In order to conduct training on learning and brain function I do quite a bit of research on nutrition and hydration. In the process I became interested in a process known as The Water Cure. It is based on the basic premise that most of us exist in some form of dehydration and that many common illnesses are the bodies way of expressing this state of dehydration. So, I began a 30 day experiment to measure the effects of proper hydration on my self. The following is my account of that experiment.
January 1, 2008.
I began my experiment by starting off the morning with a substitution of hot water for my usual coffee.
By 10:15 A.M. my head began to throb. It was my caffeine addicted brain screaming, “Hey…Hey…HEY! WHERE IS MY FIX?” Considering I typically consume a least one pot of coffee by myself every day, it was not an unexpected event. On the other hand, it could be that the heat from the coffee vapor counter acts the sinus headaches I get from the dry winter heat.
By 10:30 I switched from hot water to cool. I hoped this might help me flush my system more rapidly so that I could concentrate on my experiment. If I continue at my current rate of intake throughout the day it should not be too difficult to reach my 60 ounce (6; 10 ounce glasses) target intake.
Because of the high chemical flavor of my local water I have installed a Brita tap filter and all the water I drink at home comes from there. When I’m out I try to carry bottled water. I will attempt to bottle my own filtered water in aluminum sport bottles to avoid the chemicals leeched from plastic bottles.
At 3:00 P.M. my head hurt so much that sound and light made it all but impossible to follow a thought from start to finish. But, again it could be a sinus headache.
My temper is short and I am impatient with everything and everyone. It seems I’m right on schedule for a miserable couple of days if the Johns Hopkinsmedical site is any good as a predictor of withdrawal symptoms. My hope is in the fact I have always had the ability to recuperate faster than others. A characteristic that has served me well over the years in the military and in martial arts training.
By 5:30 P.M. I finished my 60 ounces.
Tomorrow is a full day of work. I have to prepare the materials and program for day one of an effective management training. Here’s hoping my head doesn’t explode.
January 2, 2008
When I awoke this morning the headache was nearly gone. It is a good thing because I have a long day at the office today and the distraction of a pounding headache would not have had a positive impact on my productivity. That being said, today should give me a pretty fair impression of my functioning level sans caffeine on an “average” day.
By 8:15 I could already tell a difference. I was not as focused as usual and did not jumped into tasks with my usual enthusiasm. I hope this is a residual effect of the caffeine deficit and that it will soon pass. Or it could be the effect of the chaos most families experience at this close of the holiday season.
At 8:50 I began making a conscious effort to push into my work load. It was just what I needed to get over the motivation wall. I soon found that I was laughing with colleagues and working at my usual pace.
The only effects I noticed were an as expected increased frequency of restroom visits and a rather (for lack of a better word) sloshy feeling in my stomach.
Running water intake totals:
- 7:40 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 8:20 A.M. 10 ounces
- 9:15 A.M. 10 ounces
- 11:00 A.M. 16 ounces
- 1:00 P.M. 16 ounces
January 3, 2008
Today was, by far, my lowest energy level thus far. It was a struggle to get through the majority of the day.
In fact, I spend some time measuring my cognitive ability just to see if I was up to mental speed. I used a “brain training” activity recommended by “That Mind Tweaks Chick” at MindTweaks.com (you can try it free for a couple of weeks). The function was in the normal to high range for most of the tasks.
But, I did notice that on day one it was a struggle to “get the water down.” It was as if my throat was resistant to swallowing plan water. Now I am constantly drinking throughout the day in order to reach my 64 ounce per day goal and it isn’t difficult at all.
Is it my imagination or do people look at you differently if you don’t drink soda or coffee? I went to Libby Hill’s Seafood for some broiled fish for lunch. The waitress queried my three times as to whether I was sure I wanted plain water with my lunch. She assured me soda was included in the price. I explained I preferred plain water and thank her.
She brought me water with lemon in it.
Since it was obvious she was not about to lose the argument about what I should drink, I simply save the lemon aside and used it to season my fish.
Day one and two also had a higher frequency of trips to the restroom than day three.
To be fair, it may be that day 3 was my lowest energy level because of the type of day it was. I am in the process of moving my office from the outskirts of the city to the downtown area. That means there are boxes with all my materials and resources stacked two and three high on my office floor and cabinets (boxes containing things I need to conduct training). In addition, day 3 coincides with a twelve hour day in which I spent from 7 A.M to 4:30 P.M. on preparation and moving, then 4:30 P.M. to 7 P.M. conducting a training at a satellite location on Effective Situational Management techniques.
