The Cold, Wet Facts About Water And Weight Loss: Is It All A Bunch Of Hype?
Website design By BotEap.comNew and exciting revelations on the health front!
Website design By BotEap.como Drinking water will make you lose weight in the blink of an eye!
o 8 glasses a day will improve your health, digestion and energy!
o Drinking water will make you swing from the ceilings and look 10 years younger! Website design By BotEap.comA little exaggerated? Not according to some health experts. Most people are well aware that they “need” to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Admitting anything less is usually done only in whispers and with a look of shame. Website design By BotEap.comBut how true is all this talk about water? Do we really need large amounts of the stuff to stay healthy? Or could it even be harmful to drink too much water? Do you remember the story of the American woman who died from drinking too much water for a radio competition? Website design By BotEap.comAccording to kidney expert Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, drinking excess water: Website design By BotEap.como Will not suppress appetite or release appetite suppressing hormones
o Does not necessarily help in detoxification
o Does not reduce headaches
o Does not improve the skin Website design By BotEap.comIn the article (see News.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23476488-5005961,00.html) that I read, Dr Goldfarb goes on to say that “there was no rational basis for the widely held belief that people needed to drink eight glasses of water a day, and it was not clear where this recommendation came from.’ Website design By BotEap.comBut I’m not convinced. Before all the water haters (I know they’re out there!) give a whoop of joy, let’s dig a little deeper. Website design By BotEap.comFirst of all, I think this article is misleading the reader on a crucial point. Namely, the recurring reference to ‘drink a lot of water’ or ‘drink to excess’. Website design By BotEap.comWith just a quick read, the reader can walk away thinking that drinking water is an almost unnecessary element of a healthy life. Upon careful observation, it becomes clear that the theme of the article is that ‘excess’ water is not beneficial and may even be harmful. Website design By BotEap.comI completely agree! Too much water will strain your kidneys, can cause nutrients to be flushed out directly without being absorbed, and could even cause death if taken in excess. Website design By BotEap.comThe thing is, too much for one person may be just right for another. So how do you know what’s right? Website design By BotEap.comGoldfarb’s article lacks a reader call to action. Instead, it leaves you high and dry with the idea that water can kill you, and the implication that even if that doesn’t happen, there’s not much point in drinking it anyway. The article does not mention the many health risks of too little water. Let’s investigate a little more. Exactly when do the adverse effects of lack of water occur? And what impact would this really have on your health, skin, digestion, appetite, weight? Website design By BotEap.comOr is it true that food and coffee alone will maintain exceptional health? Website design By BotEap.comHere are my thoughts on each of Goldfarb’s points. Of course I’m not a kidney expert, but I love my research, and I know what worked for me and my clients. Website design By BotEap.com1. The claim that water is ineffective as an appetite suppressant. Website design By BotEap.comI agree that water by itself is not an appetite suppressant. Drinking more water also does not release hormones that suppress appetite. Of course, it’s true that filling your tummy with water will mean you won’t feel like eating, although you may still feel hungry. This is not a long-term solution to reducing appetite, and I wouldn’t recommend it in the short term either, as drinking large amounts of water in one sitting can put dangerous strain on your kidneys. Website design By BotEap.comSecondly – Website design By BotEap.comIf you’re dehydrated, your body will send out an urgent hydration signal. This is generally interpreted as hunger. Water is contained in most carbohydrate-based foods, and these are the foods you’ll tend to gravitate towards when you’re dehydrated. What does this mean? Although water itself doesn’t suppress your appetite, a lack of water can cause you to eat more and therefore affect your weight. Website design By BotEap.com2. The claim that water doesn’t necessarily help with detoxification, reduce headaches, or improve skin. Website design By BotEap.comI have grouped these three points together because my answer would be very similar for each of them. Sure, if you drink more water than you need, your body will just flush it out. You won’t absorb any nutrients from the water (assuming you’re drinking ‘live’ water and not dead tap water – another item!), and you’ll probably lose some of the benefits of any good food you’ve eaten as excess water floods your stomach and digestive system. This could even cause diarrhea and a general lack of energy! It is definitely not good. Website design By BotEap.comSecondly – Website design By BotEap.comIf you don’t drink enough water, you will definitely experience headaches and joint pain! Dr. F. Batmanghelidj shows in his acclaimed book ‘Your many bodies cry for water’ that water is the main lubricant for the vertebrae of the spine and all joints throughout the body. Without enough hydration, you will experience creaky or achy joints and this can definitely cause headaches. In the long term, it can cause severe degeneration of the spine; I know I’d rather drink my water than risk this happening. Website design By BotEap.comDr. FB also shows that water helps each of your vital organs to function at its best. This includes your liver. Guess what? Not enough water = your liver can’t do its job properly = the toxins will stay in your body longer (if they can get out at all). Any book, research article, or health expert will tell you (and if you don’t believe them, try hanging out with someone who eats garbage and doesn’t drink much water) that a toxic system can cause any number of problems, including, but not limited to, limited a: Website design By BotEap.comweight gain
