HOW GOOD OR BAD ALKALINE FOOD AND WATER CAN BE FOR HUMAN HEALTH?
(© 3 April 2017: Dr. V. M. Palaniappan, Ph.D. firstname.lastname@example.org)
(Acknowledgement: The excellent free service rendered by Google is sincerely appreciated.)
Someone commented today referring to my article in thisBlog that has a heading, “Why some girls develop big breasts at an early age, while others a flat chest?”
However, the comment was related to the consumption of ALKALINE water, rather than the size of the breast, or anything else.
The commentator felt that a machine (manufactured by a particular industry – his own?) that produced alkaline water, and sold as a branded produce, was of very good use for the betterment of human health.
I responded to his questioning, giving all the details in a manner that could convince him that ‘anything in excess can be dangerous’. He seems to have convinced to some extent.
In the meantime, as I was browsing through the “Newsletter. Physiol. Org.” in the Google search, to know the latest research information, I saw the following heading that was from Medical X’press (March 31, 2017):
“How the alkaline diet may actually benefit you”
(https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-03-alkaline-diet-benefit.html?utm_source=nwletter& utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-nwletter), reported by Julia Bernstein.
Sreedhar Mandayam, Associate Professor of Nephrology in Baylor College of Medicine has expressed his opinion that consuming alkaline food would positively help for keeping the body in good health.
The Professor’s statement is true to a certain degree.
However, with due respect to the Professor, I think, he may want to consider the facts I have discussed in this article, and may also want to reconsider his interpretations, if he is convinced of my reporting.
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The above two matters aroused my interest.
It occurred to me that I should clear the air for all those who are at the cross-roads.
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Let me first sort out the misunderstandings people may have about the ALKALINE water:
All of us know very well that our blood is very mildly ALKALINE, in that it stays at all times, only between pH 7.35 and 7.45*.
(* For the benefit of non-scientists: the acidity/alkalinity scale runs from pH 1 (very strong acid) to pH 14 (very strong alkalinity). The mid-point is pH 7.0, called neutral pH. So, 7.3 or 7.4 is slightly alkaline!)
The following explanation, not known to anyone else is: the reason for our blood to remain at pH 7.35 – 7.45.
The following is my own interpretation:
From time immemorial, humans have been drinking water from the POND, and NOT directly from the rain drops.
Rain water is ACIDIC, with pH5.6.
Because, water is H2O. (Two parts of Hydrogen + 1 part of Oxygen).
When this pours down from the blackish (called cumuliform) cloud down to the earth, it passes through the AIR.
The air has CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) in it.
So, the carbon dioxide & water combine together, to become H2CO3. This is called CARBONIC ACID.
It is this carbonic acid that makes the water ACID, and its pH is around pH5.6.
Thus, all the rain water tends to remain in an ACID state*.
(* Extra chemistry: If the rain water (at pH5.6) passes through air that has been polluted by some acid gasses (e.g., hydrogen sulphide = H2S) emitted by some industry, then the pH of the rain water can become stronger acid, such as pH5.0 or 4.5 and so on. We call this ACID RAIN.
Plants need different kinds of ALKALINE minerals, most being CALCIUM, then magnesium, potassium, and so on.
If ACID rain drops, most of the plant nutrients (e.g. the Calcium = Ca) will get destroyed. That would result in the death of the plant.)
The soil has Calcium* and other nutrients that are ALKALINE.
(* Calcium comes from rocks in the earth: e.g., limestone hills that are under the soil, e.g. Batu Caves hill)
When rain drops at pH 5.6 fall over the soil, and roll over to a lower ground – a pit or a POND, the running water ‘picks up’ the CALCIUM and other alkaline substances.
Thus, the water in the POND becomes ALKALINE.
The pH of the pond water will be ALKALINE. The pH will vary according to the amount of the calcium and other alkaline minerals that are present in the soil of THAT location.
However, the pond water, under normal circumstances, tends to be around pH 7.00, 7.5. 8.0, 8.5 and the like.
SINCE HUMANS HAVE BEEN DRINKING ONLY THE POND WATER ALL THE TIME – DURING THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION, THE HUMAN BODY HAS SETTLED TO HAVE ITS BLOOD TO REMAIN BETWEEN 7.35 & 7.45*.
(* In England, in the city of Liverpool, for instance, because of heavy industrialisation since very long, the air remains very highly polluted all the time, and rain turns highly acidic, making the soil too very acidic. Therefore, the pond water too becomes not drinkable. Therefore, in nearly all the cities in England, they ADD calcium to the PIPED water, to make its pH to be around 7.5 or so, so that it does not ruin human health.)
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I have tested the PIPED water in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor State, and found that to be HIGHLY ALKALINE. Often, the pH ranges between 7.5 and 8.5, with further fluctuations!
Do you know what makes Malaysian pond waters alkaline?
It is because of the LIMESTONE hills – under the soil!
The British people, while ruling Malaysia, following their practice in Britain, enriched the piped water in Malaya, adding Calcium to it, thus making it even more alkaline.
The sad part is: even after attaining independence, the Malaysian water managers have been practicing the same procedure.
When I was Professor in University of Malaya (<1993), I was invited by the Ministry to enlighten them on the water pH matters.