Water Intake
- 7:00 A.M. 10 ounces - hot
- 9:20 A.M. 10 ounces - hot
- 10:00 A.M. 16 ounces - cold
- 10:50 A.M. 8.5 ounces - cold
- 12:00 P.M. 12 ounce - cold
- 1:00 P.M. 16 ounces - cold
- 3:00 P.M. 8.5 ounces - cold
Even though I continue to drink water throughout the afternoon and evening, I’ve noticed that my water intake drops off after I meet my goal and stop measuring.
What do you think the odds are of my going all the way through January drinking only water?
January 4, 2008
If I expected this month to be easy on me because of my effort to make a positive change in my life, I found out differently today. Through out the day my state of mind cycled from anxiety, to defensiveness to aggressive behavior. If I wasn’t trained to aware of these developments in others I probably wouldn’t have realized they were happening to me. As it was I was barely able to keep a lid on it.
I awoke very early, actually feeling quite refreshed physically. I expected this as my research had indicated this was one of the effects of proper hydration. It occurred just as predicted about 96 hours into the experiment. But, is it merely a self fulfilling prophesy?
The day was physically demanding. The actual moving of boxes and furniture for transportation to another office occupied most of the day.
I noticed excellent physical energy. Juxtaposed with it however was a very uncharacteristic impatience and irritation with others. I wonder how this plays into the mental deficit I felt the day before.
Water Intake
- 7:00 A.M 12 ounces - hot
- 7:20 A.M 12 ounce - hot
- 8:10 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 9:00 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 10:00 A.M. 12 ounces
- 11:10 A.M 12 ounces
- 12:00 P.M. 12 ounces
Even though I feel physically strong, I am still in a foul mood that I am only consciously controlling. Could this be connected to the experiment, or is it merely the aggravation of the moving office locations?
January 5, 2008
Again, I woke extremely early.
I have always been a relatively early riser but this recent development is becoming bothersome. I typically awake in time to carry out all my morning activities with enough time to ease in to my work routine at a relaxed pace.
This early awakening has me completely finished with my morning activities a full hour before time to start into work.
Sitting idle has never been a favorite activity of mine. I like my mediation an focus time to be part of my routine so that I can embrace and take full advantage of them. The only focus I have been able to put to these unexpected extra hours is to wonder why they are occurring.
My temper has not improved.
I find that I must be extremely aware of what I am about to say and how I will say it in order to avoid sounding curt, rude, or annoyed. This is extremely odd because it is not my persona at all.
Perhaps additional physical activity will provide a vent for my excess energy.
My water intake was virtually identical to yesterday.
- 7:00 A.M 12 ounces - hot
- 7:20 A.M 12 ounce - hot
- 8:10 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 9:00 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 10:00 A.M. 12 ounces
- 11:10 A.M 12 ounces
- 12:00 P.M. 12 ounces
I really miss my morning coffee. Could I still be suffering psychologically from caffeine withdrawal after 5 days?
January 6, 2008
When I woke this morning I found that I was clenching my teeth so tightly that I had given myself a migraine. I tried relaxation and focus techniques for at least and hour before I finally gave in around 5 A.M. and took some ibuprofen. I found that even after I had given them medication ample time to work, I still could not go back to sleep.
The headache faded in and out all day long.
I went to church this morning. This is something that usually puts me at peace and allows me to relax and focus. Today I found I was unable to focus on the message and was quite annoyed at each minute misbehavior I perceived my daughters to be making.
I did some calculations and determined that drinking only water is saving me around $200 per month. I know that sounds like a lot but take a look at my numbers.
- One Venti Latte per week day @ $3.40 ea = 68
- Four Regular Coffees/day @ $.25 ea = 30
- Two Soda Bottles per day @ $.75 ea = 45
- One glass red wine per day @ $2.00 ea = 60
It is a surprising total for what appear to be minimal expenses.
- 7:00 A.M 12 ounces - hot
- 7:20 A.M 12 ounce - hot
- 8:10 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 9:00 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 10:00 A.M. 12 ounces
- 11:10 A.M 12 ounces
- 12:00 P.M. 12 ounces
I incorporated a 20 minute stair routine today. Once again I experienced a great benefit to my physical well being but my mental attitude is still substandard.
In my profession it is absolutely imperative that I maintain a patient and positive mental attitude. Will I be forced to abandon the experiment to function optimally or is this simply a downward cycle that is merely coincidental to the experiment?
