Excerpted from an article on www.nzherald.co.nz 

Providing you have sufficient liquid in your system the chemical ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is turned into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) during exercise and helps your muscles contract. That process is impaired if you're dehydrated. A good way to find out if you're drinking enough is to look at the colour of your urine after exercise. If it's dark, you're probably dehydrated.

If you're really worried about hydration and dehydration then weigh yourself before and after exercise. You shouldn't lose more than 2 per cent of body weight in fluid during any exercise session or your performance will decrease.

One of the big mistakes people make when exercising is only drinking when they are thirsty. Another is to assume you need sports drinks - which are sometimes packed with calories.

Unless you're exercising at really high intensity for an hour or more a day you probably don't need sports drinks to replace electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.

If you're exercising for more than 90 minutes the rules change; in that case consider drinking one cup of electrolyte drink every 15-30 minutes.

Parents have a responsibility to ensure their budding athletes drink enough when exercising. Younger athletes do not control the build-up of heat as well as adults so need to drink more regularly.

Children may not understand the need to keep hydrated, although they tend to be better than adults at responding to thirst, says Rush. Whenever children are exercising adults should offer them water during breaks.

No-one is the same. But there are some general guidelines for drinking and strenuous exercise:

Before: Drink about two to three cups of water a couple of hours before exercising and then about one cup around 15 minutes before.

During: Drink one cup of water if necessary every 10-15 minutes.

After: Have a larger drink after exercise. It's essential for recovery, ensuring that you can exercise tomorrow and the next day rather than feeling too tired to do anything.

For the full article, go to: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10765335 

I was asked the other day if we had considered marketing a zazen Alkaline Water System with a glass bottom tank.

I went on to answer the question by explaining how the zazen Alkaline Water System worked emulating Mother Nature's water cycle, producing a clean and balanced water with a broad range of essential alkaline minerals ideal for the body’s hydration needs - and therefore in this balanced state would not leach chemicals to balance itself.

It was at this point he exclaimed!......"Oh, I get it he said… so zazen Water is not hungry!”

What a great description “hungry water”. So I thought to myself, "note to self....use this description going forward!"

So if zazen Water isn’t hungry  - what water is hungry?

Simple, any water that is acidic (lower than 7.0pH). Did you know that rainwater can be as low as 5.7 pH (acidic) and up to 7.0 pH (neutral). Why? Because it has not collected any alkaline minerals from earth yet and therefore not alkaline but acidic to neutral.

Many of the bottled waters in plastic bottles are hungry! Water created by the distallation and reverse osmosis methods create hungry water! They will leach minerals from the drinker in order to get absorbed or will leach chemicals from containers where possible.

PS. The zazen Alkaline Water System is BPA free. EVERY part of the system is BPA free - the filter cartridge housing; seals, tap and tanks – are all BPA* free.
It is important to remember that it is not just the tank that the water sits in but also ALL parts that water comes in contact with you should consider. 

What is BPA?
Bisphenol A is a chemical used in cheaper plastics which helps harden the plastic – it is a chemical which is described as an endocrine disruptor and the body takes in BPA, if it is present, thinking it is estrogen. BPA is called a “false estrogen”  and the body cannot discern any difference. Studies show endocrine disruptors have been associated with cancer.

I was asked this past week by a doctor what the medicinal benefits of drinking alkaline water were. I have written below what I wrote to her with her subsequent reply below as well.

I explained that we measure the alkalinity by the pH of the zazen Alkaline Water System and this will vary slightly depending on a number of factors, however the pH can range on average around 7.4 and up to 8.5. The alkaline minerals help create great tasting alkaline water through the re-mineralisation process of the zazen Water System. The blood in our body is slightly alkaline at 7.4 pH so that is also a goal.

So the first point is given the fact that zazen Water contains essential alkaline minerals (especially the electrolytes); plus the system reduces the toxins in the originating water, so the body does not have to do the filtering of these… then we believe zazen Water aids in cellular hydration.  If we accept for a moment that if an individual is hydrated then the body is able to perform the tasks of releasing metabolic waste and draw nutrients more efficiently into the cell, then we can conclude that drinking zazen Alkaline Water assists create a healthier more alkaline state.

