[aaronsmom]

From the Sept. 4 issue of Woman's World magazine

THE WATER CURE CAN MAKE YOU THIN!


We can't rave enough about the latest weight-loss breakthrough. It's simple, safe and effective. This M.D.- devised technique has already worked wonders -three times faster than average -- and without dieting.

Before you read another word, go pour yourself a glass of water. WHY? Because what we're about to tell you is going to make you very thirsty. At least that's the reaction Chicago mom Amy Biank had when she first heard about a groundbreaking treatment for weight gain, fatigue and a host of other stubborn ailments ..... "At the time, I was getting out of bed in the morning and feeling old and heavy," recalls the 54-year-old, who'd been steadily gaining weight since her early 40's. "My joints ached. I would get overwhelmingly tired. I had hot flashes, mood swings, sinus headaches. I didn't have the stamina to work out, and I had such strong cravings for foods like chocolate and bacon .... I just surrendered and said, 'This is the way I'm going to be'". But, in fact, it wasn't the way she was going to be...


Fast forward six weeks: Amy was shopping in the "fat ladies' section at her favorite store and tried on a size 20 skirt. "It literally fell off," she beams. The outfit she took home? A size 16. Now she's in the 14s working toward a 12. Maybe "working" isn't the right word because Amy has lost the weight, quadrupled her enerby, eliminated achy joints, beaten her allergies-
simply by drinking water -- more specifically, by drinking a doctor-prescribed amount of water.

That's exactly what Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D., affectionately known as "Dr Batman" around his practice in Falls Church, Virginia, tell his patients -- who have lost up to 40+ pounds just by increasing their water intake.. A recent survey found that while two out of three of us know doctors recommend drinking at least
eight cups daily, only one in five actually drink that much. How much, do we drink? On average, a mere 4.6 cups a day. "This chronic shortage is the reason so many of us are sick, tired and overweight," claims the expert, author of YOUR BODY'S MANY CRIES FOR WATER. "Humans are 75% water. More importantly, our
brains -- our control centers -- are 85% water. Without adequate hydration, our metabolisms slow, energy levels drop, toxic waste becomes trapped, cells are deprived of vital oxygen and nutrients and so much more."

So why don't we feel thirstier? "Studies show that as we get older, we experience a gradual loss of sensitivity to feelings of thirst," says Dr. Batman. And for reasons not entirely understood, humans accept a dry mouth as the primary indicator of thirst. "Yet it is the last signal your body sends that it's thirsty", he adds, noting that earlier signs include sleepiness, achiness and hunger. Since so many of the systems that keep us slim are dependent on water,
it only makes sense that when these systems falter, we get fat. That's the bad news. The good news is that simply by following one simple water-drinking guideline, we can restore our body to peak health and leanness ......


HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU NEED TO DRINK TO LOSE WEIGHT?

Dr. Batmanghelidj and the world-famous Mayo Clinic both offer the same easy formula for figuring out your body's daily water requirements: take your weight and divide it in half. If, for example, you weigh 150 lbs., you need 75 oz. (nine to
10 glasses) daily. If you weigh 250 pounds, 125 oz. (15 to 16 glasses). Any time you perspire heavily for 30 minutes, add an extra 15 to 30 oz. Any time you drink a caffeinated beverage, add an extra 8 to 10 oz.!

Is pure H2O the only liquid that counts? No, say experts. Any beverage without calories, caffeine, carbonation, artificial sweeteners, or sodium, such as herbal teas, bottled waters with fruit essence -- also counts toward your daily quota. Meet your daily quota and your rewards will be many ............

EASY WAYS TO GET MORE WATER

The idea of drinking 75 oz. of water each day may seem overwhelming at first, but these tricks make it easy -----

*Reaching for water first. Start taking water breaks instead of coffee breaks, sipping water instead of soda, and you automatically drink more. "In the past, I tried to drink more water in addition to all the Diet Coke, and it just didn't work", says Chicago mom Amy Blank. "But once I started making water my beverage of choice, my cravings for Diet Coke disappeared!"

