Are You Dying of Thirst?
Steve Pavlina is beginning a new life experiment and he plans to detail the process on his site. Steve has decided to begin 2008 with a thirty day period during which he will consume only the elements of a 100% raw vegan diet.
Steve predicts he will experience phenomenal highs in emotional well being, physical health, energy levels and heightened concentration, among many other benefits. I have no doubt he will achieve his goals. He does that. I will definitely be following his progress here.
As for myself, I will be pursuing a different Utopian experience. I will focus on my intake of fluids. The research I have undertaken leads me to believe that a vast majority of the population (especially baby boomer Americans such as myself) exist at some level of chronic dehydration.
In fact, many of the “symptoms” we attribute to the cost of getting older are some of the most common indicators of chronic dehydration.
- Heartburn - An indication that a water deficit is present upper gastrointestinal tract.
- Arthritis - A regenerative condition which can be mimicked by a shortage of water available for joint lubrication.
- Back pain - An insufficient amount of water to replenish the hydration of the discs can cause chronic low back pain.
- Chest pain - Angina can be caused by a depletion of the water available in the body to hydrate the lungs and heart.
- Migraines - The brain and eyes are dependent upon proper hydration to function at optimum levels.
- Colitis - Dehydration is accepted as a precipitating factor of colitis and various other large intestinal diseases.
- Asthma - Mucus plugs suffered by asthmatics can not be broken down without proper hydration.
- Hypertension - High blood pressure can be the body reacting to long term dehydration.
- Adult onset diabetes - Proper hydration is necessary in order for the body to efficiently process insulin in the body.
- Cholesterol - High levels of cholesterol is an indicator of chronic dehydration.
- Depression - Dehydration is causal in disruptions of tryptophan, serotonin and melatonin levels.
- Urinary - Bladder irritation is caused by highly concentrated urine.
Couple these indicators or “normal” dehydration with a continual introduction of diuretics and a gloomy picture begins to form.
Consider foods that contain diuretics.
- coffee
- tea
- soda
- chocolate
- stimulant tablets
- many pain relievers
- cold remedies
- weight loss aids
- alcohol
- tomatoes
- citrus
- milk products
- honey
- artificial sweeteners
I will begin my 31 day experiment on January 1 and report my findings here. I will begin by eliminating as many diuretics as I can and attempting to increase my daily consumption of water to at least 64 ounces per day. I’m excited to find out what the effects, if any, will be.
Are there any environmental factors you are planning to address in the new year?