Mark Zaranski, Ph.D., L.Ac., Clinic Director-Highland
Why you should be interested:
#1 Proper Hydration is number three of the top five things a healthy person must do to remain healthy.
#2 80% of all Americans experience constipation at some point in their lives, for 12-19% the problem is chronic, and the cost of treating constipation is about $235 million per year. The American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons defines constipation as producing less than three bowel movements per week.
THE WATER TRICK
What could be better than a universally-effective health regimen that is easy to follow, and inexpensive or free? Three to four weeks of daily doing is the required investment as it takes 21-28 days for a person to form a new habit, depending on which experts you listen to/believe.
The Trick, itself: before bed, place a large tumbler (at least half a liter/16 fluid ounces, 20-24 fl oz is optimal for most people, more if you are larger than average) of drinking water within reach of your sleeping position. Upon first waking in the morning before getting out of bed (and preferably before smelling any food or coffee), grab the cup and drink its contents. Then lay flat on your back and use either or both hands to trace the path of your Large Intestine in a clockwise (as if viewed from the ceiling) direction (from right to left at the top of the abdomen-just below the ribs, then down along the left border of the belly to the hip, left to right below the navel, upward along the right border of the belly to complete one circuit). Repeat this series for a total of about 30 seconds (or a full minute for over achievers), then get up and start your day. No special equipment or costly products needed, easy to do at home or away; That’s it!!
What results should one expect from daily application of the “Water Trick”?
- Improved hydration.
- Improved elimination.
Improvements in hydration and elimination will result in improvements in many aspects of your health:
Helps achieve and maintain a healthy body weight-Americans often mistake the need for hydration (Thirst) with need for food (Hunger)-staying hydrated helps you feel full.
Hydration helps keep you energized, dehydration makes you feel fatigued, drained.
Water helps the Blood transport Oxygen and Nutrients, keeps Blood at the optimum viscosity, making it easiest for the Heart to pump.
Proper hydration levels help you feel less stressed, by the time you feel thirsty you are already battling dehydration.
Proper hydration helps prevent muscle cramping and helps the body lubricate the joints: when properly hydrated, you can exercise longer and harder without “hitting the wall”
Proper hydration makes your face look younger by plumping up cells to minimize fine lines and wrinkles, it also flushes out impurities and improves circulation and blood flow, leaving your face clean, clear and glowing.
Proper hydration minimizes the chances of forming Kidney stones by keeping salts and minerals diluted in the waste stream, and minimizes your desires for beverages such as soda, tea and coffee (which can promote kidney stone formation).
Maintain balance of body fluids and body temperature,
Help control calories,
Energize muscle (electrolytes),
Maintain skin,
Helps kidneys,
Maintain bowel function,
Teeth and bones,
Skin,
Joints,
Mind and body,
Digestion,
reduced fatigue, water retention,
Help weight loss, build muscle, increase tone,
Reduced risk of disease, aids circulation,
Mental alertness,
Improved nutrient distribution,
Soft skin,
Weight loss,
Pain relief,
Improved athletic performance,
Reduced susceptibility to Kidney stones,
Stronger immune system,
Better toxin flushing, leads to reduced inflammation.
Less risk of cardiovascular disease, and various cancers (esp breast, colon, bladder),
Less headaches,
Better memory and focus, think faster, experience greater clarity and creativity.
Normalized blood pressure,
Less histamine production, which in turn produces less allergy symptoms.
Naturally lowers Cholesterol levels,
Less chance of bladder and urinary tract infections thru better flushing of Kidneys ,and Bladder.
Faster joint and cartilage repairs,
Slowed aging process
Why does it work?
To keep ingested materials soft and soupy enough to navigate the narrow twists and turns of the digestive tract, only 5-10% of the water we drink is absorbed in the mouth and stomach; none is absorbed in the small intestine; 90-95% of the water we absorb is through the large intestine.
The components of the digestive system complete their portion of the process and the materials are pushed down stream to the next process, and everything that remains (not absorbed) eventually ends-up in the large intestine. As a component empties, the upstream sphincter remains open. Once digestion has progressed to the last stages (waste conditioning) during the fasting of sleep, the sphincters between the esophagus and the large intestine remain open.
Ingesting (room temperature, degassed) water upon waking (before smelling food or coffee) will send the liquid coursing through the stomach, straight into the switchbacks of the small intestine and then into the large intestine…delivered to where it can be absorbed.
Ingesting a significantly large volume of water is important to accomplish objective #2. The water delivered in excess of what can be absorbed works to promote regularity in two ways. Water works its way in between the compacted waste and the intestinal wall, loosening the waste from its surroundings; and infiltrated water provides some hydraulic pressure, stimulating peristalsis (serial muscle contraction that causes movement within the large intestine, towards the exit).
Success Stories:
When Candace started treatment at East Wind, she confided that she had never (in her memory, including when she was less than 10 years old!) eliminated without help from an enema, suppository, stool softener, laxative, or purgative. She agreed to try the Water Trick every morning for two weeks…. That was over two years ago.
Candace started having regular daily bowel movements within the first week of applying the water trick regularly, and she reported recently that she continues to move her bowels every day. She has not needed to use laxatives, stool softeners, fiber supplements, enemas, suppositories or anything, she simply employs the water trick every morning.
Heidi never considered her irregularity a problem, after all it’d been that way since high school! Heidi also experienced random bloating, widely varying appetite, fatigue, gas, belching, occasional heartburn and acid reflux. I explained to her the water trick, and she agreed to try it every morning for a month. I saw Heidi recently for a tune-up treatment, and she told me she continues to employ and enjoy the water trick every day: She never skips a day, rarely experiences any bloating or belching, no longer experiences any heartburn or acid reflux, her skin/lips/eyes rarely feel or look dry, has much improved and stabile energy. Heidi told me she thinks EVERYONE should know about the water trick.