January 7, 2008
I awoke at 2:00 A.M. with a sore throat. I took a cold tablet and went back to bed.
I suppose I did not expect to be vulnerable to the cold and flu virus if I was taking in this much water and so thoroughly flushing my system. Then again, I have been in the process of relocating my office for several day and a lot of dust and stress has accompanied that operation. It may be that the sore throat has more to do with those factors than with a cold or flu virus.
At 5:00 A.M. my throat woke me again. I prepared a warm salt water gargle and got ready for work.
As there was no network access for research, I spent the morning the morning running copies and preparing participant folders for a training on the function of the male brain which I am presenting tomorrow.
As it was an unseasonably warm January day, I treated myself to a twenty minute walk throughout downtown on my lunch break. Even though I had only a light sweater I was still quite comfortable. In fact, half way through the walk I took off my sweater and slung it over my shoulder.
The building I have relocated to is a four story structure. I am located on the ground floor. The only functioning network access, or copy machines, or microwaves available are on the top floor. Therefor, I am getting a lot of good exercise as I trek up and down the 54 steps between the two. This is both by choice for health as by necessity because the building elevator is interminably slow.
Daily Water Intake
- 12 ounces hot
- 8.5 ounces
- 8.5 ounces
- 8.5 ounces
- 8.5 ounces
- 8.5 ounces
- 12 ounces
January 8, 2008
Today eased me into the second week of the Water Cure Experiment. It was a basically uneventful day. I didn’t have any unusual health issues. In fact, I was slightly surprised to note that the sore throat that I experienced yesterday and the night before was completely gone.
It was also interesting to note that I have dropped 2 pounds. This is purely an anecdotal because weight loss was not one of the aspects I was planning to look at during this experiment.
The day was a full seminar day. That means I spent the majority of the day (7:30 A.M to 3:30 P.M.) on my feet lecturing and coaching a participant group. Because of this I was not able to drink filtered water bottled from home as is my usual habit. Instead I hydrated myself with 10 of the small 8.5 ounce commercial water bottles. I had made a conscious decision to avoid these pre-bottled servings because of the phthalates found in water from plastic bottles which serve in the human body as endocrine disruptors, which serve in the male body to mimic the effects of estrogen.
My sleep continues to be very light and I am still waking quite early. But, I feel fully rested when I wake. Emotionally though, I do feel a bit cheated as I am spontaneously waking at least an hour before my previous time.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:15 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 8:00 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 8:45 A.M 8.5 ounces
- 9:20 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 10:00 A.M. 8.5 ounces
- 11:30 A.M 8.5 ounces
- 12:20 P.M. 8.5 ounces
- 1:00 P.M. 8.5 ounces
- 2:10 P.M. 8.5 ounces
- 3:30 P.M. 8.5 ounces
January 9, 2008
I woke early again this morning. I did not feel tired. But, I am becoming ever more jealous of the lost sleep time. It seems before I started the experiment I woke gradually and enjoyed that sensation of coming gradually aware. Since I started the water cure experiment I awake fully alert. It sounds odd to say being completely alert could be a bad thing but their is something comfortable in the warm fog between sleeping and waking. In fact that was when I got some of my most creative urges. Now I wake completely aware efficiently assessing everything.
I have also noticed that my dreams are extremely vivid and action filled. There is no sense of fear, threat or foreboding they are simply extremely busy.
In fact, I don’t seem to be able to find the creative ability to write about the impact of behavior and the human condition in relation to this experiment. Anthropologically, it should be very clear. Since anthropology is created from the Greek anthropos, meaning human being and logos, meaning speech or to talk about human beings it should be quite easy for me since this is in essence and experiment about the human experience. But, it just isn’t panning out that way; at least not yet.
My sore throat is back today. No amount of hot water cups seems to dissipate it. I ended up taking an over the counter cold tablet for the pain and drainage.
Physically I have noted that now that my system has adjusted to the additional intake of water I am now use the restroom no more than before I began the experiment.
In the early evening I experienced a crushing headache and was in bed by 9:15.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:00 10 ounces hot
- 7:30 10 ounces hot
- 8:15 8 ounces
- 12:00 8 ounces
- 12:20 8 ounces
- 1:00 8 ounces
- 1:48 4 ounces
- 2:05 4 ounces
- 2:15 12 ounces
- 2:39 12 ounces
January 10, 2008
I awoke many times during the night. On each instance I was awoken by an aching pain in my hip or shoulder. This probably has more to do with the prospect I may be getting a cold than it has to do with my increased intake of fluids. On the other hand it may be connected to the fact this is an extremely busy time of year for me. Many people are faced with the need to accomplish a specified number of training hours in each calendar year and most like to get an early start on them. This translates to my putting 12-14 hour work days on a regular basis.
