Milk of Magnesia is available in Canada and America. I am having trouble finding it and am going to ask for magensium hydroxide as it can be used instead.

Instructions for Making and Consuming a Slightly Alkaline Magnesium Bicarbonate Rich Drinking Water, using magnesium hydroxide from "milk of magnesia" and "carbonated water" according to the reaction Mg(OH)2 + (CO2)2 ---> Mg(HCO3)2.

1. The maker and consumer of this water assumes responsibility for understanding and complying with the instructions and recommendations that follow. The following information and instructions do not constitute a recommendation to consume this water, and no claims of health benefits from consuming this water are made.

2. This magnesium bicarbonate drinking water is intended to be a simple and economical way to approximate the characteristics of "Unique Water", developed and patented by Dr. Russell Beckett, B.V.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., an Australian biochemist-pathologist and research scientist. Read the story behind "Unique Water" at http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/04/09/1018302715172.html

3. Consuming this water: This slightly Alkaline Water should be consumed between meals on an empty stomach so as not to neutralize stomach acid. Also, stomach acid will neutralize this water, reducing its effectiveness as an alkalizing agent within cells. This water should be consumed at regular intervals throughout the day. Anyone not in the habit of drinking much water should begin by consuming small daily amounts, and should take at least a month to reach a consumption of two liters per day. The recommendations in the instructions for "Unique Water" at http://www.nonpharmaceutical.com/consumption.html should be followed.

4. Possible side effects from consuming this water: The information for "Unique Water" at http://www.nonpharmaceutical.com/side_effects.html applies to this water as well.

5. Flavor: This water has a very mild, slightly sweet flavor, as is typical of naturally occurring mineralized spring waters, such as "Noah's California Spring Water" (see note 14)

6. Storage and handling of this water: The instructions for "Unique Water" at http://www.nonpharmaceutical.com/storage.html should be followed.

7. Magnesium bicarbonate: "This term is used universally to describe the mixture of magnesium cations and bicarbonate anions found in spring waters and mineral waters. The chemical processes occurring in magnesium bicarbonate solutions are complex and depend on the concentrations of magnesium cations and other ions. There exists also a range of possible acid-base equilibria involving HCO3-, H3O+, CO3- -, OH-, CO2, H2CO3" (quoted from the patent specification for "Unique Water")

8. Recommended reading: Information and recommendations pertaining to "Unique Water" pertain in general to this water as well. The consumer of the water produced from these instructions is encouraged to read the literature of "Non Pharmaceutical Health Care and Unique Water" beginning at http://www.nonpharmaceutical.com/index.html, with emphasis on "The First Successful Step In The Quest To Delay The Ageing Process" at http://www.nonpharmaceutical.com/listcont.htm Also recommended is "The Magnesium Web Site -- Magnesium, Drinking water, & Health" at http://www.mgwater.com/index.shtml

9. Use only plain "milk of magnesia" (MoM) without flavoring, sweetener, mineral oil, or other additives. The "active ingredient" should be only magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), 400 mg per teaspoon (5 ml), and the "inactive ingredient" should be only purified water. 41.7% by weight of magnesium hydroxide is magnesium (Mg), so 5 ml of MoM has 167 mg of Mg, and 1 tablespoon (TBS) has 500 mg of Mg (1 TBS = 15 ml)

10. Chill completely to refrigerator temperature a 1 liter bottle of fully carbonated water. Carbonated waters such as "Canada Dry Seltzer" which consist of only water and carbon dioxide (CO2) are suitable. "Club sodas" such as "Schweppes Club Soda" are also suitable; they are carbonated water with a small amount of added sodium.

11. Shake well the bottle of MoM, then measure out as accurately as possible 3 TBS (45 ml) of MoM and have it ready. The plastic measuring cup that comes with the MoM is accurate and ideal for the purpose.

12. Remove the bottle of carbonated water from the refrigerator without agitating it. Open it slowly and carefully to minimize the loss of CO2. As soon as the initial fizzing settles down, slowly add the pre-measured MoM. Promptly replace the cap on the water bottle and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds or so, making the liquid cloudy. After 1/2 hour or so the liquid will have cleared, and any un-dissolved Mg-hydroxide will have settled to the bottom of the bottle. Again shake the bottle vigorously for 30 seconds or so, making the liquid cloudy again. When the liquid again clears all of the Mg hydroxide in the MoM should have reacted with all of the CO2 to become dissolved (ionized) magnesium and bicarbonate (see note 7). However, if a small amount of un-dissolved Mg hydroxide still remains in the bottom of the bottle as a sediment it may be ignored. This 1 liter of concentrated magnesium bicarbonate water will have ~1,500 mg of magnesium and ~7,500 mg of bicarbonate.

13-A. To make 4 liters of magnesium bicarbonate drinking water with ~125 mg of Mg and ~625 mg of bicarbonate per liter, pH ~8+: Measure and transfer 1/3 liter of the concentrate (333 ml) into a 4 liter container. Fill the container with 3 2/3 liters of plain or purified water, as desired.

13-B. To make 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of magnesium bicarbonate drinking water with ~132 mg of Mg and ~664 mg of bicarbonate per liter, pH ~8+: Measure and transfer 1/3 liter of the concentrate (333 ml) into a 1 gallon bottle. Fill the gallon bottle with plain or purified water, as desired.

14. A comparison of this water with two commercially available magnesium bicarbonate drinking waters:

- "Unique Water" is a manufactured drinking water available in Australia. It has 125 mg of Mg and 650 mg of bicarbonate per liter, according to the bottle’s label. The pH is 8.3.
See http://www.nonpharmaceutical.com/otherwaters.html

- "Noah's California Spring Water" is a bottled, naturally occurring spring water. It has 120 mg of Mg and 410 mg of bicarbonate per liter, pH 8.3. It can be ordered at http://www.noahs7up.com/ It is derived from Adobe Springs in California's Diablo Mountains. See http://www.mgwater.com/adobe.shtml

15. Magnesium dissolved in water (ionized) is said to be about 30% more "bio-available" than when in a tablet. To get the approximate equivalent amount of magnesium in a bound (non-ionized) tablet form add 30% to the values for Mg in this water. For example, if 1 liter of this water has 132 mg of Mg, the approximate equivalent amount in a tablet is (132 + 30%) = 171 mg of Mg