Water, pH and BioTerrain

Even if you are not serious about health there is one thing that everyone can agree on and that is the importance of water. It has been shown that it is essential to have not only high quality, but also a pure source of water to maintain good health. Now that is a challenge for many people, especially when you consider the number one source of calories in the United States comes from high fructose corn syrup, most commonly in the form of soda. So what alternatives do we have? Well, clearly tap water is going to be a better choice than soda.

What’s in Tap Water?

There are a variety of reasons however, that you are going to want to avoid tap water. The primary ones being chlorine and fluoride. Chlorine itself isn’t necessarily toxic, but the problem lies in that chlorine typically tends to bind with organic materials in the water. Now, you are probably wondering how that got there. Typically twigs, sticks, stems, and leaves tend to dissolve and it is at this point that chlorine binds with these particles and then forms what is called a disinfectant byproduct; the two most common being trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5s). We now know that these are one thousand times more toxic than chlorine and that these are the real issue contaminating our tap water.

So if you think that the fluoride in your water is a good thing, then simply enter it into your favorite search engine and you will see thousands of articles documenting why it is not a good thing! The very brief summary is that in an attempt to reduce cavities, many countries began adding fluoride to their drinking water supplies. They did this because they were convinced that most “experts” were in favor of water fluoridation. However, like many areas related to health, this issue was manipulated by special interest groups to conveniently dispose of industrial byproduct poisons. It didn’t take long for some countries to put the pieces together, which is why Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, France, and the Netherlands ban fluoride from their drinking water.

Here are just some of the concerns with fluoride…

• Fluoride Accumulates in your bones, causing them to be brittle and easily fractured
• Fluoride Inactivates some of your enzyme systems
• Fluoride Disrupts your immune system, causing it to attack normal working tissues in your body
• Fluoride Accelerates your aging process
• Fluoride Causes cellular and genetic damage
• Fluoride Damages your tooth enamel by hardening the outer surface

Now, unfortunately there are other issues in tap water that you have to be concerned about such as arsenic which is contaminated in most of our water supply. Sadly what we have determined to be a safe level has been continually decreasing over the years. Another concern you may not stop to think about is drugs. It has been shown that the average individual takes 13 different drugs a year and obviously when they urinate or excrete them through their stool, or even discard of their unused prescriptions down the toilet they end up in our water supply and in your tap water. Many believe that the solution to this would be to have their own water supply such as a well. If you are fortunate enough to draw water from an untreated private well, you can generally avoid most of the problems with tap water. However, ground water pollutants have been shown to contaminate this water source. And because wells are more shallow than water sources used for public water supplies, there can be a higher potential for contamination and toxic pollutants such as pesticides and herbicides sprayed on your lawns and farms. It is also important to point out that fecal coliform bacteria like E. coli are the most common contaminants potentially found in well water. Another thing to consider is that septic fields are typical sources for such contamination by way of animal or human wastes. The nitrates from animal and human wastes or fertilizers are also commonly found in conjunction with lead, radon, and other chemical and biological toxins. Knowing all this, if you have a well, you’re not out of the clear from potential drinking water contaminants.

Bottled vs. Filtered Water

There seems to be two options people commonly turn to; one being bottled water and the other filtered. Now the problem with bottled water is that it is not the most cost effective or environmental friendly form. The other problem with this is that research now shows us that up to 40% of bottled water may just be bottled tap water and is going to be contaminated with fluoride and as mentioned earlier this is something you are not going to want in your water. So ideally if you are going to use bottled water you are going to want to trust your source as well as purchase it in the gallon size jugs as these are recycled and the most cost efficient. Now the other option is to filter the water from within your own home. One of the top choices is distillation which is not a recommended choice because in the long run it depletes the body of all minerals and un-structures the water that you are consuming. The optimal way would be reverse osmosis as it tends to remove all of these disinfectant byproducts and essentially all the contaminants are gone. The downfall to reverse osmosis is typically the cost. A good system will typically cost you between 300-600 dollars on top of the installation fee to have it put in your home. Another downfall is these systems tend to be water inefficient in that every gallon of water you make you tend to waste between 3-4 gallons and that can be a very significant issue. And lastly the tanks that hold the water over time can become contaminated so you have to ensure that you have that cleaned out and have a good pre and post carbon filter that will address this.