I am somewhat surprised to not that thus far I have experienced no major cravings for coffee, tea, or soda. After the initial few days of headaches I don’t feel much different at all. I still crave hot liquid in the morning but this is easily assuaged by a couple of cups of hot water. It may be because I set the parameters of this experiment for one month and I know I can have any type of coffee or tea I want at the end of that month. My eldest brother James Orville Adkins was a career military NCO. He once told me “You can stand on your head and stack BB’s for a month.” By that he meant the key to success is knowing there is a finite limit to any unpleasantry you are experiencing.
In fact, after this experiment in personal growth and discipline I may attempt an additional experiment focused on food for the month of February.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:00 10 ounces hot
- 7:30 12 ounces hot
- 9:00 12 ounces
- 11:56 8 ounces
- 12:51 8 ounces
- 1:15 12 ounces
- 1:40 12 ounces
January 11, 2008
I continue to awake at a very early hour. In relation to my overall well-being, I don’t feel any different than before I began the experiment. In fact I find myself becoming rather bored with the lack of experienced change.
I don’t feel any better or worse, but then I always feel pretty good.
- 10 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 8 ounces
January 12, 2008
I was able to sleep in a little this morning. For me, sleeping in is around 7 a.m.
Today was my daughters’ birthday celebration. Between piling 10 squealing girls into a minivan, transporting them to a movie theater, cuing up for the popcorn, soda and candy, then transporting them to pizza hut, then back to my home to be picked up by their parents it was really took a concentrated effort to find time to drink my daily water intake.
- 10 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 12 ounces
January 13, 2008
Sunday was a very laid back day. After the pandemonium of have 10 9 year olds yesterday we adjusted our schedule to do as little as possible. In fact the only thing on my to do list was to make certain I got the water cure intake taken care of.
Again, my physical well being does not seem to have been impacted in any way.
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 10 ounces
January 14, 2008
Today is a training day for me. The shoe is on the other foot, so to speak. Rather than providing the edutainment I am part of the audience.
I have taken care of my water intake by picking up a half gallon size sports bottle. It is only of the largest I have seen. It should make having portable potable water much more convenient.
As one portion of the training I was given a piece of text excerpted from the Jack London story The Call of the Wild. The text sample was designed to demon state the difficulty of decoding skills. “It is true, it was a vi_ exp_, else he would not have lived to pr_ by it.” The exercise measured how long it took us to process the information and fill in the blank. I found while I was unable to break it down by phonetic techniques or context clues, I was able to reconstruct most of the passage because I had read the story from which it came many years ago. As my memory is my least reliable faculty it may be that proper hydration has assisted my recall speed.
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 6 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 16 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 16 ounces
January 15, 2008
Today I was back in my element. I conducted day one of a two day training on how the male brain processes information differently than the female brain. I provide this content in a variety of formats: to help men understand their own thought processing, to help women understand men better, to help parents who are raising boys and to help teachers modify the heavily female oriented public school curriculum to make it more connected to the male processing pathways.
I was traveling to conduct this presentation. So, all my resources mus fit in to what amounts to tow medium sized suitcases, plus my laptop. As a result, my water bottle was left behind. I had to reach my hydration goals by repeatedly filling two 8 ounce cups at a nearby tap. These I supplemented this with a couple of 8.5 ounce bottles.
- 8 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 8.5 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 8 ounces
- 8 ounces
January 16, 2008
It seems I have become an habitual early riser. I consistently wake each morning at 5 a.m. I think, perhaps that some small noise may be occurring each morning at that time that is waking me. I live in an apartment and I am sure many of my neighbors are rising for work and returning from work at that hour.
After two weeks of the water cure experiment I would have expected to experience some more significant (i.e. noticeable) results. The case remains that I don’t feel much different at all. On the other hand, the only ill effects I have experienced were the initial headaches. I attributed those to the cessation of my coffee intake. Now, I am not completely certain that was the because of the caffeine withdrawal. I have always had sinus headaches and we have had a January which swung wildly from high temperatures in the upper 70’s to lows in the teens, which can aggravate a sinus condition.
