Water is Crucial: Follow This Guide for Cancer and Non-Cancer Patients
In 1979, Dr. Batmanghelidj was in an Iranian prison as a political prisoner. While in jail, facing a possible execution, he learned that pain from ulcers could disappear within 8 minutes after drinking 2 glasses of water. He successfully treated over three thousand similar cases over the following 2 1/2 years. Because of his medical discovery, his life was spared and his life sentence was reduced to 3 years.
He looked at prison as a stress lab, a unique environment to reach clinical conclusions on the healing properties of water. The warden offered him early release, but instead of accepting it, Dr. Batmanghelidj stayed in jail for another 4 months to conduct clinical observations of the inmates’ responsiveness to using water to treat stress-induced health problems.
Water content:
60% -Human body
92% -Blood
73% -Brain & Heart
83% -Lungs
64% -Skin
79% -Muscles & Kidneys
31% -Bones
According to Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, M.D., staying properly hydrated will alleviate or eliminate many illnesses and symptoms, including:
Acne
Addiction (caffeine, alcohol, and some drugs)
Allergies
Alzheimer’s disease
A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder)
Cancer
Back pain
Depression
DNA damage
Eczema
Glaucoma
Headaches
Heartburn
Heart disease & stroke
Infection
Fatigue
Leukemia & Lymphoma
Low libido & Impotence
Lou Gehrig’s disease
Morning sickness
Multiple Sclerosis
Osteoporosis
Parkinson’s disease
P.M.S. / premenstrual pains, hot flashes
Sleep disorders / sleep rhythms
Ulcers
Most of us are chronically, unintentionally dehydrated. We can mistakenly confuse hunger for thirst; people tend to eat instead of drink. When this behavior is a habit, the body is taught to adapt to this water loss and the thirst sensation fades. The hypothalamus controls thirst and sometimes does not work, especially if you are always mildly dehydrated. The loss of this sensation is the body adapting to a perceived water shortage but it can be trained to be strengthened again.
Coffee, tea, sodas, and alcohol are dehydrating. The stress of chronic dehydration will cause the brain to secrete stress hormones, including endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural opiates to help it through environmental crisis. Craving coffee, tea, sodas and alcoholic beverages is an addiction to endorphins.
It would take days of adequate water intake to become properly hydrated since cells get soaked slowly. After about 8 days of proper hydration, the hypothalamus resumes its function. You'll start to see benefits such as quicker elimination, increased energy, and noticing that what your body is in need of is actually water instead of food. It may be a cliché to say, but it IS a lifestyle change.
It’s especially important for the elderly to properly hydrate themselves because the sense of thirst fades over time, much like eyesight.
Getting the body to a proper state of hydration should be the first step toward healing, and away from pretty much almost any disease or issue you have. It costs next to nothing and it makes complete sense. Below are guidelines from You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D.
1) Drink before you feel thirsty. If you wait until you're thirsty to drink, you’re already in need of consuming 2-3 glasses of water.
2) Drink half your body weight in ounces. If you are 200 lbs, drink 100 oz. This is a general guideline. Water intake should increase with physical activity, hot weather, and your body's natural tendency to sweat more than others. As a cancer patient, you are probably taking numerous supplements, so be sure to keep up. Additionally, you obtain water through raw fruits and vegetables. Diuretics like coffee and tea draw water and salt out of the body, and you'll need to replenish the loss. If your urine is light yellow, you're on the right track.
3) Drink your water warm: at body temperature or warmer.
4) Add salt: The second part of establishing a good practice on drinking water is to add salt. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to 32 ounces of filtered water. As you consume fewer processed and packaged foods, you are also reducing your intake of sodium, specifically sodium chloride.
Sodium chloride is stripped of minerals and bleached to appear white. The body does need sodium; however, it requires the good kind. Water needs something to adhere to, and if the body lacks sodium, water will not be absorbed into the blood and cells. Colored salts are higher in minerals. Quality choices include sea salt, Celtic salt, pink Himalayan salt, or Real Salt.
If you have hypertension, kidney issues, or high blood pressure, start with a small amount and gradually increase. Start with a grain and work your way up. If frequent urination and/or incontinence is a concern, they will be alleviated and eventually cease to be a problem. Your bladder will become stronger, and its capacity will increase. *Check with your healthcare practitioner first.
5) Drink most of your water on an empty stomach. The body becomes dehydrated after several hours of sleep. Right after waking up, sip 16 to 24 ounces of water in the morning before consuming anything. Make this a consistent daily practice and part of your morning routine by placing a glass of water by your bed the night before.
Drink water 30 minutes before and 2 1/2 hours after meals. If you are thirsty while eating, don’t skip water. According to Anthony William, the Medical Medium, eating cooked food will draw water from the body and further dehydrate you.
Water drinking tips
1) To stay on track with drinking more water:
Determine the amount you're aiming for and use a large bottle to fill it with all the water you need for the day, along with sea salt.
Wear elastic hair bands/rubber bands on one wrist and transfer them to the other wrist after finishing each glass of water. Or, place them around your glass and remove or push them down as you finish each glass.
Drink most of your water earlier in the day, especially in the morning. This way, you can complete your intake without having to consume as much before bedtime and potentially avoid having to get up in the middle of the night.
Record the time you finish each glass of water. Checkmarks are okay to use, but it could be easy to mix up when you checked off your glass.
When you drink water, take 10 gulps. I tend to take little sips and this trick helps me.
2) Add lemon juice to alkalize your water. To aid further detoxification, add lemon juice to hot water in the morning. If you are doing a water fast, seltzer water or sparkling water like Pellegrino with lemon can help alleviate hunger pangs. As soon as I drink this, my hunger dissipates.
3) Hydrate before and after exercising and taking supplements. Drink water before exercising to induce sweating, which aids in the body's detoxification of heavy metals. “Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury may be excreted in appreciable quantities through the skin, and rates of excretion were reported to match or even exceed urinary excretion in a 24-hour period.”: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312275/
4) Hydrate before and after healing therapies and practices. For healing therapies such as massage, acupuncture, detox baths, enemas, colonics, stretching, and exercise, toxins can be stirred up. Adequate water levels in the body help to carry them out, so be sure to drink plenty of water once you have completed these activities.
It's also important to be properly hydrated well before starting these therapies. This way, you can eliminate beforehand, to avoid having to stop mid-therapy to relieve yourself. Drink water about 1 to 1 1/2 hours prior to starting. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water if undergoing chemotherapy.