Water, The Holistic Elixir of Life

Savvy Vegetarian News

Vol. 3, Issue 2, March, 2005

SV Note: I found this excellent letter in the latest issue of The Weekly Reader, one of the numerous local alternative media in Fairfield, Iowa. Author David Haworth allowed me to put it out on SV Blog. The subject of water & health is one I harp on again and again, because I've had similar experiences. If you're drinking purified water, i.e., RO or distilled, the part about the minerals in water is important. If you don't add minerals, for both cooking and drinking, the water will strip minerals from your body on on it's way out. I haven't used rock salt, except in cooking, but have used, and recommend concentrated mineral drops to add to water, e.g. Concentrace.

I recently learned a lesson the hard way: painfully. My lower back pain became severe sciatica; I could barely walk. I tried everything: more rest, exercise, stretching, diet, herbs, adjustments, etc. The problem turned out to be: dehydration! Yes, a bulging disc caused by simply not drinking enough water. If the muscles don�t get enough water, lactic acid collects so they become stiff and sore and pull bones out of place, such as vertebrae causing the disc to bulge and irritate the sciatic nerve. It�s very unpleasant. The big surprise is that dehydration can be chronic and it takes at least a month, more often two or three, to get rehydrated.

And if you are dehydrated you cannot really expect to be healthy. Since the body is mostly water, it just doesn�t work right without adequate water. Immediately you have excess Vata (dryness) and Pitta (heat), but most seriously impurities collect in the body, causing all kinds of problems. Over 90% of illnesses can be related to dehydration. Joints and muscles, digestion, skin, energy, allergies, weight control, mental and emotional problems, insomnia and blood disorders are just a few areas quickly affected by water intake. Ask those who have been on the Water Diet; they feel great. I now regard water as a holistic health elixir. (Information on Dr. B's original Water Cure

Consider these water facts, thanks to The Raj Spa/Hotel):

• Our daily water intake should be half our body weight in ounces. (128 pounds = 64 ounces per day, a half gallon)
• Not drinking enough water is as harmful to your heart as smoking.
• A 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math and difficulty focusing.
• A 5% reduction in body water results in a 20 to 30% decline in work performance.
• Adequate hydration can reduce risk of colon cancer by 45%, risk of breast cancer by 79%, risk of bladder cancer by 50%, and can ease back pain and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
• Even mild dehydration will slow one's metabolism as much as 3%.
• Lack of water is the number one trigger for daytime fatigue.
• One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for most dieters.
• The thirst mechanism of 37% of Americans is so weak it is often mistaken for hunger.

Distilled and reverse osmosis water, being devoid of minerals, are not so healthy, but easily remedied by adding one pinch per half gallon of mineral salt, which is pinkish in color. It�s inexpensively available in bulk, or as the RealSalt brand. Mineral water is best.

And measure actual water, not milk or juice, etc., which have to be digested. The Vedic herbal water recipes may be an exception. If in doubt drink more. Safety first. If you are exercising, sweating, fatigued, stressed or ill, drink more. That half your weight number is a minimum maintenance amount. Thanks to myotherapist Michael Fleischman for relaying knowledge from Vaidja Dr.Raju, Vedic doctor who emphasizes the importance of water. I hope this is a helpful and significant health tip for you.

Thanks, David Haworth