or bad skin
or headaches
or poor digestion
or mood swings
or low libido
bad breath
or low energy
or a scattered mind Website design By BotEap.comSUMMARIZING Website design By BotEap.comClearly, there are two sides to the story. Let’s hope you’re happy to accept that some water is crucial to good health and function. While Dr. Goldfarb claims there is no basis for the ‘8 glasses a day’ logic, I’m not so sure… Website design By BotEap.comAccording to the International Institute of Sports Medicine (and many other concurring sources, although the number may change slightly), the human body is made up of 25% solids and 75% water. Brain tissue is said to consist of 85% water. Without adequate water, your body simply cannot function at its best. Website design By BotEap.comLet’s make it personal. The ISMI goes on to state that your daily water needs are to drink approximately 50-75% of your body weight in ounces each day. The large variation is because different activity levels will affect your needs. Website design By BotEap.comThe following link takes you to an excellent calculator that determines your unique requirements. The only thing I don’t like about this is that it indicates that soda is a good replacement for water! Website design By BotEap.comhttp://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm Website design By BotEap.comI would say that soft drinks, coffee or drinks that contain alcohol are actually dehydrating liquids, even if they contain water. This is because they not only remove the water they contain, but also cause you to lose more water from your body’s stores. The only way your body can get rid of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol is to pull the water out of your muscles and use it as a flushing tool. Website design By BotEap.comLong article, and I could happily continue, but I’ll leave it there. If you’re still not convinced that water is crucial to your health and weight loss needs, then I just have one more trick up my sleeve. Just try to go without it for a day or two. Then compare that to a week (allowing a few days for bathroom visits to build up!) of following the requirement the hydration calculator above gave you. You can read all the research in the world, but at the end of the day it’s not personal enough until you experience the boost of energy and vitality that proper hydration will provide. And sure, the many proclamations of H2O miracles may be a bit of a stretch, but what’s wrong with getting a little excited about such a simple yet powerful tool for unmatched health, energy and vitality? There you have it, I can use OTT too! Website design By BotEap.comdrink all:
o 8 glasses a day will improve your health, digestion and energy!
o Drinking water will make you swing from the ceilings and look 10 years younger! Website design By BotEap.comA little exaggerated? Not according to some health experts. Most people are well aware that they “need” to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Admitting anything less is usually done only in whispers and with a look of shame. Website design By BotEap.comBut how true is all this talk about water? Do we really need large amounts of the stuff to stay healthy? Or could it even be harmful to drink too much water? Do you remember the story of the American woman who died from drinking too much water for a radio competition? Website design By BotEap.comAccording to kidney expert Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, drinking excess water: Website design By BotEap.como Will not suppress appetite or release appetite suppressing hormones
o Does not necessarily help in detoxification
o Does not reduce headaches
o Does not improve the skin Website design By BotEap.comIn the article (see News.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23476488-5005961,00.html) that I read, Dr Goldfarb goes on to say that “there was no rational basis for the widely held belief that people needed to drink eight glasses of water a day, and it was not clear where this recommendation came from.’ Website design By BotEap.comBut I’m not convinced. Before all the water haters (I know they’re out there!) give a whoop of joy, let’s dig a little deeper. Website design By BotEap.comFirst of all, I think this article is misleading the reader on a crucial point. Namely, the recurring reference to ‘drink a lot of water’ or ‘drink to excess’. Website design By BotEap.comWith just a quick read, the reader can walk away thinking that drinking water is an almost unnecessary element of a healthy life. Upon careful observation, it becomes clear that the theme of the article is that ‘excess’ water is not beneficial and may even be harmful. Website design By BotEap.comI completely agree! Too much water will strain your kidneys, can cause nutrients to be flushed out directly without being absorbed, and could even cause death if taken in excess. Website design By BotEap.comThe thing is, too much for one person may be just right for another. So how do you know what’s right? Website design By BotEap.comGoldfarb’s article lacks a reader call to action. Instead, it leaves you high and dry with the idea that water can kill you, and the implication that even if that doesn’t happen, there’s not much point in drinking it anyway. The article does not mention the many health risks of too little water. Let’s investigate a little more. Exactly when do the adverse effects of lack of water occur? And what impact would this really have