| Dr. Batmanghelidj has an interesting history. He was a | | | | out for him say that people who give this advice have |
| doctor in Iran. When the revolution overthrew the Shah | | | | nothing scientific to base it on. |
| in the 1970s, mullahs and the Ayatollah Khomeini him in | | | | Dr. Batmanghelidj's book contains plenty of scientific |
| jail. | | | | facts to back up that advice. |
| While there, because he was a doctor, other prisoners | | | | According to his studies, water -- or rather the lack of |
| asked him for medical help. He had no medicines and | | | | optimum levels of it in our bodies -- helps cause |
| no equipment, so he told them to do the only thing he | | | | arthritis, obesity, asthma, high blood pressure, strokes, |
| could -- drink water until the pain went away. | | | | heartburn, colitis, allergies, diabetes, lower back pain, |
| To his surprise, drinking lots of water would make the | | | | depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, coronary heart |
| pain go away! | | | | disease, kidney stones, hot flashes, gout, and |
| Before long he had organized the other prisoners into | | | | osteoporosis. |
| groups to study the health effects of drinking lots of | | | | That's a long list, and some of them seem |
| water. After a few years, even the Iranian | | | | counter-intuitive. For example, people with high blood |
| government recognized the value of his work and | | | | pressure are prescribed diuretics, to force water out |
| wanted to release him from jail. He wouldn't go until he | | | | of their bodies. Yet obviously doesn't address the |
| finished his latest study. | | | | cause of the high blood pressure, just keeps it low |
| Once he came to America, he studied the effects of | | | | through a mechanical process. |
| water on health and illness and wrote YOUR BODY'S | | | | He gives a lot of practical advice on how much water |
| MANY CRIES FOR WATER. This book is followup to | | | | to drink. |
| that one. | | | | Some people may be offended that he says |
| Drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day has been | | | | American tap water is just fine, but remember that tap |
| standard alternative health advice for many years. | | | | water in Iran probably contains many contaminants |
| Napoleon Hill -- not known as a health writer -- was | | | | that American tap water doesn't. |
| advising it back in 1928. | | | | It's important to keep in mind that he advises drinking |
| A modern writer on exercise and weight loss advises | | | | WATER -- not liquids. |
| super-hydration -- the drinking of at least a gallon of ice | | | | When he says water, he means water. Not coffee, |
| water per day. He says to drink ice water because | | | | tea, milk, juice, energy drinks, lemonade, soda or |
| your body then has to burn calories to warm it up. | | | | anything else that just happens to be liquid but is more |
| I tried this not long ago, and just couldn't do it. I kept a | | | | than water. |
| big water of ice water by my desk and drank enough | | | | Following his advice is not always easy, since when |
| to force me to run to the bathroom often. Yet I still | | | | we're driving around or busy at work we don't stop |
| didn't drink half as much as advised. | | | | and think to drink more water. |
| And I'm privileged enough to work at home. I don't see | | | | But yet it's a lot easier and cheaper than other health |
| how anybody could do it in a normal work | | | | advice. He's not telling you to stop eating the foods |
| environment. | | | | you love or to eat less of them. He's not telling you to |
| An alternative health writer with a mail-order | | | | spend money on supplements. He's not telling you to |
| newsletter published by Agora says that the advice to | | | | go to the gym and sweat three days a week. |
| drink eight glasses a day of water is nonsense. Drink | | | | Nope -- just drink water until your urine is clear, and |
| when you're thirsty, he writes. The sales letters sent | | | | keep it that way. |