Water
There is a common belief that “you get what you pay for.” Studies show that humans believe a service or object is worthier if there is some cost involved in attaining it. Commonly, naturopathic doctors and other healers wish to give their services away out of sheer joy of helping others, but we are taught never to do this as we will only be valued if there is some investment made. I believe this is why many of us do not adequately value the life and health-affirming elixir that is pure, readily available and FREE to those of us in Portland: Water.
It is all too common that a patient will come to me after seeking medical expertise from specialists, having had expensive tests performed and perhaps even taking powerful medications, still to have problems. It astounds me and keeps me going in my work how often simply correcting a few basic foundational habits can bring relief to these chronically suffering patients. One of these areas is hydration. It is truly inspiring to me how frequently a patient with a chronic, debilitating health issue is dehydrated and how quickly restoring normal water intake can improve symptoms.
We are made of mostly water. Water is essential for our neurochemistry, our neuroelectrical systems, our cardiovascular system, lymphatics, and well, basically for every single system, organ, tissue and cell of the body. Water gets toxins OUT and nutrients IN. Water is the ultimate detoxifier. Water serves as a lubricant. Many back issues result from dessicated discs, which adequate water intake could have helped to prevent. Water keeps skin healthy and elastic. Water helps maintain healthy weight.
Many chronically dehydrated people struggle with weight issues. A large part of this is that the thirst signal is often misinterpreted as a hunger signal in the body. I coach all of my patients that at the first sign of hunger, enjoy a big glass of water and wait ten minutes. If still hungry then, go ahead and eat. But often the hunger curiously disappears, and cravings along with it. It was actually a thirst signal, and it can take some relearning of the body’s signals to identify the difference.
Every one of my patients receives from me the individualized amount that they need for adequate daily hydration. Basically, the formula is half your body weight in ounces of water daily with a few adjustments for lifestyle and individual need. So on average, a slim, 120 pound person may do fine on the common adage to drink “8 glasses of water daily.” But this isn’t enough for most of us, especially those of us who want to lose weight or if we ingest caffeine or alcohol. Exercise also increases our physical demands for rehydration. Many, many people don’t reach even 8 glasses a day.
Below is my favorite “hack” for water intake. I have prescribed it to countless patients and those who practice it regularly notice seemingly miraculous health benefits.
At bedtime, keep a large, pint glass of water on your nightstand (covering it if you have a pet or a child that may knock it over). Build this habit into your nightly routine-- filling the glass, bringing it to bed with you, gratefully knowing that you will get to drink it come morning when you wake parched and sleepy. In the morning, before setting your feet on the ground or getting out of bed, sit up and drink the entire glass of water. I like calling to mind something I am grateful for (like access to clean, pure water) or setting an intention for the day along with drinking the water, to add in an element of ritual, which is a powerful learning tool for the mind.
Thereafter, go about your day with one small change. Every time you use the bathroom, immediately after washing your hands go to your water supply, take a few deep breaths while filling your glass of water, empty your mind or think a pleasant thought and drink the whole thing, just like in the morning. Do this repeatedly throughout the day, stopping 4 hours before bedtime. This sets up a hydration/elimination cycle and will get your kidneys and intestines detoxified very quickly, very inexpensively, and very safely.
Stop about 4 hours before bedtime and in the course of a day you will easily reach your hydration goals and sleep soundly, not having to get up to use the bathroom as you might if you wait until after dinner to drink all your water (as many of us do). One block to not drinking enough water during the day? Not wanting to have to use the bathroom every hour while working. I ask you, why not?
What’s the harm in taking a bathroom break, taking some deep breaths, clearing the mind, and drinking a glass of water once every hour or two while at work? Even teachers and childcare workers who truly struggle to get a bathroom break have found ways to make this work once they discovered the incredible health benefits. Many times, we simply don’t want to take a break, we don’t want to interrupt the flow of work. But a five-minute break every 90 minutes or so to detox mind and body will ultimately only positively impact productivity. Try it and see!
Just because it’s free (for us here in Portland, right now, but this could easily change so let’s appreciate and protect our water supply) does not mean water is not one of our most valuable and precious earthly resources. And water is absolutely vital to our good health.
For more on the healing benefits of water:
Your Body's Many Cries for Water
by F. Batmanghelidj M.D.
Water, Hydration and Health
Barry M. Popkin, Kristen E. D’Anci, and Irwin H. Rosenberg
This article is available in its entirety here. Despite funding from Nestle (Waters), it has good information regarding the many physiological processes dependent on hydration.