Drinking pure, clean water is a must for the anti-ager. But not always.

Proper digestion is key to the optimal extraction of nutrients from the food you eat. Your stomach needs a highly acidic pH level of 1.9 for this to happen.

Simple middle school math tells you that adding water — usually a pH around 7 — to the stomach around the time it needs to digest food isn’t a good thing.

What are the implications of diluting your stomach acid during digestion? It can result in a bloated abdomen, along with pain or excessive wind in the small or large intestine. It will almost certainly compromise the bioavailability of nutrients once the digestive process moves through to the duodenum [the beginning of the small intestine].

It can even result in indigestion or acid reflux. Yes, contrary to popular belief, acid reflux is the result of inadequate acid levels in the stomach, not excessive levels.

Next time your server in a restaurant brings you a glass of water before dinner, say ‘No thanks’. Try not to drink water 30 minutes on either side of your meal.

Try it for a week and see how you feel. As easy as it sounds, it’s a tough habit to break — but one well worth acquiring.