The second point we make in drinking zazen Water is as the water reaches the stomach (the alkaline water helps stimulate the stomach to release hydrochloric acid – which is good), this then stimulates the body to release bicarbonate buffers into the bloodstream (to balance the acid in the stomach otherwise there would be holes burnt through the stomach lining). 

These bicarbonate or alkaline buffers naturally released by the body, also help aid in reducing the toxin or acid load in the blood etc. again assisting create a healthier more alkaline state. We of course make no medical claim.

Here is the reply from the doctor.

“Dear Janet. Thank you for answering my question. You have gone to a great deal of effort to try and help me with my query and that goes a long way in my thinking. Thank you again!"

I played basketball for many years at a top level and was constantly suffering from headaches and sometimes severe migraines (which were debilitating). I am going back 25 years now – and back then drinking water was not a part of a daily regime for many people including many athletes! Today of course with better access to information online etc. this is changing but not fast enough!

Imagine how dehydrated we must have been and the additional stress this placed on our bodies! Other than a constant headache other symptoms included constipation and stiff muscles, slow recovery and soreness – much of the lactic acid build up from the strenuous exercise did not get flushed though our systems as quickly as it could have due in part to dehydration!

Recently the New York Times reported a study, also published in Neurology, where scientist’s recruited migraine suffers and divided them into two groups. Group one were given placebo medication to take regularly and group two were told to drink 1.5 litres a day in addition to their normal intake (this is about 6 cups).

At the end of two weeks the researchers found that those in group two (increased their water intake on average by 4 cups a day) – but they experienced on average 21 fewer hours of pain and also experienced a decrease in intensity - than those in the placebo group, during the study period.

I recommend, as do many health officials, that we drink approx. 4 cups of water for every 25kg of body weight; and more if you are ill or exercising. I have found this to work for me and those I love.

Sounds like a lot doesn’t it! So I did some more extensive research on water and health. Two key things I thought would happen and be a potential problem when I started this routine, was I was going to feel really bloated (because this was a feeling I had experienced in the past trying to drink a lot of tap water and bottled water) – and I would be going to the toilet all day long .

I started drinking a high quality alkaline mineral water and what I experienced was that I didn’t have that bloated feeling ever! And as I built up my water intake over 6 weeks, I immediately started to feel better and better – my stiff, achy and creaky joints stopped, I stopped crawling out of bed slowly needing to warm into the day and I no longer experienced any headaches. In fact I no longer suffer from headaches or migraines at all! If I feel a little light headed I simply reach for a glass of quality water.

I also found out that health professionals will tell us we should actually urinate at least 6 times a day - it is good for us and this is the body flushing toxins etc and helps to flush the kidneys! And our urine (other than first thing in the morning) should be a light colour without strong smell.

In a great book – Your Body’s Many Cries for Water by Dr Batmanghelidj - the key thing I learned and have applied every day now - was that the body actually loses its “thirst mechanism” and we over time mistake the thirst craving for a craving for food! So we end up thinking we are hungry when in fact we are thirsty! And what do we do is we eat more and drink less water! My body now tells me it is thirsty and I now recognise that and act on it by giving my body what it is asking for – because our bodies instinctively know what is good for them (we just need to learn to listen to it again).

Recent current affairs television segments have explored spring waters with magnesium added and the reported health benefits. Some of these bottled waters are marketed as “unique water” simply because of the addition of magnesium (used to enhance the alkalinity and overall wellbeing benefits).

So let us explore what may be happening when people drink water that has magnesium added to it. Magnesium is a critical mineral salt or electrolyte in the body. Magnesium is used in every cellular function. Benefits include helping with osteoporosis, prevention of cardiovascular disease, helps with hypertension, treats migraine, depression, insomnia, menopause, cramps … the list goes on.

