 PM (GMT -4)

From all I've been reading about alkalinity, it would appear that you don't want PH balanced water; you want alkaline water to make your body more alkaline. Spring water might fit that description; I think Fiji water is supposed to be the most alkaline.

Gaia2000
Registered Member

Date Joined Sep 2009
Total Posts : 2

Posted 9/4/2009 12:17 PM (GMT -4)

I have learned the following:

We are born with an average body Ph of 7.3

Most foods and beverages are below 7 Ph

A Doctor Otto Warbury won the Nobel laureate in 1931 for proving disease lives in an acid body.

Water at origin (spring source, melting glacier)has micro molecule 6 sided clusters

Water moving into angles like pipes becomes large clusters, thus the body isn't compatible to the water

Bottled water must have some perservative maybe citric acid to last past 5 days

Plastic is a carcinogenetic when heated, as a pallet of bottle water sitting on docks waiting to be put a way

It is best to buy an ionizer from 1,400 to 4,000 and fill stainless containers each day to carry with

We need to drink 3/4 of an ounce of water for every pound of weigh each day

I have seen eczema and other skin disorders cured in 6 weeks by drinking alkaline water

I know first hand the relief from arthritis from drinking alkaline water

I have been told by people their reflux disapeared when drinking alkaline water

CA Guy
Registered Member

Date Joined Dec 2009
Total Posts : 10

Posted 12/26/2009 3:08 AM (GMT -4)

The fact of the matter is, all water is acidic to a certain degree, including "distilled" water. However, drinking distilled water for prolonged periods also precludes the body from absorbing essential minerals, which are needed by the body. Having a too low alkaline content in the body could be just as detremental as a high acidic PH level; therefore we must maintain a balance between the two. I am familiar with the "Kagan Water" ionizers. In my opinion, it is a good product since you can purchase different models to control the alkaline level. You still want a certain degree of acid in your water as long as you are in generally "good" health. You can adjust the alkaline level, but this is used primarily for cleaning purposes (instead of chemical household cleaners). If you choose to drink only distilled water, you may want to consider taking natural (organic) essential trace mineral supplements, to make up for the mineral depletion. There are some imitation water iionizers, but the original machine is made in Japan. I believe the U.S. distributor for this particular unit is located in Carson, CA. I hope this information helps.

Dr. Gluconorm
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2010
Total Posts : 4

Posted 1/30/2010 3:30 AM (GMT -4)

I am a professional biochemist and can assure you that pure water has a theoretical pH (not PH) of 7. However many chemicals, when dissolved in water, can readily change the pH. Carbon dioxiide is present in the air and dissolves to a very small extent, forming a very weak acid (carbonic acid = H2CO3). This kind of water has a lower pH, around 5. Measuring this pH with pH paper is impossible because the concentration of the carbonic acid is too low to affect the indicator that is in the paper. The same is true of any kind of natural water (well water may have a higher concentration of acids or alkalis from the soil around the well, so pH paper might be reliable).

When you drink water, the acid or alkali already in your mouth will swamp the traces of stuff in the water, so you might want to check the pH of your spit. As soon as you swallow the water, it mixes into your stomach acid (mainly HCl = hydrochloric acid) and the pH will drop to about 3 (if I remember correctly). When this water in your stomach moves down into your small intestine, it will be made slightly alkaline. Thus you see that all this fuss about the "correct" pH of drinking water is a waste of time and money. If you still think it is really important, try looking into the Web for more info - try Wikipedia. If you think acidic water is good, try adding fruit juice to your water. If you think there is magic in distilled water, don't tell anyone. Distilled water lacks fluoride, which protects your teeth. So does the calcium in ordinary water.

skinbiz
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2010
Total Posts : 4

Posted 2/18/2010 11:41 PM (GMT -4)

How about someone talk about live energetic water, is distilled water Dead water? can anyone throw light on this subject? and is floride a chemical that can be bad for your health?

Clarek1243
Registered Member

Date Joined Feb 2010
Total Posts : 4

Posted 2/25/2010 1:12 PM (GMT -4)

Clarek

Sheryl
Registered Member

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 81

Posted 7/10/2010 1:28 PM (GMT -4)

I think reverse osmosis is the same as distilled water. If so, here is a comment from a guy on a non-health board:

"When the first reverse osmosis water purifier came on the market in the 80s, I got one and thought that if it was good for me, it was good for the cat and for the plants. Strangely enough, the cat preferred rainwater, and the indoor plants started dying after a couple months."

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