Today was a particularly long day form me. I broke down my materials from conducting yesterdays training and immediately began compiling my materials for the training I will conduct tonight. It amounted to a 12 hour day.
Fortunately, I remembered my 1/2 gallon sports bottle. So, I was able to remain hydrated at a constant rate of intake. I did notice I still felt thirsty around 4 o’clock even though I had already consumed over 80 ounces of water.
After reading several pieces of nutrition information in relation to brain function (which is another training I conduct) I found that significant quantitative data suggests that carbohydrates make the brain groggy and slow to process information. On the other hand, enzymes from protein have a tendency to prime the brain for learning and problem solving.
Since the majority of my work is mental in nature I have decided to eliminate as many carbohydrates from my food intake as possible. I am focusing on “net” carbohydrates as defined by the Atkins nutritional program. Initially I have found this to require much more adjustment than the water cure experiment necessitated.
Daily Water Intake
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 10 ounces
- 12 ounces
- 8 ounces
January 17, 2008
As you can see from the title of this article the focus of my experiment has changed ever so slightly. After 17 days I had noticed no major changes in my shift to only water as a liquid intake. At least no changes that couldn’t be attributed to the weather rather than the water cure itself. However, I am not ready to say proper intake of water is not important. On the contrary, I firmly believe it is. But, it may be that the changes are so subtle, perhaps even on the cellular level, that they are not readily measurable on the short term basis. therefor, I have decided to shift the focus of the experiment to a measurement of self discipline.
I will continue to track my water intake to make certain I have met my daily goal. In addition, I have begun to track my intake of carbohydrates based on the brain research data I noted on the previous post. In an interested aside, the increased water intake combined with the decreased intake of carbohydrates and the increase of protein seems to be creating a change in my metabolism. My weight has dropped two pounds over the last 24 hours. I’m not ready to say this is the change in the formula of water, carbohydrate, and protein intake is causal but if the trend continues it is interesting to say the least.
The focus now is; do I have the self discipline to coordinate the three factors over the remaining 13 to 14 days of the experiment?
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
- 12 ounce
January 18, 2008
This is a Friday. Friday is typically my office day. I do the follow up paperwork from the week, provide participant continuing education documentation, schedule upcoming trainings and research new training direction through independent study and cohort group coursework.
I finalized an agreement to provide a two day training for the staff of a local school who are interested in how boys and girls learn differently and how staff training can improve upon the dismal academic performance of their males. I have a set fee for trainings with in 50 miles of my home at $50 per hour with a minimum of 3 hours required or $300 per day. For some reason, I agreed to contract this training at rate of $250 per day for two days. I’m rather irritated with myself for this.
I complete a two hour Crisis Prevention Institute online review and reassessment to keep my trainer certificate current with them. Again, I’m somewhat annoyed with myself. I rarely conduct more than 6 days of training in this field anymore and I could have devoted the time to some more bankable pursuit.
I put the remaining 5 hours of my day into completing a study of studies on the findings of the National Reading Panel. This course delves into how the most basic foundations of reading are built upon the smallest written units derive their meaning and the layers of English language, Proto-Germanic, Old English, Middle English, and Renascence and how there evolution impacts pronunciation, reading and spelling of English today. Although, not a target area I typically conduct training in, it is an area which impacts all the training I do conduct.
I’ve adjusted my intake to an hourly system, and a set amount per hour. This takes makes any calculations unnecessary and allows me to move through my schedule without thinking about whether I paced to intake enough water.
Daily Water Intake:
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
Decreased carbohydrate, increased protein intake continue to result in a loss of body rate. The scale shows 1 pound less today than yesterday.
January 19, 2008
Today is a Saturday. I devote Saturdays and Sundays to family time. In fact, we planned a six hour family trip to visit grandparents today and tomorrow but snow and below freezing temperatures have caused me to change plans and spend the time at home rather than risking the icy road conditions.
I have adopted a standardized water intake formula.
Daily Water Intake:
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
I do notice the need for more frequent trips to the restroom. But, this may be due to a lack of physical activity for the day and a decrease in temperature.
I have maintained the low carbohydrate higher protein formula.
I also record an addition pound of weight loss.
January 20, 2008
Today is a Sunday. Sunday’s are family days. Due to the inclement weather church services were canceled.
Daily Water Intake:
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
I have maintained the low carbohydrate higher protein formula.
I also record an addition half pound of weight loss.
January 21, 2008
Say, do you think Ben and Jerry’s “Coffee, Coffee, Coffee, Buzz, Buzz, Buzz” counts as drinking coffee? 
