Springtime is upon us. Seeds are sprouting forth and new beginnings are to be had. It is a time to explore ideas of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, and regrowth. It is the time of the year where we are reminded of the pervading truth, that Life is always seeking greater and more expression of itself. It is during the spring that we are given more light each day and we are being purified by the coming of gentle rains. As human beings, we are to welcome this time as all nature does, for we are being afforded the opportunity for more Life. There are four secrets within life that give you and I the opportunity for more Life. These secrets grant us the ability to experience abundant health and longevity. When these secrets are not applied and utilized properly, we suffer the consequences of pain, diseases and untimely departures from this world. One of those secrets that I am going to share with you now is The Secret of Drinking Water.
For the most part, we all grew up being told to make sure we drink enough water. As children we would run and play, enjoying the spoils of youth and we’d work up a strong thirst very quickly. Growing up in the 80 s and 90 s, I was saturated with McDonalds and Burger King commercials advertising soft drinks and shakes. In addition to those commercials, I was hit over the head with countless Sunny Delight, Capri Sun and “Hey Kool Aid” commercials. Drinking water was the last thing I desired to do. When my mother or father offered water to drink, I resisted it like the plague I would complain that I did not like the taste and I wanted something that would taste good It was all about my drinks tasting sweet Does that sound familiar to you?
Like many other kids during that time, instead of water, I consumed all the aforementioned, sweet teas, juices, milk, Gatorade and any other liquid concoctions that satisfied my taste for sweet. At that age, I did not know the benefits of water nor did I care to know. It wasn’t promoted socially and it definitely was not promoted in school. While in school I had chocolate and white milk, soft drinks, juices and teas that were readily available and provided for lunch. Even during track or wrestling practice my teammates and I had a nice cooler of Gatorade sitting right beside the water cooler. Guess which one we went to most?
I did not truly begin to understand the benefits of water consumption and the powerful healing impact it has upon the human body, until I was in naturopathic medical school. I also did not truly understand the great harm that human body endures, when it is not receiving enough water. It was during medical school that I learned the biochemical and physiological impact that water has upon our bodies.
Within our bodies, there isn’t one biochemical or physiological process that does not require water. Every organ and system in the body requires it, down to a cellular level
All nutrient exchange, toxic waste clearance, hormone transfer, chemical messaging and a host of other processes require water in order to function properly. Water makes up roughly 55% – 60% of our body weight. Each tissue within our body carries a portion of that percentage. When percentages begin to decrease due to dehydration (excessive loss of water), the particular tissue affected no longer functions efficiently. Our bodies are able to make energy for us through the use of water. Our bodies will let us know in many different ways that we are lacking water. Below are some of the ways that our body will demonstrate that it is experiencing dehydration:
Mild Signs & Symptoms of Dehydration
- Severe Signs & Symptoms of Dehydration
- Dry Mouth and Skin
- Extreme Thirst
- Thirst
- Little or No Sweating
- Fatigue
- Positive Skin Turgor
- Cnstipation
- Sunken Eyes
- Muscle Cramps
- Decreased Blood Pressure
- Tingling Limbs
- Increased Heart Rate and Breath
- Head Aches
- Numbness
- Aggravation or Frustration ⇒ Fever
- Trouble Concentrating ⇒ Kidney Failure
- Depression
- Delirium and/or Loss of
- Dizziness or Lightheaded Darker Urine
- Consciousness Death
Do you find yourself experiencing any of the above signs or symptoms? Many times we go throughout the day, not realizing that our bodies are crying out for water. If you didn’t know, one of the leading causes of midday fatigue is dehydration. If you didn’t know, exercise induced asthma is a result from dehydration. If you didn’t know, ladies, you are more than likely to experience a prolonged and more painful labor during delivery when dehydrated. If you did not know, our bodies cannot lose weight when dehydrated. We are actually more prone to gaining weight than losing it when dehydrated, because it causes our metabolism to slow. You also may not have known that one of the leading causes of death is dehydration. As I stated earlier, every biochemical and physiological process in our body requires water. It is indeed, the “Water of Life”. Without it there is no life. It’s really that simple.
In a recent study Harvard University researchers have linked the consumption of sugary drinks to 180,000 deaths a year worldwide, 25,000 in the United States alone. The lead author and postdoctoral research fellow, Gitanjali Singh, from the Harvard School of Public Health said,
“We know that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity, and that a large number of deaths are caused by obesity -related diseases. But until now, nobody had really put these pieces together”.
These researchers connected the consumption of these sugar-filled beverages to 133,000 deaths from diabetes, 44,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 6,000 deaths from cancer in 2010 alone. The American Beverage Association had plenty to say in criticizing the study. They argued that the study has yet to be published in a peer -reviewed journal. They also challenged the study in stating, “It does not show that consuming sugar -sweetened beverages causes chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer – the real causes of death among the studied subjects.”
