Health
The Importance of Monitoring the Acidity of Your Water
Water is one of the basic necessities we need to survive. Recent guidelines from the Institute of Medicine claim most men and women need about 125 and 91 ounces of water a day respectively. However, health experts haven’t spent nearly as much time discussing the quality of the water we drink. One important factor many people don’t think about is the acidity in the water they drink.
Why is Monitoring the Acidity of Your Water Important?
Many people develop health risks when drinking water with a low PH. Here are some reasons you should monitor acidity and look for water that is more alkaline.
Gout
A number of athletes have complained that they develop heartburn while they are working. Many of them attribute this to their workout, but it is often because they develop gout trying to hydrate themselves by drinking highly acidic water. Gout is caused by uric acid accumulating in the joints and blood. It often causes chronic pain, fever, and insomnia.
Glynn Hopkins is a golfer who tried treating his gout with medication for two years. The medication didn’t help, but his symptoms practically disappeared when he started drinking more alkaline water.
Kidney Stones
The Academy of American Physicians states that we need to stay hydrated to reduce the chances of developing kidney stones. Kidney stones can be very painful when they pass and can be life-threatening if not properly treated.
However, you need to do more than simply make sure that you are drinking enough water. A 2011 report from the AAP found that drinking acidic water can significantly increase your risk of developing kidney stones. You will want to be better off if you drink more alkaline water.
Bone Loss
A 2008 study from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that acidic diets can increase the risks of bone loss. This study showed that acid slowly eroded calcium from bones which can lead to osteoporosis and other bone problems if not treated.
Michael Adams, an editor with Natural News, suggested a follow-up study on the benefits of switching to alkaline water. Several followup studies were conducted and found that this risk can be mitigated by drinking water with a higher pH.
Hair and Skin Problems
Several studies have shown that drinking acidic water can cause a variety of hair and skin problems. People who drink alkaline water are less likely to suffer from hair loss and skin irritation.
How to Measure the Acidity of Your Water
There are a number of health risks associated with drinking acidic water. However, you still need to measure the pH value. There are several ways you can do so:
- Putting litmus paper in a sample of water and seeing what color it changes to.
- Using a pH probe meter
- Buying a pH probe kit to measure them
All of these techniques can help you measure the acidity in your drinking water. Make sure that you test your water regularly because acidity levels can change over time.