Anyway, I did make a dodge off the carbohydrate locomotive long enough to have a cone with my 9 and 7 seven year old daughters today. That was an astounding 22 net carbohydrates. But, it was definitely worth it. The scale will tell what level of Dante’s hell I have descended to.
On the other hand I was able to remain faithful to my water cure intake experiment.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 22, 2008
What www.watercure2.org has to say about my water cure experiment.
You must be sure your kidneys are working OK. This means liquid in results in liquid out. For example: the amount of water or other beverages taken in should be urinated during the day.
Here are Dr. Batmanghelidj’s recommendations:
- The “rule of thumb” for water is half your body weight in ounces taken throughout the day. A little less or even a little more is ok.
- The “rule of thumb” for salt is 1/8 tsp( ¾ g ) of salt per 16 oz ( ½ liter ) of water.
- If you have any swelling of your feet, ankles, legs, arms, fingers, eyelids you must stop all salt for 2 to 3 days and just drink the water. The exception to this would be swelling from an injury/accident.
You probably just rolled your eyes to the back of your head saying, “Are you nuts… that’s a lot of water to drink”. Actually, it’s quite simple to accomplish this when taken in say… 8 glasses of water spaced throughout the day.
For example, lets take a 192 pound person. Half their body weight is 96 pounds. Change that to 96 ounces. Divide that by 8, for the number of glasses you are going to drink, which equals 12 ounces. You would be drinking 8 (12 ounce) glasses of water per day. Now… wouldn’t you agree that drinking the water this way it is easy to do?
If you do not drink this much water right now, you must start adding the extra water very slowly. This gives your body time to adjust to the added water intake. If you don’t, the water will act like a water pill (diuretic), pulling necessary minerals from your body, possibly causing more harm than good. Senior citizens and children MUST start adding the extra water slowly.
Here’s how to increase your water intake slowly. Using the above example, start out with (3) – 8 oz glasses of water your first day. The next day add one or two glasses. Keep doing this until your required glasses per day is reached. Now start increasing the ounces until your total per glass is reached.
Please keep in mind; it’s only a rule of thumb on half your body weight in ounces of water and 1/8 tsp of salt for every 16 oz of water. Some people will require a little more water where others will require a little more salt.
After a while, the body’s requirements can change for a little more water and salt because of hot weather, cold weather or exercise. Each person must find his or her body’s requirement at this time.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 23, 2008
As I continue with this I have discovered that I may be the only one ever to have done a web log chronicling this information. There are several sites which refer to it, but none which actually track the experiment with an individual for the entirety of a 30 day period. Since there is a “blog” on just about everything under the sun, you have to wonder why that is. I imagine it might be because no one has thought of a way to make money of the concept yet.
For those of you interested in the aspects of this experiment in relation to weight loss, I have included the metabolism graphic above the text.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 24, 2008
I woke up rather bored of the water cure experiment. I find I still miss the my morning coffee. There is something comforting about hot coffee on a 27 degree morning.
All is going well, I don’t have to remember to drink water. It has become automatic. I continue to have good energy, but as long as there is a good task at hand, I usually do.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 25, 2008
What started off an an exciting experiment has become a chore. I find that I am now focused only on completing the 30 days and moving on. The only reason I have continued is because I made a commitment to see the experiment through and I am too stubborn to abandon my self promise.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 26, 2008
Here are some more thoughts I collected from Dr. Batmanghelidj’s materials on the water cure.
- Brain function: The brain comprises 2% of the body’s total weight, yet receives 15-20% of the blood supply, mostly comprised of water. Dehydration will affect cognitive ability drastically, and, through histamine’s action, can create depressive states (many anti-depressant medications are anti-histamines).
- Bone function: Bones require plentiful supplies of water. 75% of the weight of the upper body, for instance, is supported by the water core contained within the fifth lumbar disc, the remaining 25% by muscle fibres around the spine.
- Nerve function: Micro-streams exist along the length of nerves which transport nutrients and conduct energy along micro-tubules to the synapses to transmit messages. Dehydration disrupts proper nerve function, resulting in the sensation of pain.
- Hydrolysis: Water, far from being an inert solvent, is intricately involved in the body’s water-dependent chemical reactions. Lack of water means incomplete or faulty metabolic processes, with obvious implications for continued health and well-being. Proteins and enzymes, for instance, do not function as well in acidic solutions of higher viscosity (stickiness) where the body is dehydrated.