Magnesium and hydration - To better understand how the body operates when hydrated, we can explore the movement of key electrolytes (minerals salts) sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium (plus chloride).

These electrolytes actually charge the body by charging the water and depending upon the charge they are holding (negative or positive) they can move water in and out of cells and around the body.

Sodium and calcium always partner and as they move into the cell they displace potassium and magnesium.

So What is an Electrolyte?

An electrolyte is a mineral that dissolves in water and carries an electrical charge.

Since the body is mostly made up of water, electrolytes are found everywhere in the body – inside the cells, in the spaces between cells, in the blood, in lymph glands and everywhere else.

Because electrolytes have electrical charges, they can move easily back and forth through cell membranes. This is important because as they move into a cell, they carry other nutrients in with them and as they move out of it, they carry out waste products and excess water.

To keep body fluid levels in balance, your cells need to have a lot of potassium inside them and a lot of sodium in the fluids outside them. To keep the balance, sodium and potassium constantly move back and forth through the cell membranes as do magnesium and calcium.

Sodium easily combines with other elements and is necessary to make hydrochloric acid – the powerful digestive juice inside your stomach that breaks foods down to enable it to be digested and absorbed.

All these electrolytes – sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium – keep the amount of water in the body in balance, carry impulses along the nerves, help make muscles contract and relax and keep the body from becoming too acidic or alkaline.

Electrolytes are also required to carry glucose (blood sugar) and other nutrients into the cells and to carry waste products and extra water out again. Electrolytes also regulate blood pressure and heartbeat.

zazen Alkaline Water has a balanced range of alkaline minerals including magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium and calcium, which aid in hydrating you at a cellular level for maximum wellbeing benefit.

Many minerals such as magnesium are also more easily absorbed in water than in food.

The zazen Alkalinity & Antioxidant Enhancer product (AAE 100gm) – releases additional magnesium into your zazen Water system enhancing both the Alkalinity and Antioxidant value of the water. Click here to download the AAE fact sheet

Additional reading:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/10/magnesium-can-reduce-your-risk-of-sudden-death.aspx

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/Magnesium-health-benefits-supplements/2011/01/20/id/369647

1. The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that every household in the United States has elevated levels of chloroform in the air due to chlorine released from showering water.
2. Tap water often contains at least as much, if not more, chlorine than is recommended for use in swimming pools.
3. More chlorine enters the body through dermal absorption and inhalation while showering than through drinking tap water.
4. The chlorine in showering water has harsh, drying effects on skin and hair.
5. Skin pores widen while showering, making dermal absorption of chlorine and other chemicals possible.
6. The chlorine in showering water can cause rashes and other skin irritations when absorbed by the skin.
7. Chemicals in showering water vaporize at a much faster rate than the actual water. Thus, the steam in a shower contains a much higher concentration of chemicals than the water itself.
8. Inhaled chemicals make their way into the bloodstream much more quickly than ingested chemicals, without the added filtration benefits of digestion.
9. More water contaminants are released into the air of a home from the shower than from any other source.
10. Chlorine is a suspected cause of breast cancer. Women suffering from breast cancer are all found to have 50-60 percent more chlorine in their breast tissue than healthy women.

10 Benefits of Using a Shower Filter

1. Using a shower filter is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce harmful exposure to chlorine and other chemicals.
2. Showering in filtered water results in greater respiratory health by reducing the risk of asthma and bronchitis from chlorine inhalation.
3. Showering in chlorine-free, filtered water decreases the risks of bladder and breast cancer.
4. Children, who are particularly at risk of the harmful effects of chlorine inhalation, benefit especially from the reduction of chlorine from showering water.
5. As chlorine is a leading cause of fatigue, showering in filtered, chlorine-free water results in higher energy levels and overall greater health.
6. Reducing chlorine from showering water results in better air quality throughout the house.
7. Without the drying effects of chlorine, skin becomes softer, healthier, and younger looking.
8. Reducing chlorine from showering water reduces the presence of skin rashes and the appearance of wrinkles.
9. Because the hair is able to preserve its natural moisturizing oils, it becomes softer and healthier when chlorine is removed from showering water.
10. When the body is able to retain its natural moisturizers, the need for costly lotions and moisturizers is greatly reduced.

