Hard water and water ionizers do NOT get on

If your water supply is hard - meaning it has high calcium content - here's a good strategy to protect your ionizer. 

You see, AlkaWay ionizers have excellent protection for their ionizer cell through patented DARC - Double Acting Reverse Cleanse, which alternately bathes all faces of the ionizer plates in acid then alkaline water. But when high alkaline and calcium water leaves the cell, problems can occur. 

To check yours, take a look at the end of your spout. Does it have calcium accretion? If so, you may be shortening your lifespan. (Sorry, your Ionizer's not your lifespan!)

So what to do? Well, there is a simple answer. If you have set your ionizer on alkaline level 3, then set it on the same level of acid water for a week. This reverses all the plumbing and water flow post-ionizer cell, so all those built-up pipes will get acid water flowing through the instead of alkaline, and the acid water will reduce built-up accretion. The only small downside is that you will have to collect your alkaline drinking water from the acid hose during this period.

Dan Ross: new Breed of Surfer

We are a small company and therefore new to the world of sponsorship. When we learned that alkaline ionized water didn't take off in Japan until some Japanese celebrities endorsed it, we wondered what and how we might get into the field of sponsorship.

Personally, I've always had a problem with the obvious endorsements I see on TV. I know, we know, and everyone else knows that the endorsee is just saying what he or she has been told to say for money.

Enter Dan Ross.  Dan is a surfer. The real thing. He lives to surf. He's in the top 50 ASP surfers in the world. He lives at Yamba a small mid-North coast surf town, and has teamed up with Stu Bowen, his best mate and 'manager'. That's how we learned about Dan and Stu. Stu bought an AlkaWay water ionizer and loves it, recommending it to anyone within shouting range, including past world champ Mick Fanning. Dan drinks alkaline water during his rigorous daily training, and right now he's competing in the QuickSilver Pro on the Gold Coast - his first contest for over a year after severe damage to a shoulder in a  surf accident. He's been doing endurance work, weight work, breath work and drinking the water.. every day. 

So far I could be talking about any young pro surfer.. but Dan (and Stu) are different. They approached us because they have chosen to only be involved with people with whom their values agree. They are both serious conservationists. Stu runs Fresh Mullet, a great surfblog that's rated in the top 500 blogs in the world by Alexa. They are both into organic food, healthy lifestyle and - how can I say it without sounding trite - they really do live their values. Their other major sponsor is Patagonia, the outdoor wear and equipment people. Patagonia also live their values, including buying 2 million acres in Patagonia for the simple purpose of preservation of natural habitat.

We spent some time between heats with Dan and Stu yesterday, and its what I'll call 'alkaline' energy that impresses. They aren't laidback in terms of lazy. They are intent, they are open, but they both have time for you, time to listen, time to share space. Knowing they'll probably read this I don't want to carry on too much, but I'm inspired. Not just by the 'vibe', but by these two young men choosing against the way the surf industry has gone - get as many sponsors as I can while I can for as much as I can'. They are actively pursuing a future in line with their values of healthy lifestyle, of environmental awareness, of low impact lifestyle, and of giving back. Take a look at Dan and you may see what I see in him; the future citizen of our fragile world. 

Stu, Ian and Dan

Thank you Kaz!

We are losing Karen Bradley, 'Kaz' to all of us here. Kaz is returning to Melbourne to care for her aging parents; a move I respect and honour, but boy, will we miss her!

Kaz has been one of our team of alkaline specialists for quite some time and has so many friends 'out there' that she got to know through AlkaWay that she asked that I publish her resignation letter. Here it is:

"This was planned as my official resignation but it feels more like a thank you letter and testimony to a great company! The time I've spent as an Alkaline Specialist at Alkaway will always be treasured. It's been a time of great personal growth and transformation for me. I've been encouraged to expand and become more creative in communications and styles of engaging with the public. I've been encouraged to contribute within a company with high ideals and integrity that has matched my own standards and visions. I've had the privilege to build what I believe will be long standing relationships with each of the staff members of Alkaway, all of which I consider to be more than work mates, they've become valued friends. I've also been lucky enough to build some wonderful friendships with customers and I truly hope they will also continue into the future. All this from the paradise I know as Byron Bay.

It's not often that you get to work within a company that knows how to look after both their customers and their staff and realize that by doing this, they create a stronger, healthier company that will not just survive the test of time, but will flourish. Most of all, it's not that often that you get the opportunity to do what you really love and know that you are making a positive difference with people - especially in sales!