With the over consumption of sugar-laden beverages and foods in our country and the epidemic proportions of obesity we’re facing, I find it fascinating that there are those within our society that still refuse to take a honest look at the correlation between what we put in our mouths and health challenges we now face. What I find most fascinating concerning the above –mentioned chronic disease is this; diabetes simply put, is the accumulation of excess sugar (glucose) in the blood stream. The higher the blood sugar levels in the body, the more dehydrated an individual becomes. There was a study reported in the “Journal of Neuroendocrinology” that patients with uncontrolled diabetes and hyperglycemia (high glucose levels in the blood stream) possess impaired water balance regulation, which is contributing to the phenomena of diabetes – associated dehydration. As for cardiovascular diseases, a research study published in the Journal of The American College Of Nutrition discussed links between low water consumption and causations of fatal cardiac heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. In 1931 Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for his research in discovering the cause for cancer. Dr. Warburg discovered that cancer cells are caused by a lack of oxygen supply to the cell. He stated, “The prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar.” He also said, “All normal cells have an absolute requirement for oxygen, but cancer cells can live without oxygen – a rule without exception. If you deprive a cell 35% of its oxygen for 48 hours, it may become cancerous.”
Oxygen is transported to every cell in our body via our blood, which is roughly 50% – 60% water.
With diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, we find there is an increased prevalence of correlation, occurrence or causation within our bodies when water is lacking. This information is rarely discussed within our current conventional medical model. This article is not intended to rant off conspiracy theories or point fingers about our current healthcare system. We have enough of that going on. What this article is intending to do, is share with you the amazing healing powers that water provides our bodies.
This power was revealed to me first hand, during a clinical rotation I had in Santa Rosa, California at the TrueNorth Health Center. At TrueNorth patients are treated for all sorts of disorders using medically supervised water fast, juicing and whole foods diets. While there, I witnessed first-hand how patients with diabetes healed their condition within two weeks. Some even develop normal hemoglobin A1c and blood glucose ranges within 1 week. The only medicine being administered was water. I saw autoimmune diseases like ulcerative colitis and lupus resolve in two weeks and four weeks respectively from only drinking water. I experienced similar results in patients with hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, those suffering from strokes, obesity, etc. In each case there was either a full reversal of the disorder or marked improvement by drinking water. Having the opportunity to witness such profound healing from just the use water would forever change how I viewed medicine and the human body.
In naturopathic medicine one of our 6 principles is The Healing power of Nature. We are to trust in the body s inherent wisdom to heal itself. This principle was demonstrated every single day while I was at TrueNorth. During my time there I had my own kind of revelation. It was revealed to me that as a medical doctor I could in no way, heal the body. The power that created the body heals the body. The best I could hope to do is guide and facilitate the process of that power. We each can be a guide and facilitator in the process of that power within our own bodies It starts with us honoring our bodies by giving them what they need. I hope you now see the importance of nourishing your body with water. The benefits of drinking water are many. If you are looking for any of the results below, make sure you are partaking of this life -giving element daily
The Benefits of Drinking Water
- Healthy & Amazing Looking Skin
- Healthy & Lustrous Hair
- Abundant Energy
- Excellent Sleep
- Regular Bowel Movements
- Better Memory
- Weight Loss
- Reduction in Depression & Anxiety
- Better Digestion
- Increased Concentration & Focus
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Healthy Teeth & Gums
- Healthy Organ Systems
Some Recommendations That Are Very Beneficial
- Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily. For example, if you are 150 lbs., you will drink 75 oz. of water. Remember 55% – 60% of your body weight is water
- Now that we are in the spring season and will soon enter the summer season, make sue you are keeping yourself well hydrated
- An easy test you can do to test whether you are dehydrated is a skin turgor test. You perform this test by relaxing the hand and grabbing your skin and pulling it away from your hand. You then release it and observe what happens. If it bounces back into place you are well hydrated. If it takes a while to return back to its normal state, displaying a fold, you are dehydrated.
- Explore colon irrigation and hydrotherapy as ways to heal the digestive system and body from many imbalances.
- Bathing and showering daily purifies the skin and restore vitality
- Consider the use of medically supervised fast for chronic illnesses.
- If you are taking any diuretics, blood thinners, or have major medical conditions like kidney disease and congestive heart failure, make sure to consult a health professional increasing your water intake.
Read the book by Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj called, Your Body’s Many Cries For Water. It is a compelling book and an excellent read Water is and will always be a primary healing agent for our bodies. It is truly one of our secret medicines Water restores us, renews us and it provides for our bodies daily needs. It gives us the lasting energy we require and the longevity we desire. We are one with water and without it we cannot be. It is a part of what I call the “Sweet Communion”. It connects us with all Life as it affords us Life. I believe Elliot A. Norse stated it well when he said, “In every glass of water we drink, some of the water has already passed through fishes, trees, bacteria, worms in the soil, and many other organisms, including people… Living systems cleanse water and make it fit, among other things, for human consumption.”
When we partake of the “Water of Life”, we are being connected to all. Every cell in the body participates in this connection. It is through the Sweet Communion with water that we are truly experiencing life as the Living Water, so let us drink and be satisfied.
References:*
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/19/25000 -us -deaths -linked -to -sugary -drinks/
Journal of Neuroendocrinology”; Osmoregulation of Plasma Vasopressin in Diabetes Mellitus with Sustained Hyperglycemia; Y. Iwasaki et al.; October 1996
http://www.jacn.org/content/26/suppl_5/535S.full
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Heinrich_Warburg
http://eco -manity.com/pdf/DrOttoWarburg.pdf