The Authorities then promised of stopping the practice. However, I think, the practice is still on.
Since Malaysian water is already ALKALINE at higher pHs, we should NOT make the water more alkaline!
Therefore, the truth remains that ANY WATER TREATING MACHINE THAT TURNS THE WATER MORE ALKALINE SHOULD NOT BE USED in Malaysia.
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The next question that stands out is:
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF A PERSON CONTINUES TO DRINK ALKALINE WATER at higher pHs? Higher than, say, pH7.5?
Even before answering the above question, it would be better to know what would happen if one drinks ACID water all the time?
We (adults) need about 500 mg of Calcium daily for maintaining our body in good health. (Children require double, about 900 mg daily).
This calcium comes from water & food we consume.
If we drink ACID water, not only that will does not have calcium in it, but that ACID water will DEPLETE (remove) even the calcium that can be had from vegetables and other eatables. Further, it can also remove calcium from our own BONES!.
These actions will make our skeletal system much weaker, besides making our body ACIDIFIED.
Acidified body = very ‘heaty’ body!
If body becomes acidified – called hyper acidosis, then, VIRUS will definitely infect us. Initially, sore throat, then common cold, followed by fever, + any other virus-caused disease, including chickenpox, measles, etc.
In order to prevent virus infections, we have to keep our body in an alkaline state – MILDLY ALKALINE STATE! That can be, say, pH7.5*.
(* According to the Tamil Nadu’s Siddha Medicine, they recommend to consume three-fifth (60%) alkaline food, and two-fifth (40%) acid food. That makes excellent sense, indeed!)
Now, what happens if our body turns VERY HIGHLY ALKALINE?
1. Bacteria that love to live in alkaline medium will infect us, and that will give us one or more of the bacteria-caused diseases.
2. The calcium excesses, if consumed in EXCESS, will get out our body through URINATION, thus leaving our body in a health state, in spite of drinking or eating high pH items. This clearance requires, as per my long-term research, EIGHT TIMES of urination daily. (In other words, we should drink about 2 L of water, and also urinate about 2 L of urine).
3. The problem would arise only if we UNDER-URINATE!
4. People living in villages tend to urinate the moment they get the pressure to void urine. So, they tend to remain healthy.
5. Those living in city areas, working in air-conditioned offices, and those who sweat out PROFUSELY, void VERY LITTLE URINE. Most people tend to urinate only THRICE daily!
6. As a result of under-urination, even if a person is going to drink water at pH 7.5, his/her body is going to RETAIN within the body MOST of the CALCIUM.
7. The quantity of calcium saved (accumulated within the body) daily would reach to enormous levels along with time.
8. When Calcium gathers too much within the body, that gets stored within the SOFT cells (e.g., in the breast, various organs, etc.).
9. When abundant calcium accumulates, the cells in that organ divide to accommodate the calcium excesses, and that creates bulges.
10. If that happens in the breast, we call it BREAST LUMP. It that accumulates in the cells of the Prostate Gland, we call it Prostate ENLARGEMENT, and cancer later. If that gathers in the liver we call it CYST. In the womb, we call it ENDOMETRIOSIS. In the ovary, that can become POLY CYSTIC OVARY. If in the cervix, it can become CERVICAL CANCER, if in the kidneys, we can them kidney stones. In the heart, we call it HEALRT BLOCKAGE. The calcium excesses can also thicken the blood vessel walls, and call that ATHEROSCLEROSIS. When in brain, it will be BRAIN TUMOUR.
These calcium accumulations, at initial stages, would give plenty of WHITE DISCHARGE to women.
One nice thing that happens when abundant calcium accumulates within the body is that, we would NOT get any virus-caused diseases.
That means, all under-urinating people will never get common cold and fever. However, they will keep on become more and more OBESE!
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After knowing all the above, do you still wish to drink ALKALINE water?
Drinking alkaline water will be very good for a week, if your body feels very heaty. In other words, if your body had turned hyper acidosis, and if you drink alkaline water, you will get the cure almost immediately, if not overnight!
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Whether it is ALKALINE WATER or ALKALINE FOOD, the end-result is the SAME!
Whatever is the source of EXCESSIVE CALCIUM, all those excesses should get out of our body through URINATIONS!*
(Of course, the undigested, unabsorbed, water-insoluble calcium that had gone into the body through VEGETABLES, will have to be eliminated through proper DEFECATIONS.
Constipations or defecating diarrhoea-like slimy faeces would enhance its entry into the body. So, one must not constipate or defecate slimy faeces, but would let it out as solid and shapely structure on a daily basis.)
The inference we get is, we can eat CALCIUM-RICH FOOD AND DRINKS, but they HAVE TO BE NATURAL, and NOT ENRICHED*!
(* Machine-processed water is EQUIVALENT TO ENRICHED WATER, and therefore, it would be better to avoid consuming it for more than one week at a stretch!)
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I am sorry for not posting any article in our Blog for the past about two months. It is so because, I have been a bit ‘over-occupied’ with some other important research work.
Thanks to all those who have been asking about my ‘long’ silence.
Also thanks to those of you who have asking me to produce YouTube presentations.
I will try to do so, soon.
With best wishes and thanks,
Dr. Palani, Ph.D.