Thank you all so much for your support, patience and love over the last five months while I've been away in Melbourne. I know it's affected you and created stress for Alkaway. I'm sad to be finishing this month, yet I'm also feeling quite relieved that I can now focus on caring for my parents and exploring a new chapter in my life away from Byron Bay.
I'm sure our paths will continue to cross.

Warmest of wishes and gratitude from Kaz.

P.s.  My parents have become Alkaway's biggest fans!"

Meet the Team

Our new Team Pic is up on our Facebook page and Lauren has tagged everyone so you can put a face to the name. Here it is.

While you are there, feel free to read up and make friends.

Wow. This made my day.

As you know by now, we are not allowed to make therapeutic claims about our wonderful water. So when I saw this come in to Karen, our Alkaline Specialist, it was a case of wondering what to do. Well, the story solved the problem. 

These lovely people aren't making claims. They have no idea why the results are happening! here's their story.

"...Karen , We have both benefited and have passed the lessons on to others, one of whom is seriously considering purchasing a machine , we joined there to learn after we had been given a machine by a concerned friend and though I considered it snake oil hooked it up and gave it a shot.

We have both gained far better health over the past 4 months and people are noticing , in fact it is rather hard not to get all evangelical about alkaline water so if someone asks questions we refer them to your site or in the case of two old friends with limited resources we supply them with water.

I have just today spent a day with a friend who owns a couple of pharmacies and he is most interested after seeing how my wife and I have both benefited.Some things are very hard to explain however and I am unsure why they have happened My blood pressure is down to normal for the first time in years also my diabetes readings of a morning are down from 10-11 to 6-7. 

Another thing that is confusing is on the advise of a friend from Hong Kong I have been rinsing my arms with the acid water and all my skin cancers have shrivelled dried and peeled off is this normal or just co incidence ? I am dying to get over to Alkaway and talk to the people there and learn more 

Ian: You know, I really am a lazy so-and-so. My old surfing days have left me with dozens of small skin cancers and i don't bother to use the acid water here at home!

Chrissie Evans and her globetrotting AlkaPod

Christine Evans is a girl that gets around. As a performance coach she works worldwide.. and along with her now, wherever she goes, is her AlkaPod Portable water ionizer. She just dropped us an email:

" I was excited to have the Alkapod. Of course I wasn't using it enough at the beginning of this month. I was travelling, on several planes, and switching continents- all times when the alkapod is convenient. I admit is seemed a bit heavy and slow-the alkapod only does about 400ml of water at one time.

Even when I moved into my NYC apartment, I was still racing between training and work, and just using the Alkapod once a day or skipping a day. I was inspired to try it after having a benchtop alkaline system last year and being surprised by some very noticeable health benefits! I am also an athlete, so hydration is important. Many endurance athletes have learned to manipulate their carbs, protein, electrolytes at optimal times and digestion. Why not water?!! I just had too much on my plate!

But I couldn't ignore that the Alkapod's water is incredibly smooth. If you've ever had sinus issues, strep or allergies - when swallowing is not easy - this water slips down, even when you have to use chlorinated tap water. Its silkiness is comforting.

And I kept finding I was drinking more of it. Sometimes after training, it's not easy to keep sipping typical water...but it was easy to drink my Alkapod's water. Studies show that athletes drink far more adequately when their water is sweetened or flavored...I was having the same effect with my Alkapod, and no flavoring needed.

I asked the company about the minerals added, in case this easier hydration was due to minerals, just like bottled mineral water. I still have to find out more. However, the simple answer is that the water undergoes a molecular change from interaction with the minerals in AlkaPod's filter and this gives that clearly different taste and consistency. 

I know, it's only water! But if you're an athlete or someone interested in health or fine food, you will know what I am talking about.
I did feel more hydrated---the water seemed to go further.

I have known for years that a top quality protein which is highly hydrolyzed will have an effect on my body in under 14 days. The digestion aspect is crucial. The typical protein on a store shelf doesn't do it. Likewise, this alkapod water was going down easily and I just felt good with it after training.
Without thinking, I naturally started using the alkapod for my night water and water I take to training- only 1-1.5 liters of my daily drinking water. In my no-spare-time New York lifestyle, I'm motivated to wait the 10minutes for each glass my allkapod makes---therefore it's definitely different. At the moment, I can't report any specific health revelations. There's often much hype about water products so I'm quite happy, at the moment, just to let you know that my alkapod's water tastes fantastic and yes, it seems to be incredibly hydrating."

He's 95, and his secret of a long and happy life is...