Most people do not understand that there is an enormous difference in the quality of the carbon, or charcoal, that is used in filters. There are three points that you should be concerned with. First off, most of these charcoals are contaminated with aluminum (up to 75% of the typical filters used on the market) so you are going to want to select a material that is aluminum free. One of the best sources found to date is coconut shells. Manufacture’s generally grind them down and convert them to charcoal and it is generally aluminum free. However, there is a second step that is done that you want to look for also, and that is to ensure that the manufacture acid washes the charcoal as it has been shown to typically eliminate the aluminum. Many of the charcoal filters on the market today have also commonly been shown to become contaminated with mold and bacteria over time as this is something you are going to want to address. You will typically be able to tell by a change in the flavor of the water and this generally means you have contaminated water. You want to ensure that you provide your family with a high quality water filter as well as a pure source of water, but there are so many factors that go into it. One of the main ones being the alkalinity of the water. There are typically devices on the market costing upwards of $1000 that tend to provide this benefit. If you have purchased one of these units you may have found that it did not provide, the results you were looking to achieve.

How to Achieve pH Balanced Water

Even though we do have alkaline bodies and it is important to have alkaline PH levels in our blood there is no solid research to prove that this is the optimal or most cost effective way to approach this. As noted earlier there have been problems with the structure of the water in reverse osmosis systems as well as distilled water. Now, if you do happen to have one of these systems there is a little trick you can use. You can add a high quality mineral product to the water. The preferred choice is Bio Terrain not only to address the re-mineralization issues, but as well as balance the PH of the water. In regards to restructuring the water if you use one of these systems, put the water in a glass container and allow sunlight to shine through it and this will typically restructure the water. Bio Terrain however, has been shown to amplify this process due to its zeta potential (positive charge). It will perfectly align and structure the water source you are using.

There are many resources suggesting the use of magnets to accomplish this process as well, but after many years of study it has been concluded that there are only two methods to provide the solution to your water contamination. The first is to provide a high quality carbon filter system that you can put on your table top to filter the water for you. The problem with this, though, is that our bodies, due to our lifestyle choices, still tend to have an improper PH balance which has been shown to lead to the onset of many health issues.

So what is pH and how does it impact health?

The term pH stands for “potential” of “Hydrogen”. It is the amount of hydrogen ions in a particular solution. The more ions, the more acidic the solution. The fewer ions the more alkaline (base) the solution. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with seven being neutral . The lower the pH number the more acidic it is, and the higher the number the more alkaline. For example, a pH of 3 is more acidic than a pH of 5, and a pH of 9 is more alkaline than a pH of 6. A normal pH of all tissues and fluids of the body (except the stomach) is slightly alkaline. The most critical pH is in the blood. All other organs and fluids will fluctuate in their range in order to keep the blood at a strict pH between 7.35 and 7.45 (slightly alkaline). This process is commonly referred to as homeostasis. The body makes constant adjustments in tissue and fluid pH levels to maintain this very narrow pH range in the blood. So what are the results of being too acidic? To be too acidic or too alkaline in the body can have many consequences. For example, if the blood becomes too acidic:

It takes some of the alkaline forming elements from the enzymes in the small intestine to stay balanced. The small intestine then becomes too acidic to digest foods optimally. The pancreas, gallbladder and liver are then forced to make up for this deficiency in order to metabolize foods properly. This has a direct bearing on metabolic enzyme production, which is literally involved in every biochemical reaction in the body. The result is lowered immune function, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, absorption and digestive problems, etc.

• The bones will take or leach calcium, the most alkaline mineral. This can lead to reduced absorption of supplemental minerals as well as bone density problems.
• Insulin levels will increase and fat is stored instead of being metabolized. When malnutrition or starvation sets in, the body becomes acidic and as a safety, insulin is over produced so that all available calories are stored as fat for future use. As a result, weight gain is common and weight loss becomes more difficult in this protection mechanism.
• Electrolyte imbalances occur which have a direct bearing on the “fluid transport system”. Electrolytes are important because they are what the cells, especially the nerve, heart and muscle cells use to maintain “voltages” across their cell membranes.
• Additional stress is placed on the kidneys, gallbladder, pancreas and other organs. Similar problems may occur if we become too alkaline, though this is much less likely. Obviously maintaining the proper pH in the blood, digestive tract, tissues and fluids is essential to support optimal health.