- Cellular energy: As water is drawn through the cell membrane, its osmotic flow generates a voltage gradient which can be used in the manufacture of ATP and GTP energy. Dehydration will obviously affect the proper functioning of cells and even kill them.
- Histamine: This neurotransmitter plays a major role in activating systems which encourage water intake when dehydration is detected. Functions in the body which consume large quantities of water are cut back, namely the bronchial tubes constricted to cut down on water use in the lungs; increased peristalsis in the bowels to wring more water out of fecal material, and so on. Other signs of histamine’s activity, namely allergies, asthma, depression and chronic pains, are interpreted by the physician as ‘disease’ and treated with anti-histamines, pain-killers (analgesics), etc. Thus the signals of thirst are turned off and the dehydration state continues unabated.
- Dyspepsia (heartburn/reflux): Over time, this can lead to ulceration and even cancer. Dr Batmanghelidj recommends that these conditions - also gastritis and duodenitis - be treated with water alone as they are one of the body’s major thirst signals. Arrested in his native Iran by the Revolutionary Council during the troubles of the late 1970’s, Dr B was confined to Evin prison, Tehran, during which time he successfully treated with water alone over three thousand people complaining of dyspeptic pain and associated symptoms.
- Digestion: Requires plentiful supplies of water. The stomach relies on mucus lining the walls to shield it from the effects of the stomach’s hydrochloric acid. A bicarbonate solution is produced from the cells in the lining which neutralises any acid attempting to break through the mucus. Water is needed to maintain this effective defence system. Too little water, and the mucus barrier is ineffectual, the acid will penetrate and will lead to pain. Ideally, water should be consumed half an hour before a meal, in time to anticipate the production of digestive acid from glands in the stomach wall.
- Ulcers: Often located at the valve between the stomach and duodenum. Said to be caused by curved bacteria known as helicobacters. Yet many people have helicobacters in their small intestine, yet not all of them suffer from ulcers. Histamine-producing nerves are located at this site, which monitor the through-put of acidic food chyme from the stomach into the intestine. Histamine has growth-hormone effects on these micro-organisms, resulting in small intestine bacterial over-growths (SIBOs). Once again, an adequate regime of water intake will allow all the functions relating to digestion to normalise. Prolonged water intake should therefore be considered before more drastic drug treatments are entered into.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 27, 2008
There are others who report they have experienced greater success with the water cure than I have.
Thanks for the water cure!
One day at work, I had an incident where my blood pressure shot up to 240 over 140. I felt okay, but the nurse said that I needed to sit down and relax.
She wanted to send me home, but I declined. I sat down for the last hour of the shift, and let the other people do the work.
The next day, my wife and I went to the bookstore, and I found a book entitled, “You are not sick, You are just thirsty. Your body’s many cries for water.”
I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. When I finished the book, I decided to give the water cure a try.
My wife and I both drink about 5 quarts of water a day. We have gotten the Redmond’s real salt and use it on our food. (I put 1/4 teaspoon of it in each quart of water that I drink, in addition to using it on my food.) I also eat an orange a day, for the potassium and my wife drinks a single glass of orange juice each morning.
Over the last month or so, I have noticed some definite changes in the way I feel.
When I would go to sleep, my toes on both feet would burn and ache. They hurt so much that it would wake me from my sleep. Since I started the water cure, and increased my salt intake, my toes have almost stopped hurting completely.
My blood pressure was 189/92 about a month ago. Yesterday I checked it and it is now 127/76, with a resting heart rate of 62. When I don’t take the water and the salt, it has been 144/96. So I try to drink the water and take the salt every day.
My wife has a ring of large skin tags and moles around her neck and upper chest. She told me that she is amazed because her skin tags are going down! I looked and sure enough the skin tags are going down and many have disappeared altogether!
She told me that I also seem to have lost weight. My scale is out of order, but I have noticed that my stomach seems to be getting smaller too. (I have the belly over the belt syndrome. Here lately the belt is going over the belly, instead of under it.)
We are going to continue this program, and let you know of any other changes.
By the way, my father noticed that I seem to be growing more hair. (Yes I am bald on top, but not on the sides of my head.) He was running his hand over my head the other day, and was amazed. There hasn’t been a crop like that is years.
I am laughed at at work, because I drink “Salt water”, but hey, if it is helping us this way, who cares what they think.
When the see the results, they will change their minds soon enough!
Thanks to Dr. Batman and to Bob Butts, and now to you Mike, for your dedication to getting the word out.