Watermelons and alkaline water. Read his story here

Tech Talk: Hard Water

(Thanks to Ionways USA for this useful info)


We hear the term "hard water" quite often in the business of ionizers. Hard water is water that contains high levels of minerals, usually found as calcium and magnesium. This type of highly mineralized water is more common in some areas than in others: WA, South Australia, Central Australia and NT to name a few. Hardness is usually measured in milligrams per liter, (mg/L - also known as parts per million). We raise a flag of concern when we see hardness levels near or above 290mg/L.

When we consider that our ionizers take hard water and make it harder by concentrating alkaline minerals, the level of hardness in the source water can become a factor in the way you maintain your machine. Why? Because high concentrations of calcium and magnesium (essential alkalizing minerals needed for optimum health!) can create a build-up called, "scale." Scale build-up is treatable and completely preventable if it's caught early enough, and knowing where to look for it is important. 
Take a peek at the end of your stainless steel flexible spout, or, if you have an under-sink model, the tip of your faucet. If you see a build-up that looks slightly off-white, light green/bluish, or with hints of tan or yellow, you are looking at scale. 

The easiest way to clean the visible scale on external components is to use plain white vinegar, which can be purchased at almost any grocery store. Because it is acidic, the vinegar will dissolve the alkaline mineral scale and leave your ionizer nice and clean!

For internal cleaning, our patented cleaning system uses acidic water to clean and prevent scale from forming. The built-in cleaning system inside our ionizers is so effective that we've never seen a single water cell with build-up on its plates - not even one! Even so, the cleaning system doesn't reach the dispensing end from which the alkaline water flows and this is where the build-up that slows down water flow and causes blockage is found. A simple and very effective way to prevent this is to change the way we get our alkaline water. 

If you are drinking level 3 alkaline water, the discharge from your acid hose will be level 3 acidic water. To get all the benefits of your own post cleaning system, set your ionizer to dispense acidic water from the  spout and drink alkaline water from the acidic discharge hose. Its that easy, and very effective! Run it like this for a few days.
(ian: a great idea!)

Of course there are preventative measures that can be taken to protect your ionizer, such as using an anti-scaling device or, in extreme situations, the use of a reverse osmosis system. In the meantime, this will help a few folks to prevent scale build-up on their machines. If you need help with a scaling issue, it's always better to contact technical services sooner than later - because the sooner we can catch the problem, the better the chance of avoiding costly repairs.

Yet another Scientific report on alkaline ionized water.. but.. er... Cooked Mouse, anyone?

They keep coming. But this one, done awhile ago, and I hope, hope, hope never repeated, is one we could probably do without. Especially when I read this:

"The survival time and swimming time were 51% and 22.7% more respectively in experimental group than in control group."

So here's the study:

I have to admit... When I read it, it did remind me of a young chap who is a concreter. In the middle of our steamy Byron Bay summer I had a chat to him as he filled his AlkaWay 15l bottle from our auto dispenser. 

"Yes, mate," he said. "I used to fade out after a couple of hours on the job. I'd guzzle mineral water and all that happened was I'd go fuzzy. With this water, I just keep powering, and my mind is sharp as a tack!"

Ian's Facebook

I've been neglecting our Facebook page but now it's up and going. Love to have you join me!
Here's my Facebook link.

and.. my Twitter link

How to Take 15 Years off your Biological Age

Peter Stone is a powerful dude. He's personal trainer to some powerful people and he is also a powerful Alkalarian. He's also a highly sought after speaker, coach and writer. I met him recently and had a real jam session with him on our favourite subject - you guessed it - the Alkaline Lifestyle. He's been recommending alkalising to people for many, many years.

His claim to fame is a wholistic training regimen to take 15 years off your biological life measurement.. and yes, he does it!

Here's his website - with an interview he and I did recently.

Yet another doctor comes into the Alkaline water fold.

Dr Raymond Hatland's article on bottled water crossed my screen briefly today. It appears he has arrived at similar conclusions to those of most of you reading this blog.

"Bottled water has rapidly become a very popular drink. In this age of convenience, bottled water fits in very well with many new modern lifestyles. It provides portability and is readily available as purified and sanitized drinking water. It is also an upgrade from the many artificially sweetened drinks that have flooded the market.

The question is whether or not bottled water is a great improvement over tap water.

On the positive side, tap water is cheap, basically safe and easily available, has fluoride that can help prevent tooth decay, has a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, usually contains some good minerals, and depending on where you are located can have a good taste.

