Free Pain Relief Newsletter  Click Here Pain Relief Articles - Healing With Water Exercise:  A Natural Reliever For Chronic Low Back Pain 4 Natural Home Remedies to Ease the Pain of Sunburn Getting A Grip on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Exercise Your Way To Pain Relief Benefits of Alternative Medicine Neck Pain Management Migraines - Food and Diet Tendonitis Pain Relief Treating Arthritis - Naturally Getting Well With Smell Guided Imagery - The Healing Power of Imagination The Healing Power of Food Healing With Herbs Healing With Movement Healing With Water Self-Healing With Homeopathy Laughter Is Good Medicine Treat Your Own Back Pain Healing With Your Mind Healing With Water By Gerri Shapiro, MS Ed. Water is probably the single most important component to long term health. Every life-giving and healing process that happens in your body happens with water. Drinking sufficient amounts water is one of the best investments you can make in your health. Dehydration and Disease Many people are dehydrated without even realizing it. Contributing factors include not drinking enough water, excess consumption of caffeine and alcohol, and spending long hours in dry environments such as offices with controlled air systems and lots of electronic equipment. In just the last decade, medical science has begun to focus more on the tremendous healing ability our bodies have and how much that ability depends on water. Many doctors now believe that dehydration is the root cause of all kinds of ailments, from indigestion to arthritis to more serious conditions such as heart problems and hypertension. "The link between dehydration, degeneration and disease has led researchers to do in-depth studies of the functions and properties of water. What doctors label as disease is deep dehydration." -F. Batmanghelidj, M.D. Over the past twenty years, Dr. F. Batmanghelidj has been conducting research and educating people on the benefits of water therapy. In his very informative book, Your Body's Many Cries For Water, he explains how most of the pain we experience may be due to moderate or acute dehydration. According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, a recognized expert on natural and preventive treatments: Asthma is a direct result of increased histamine production. Air is obstructed so that water does not leave the body in the form of vapor. An increase in water intake can reduce histamine levels and restore normal hydration to lung tissue. Increased water along with more salt intake may help prevent asthma attacks. Back Pain is a sign of water shortage in the spinal column and discs, the water cushions that support the weight of the body. The disks in your back are little hydraulic shock absorbers, made up of an outer shell filled with fluid. A properly hydrated disk creates a cushion that absorbs the shock of physical activity. These discs are self-hydrating as long as there is adequate fluid levels and regular movement. When your discs become dehydrated, you may experience pain, swelling and soreness. By maintaining a constant and adequate intake of water combined with regular movement, you may be able to prevent or stop most minor back and neck pain. Arthritis is a signal of water shortage in the painful joint. Your body uses water to lubricate your joints. When your water levels are reduced, there is increased friction between cartilage surfaces, resulting in swelling, stiffness and pain. An increased intake of water and gentle rhythmic movements of joints may ease and in many cases relieve minor arthritic pain. High Blood Pressure occurs when there is not enough water to fill all the blood vessels. It is often the result of your body adjusting to blood volume loss. The most common cause of low blood volume is dehydration. Drinking more water along with some salt intake may help bring blood pressure back to normal Heartburn is a signal of water shortage in the upper part of the digestive tract. It is a major thirst signal. The gastro-intestinal tract produces many secretions which are water-based. When you are in a dehydrated state, the lining of your stomach and small intestine are exposed to stomach acid and digestive enzymes. An increased intake of water may bring relief. Flushing Out Toxins Today we have pesticides and herbicides in our fruits and vegetables, heavy metals in our fish, antibiotics and growth hormones in our meat products, and additives, preservatives and artificial colorings in our processed foods and drinks. Many degenerative diseases have been attributed to these chemicals and carcinogens found in our water, air and food. Water is the best defense against toxicity in the body because it flushes out poisonous wastes. The more water you drink, the more you can help your body to purify itself. How Much Water Do You Need? Various sources, including the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, suggest that you should aim for oz of water per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 130 pounds, you should be drinking about 65 oz of water or 8 glasses of water per day. To prevent dehydration, you need to drink at least 6-8 glasses of (non-sparkling) water each day. You should increase this amount when exercising and on hot days, or if you have been sweating excessively. Exercise It is good to drink one glass of water before you exercise and an additional glass every 20 minutes or so during the activity. This can be increased considerably during hotter weather or more strenuous exercise. Weather Extremes To compensate for water loss during hot or dry weather, at high elevations or during times of high or low humidity, it is good to drink an additional one to two glasses of water per day. Indoor heat or air conditioning can also be excessively drying. Caffeine and Alcohol Caffeine and alcohol can pull as much water out of you as you put in, sometimes more. A German study showed that adults who drank six cups of coffee per day experienced chronic mild dehydration. Drinks containing caffeine and other chemicals are taxing to the digestive system. The phosphorus content in cola drinks is so high it can lead to a calcium/phosphorus imbalance and contribute to diseases such as osteoporosis. Alcohol is also a very strong diuretic, causing the body to excrete water, which often leads to advanced dehydration. It is recommended that you drink an extra glass of water for every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you drink. Metaphysical Considerations Metaphysically speaking, water is the element related to the second chakra or energy center. Proper water intake helps to regulate this chakra, also known as the emotional center, which allows you to feel pain and pleasure. An under functioning second chakra may be manifested in repressed feelings, and an over stimulation may be manifested as addictions or greed. Therapies for the second chakra include water intake, swimming and luxurious baths or showers. Help Your Body Heal Itself While water is not an absolute cure-all, it is a primary ingredient in every preventive and healing process within your body. So many common ailments and diseases may be prevented with an increased intake of water. Headaches, hypertension, back pain, arthritis and asthma can all benefit. Your body instinctively knows how to sustain good health. One of the best ways to prevent, treat, and in many cases cure illness, is to give your body the right tools. With the proper intake of water and the right minerals and nutrients, your body can overcome almost anything.                           So let's drink to your good health!