water: boring alternative or health-enhancing drink?

In 1992, an Iranian doctor, Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, published a book entitled 'Your body's many cries for water'. In it he relates a story which happened during his time in a prison in Tehran. At 11 pm one evening he was awoken by the sound of an inmate 'suffering excruciating stomach pain'. This man was unable to walk unaided, two fellow inmates helped him to stay upright. He had a peptic ulcer and wanted medication. All Dr Batmanghelidj could do was give him two glasses of water. Within minutes the man's pain disappeared and he could begin to stand up by himself. The doctor advised him to drink two glasses of water every three hours. He became pain-free and remained disease-free for the rest of his time in prison.





After reading a story like that, it's hard not to have a huge respect for the beneficial effects of water. Up to 70 percent of our body is water! Muscle is made up of about 75 percent water. Fat is made up of about 50 percent water. Bones are about 50 percent water.

Here are some interesting facts about water:

* 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (This is likely to apply to half of the world population)
* In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
* Even mild dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3% - listen out all would be weight reducers.
* One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.
* Lack of water is the main trigger of daytime fatigue.
* Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
* A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic maths, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
* Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and bladder cancer by 50%

ref. http://www.jaredstory.com/what_we_drink.html


Apparently by the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated.

There are also benefits for emotional health. Drinking enough water can help combat depression. For general good emotional health, as well as healthy eating and keeping alcohol intake moderate, 8 glasses of water per day are recommended.

I was raised on Glasgow water, piped from the reservoir at Loch Katrine. In those days this water was pleasant to drink. Today when I visit Weegie Land, I am put off drinking water by the chlorinated taste. Edinburgh water probably isn't much better but at home we have a special tap that filters water. Learning to drink more water can be hard work. The fact is that doing so does help kick start our 'thirst mechanism'. For some reason, which I've never understood, for the water to reap its maximum benefit, it should be drunk neat. Not even a dash of fruit squash or a teabag added.




So much advice on healthy eating or drinking is about cutting back or avoiding certain things. Taking more of something surely must be an easier option. Worth a try for anyone wanting to generally feel better, decrease their chance of developing potentially fatal disease, lose weight, have less back pain and be more alert.



So how much should we drink? The amount needed varies, depending on someone's weight, activity level and climate. One way of determining your specific recommended water intake is to divide your weight (in pounds) by two. The resulting number is the number of ounces of water you need each day. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs. (10 stone 7 lbs), try to drink 75 ounces of water daily, i.e. 3.75 pints. Obviously your requirement increases if you are undertaking vigorous exercise or visiting a hot country.

Is it possible to overdo your water intake? On January 12, 2007, a 28-year old Californian wife and mother died from drinking too much water. Her body was found in her home shortly after she took part in a water-drinking contest that was sponsored by a local radio show. Entitled "Hold Your Wee For A Wii," the contest promoters promised a free Wii video game machine to the contestant who drank the most water without urinating. It is estimated that the woman who died drank approximately 2 gallons of water - 16 pints or 32 glasses - during the contest. When she and other contestants complained of discomfort and showed visible signs of distress, they were laughed at by the promoters.



Drinking more water than you need can increase your total blood volume and if you do this regularly, you place unnecessary strain on your heart, blood vessels, and your kidneys must work overtime to filter excess water out of your circulatory system.

Bar silly water-drinking contests, most people should find it easy to keep to a safe intake. We are lucky in western countries not to have problems with water shortage. So, next time someone offers you a glass of water, think before turning it down.



Thirstily yours

Jane