On the negative side, tap water can be polluted with many industrial chemicals that are not totally removed by water purification systems, can contain excessive amounts of iron, sulfur, or fluoride, can draw lead or copper from the pipes, and on occasion may be contaminated with bacteria and waste products from occasional flooding.

On the positive side, bottled water is safe from bacterial infections, can taste good, is easily portable, can have an alkaline pH, and can be free of fluoride.

On the negative side, bottled water is very expensive, usually has a very acidic pH, has no fluoride, may have very few nutritional minerals, and may contain unacceptable levels of the plastic chemicals (bisphosphonates) that leech from plastic containers.

Conclusions

1. Fluoride in the water is both positive and negative depending on who is drinking it.

2. Kids benefit from the fluoride, which helps reduce dental decay. However, this is a doubtful benefit for most adults and there is some concern that the fluoride ion in tap water reacts with the some of the trace chemicals in tap water making them more carcinogenic.

3. It is my opinion that fluoride is best applied topically by dentists or hygienists for the most effective protection of teeth with minimal systemic side effects.

4. High fluoride concentration tooth gels can be used by high-risk adults and by children under supervision to avoid excess swallowing of the gel. Two to three times a week is often enough to be effective.

5. Having an occasional bottle of water is not a health risk. Drinking only bottled water could be a problem. The best of both worlds would be to buy a water filter and alkalizing unit that will purify your tap water and increase the pH of the water up to 9. There are many health benefits in doing this. Alkaline water increases your body’s ability to neutralize excess acid ions that come from the high amount of acid foods and liquids we ingest. This will help the body reduce inflammation, tooth decay, and enamel erosion in the mouth and generalized water retention. Weight loss and lower blood pressure is another benefit."

Dr. Raymond Hatland, DDS, attended the University of Illinois in Urbana from 1960 to 1962, and the University of Illinois College of Dentistry from 1962 to 1966, graduating in the upper 20% of his class. He participated in the U.S. Army’s one-year rotating internship program at Ireland Army Hospital in Fort Knox, Ky., receiving advanced training in all specialty areas including oral surgery, fixed and removable prosthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, pedodontics, and oral medicine. Since 1975, Dr. Hatland has taken more than 1,600 hours of continuing-education courses in all of the above areas of dentistry as well as functional orthodontics and many alternative and energy system related courses and seminars, and has written several articles about his periodontal research regarding the reverse gum disease program. Dr. Hatland has been selected as a member of America’s Top Dentists and named Dentist of the Year for 2003 through 2005 by the Consumer Business Review. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Indiana Dental Association, the Indianapolis District Dental Society, the Holistic Dental Association, and an associate member of the Chicago Dental Society.

His website is HERE

Another great reason for Alkaline water; Believe It or Not—Your Unhealthy Mouth Can Kill You

Let’s face it—oral health is a sore subject for a lot of people. And if you have a hard time swallowing the thought of a routine dental cleaning—let alone the prospect of painful gum surgery, or an excruciating root canal—you’re not alone. In fact, you’ve probably been tempted more than once to just skip that dentist appointment altogether.

If so, consider yourself warned: There’s much more to your mouth’s health than meets the eye—and you might be surprised to learn just how deadly a set of “sick” gums can be.

Emerging research has shed a harsh light on the dangerous link between gum disease and your heart health. Recent studies have revealed that a shocking 84 percent of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) also have periodontal disease—and that this same condition significantly raises your risk of hypertension, heart attack, and more severe coronary lesions, too.

What’s more, evidence suggests that oral infections are capable of raising notorious inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen, both of which are major red flags for heart disease and atherosclerosis. Meanwhile, other studies show that half of patients with chronic periodontitis have Streptococcus mutans—the very same bacteria found in their dental plaque—lining the walls of their arteries, too.9 And if that wasn’t bad enough, periodontal disease also appears to be connected to high total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and reduced levels of health-boosting HDL (or “good”) cholesterol.

It’s safe to say that all of this is more than enough reason never to miss another dentist appointment again… but what else can you do to keep your mouth (and your heart) healthy and free of pathogenic microorganisms? Luckily, quite a bit—in fact, at least two natural solutions are clinically proven to go a surprisingly long way in this fight.

Sugar, as we know, is acidic and there's no doubt about its ability to foment diesease in the mouth. One alternative for the sweet toothed is Xylitol, an expensive corn-based sugar substitute that, unlike real sugar, actually raises your mouth’s pH—reducing enamel etching acidity and decreasing both tooth decay and plaque formation.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is another useful supplement in the fight against gum disease, with studies revealing this natural molecule’s potency against bacteria and inflammation in cases of gingivitis and periodontitis. As a bonus, HA supplementation is also clinically proven to help more mundane oral health issues—such as canker sores and dry mouth.

Or, of course, you could take the path of least resistance; return to your natural alkaline state and change the way your body 'thinks' about the need for sweetness. And drinking alkaline water instead of carbonated sugardrinks is doing what your mouth wants; supplying an alkaline environment in the mouth.

I remember ten years ago my wife Cassie had chronic gingivitis. It disappeared after beginning alkaline ionised water and has never returned.

References: 1. Cronin A. Periodontal disease is a risk marker for coronary heart disease? Evid Based Dent. 2009;10(1):22. 2. Zhang YM, Zhong LJ, He BX, et al. Study on the correlation between coronary heart disease and chronic periodontitis. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2006 Mar;27(3):256-9. 3. Liu P, Zhang Y, Wang SJ, et al. Correlation between periodontal disease and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. 2006 Apr;28(2):169-72. 4. Holmlund A, Holm G, Lind L. Severity of periodontal disease and number of remaining teeth are related to the prevalence of myocardial infarction and hypertension in a study based on 4,254 subjects. J Periodontol. 2006 Jul;77(7):1173-8. 5. Amabile N, Susini G, Pettenati-Soubayroux I, et al. Severity of periodontal disease correlates to inflammatory systemic status and independently predicts the presence and angiographic extent of stable coronary artery disease. J Intern Med. 2008 Jun;263(6):644-52. 6. Karnoutsos K, Papastergiou P, Stefanidis S, et al. Periodontitis as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease: The role of anti-phosphorylcholine and anti-cardiolipin antibodies. Hippokratia. 2008 Jul;12(3):144-9. 7. Liu J, Wu YF, Ding Y, et al. Serum C-reactive protein levels and lipid profiles concentrations in moderate to severe periodontitis and coronary heart disease: a comparative study. Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2009 Mar;44(3):150-4. 8. Ge S, Wu YF, Liu TJ, et al. Study of the correlation between moderately and severely chronic periodontitis and coronary heart disease. Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2008 Jun;26(3):262-6. 9. Zaremba M, Górska R, Suwalski P, et al. Periodontitis as a risk factor of coronary heart diseases? Adv Med Sci. 2006;51 Suppl 1:34-9. 10. Duan JY, Ou-Yang XY, Zhou YX. Effect of periodontal initial therapy on the serum level of lipid in the patients with both periodontitis and hyperlipidemia. Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao. 2009 Feb 18;41(1):36-9. 11. Splieth CH, Alkilzy M, Schmitt J, et al. Effect of xylitol and sorbitol on plaque acidogenesis. Quintessence Int. 2009 Apr;40(4):279-85. 12. Han SJ, Jeong SY, Nam YJ, et al. Xylitol inhibits inflammatory cytokine expression induced by lipopolysaccharide from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2005 Nov;12(11):1285-91. 13. Sukumar S, Drízhal I. Hyaluronic acid and periodontitis. Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove). 2007;50(4):225-8. 14. Pistorius A, Martin M, Willershausen B, et al. The clinical application of hyaluronic acid in gingivitis therapy. Quintessence Int. 2005 Jul-Aug;36(7-8):531-8. 15. Lee JH, Jung JY, Bang D. The efficacy of topical 0.2% hyaluronic acid gel on recurrent oral ulcers: comparison between recurrent aphthous ulcers and the oral ulcers of Behçet’s disease. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2008 May;22(5):590-5. 16. Yuan J, Tohara H, Mikushi S, et al. The effect of “Oral Wet” for elderly people with xerostomia—the effect of oral rinse containing hialuronan. Kokubyo Gakkai Zasshi. 2005 Mar;72(1):106-10.

A Free lotus Home Sanitizer every month.

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I thought about it a bit and it sounded right.
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Is 'organic' really a better juice?

A recent study by Washington State University assessed the levels of antioxidants in citrus fruits and juices.

Organic lemonade had ten times the total eriocitrin (a form of antioxidant) compared to its conventional counterpart. Organic apple juice had three times as much hesperidin and twice as much hesperetin (again both forms of antioxidants) compared to non organic apple juice.

You might also be interested, given the higher price we pay for organic fruit and vegetables, that we tested the two top live enzyme juicers on the market and found from our tests that an organic carrot juice a day for a family of four would cost $7000+ more on one juicer over the other. Wow,

Here's the facts.