on your health, skin, digestion, appetite, weight? Website design By BotEap.comOr is it true that food and coffee alone will maintain exceptional health? Website design By BotEap.comHere are my thoughts on each of Goldfarb’s points. Of course I’m not a kidney expert, but I love my research, and I know what worked for me and my clients. Website design By BotEap.com1. The claim that water is ineffective as an appetite suppressant. Website design By BotEap.comI agree that water by itself is not an appetite suppressant. Drinking more water also does not release hormones that suppress appetite. Of course, it’s true that filling your tummy with water will mean you won’t feel like eating, although you may still feel hungry. This is not a long-term solution to reducing appetite, and I wouldn’t recommend it in the short term either, as drinking large amounts of water in one sitting can put dangerous strain on your kidneys. Website design By BotEap.comSecondly – Website design By BotEap.comIf you’re dehydrated, your body will send out an urgent hydration signal. This is generally interpreted as hunger. Water is contained in most carbohydrate-based foods, and these are the foods you’ll tend to gravitate towards when you’re dehydrated. What does this mean? Although water itself doesn’t suppress your appetite, a lack of water can cause you to eat more and therefore affect your weight. Website design By BotEap.com2. The claim that water doesn’t necessarily help with detoxification, reduce headaches, or improve skin. Website design By BotEap.comI have grouped these three points together because my answer would be very similar for each of them. Sure, if you drink more water than you need, your body will just flush it out. You won’t absorb any nutrients from the water (assuming you’re drinking ‘live’ water and not dead tap water – another item!), and you’ll probably lose some of the benefits of any good food you’ve eaten as excess water floods your stomach and digestive system. This could even cause diarrhea and a general lack of energy! It is definitely not good. Website design By BotEap.comSecondly – Website design By BotEap.comIf you don’t drink enough water, you will definitely experience headaches and joint pain! Dr. F. Batmanghelidj shows in his acclaimed book ‘Your many bodies cry for water’ that water is the main lubricant for the vertebrae of the spine and all joints throughout the body. Without enough hydration, you will experience creaky or achy joints and this can definitely cause headaches. In the long term, it can cause severe degeneration of the spine; I know I’d rather drink my water than risk this happening. Website design By BotEap.comDr. FB also shows that water helps each of your vital organs to function at its best. This includes your liver. Guess what? Not enough water = your liver can’t do its job properly = the toxins will stay in your body longer (if they can get out at all). Any book, research article, or health expert will tell you (and if you don’t believe them, try hanging out with someone who eats garbage and doesn’t drink much water) that a toxic system can cause any number of problems, including, but not limited to, limited a: Website design By BotEap.comweight gain
or bad skin
or headaches
or poor digestion
or mood swings
or low libido
bad breath
or low energy
or a scattered mind Website design By BotEap.comSUMMARIZING Website design By BotEap.comClearly, there are two sides to the story. Let’s hope you’re happy to accept that some water is crucial to good health and function. While Dr. Goldfarb claims there is no basis for the ‘8 glasses a day’ logic, I’m not so sure… Website design By BotEap.comAccording to the International Institute of Sports Medicine (and many other concurring sources, although the number may change slightly), the human body is made up of 25% solids and 75% water. Brain tissue is said to consist of 85% water. Without adequate water, your body simply cannot function at its best. Website design By BotEap.comLet’s make it personal. The ISMI goes on to state that your daily water needs are to drink approximately 50-75% of your body weight in ounces each day. The large variation is because different activity levels will affect your needs. Website design By BotEap.comThe following link takes you to an excellent calculator that determines your unique requirements. The only thing I don’t like about this is that it indicates that soda is a good replacement for water! Website design By BotEap.comhttp://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm Website design By BotEap.comI would say that soft drinks, coffee or drinks that contain alcohol are actually dehydrating liquids, even if they contain water. This is because they not only remove the water they contain, but also cause you to lose more water from your body’s stores. The only way your body can get rid of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol is to pull the water out of your muscles and use it as a flushing tool. Website design By BotEap.comLong article, and I could happily continue, but I’ll leave it there. If you’re still not convinced that water is crucial to your health and weight loss needs, then I just have one more trick up my sleeve. Just try to go without it for a day or two. Then compare that to a week (allowing a few days for bathroom visits to build up!) of following the requirement the hydration calculator above gave you. You can read all the research in the world, but at the end of the day it’s not personal enough until you experience the boost of energy and vitality that proper hydration will provide. And sure, the many proclamations of H2O miracles may be a bit of a stretch, but what’s wrong with getting a little excited about such a simple yet powerful tool for unmatched health, energy and vitality? There you have it, I can use OTT too! Website design By BotEap.comdrink all: