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

10 Reasons to Drink Water

We are sure you would have heard the term electrolytes – and the need to replenish these when we have over exerted ourselves when exercising or if you have suffered from a diarrhea or vomiting episode.

What happens is that we have lost so much body fluid (water containing mineral salts) - that we become dehydrated. We MUST replenish both the fluid (water) and these valuable mineral salts in order for the body to rebalance itself.  Otherwise we get worse and suffer headaches, low energy etc.

What are Electrolytes and why are they so important?
An electrolyte is simply an alkaline mineral – or mineral salt. These “electrolyte” mineral salts dissolve in water and carry an electrical charge. Since the body is made up of over 70% water – electrolytes are found everywhere in the body.

 
Alkaline Water containing a balanced range of electrolyte minerals is essential for re-hydration – which is why sports drinks (Gatorade and PowerAde) are based on rehydration with electrolytes minerals contained in them – along with carbohydrates, flavoring and sugars!

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 metabolic waste products and excess water. The key electrolyte minerals are Sodium, Potassium and Chloride (not chlorine!) mineral salts, which have a negative electrical charge.

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. 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.

So all 3 electrolytes – sodium, potassium and chloride – 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 contains all 3 key electrolytes plus many other ionized alkaline minerals creating an alkaline water full of alkaline minerals ideal for the body’s modern day water needs.
 

On Monday the 17^th of September 2007, we were alarmed to read of over 42 schools in country NSW that were identified with elevated levels of lead in the schools water supplies. A year later in September 2008 there were 292 schools identified – and parents were NOT Aware!

Whats going on?  We have been asking ourselves the following questions:

1. How would lead leach into schools drinking waters supplies IF it is not in the piping or traditional plumbing materials?
2. If lead is in the school’s water supply – then is it possible or even probable that it is also in the local area water supply as well; if so how is it getting in there?
3. Where does the lead come from that we find in our water tanks?
4. How do we filter lead out of our water for peace of mind?
5. If lead is present – is there the possibility of other heavy metals likley to be present as well which could also threaten our children’s health?

And yes, as the coal is transported and railed across country NSW to Newcastle and as it sits in those massive open pit mines, open train wagons and piled high ready for loading – the coal dust picked up by the wind is deposited on the roofs, porches, grounds and play areas of our schools, houses and businesses.  And for those on tank water or where the water is potentially exposed to “dust and dust run off!” – it is dissolved into the water which ends up in our drinking water supplies! Simple but scary.

And no-one is taking any responsibility for this! They are still looking to replace the plumbing in the schools of any lead content!

The biochemist / geologist and his naturopath wife who is also a research scientist were alarmed when they moved to country NSW several years ago and tested their own tank and drinking water.  They found deadly heavy metals were present including lead, cadmium and arsenic!  They are now sending the message to all that will listen that you MUST filter your water and recently tested the zazen Alkaline Water system and purchased it for their own use (having tested many others).  Click here for the testimonial on the zazen Essential Water system

The water we drink has been around for hundreds of millions of years.  It travels in a continuous cycle between the oceans, the air, the earth’s surface and underground storage (acquifiers), undergoing natural cleansing as it makes this journey, but also potentially becoming contaminated.  Water vapour condenses to form clouds, which release water as rain, hail or snow when conditions are suitable.  

As the water falls to earth it either moves into the soil or runs into rivers and the ocean.  Surface water in lakes, streams and oceans evaporates, returning moisture to the atmosphere.  Plants also return water to the atmosphere by taking water from the ground through their roots and releasing it from their leaves in a process known as transpiration.

Our drinking water comes mainly from two sources: surface water (rainfall and its runoff into streams and rivers) and groundwater (water that has collected in underground stores or aquifers).

Surface water can come from a river, lake or artificial dam. Groundwater is accessed through a bore. Across Australia, water suppliers access this water, treat it and distribute it to consumers.  The quality of our drinking water should be of very real concern to all of us and it is generally recommended that all tap water should be at the very least filtered. 

However, to receive the essential health benefits that water should provide, these days we need to treat the water ourselves in our homes before we drink it.   We live in a very very different biochemical environment than we did 30, 40, 50 years ago.

Alkaline Mineral Water, which cleanses, hydrates, nourishes and energises us, is filtered, rebalanced, remineralised and restructured.

By now you will have understood how critical good water is, but we often get asked “Isn’t all water the same?”
 
NO. NOT ALL WATER IS EQUAL!
 
Water than can act as a nutrient to your body and increase vitality should be safe, filtered, energised, mineral rich, pH balanced & oxygenated.
 
Basic water filters remove EVERYTHING from your drinking water ~ both the bad stuff, harmful bacteria, and the good stuff, beneficial minerals.
 
This water that is stripped of everything cannot sustain life.  If you put a gold fish in tap water or simply filtered water, it will die within minutes.  Everyone who owns a fish tank knows they must treat water from our taps before adding it to the aquarium.  
 
So if it kills fish, what is it slowly doing to us?
 
Well, when we drink filtered or distilled water, the body has to borrow essential minerals to process it, using up valuable energy reserves, and robbing our body of minerals needed for other functions.  If this type of water is ingested for long periods of time, it leaches out valuable reserves of body minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium.
 
You can take mineral supplements to replace them, however it is not easy to replace the minerals in our bodies in the same form as we lost them.

What can you do?  Visit www.zazenessentialwater.com.au for more information.
 
However there is a way to make sure that the water that comes out of your tap is converted to the required levels of quality and safety to restore the natural balance of fluids in your child’s body!

It is difficult for the body to get water from any other source than water itself.
 
Did you know?

• Soft drinks steal water from the body ~ for every glass of soft drink you have, you need to drink 8 to 12 glasses of water to compensate the dehydrating effects!
• Milk, juice and coffee also require water and minerals from the body to be properly digested.
• Soft drinks and other caffeine-containing beverages don’t allow the water to stay in the body long enough.  Within an hour, your child will urinate more than the cup of beverage they drink.

When children are given fruit juice and soft drinks to the exclusion of water, it only compounds the dehydration problem.  At the same time, this cultivates their preference for the taste of soft drinks and juices and reduces their natural urge to drink water.
 
THE FACTS ON WATER
 
1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population.)
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism by 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, slashes the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and you are 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. 

THE FACTS ON COCA-COLA

1. In many US states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.
3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.
4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.  It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

Why do we get such a charge from a can of Cola or manufactured beverage?  Its pH of 2.5 acidity (water to hydrate the body needs to be alkaline at around 7.4) sets alarm bells ringing all over the body.
 
Alakline chemical stores that should be used elsewhere are sacrificed to call the adrenalin that floods the system.  The “high” you learn to expect is the same high as a drug user gets as he/she experiences his artificial sensory elevation.  Your body is actually screaming “HELP”!
 
Excess acid forces the body to borrow minerals (already 100% engaged in children’s vital body function and growth needs) including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, from key organs and bones to neutralise the acid and safely remove it from the body.
 
This excess acidity weakens all body systems.
 
“It’s not the germs we need to be concerned about ~ it’s our inner terrain.”  Louis Pasteur