Many common symptoms of being too acidic include but are not limited to: heart burn, acid reflux, indigestion, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, poor metabolism, mineral deficiencies, constipation, fatigue, brain fog, constant urination, hypoglycemia, hormonal imbalances, sore muscles and many more. It’s also important to note factors that contribute to this including stress, environmental pollution, not enough or too much exercise, and the most important factor, diet. The more acid creating foods we eat, the more acidic we become. The more alkaline-creating foods we eat, the more alkaline we become. It is as simple as that. Generally it has been found that, fruits and vegetables are more alkaline forming, while meats, sugar, caffeine, beans, dairy and grains are more acid forming. I want to point out the term “generally speaking”. Many researchers point out the complexity of this topic. Research has shown us that about 30% of the people in today’s population often respond the exact opposite way. In other words, fruits and vegetables make them more acidic. So we have to take the time to determine what foods will work best for us as individuals.

How do I test my body’s pH?

A good indicator to see if your pH is off is to test your urine. This has shown to be extremely accurate because one of the most efficient ways our bodies maintain balance is to utilize the kidneys. If we become too acidic, our kidneys eliminate excess acid through urine. This will help make the blood more alkaline. So the urine pH will be acidic. This also tells us that the urine is an excellent indicator to determine if our diet is too high in foods that make us acidic or alkaline. Though many people believe the best indicator of urine pH can be determined first thing in the morning, we believe it is best to test the pH of your urine over a 24 hour period. Simply keep track of the pH throughout the day and then average it out. For example, if you do this for several days you will quickly determine foods and drinks that make you more acidic or alkaline. You will then be able to make adjustments to stay in balance through dietary changes. However, if you are looking for the most accurate read of your body’s pH, research now shows us that it is most accurate after 3am in the morning as this is when our kidneys have excreted excess acid from our bodies. Therefore if you are looking to get an exact reading then you are generally going to want to take your urine sample after this time and before your first meal of the day. The optimal urine pH is between 6 and 7 on the pH scale. If your average is lower than six, you are too acidic. If your average is above seven you are too alkaline. In either case you should immediately consider lifestyle changes and supplementation to support the proper pH for your body.

Most researchers also agree that the pH of saliva is an indicator of alkaline reserve and the condition of the pH of the cells. The body does not create alkalinity as it has an alkaline mineral reserve based on the alkaline foods you eat daily. The healthy pH of saliva tested first thing in the morning or on an empty stomach is between 6.2 and 7.2. After a meal it should become even more alkaline. One theory is that if the pH is between 5.8 and 6.2 the body is too acidic with little alkaline reserves left. If the morning pH is below 5.8 with no rise after meals there is no alkaline reserve left and the body is extremely acidic which as research now shows us is very detrimental to our health.

How can BioVeda help balance my body’s pH?

Sadly, though our cells experience every function that we do. Therefore it has been shown that they store this chronic acid build up within them which creates the breeding grounds for many diseases including cancer. Knowing all of these factors now about our water sources as well as the importance of maintaining proper pH balance within our body leaves only one solution. We know that we cannot change the environment we live in. We can only optimize our lifestyle through our food choices and our selection of water choices and filtration systems, but we need a product that protects us from these harmful contaminates as well as supports our bodies pH levels. Not only that, but also can restore years of chronic acid build up in the billions of cells that make up the human body. To date, Bio Terrain is the only product on the market capable of accomplishing such a feat. Its positive charge (Zeta Potential) will stabilize your water while providing you and your family protection from these harmful particles along with providing your body the colloidal (Bio-available) minerals and electrolytes it needs to stay hydrated. So protect you and your loved ones today by taking one of the largest leaps in health discoveries. After all 90% of the population is dehydrated and 10% does not even drink water. So what are you waiting for? Order Bio Terrain today!