We took part in a talk radio show recently with Radio Café Hertford 103. John and I were paired up against a third “nutritionist”. “Battle of the Nutritionists” they called it. But John and I are Registered Dietitians, not nutritionists. We hold both B. S. and M. S. degrees in Human Nutrition. We each spent six months in structured internship programs and sat for a national exam. The individual they paired us up with was someone who is interested in health and wellness that happens to sell a nutritional product. A nutritionist can be anyone off the street–maybe they have a high school degree, maybe they have a degree in astrophysics, but not a degree in nutritional science.

Our battle was over many things, but particularly over water. Water–what John and I try to get our clients to drink more of. The third “nutritionist” was trying to say that water is not good enough, that you have to buy his company’s water–special water that is low in acid, “more alkaline”. Pardon me, but all this water is going to do is make the person selling it richer. Our bodies do not need alkaline water. Water, plain and simple, tap if it tastes good, bottled if it doesn’t. Simple enough. There is nothing complex about it. “Oh but, alkaline (ionized) water passes through body tissues more efficiently”. This is complete bull. Remember, our stomachs are full of gastric acid. Gastric acid has a pH of roughly 2.5. Once this alkaline water reaches our stomachs it is turned directly into acid. The water does not reach the tissues in its original state. There’s absolutely no reason for it and it is a complete waste of money.

Please take the advice of Registered Dietitians for your nutrition information. RD’s are the experts in human nutrition and how our bodies work to manufacture what we eat. John and I are not out to sell products. We sell a service—helping those reaching better health though a better diet and lifestyle. We want to help others lead healthier, longer lives. We are not out to become millionaires off of the latest nutritional gimmick.

OK, I’m done. Listen to our radio show: http://www.rch103.com/archives/137 
Remembering that RD’s are the nutritional experts will to help to eliminate the confusion about conflicting nutritional views—whether it’s with this radio show or with anything else dealing with nutrition.

~ Angie