Posted by “Saltdrinker” from Arlington, Texas 11 June 2006 on Water Cure Insider.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 28, 2008
Even twenty-eight days into the experiment some may be asking , “So what exactly is the “Water Cure?”
Simply put it involves drink half your body weight of water in ounces daily. For example, a 180 pound person would consume 90 ounces of water daily. Divide this amount by the size glass you use to drink your water in, and you have the number of glasses of water you will need to consume.
Although I have concentrated solely on water other suggest that or every quart of water you use, you will need to add a 1/4 teaspoon of unrefined sea salt to your diet. As long as you are consuming plenty of water, your body needs and will utilize the sodium and trace minerals in unrefined pure sea salt.
I have eliminated all other liquid intake. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages will dehydrate you, requiring an additional 10 to 12 oz. of water for every 6 oz. of an alcohol or caffeine containing beverage. One step forward and two back.
The theory as to why water and salt intake are so important? The top essentials of life are:
1. Oxygen
2. Water
3. Salt
4. Potassium
5. Exercise
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
January 29, 2008
More information on the role of water in body and brain function.
Waters Role In Healthy Brain Function.
Water plays an extremely important role in your diet and bodily functions.Many parts of your brain draw much of their energy from water.Water must be taken into your body in its pure, natural state, optimally drink half your body weight in ounces daily.
Water is vital to energy production in your cells and in your overall metabolism, and neurotransmission.
Nerve transmission is heavily dependent upon water. Small waterways, or micro-streams run along the full length of your nerves.
These streams float the neurotransmitters along microtubules to the nerve endings.
When your body is dehydrated,
nerve transmission is compromised and brain function strongly diminished. Chronic nerve pain can simply be the end result of chronic dehydration.
Numerous chronic and painful conditions, including arthritis and fibromyalgia, can often be significantly reduced after adequate rehydration.
Another important consideration is that water actually holds the cells of your body together.
Water keeps the cell membrane together by forming hydronium ions which makes the water sticky and helps bond your cells together.
This gives your cells a higher viscosity that helps increase the efficiency of proteins and enzymes.
In a dehydrated cell, the metabolism, is greatly impaired.Dehydration has a particularly dramatic effect on sugar metabolism, the immune system, and detoxification. Dehydration profoundly effects the movement of lymph through the body and causes the lymph system to clog up and malfunction.
From a cellular point of view, the transmission of nutrients through the cell wall is conducted by water.
Many deficiency conditions are often specific dehydration problems.
Dehydration is a significant producer of free radicals in your body and effective hydration removes free radicals faster than most any other therapy. A fully hydrated body can reduce your need for antioxidant supplements.
Lung dehydration is considered a significant factor in respiratory diseases.
Sometimes the most dramatic results can be obtained in asthma and chronic bronchitis with simple rehydration.
Dehydration is a major producer of stress in the body and alters the balance of amino acids.
This can result in DNA errors during cell division which can lead to many diseases such as cancer and other cell mutation problems.
Water is a vital conductor of energy such as your meridian and chakra energy systems. When your body is dehydrated, it is very difficult for energy based therapies such as acupunture, Reiki, Bowenwork® and BodyTalk™ to work.
Due to an imbalance in the cellular environment many people’s body cells and brain tissues are dehydrated, despite drinking adequate amounts of water. The BodyTalk System has a procedure that specifically addresses any underlying factors that may be limiting the absorption of water throughout your body.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
This is the final entry in the 30 day water cure experiment. In summary the Water Cure is based on the teachings of Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D.. I’ve read as much as I could find about it. There are a lot of testimonials that seem almost too good to be true, but then perhaps all we really need is water after all.Are we a nation existing in a constant state of dehydration?
Has dehydration brought us to the brink of an epidemic of disease?
I don’t know. I do know that a lot of people drink very little water. They live off coffee and soda and alcohol. If we all drank more water, maybe we’d all feel better. I know I feel better to be finished with this experiment. Anyway, I gotta go, I’m headed for Starbucks.
Daily Water Intake
- 7:30 12 ounces
- 8:30 12 ounces
- 9:30 12 ounces
- 10:30 12 ounces
- 11:30 12 ounces
- 12:30 12 ounces
- 1:30 12 ounces
- 2:30 12 ounces
- 3:30 12 ounces
- 4:30 12 ounces
- 6:30 12 ounces
- 7:30 12 ounces
- Total Intake 144 ounces