10 Reasons to Drink Water

Did you know.......?

Roughly 70% of an adult’s body is made up of water.  At birth, water accounts for approximately 80% of an infant’s body weight.

While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day (we more specifically recommend 1 litre for every 25kgs of body weight), not all of this water must be consumed in the liquid form. Nearly every food or drink item provides some water to the body.
Soft drinks, coffee, and tea, while made up almost entirely of water, also contain caffeine. Caffeine can act as a mild diuretic, preventing water from traveling to necessary locations in the body. So these drinks don't count in your daily water intake.

Pure water (solely hydrogen and oxygen atoms) has a neutral pH of 7, which is neither acidic nor basic.  Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Wherever it travels, water carries chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it.

Somewhere between 70 and 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water (similar to the percentage in our bodies - interesting coincidence!!).
Much more fresh water is stored under the ground in aquifers than on the earth’s surface.  The earth is a closed system, similar to a terrarium, meaning that it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed on the earth millions of years ago is still present today. We are drinking the same water the dinosaurs drank! 
The total amount of water on the earth is about 326 million cubic miles of water.  Of all the water on the earth, humans can use only about three tenths of a percent of this water. Such usable water is found in groundwater aquifers, rivers, and freshwater lakes.

The average person uses anywhere from 300 to 400 litres of water per day. Flushing the toilet actually takes up the largest amount of this water.

By the time a person feels thirsty, his or her body has lost over 1 percent of its total water amount.
The weight a person loses directly after intense physical activity is weight from water, not fat.

• 2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs
• 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
• 1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
• 1 glass of water before going to bed - may help avoid stroke or heart attack

We know our drinking water does not just contain hydrogen and oxygen (H₂O). Under a microscope and through chemical analysis we can find up to 2000 harmful contaminants in our drinking water. A key health hazard found in ALL chemically treated metropolitan drinking water are Chloroforms and THM’s.

THM’s & Chloroforms are a breed of deadly modern day man made chemicals created as a bi-product of disinfecting our water. They need to be removed before you drink your water as they are cancer causing.

THM’s & Chloroforms are produced from a chemical reaction with the organic compounds naturally occurring in our drinking water. The amount of organic matter (rubbish) in tap water is essentially made up of decomposing vegetation, algae and dead parasites killed through the disinfectant (chlorination) water process.

What happens to this organic matter as it breaks down and is exposed to disinfectants such as Chlorine and Chloramine?
Minerals are naturally released back into the water, which is fine, many of the minerals are used by the body and good for us. Unfortunately as this organic matter breaks down, proteins from the dead carcasses of parasites are also released. These proteins, when combined with Chlorine or the disinfectants used to kill parasites, create this deadly family of modern day chemicals called THM’s / Chloroforms.

For more information:
USA EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Report on Health Risk of the Trihalomethanes Found in Drinking Water Carcinogenic Activity and Interactions.

What a Good Quality Water Filtration & Re-mineralisation System will do to your tap water.
A good quality water filter & re-mineralisation system will remove and reduce many of the harmful chemicals in our drinking water including THM’s and Chloroforms (refer zazen Blog Post Electrolytes in Drinking Water).  But the system should also rebalance your drinking water so that it supports your body’s ability to hydrate, creating a mineral rich Alkaline Water - just like natural water found bubbling out of a mountain spring.

Distilled Water and Reverse Osmosis Systems will not give you Alkaline Water.
The water produced by these systems does NOT nourish the body; nor hydrate it at a cellular level, most of it runs through us (you know the feeling of water sitting in your stomach). It is generally low pH or acidic water (below 7.0pH).

Because many of us are already mineral deficient, and we need minerals to actually use the water effectively and efficiently, the body has to rob minerals to absorb these types of water.