Because of the Holy Month of Ramadan, this year and the coming years, happens to fall in the midst of the summer heat, I chose to discuss the importance of water. Last week, I wrote about the necessity of water to the human body and health and what happens to certain organs (kidneys) and systems with shortage of this essential element.
Because most devout fasters tend to forgo water for fried fatty food and soda, caffeine and sweetened beverages, they end up with internal dehydration, weight gain and kidney damage. People have gotten into the habit of overeating so such an extent that they leave no space for plain water. By doing so, they defeat the purpose of fasting and neglect an essential aspect of health as well as harm their bodies.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended allocating one third of the body’s capacity for food, one third for drinking and one third for breathing. Unfortunately, modern lifestyles with excessive accessibility of fatty, fried foods have led us to over-stuff ourselves with heavy meals, leaving little space for water and breathing.
Coffee, excess tea and caffeine in soda and energy sweetened drinks are negative fluids. Due to their diuretic properties, they dehydrate the body, resulting in water loss instead. Insufficient plain water intake stresses the body systems (adrenal glands) and puts a load on certain organs (kidneys), leading to elevated blood sugar levels, insulin and blood pressure, toxin deposits, increased urine output and higher risk of urine and bladder infections and renal failure.
According to Andrea Moritz, practitioner in natural medicine and author of many bestseller books, long-term dehydration results in toxicity, water retention, hypertension, urine and bladder infections, kidney problems, autoimmune disorders, heart and cardiovascular diseases, blood clotting, strokes, digestive disorders, acid reflux, constipation, hemorrhoids, infectious diseases, poor nutrient distribution and assimilation, aging skin, irritability, anger, anxiety, slower cognitive responses, memory decline, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, damage on the cellular level, lethargy, lack of energy and more.
Now, I shall explore with you the role of water in certain body functions, organs and systems.
Water is needed for blood fluidity to prevent blood clotting. It is our best natural blood thinner. Reducing blood thickness allows for better blood and nutrient circulation in the vascular and cardiovascular systems and brain. Thickened blood clots easily, which obstruct blood flow from reaching the extremities, the lungs, heart, or brain, causing heart attacks or strokes.
Water encourages the elimination of toxins through the renal, digestive and glandular systems (urine, bowel movement, perspiration). When such poisonous deposits remain too long in the body they cause an overload of internal toxicity.
Muscles also require sufficient water to perform. With water shortage, energy is sapped and they start aching. Workouts and simple daily chores become difficult to perform.
Water makes up 22 percent of bone mass. Without it, the bones begin to ache and fail to rebuild and keep strong. The joints suffer as well.
Without sufficient water intake, the cleansing organs fail to operate adequately to purify the blood. The blood starts building toxins due to the burdened kidneys. Dehydration also causes painful chronic urine and bladder infections, which tax the kidneys as well, resulting in damage or failure.
When the body is dehydrated, it draws water from the intestines, resulting in acid reflux, constipation, hemorrhoids and insufficient nutrient assimilation. The digestive tract starts to suffer without our awareness of the underling cause. Very few medical practitioners realize that. You are just prescribed medication, which hush the symptoms without treating the real cause. Next week, inshallah, I shall elaborate on this aspect.
Insufficient water intake results in low energy, fatigue, disorientation, failing memory, dry eyes and skin, muscle, back and headaches, irritability, anxiety and anger.
The respiratory tract also suffers from dry conditions. Mucus in the airways and nose becomes thick and harmful and attracts infections. Dry cough, blocked nose, asthma, sinusitis, chest allergies and recurrent colds and infections can be symptoms of water shortage.
The skin begins to show ageing signs when it is under-hydrated. Allergies like eczema, skin dryness and itching develop and premature wrinkles appear on the face and everywhere else.
Body functions like breathing, perspiration and digestion require one and a half liters of water daily in order to operate the different systems and organs optimally. With this quantity of water expended, the body needs to replenish the daily loss; or else, we start feeling fatigued and slower mentally and physically. Moreover, when water is overlooked in a diet, the sense of thirst disappears.
Infants can easily become dehydrated with as little as 5 percent of water loss. Breastfed babies need less water supplement than formula fed ones. The aging can also experience electrolyte imbalances and organ (heart) complications, memory loss and disorientation when water is insufficient.
In an interview by Mike Adams of NaturalNews, Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, an expert and prominent researcher on the effects of water and dehydration on the human body, recommends drinking “…two glasses of water every three hours” to relieve stomach ulcer pains. When the body is dehydrated “it manifests pain…” “…depending on where dehydration is settled.” He continued saying that “Most antidepressants, painkillers and medical drugs are “directly or indirectly antihistamines, neurotransmitters regulating water in the body and water acts like antihistamine.”
According to Dr. Batmanghelidj, “…Nothing substitutes for water — not a thing. No drink — no coffee, no tea, no alcoholic beverages. Not even fruit juices.” He explained that water and other drinks do not produce the same effects on the cells, organs and systems. Therefore, the body needs a continuous new supply of pure fresh water to complete certain functions that cannot be done by adulterated waters like caffeine, soda, energy and sweetened beverages and alcohol in particular. Not even fresh fruit juices can perform the same tasks, especially on the cellular level when it comes to quenching body and brain cells.
Next week, inshallah, I shall continue discussing the disorders and illnesses that can result from water insufficiency and dehydration seen through the eyes of Dr. Batmanghelidj and described in his book, Water for Health, for Healing, for Life. I encourage you to read it or at least visit his website: http://www.watercure.com to understand the scientific and health aspects of water.
Meanwhile keep well hydrated with plain fresh water at iftar, fast breaking time, at sunset until abstinence time at dawn, Imsak. By irrigating your cells, internal organs and the different systems, you will prevent dehydration and benefit from fasting. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to repeat the following prayer after drinking at Iftar: “The veins have become irrigated and thirst has disappeared and the reward is confirmed inshallah (wa thabat al-ajr).”
Enjoy the freshness of water and how it cools your body and energizes you!
N.B.: Individuals with medical conditions or on medication should consult their physicians when they decide to introduce anything new in their diet even if it is natural.
To read previous Health Solutions articles, visit: www.arabnews.com/life.style
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