Alkaline Water?

Hey! How are you doing today? 

Alkaline water, is it good for me? That is a common question these days. During my research, I even found articles about the alkaline water myth. 

The pros and the cons are very well explained on the website ehow.com
I am quoting the site:

Claimed Health Benefits

People who support drinking alkaline water for health benefits, such as the marketers of Kangen water systems, say it prevents disease and slows the aging process. They also claim it stops free radicals from forming, flushes toxins from cells and prevents toxins from accumulating, provides essential minerals, promotes normal blood flow and maintains normal blood pH. Alkaline water also is said to be better at hydrating the body because it penetrates cells more effectively.
Acidic Diet Effects

Proponents say alkaline water can improve health because when people eat an acidic diet and drink water which is not alkaline, the body has to balance blood pH by leaching important minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium from tissues, bones, and teeth. This contributes to bone loss, tooth decay, and cellular aging. People with systems that are acidic, as measured by saliva pH, can have many symptoms and disorders including muscle and joint pain, fatigue, headaches, indigestion, excessive mucous and dry skin and hair. On the other hand, proponents say high-alkaline diets prevent and treat degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease and kidney disorders.
Science

Many claims related to alkaline water are unsubstantiated by science. Although saliva and urine pH levels change, blood pH is always very close to the same number, and excess acidity is mainly expelled by breathing out carbon dioxide. In addition, regions of the western United States that have alkaline well water show no difference in average numbers of degenerative conditions compared to the rest of the country. Some websites selling alkaline tablets say people should be drinking water with a pH between 9 and 10, which is about the alkalinity of Milk of Magnesia. Distilled water can be brought to a pH of around 8.3 by adding baking soda. Any substance with a higher pH than 10 gets into the realm of soap.

What does this have to do with me?

Well, my husband and I started drinking alkaline water. He started complaining that it is "kind of heavy" on the stomach, whatever that means to him. I would like to describe the changes we experienced and the symptoms we have found during our internet research.

1. I have read about people who suffer from heartburn due to alkaline water. This happens especially in those who eat animal protein. Since the stomach acids are atenuated by the ingestion of alkaline water, every time protein is eaten the stomach has to produce even more acid than before.  I used to have heartburn at the  beginning of my alkaline water 'regime,' but now it is not as frequent or as bad.
2. A Google search took me to why does Alkaline water gives me a headache? So, this is something people have experienced, indeed.

Right now, after three weeks I am still waiting for this overall feeling of wellbeing that the makers of alkaline water tout. In fact, this picture here is part of the label of the brand I drink:

It will, supposedly, neutralize body acidity, eliminate toxic agents, reduce stress, controls anxiety and depression (that would be so good for me), delays premature aging, helps control high blood pressure and lose weight. 

Are we being too naive or what?

I'll keep you posted my dear readers! Huggs.

HcG Diet and Me

Hey, How's Everyone? I hope fine!

On this post, I'd like to share my experience with the injected HcG hormone for weight loss. As you may be aware, the Human  Chorionic Gonadotropin is being sold in either sublingual or injected presentations as an "aid to weightloss".

Let's get to the basics. If you already know what this hormone is, you may want to skip to the part where I relate my experience after four days of use. HcG is a naturally occurring hormone during pregnancy. It helps form and sustain the placenta. As a medication, it is approved for women who have problems conceiving because it stimulates ovulation. That is all the therapeutic use it has, according to the Food and Drug Administration. If a woman is pregnant, she'll naturally produce HcG. If a woman has fertility problems, she can be given HcG (under medical supervision) to make her body more likely to ovulate. Of  course, this is not the only treatment for infertility. Only a woman, her family (if she wishes) and her doctor should decide and choose what treatment is best for her, taking in consideration the possible side effects.

By the third week of September, I went to a General Practitioner who I knew prescribed HcG for weight loss. Being kind of a fitness fad, I thought this would help me get rid of the 15 pounds I gained when my Internal Medicine Specialist decided to increase the amount of anti depressant medication I was taking. It was like.... poof, one day my dose was increased, and the next two weeks I started gaining weight even when eating pretty much the same foods (I don't eat junk, generally) and maintaining my level of activity. I go to the gym at least three times a week. I dance to salsa, bellydance and zumba. For those of you who think you hate exercising, try one of those clases. You'll burn lots and lots of calories and you'll think you're having fun! Anyway, I was doing the same and still gaining weight until I reached those extra 15 pounds.

Soooo, I started following the doctor's directions, poking my belly with 12 units (from a diabetes syringe) of HcG once a day. It didn't stop me for being hungry or anything. It didn't give me extra energy. But the doctor had said that it would help me not to lose muscle mass associated with rapid weight loss. He said I would lose body fat instead.

Oh, did I forget to tell you he gave me a sheet containing a 500-calories-a-day diet? Anybody would lose weight on that kind of food.

Day 1: Fine, but felt hungry. No, make that HUNGRY.
Day 2: Fine
Day 3: Fine, for the most part
Day 4: Mild disconfort on my tummy, which I believed had to do with my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Day 5: Stomach ache
Day 6: Stomach ache so bad that I decided to look on the net if the side effects of the HcG diet included stomach ache.

From my research, I found out one of the most common side effects of the HcG diet is pelvic pain and it is severe enough to discontinue treatment. In fact, it advised to discontinue HcG immediately if this kind of pain was experienced. By this time, I was sure the problems was not IBS but my pelvic organs.

Day 7: Zero HcG for me whatsoever. The pelvic pain subsided and dissappeared like in two more days and so far I have been completely fine.

I learned the hard way to be patient during my weight loss process. You know, I am 46 years old now. My metabolism is not the way I used to be. Strike one.  I am taking antidepressants, known to cause a bit of weight gain. Strike two. But I'm still playing and optimistic! That's a hit!

Thanks for reading and God bless you abundantly.