You are not sick. You are thirsty. Don't treat thirst with medications.
~ Fereydoon Batmanghelidj MD
This week I was reminded of how easy it is to ignore the basics when dealing with pain and suffering.
When someone expressed their health challenge, I neglected to ask some of the most fundamental questions.
Sometimes your symptoms are due to thirst, not a disease.
Had I asked the following questions immediately, the underlying cause would have been revealed quickly.
How much water do you drink throughout the day?
What is the colour of your urine, and how frequently do you urinate throughout the day?
What medications and supplements do you take?
How many fruits and vegetables do you eat per day?
Do you have a family history of diabetes?
How hot is your bedroom at night?
How dry is your mouth when you wake up in the morning?
Are you a nose or mouth breather?
Do you use a humidifier in the winter?
Do you take a diuretic?
Do you drink alcohol? If yes, how much and how frequently?
Do you drink caffeinated beverages? If yes, how much and how often?
Do you do intense physical activity? Do you sweat a lot?
Do you do hot yoga or use a sauna or hot tub?
Are you on a salt-restricted diet?
When you pinch the skin on the top of your hand, does it tent or spring back rapidly?
Do you suffer frequent urinary tract infections?
You may be dehydrated if you suffer from headaches, ulcers, asthma, frequent urinary tract infections, joint pain, muscle cramps and spasms.
Water helps lubricate and cushion joints. It dissolves more substances than any other liquid transporting many valuable chemicals, minerals, and nutrients throughout the body.
We need water for healthy mucous linings that prevent acidity from burning a hole in the intestinal barriers.
Water keeps the respiratory tract and lung tissue moist facilitating air exchange in the lungs.
Water and salt help lower histamine production, reducing our need for many medications, including antihistamines, steroids and pain killers.
My personal challenge with dehydration
I used to get migraines. I seldom drank water. When assessed by a symptomology expert, I was extremely dehydrated.
I no longer suffer. But when asked, I often say magnesium and omega 3 supplements reduced my suffering. We tend to forget the basics.
Dehydration is an underlying cause of many chronic diseases.
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