*Keeping lots of H2O where you can see it.That way you won't forget."The first two weeks, I put eight bottles out on a
shelf, and I knew I had to finish them by the end of the day," says Amy.

*Adding a twist.
Water doesn't have to be boring "Try bottled waters flavored with fruit essence. Or squeeze lemon or lime into chilled tap water. "Sometimes I add a tablespoon of peach nectar," says Amy. "Or I'll take an herbal tea bag and pour the water on top of it,"

*Keeping it cool.
Each night, put some water bottles in the freezer. Take one or two with you to work and enjoy an icy treat in the midafternoon. Also a great idea if you're going to the beach.

SURPRISING REASONS DRINKING H20 MELTS FAT

Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster. During a study at the University of Utah, test subjects who were just slightly dehydrated saw a 3% drop in their resting metabolism. And since the calories we burn when we're sitting still account for the majority of calories burned each day, a 3% drop is enough to cause a pound of weight gain every six months.
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Water fights fatigue-induced hunger. Studies have shown that the more tired we feel, the more we eat. That's why folks who work the night shift tend to pack on extra pounds. But by drinking water, you can prevent the weariness that leads to overeating. "There is amazing new evidence that when water passes through our cell membranes, it creates energy independent of food -- a sort of hydroelectric power," says the expert.
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Water helps the digestive system operate more efficiently, so you have fewer cravings. The more water we have in our systems, the more efficiently our enzymes can break down and extract nutrients from food, explains Dr. Batman. The more nutrients you extract from the food you eat, the fewer cravings you'll have.
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Water replaces beverages proven to cause weight gain. It probably comes as no surprise that substituting water for sugary drinks saves you lots of calories. But what you might not know is that calories we drink are much more likely to end up as fat: one study found volunteers who ate an extra 450 calories unconsciously compensated at later meals and didn't gain weight: those who drank an extra 450 calories (the amount in one large cola) didn't compensate and gained weight.

"The great thing about water is that if you drink too much, the excess is simply excreted --- it is never stored as fat,", notes Dr. Batman.

What about no-cal beverages like diet sodas, coffee and tea? "They aren't stored as fat per se, but they trigger fat storage," he says. "Caffeine is a diuretic, so you drink it, thinking you're satisfying your thirst, when actually you are further dehydrating your body. In my opinion, rising obesity rates --- especially among
children -- are directly linked to our increased consumption of caffeinated beverages."

Artificial sweeteners make the problem worse: "When digested, aspartame is broken down into chemicals that reduce blood sugar available to our brains," explains the pro. "When this happens, we become hungry.". Sweetness alone can cause the body to anticipate a new supply of sugar -- so when sweetness hits your tongue, it begins to store circulating blood sugar in fat cells.

"I never realized how much more I ate when I was drinking coffee and diet sodas until I stopped," says Amy. "I still have them occasionally, but when I do, I make sure to have extra water."

Bonnie Siegler

BONUS: 5 WAYS WATER ACTS LIKE MEDICINE

When it comes to water's benefits, losing weight and gaining energy are just the tip of the iceberg. Researchers now believe that ordinary tap water helps reduce the risk of kidney stones, urinary tract and bladder cancer and possibly even colon cancer. There is also evidence, says Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D.,
Author of YOUR BODY' MANY CRIES FOR WATER, that ....

1. It prevents the common cold. Moisture in your throat holds the antibodies that fight off viruses. If you're even slightly dehydrated, this natural protection disappears.

2. It controls migraines. Without plenty of water, you're more likely to have an attack.

3. It helps lower "bad" cholesterol. When you're dehydrated, your blood becomes thick and acidic and can cause damage to arterial walls. Levels of LDL cholesterol rise in response to coat the arterial walls.

4. It may cure asthma. When you're not getting enough water, your body produces more histamine, which regulates how often your bronchial muscles contract. Drinking water decreases production of histamine, keeping breathing steady.

5. It soothes arthritis pain. Water in the cartilage of your joints acts as a lubricant.

[KiraR]

Wow! I had no idea how far the effects of drinking enough water reached. That's great!