Water, water, water, we don't get enough; at least according to Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelid (Dr. Batman to his friends). He has become an apostle for water and he claims that Americans are suffering from chronic dehydration, and that heartburn, headache, joint and back pain, fatigue, asthma, allergies, hypertension, and more are the result. He goes so far as to claim that cholesterol builds up in blood vessel walls as a defense against water loss.
His theories sound pretty far-fetched to me, and to many so-called experts. But it doesn't seem like he has completely departed from reality.
Susan M. Kleiner, an affiliate professor with the Nutritional Sciences program at the University of Washington, as well as being a nutritional consultant for the NBA's Seattle Supersonics, shares Dr. Batman's enthusiasm for water's medicinal potential.
As a result of her feelings about the potential benefits of water, she collected, from many sources, information about the results of chronic mild dehydration (mild dehydration defined by her as 1-2 % body weight loss from fluid loss); and consequently published the first comprehensive survey of medical literature about water.
As a result of her survey, she now believes that over half of the US population is chronically, mildly dehydrated.
Doctors have long supported using water to cure things like constipation and kidney stones, but Kleiner says there is evidence suggesting that major health problems can result from minor dehydration. She, along with many others, emphasizes the importance of drinking 8-10 eight-oz glasses of water daily. We hear that message often, but never before related to relieving/curing serious health problems. Maybe this will provide the impetus for drinking the recommended amount of water.
The risk of getting some cancers (e.g., colon cancer) may be reduced by filling up adequately. A study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that water provided some protection against colon cancer, but that other fluids did not. There may be a similar affect in the urinary tract as well. There is even a modest amount of support for water helping to protect against breast cancer.
Water also helps with weight control. One reason is that the body sometimes has a difficult time differentiating between hunger and thirst, so you may eat when you are really just thirsty. But, aside from that, several studies have shown that increasing fluid intake leads, over time, to weight loss. It may be that water helps to reduce hunger -- maybe because it makes you feel fuller. So drink with meals -- water, that is. Another theory is that water cooked into meals -- soups, etc. -- is more effective than just drinking it.
One thing that nobody will argue with is that water has no calories, so you can drink it with impunity; unlike other fluids, like fruit juice, sodas, iced tea, etc. (except for some cases, like diet soda). It appears that of the fluids we drink, only water can reduce the amount of food you eat per day.
Water may even help to fight off fatigue in some cases, specifically mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS), a condition whereby the valve, which separates the left atrium from the left ventricle (two of the four heart chambers) is not fully closing; that is, it leaks, which can cause heart murmurs, and other potential problems including constant fatigue. [A leaky mitral valve results in less blood being pumped out through the aorta, which limits reoxygenation, hence less energy.]
Phil Watkins, director of the Mitral Valve Prolapse Center in Birmingham, Alabama, contends that chronic fatigue syndrome from MVPS is actually from low blood volume, and that dehydration can exacerbate the problem. A study from the University of Arizona supports his allegation. Those with MVPS can benefit from more water, and maybe increasing sodium intake, and decreasing caffeine intake. [Remember that both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics.] Beyond those remedies are some effective drug therapies. It is pretty clear that people need to drink more water (especially those with MVPS) whether thirsty or not.
At least some headaches can be attributed to dehydration, so, again, drink plenty of water. Dehydration can suck some water out of your brain, which is mostly water. Take heed migraine victims. Dehydration can also cause a sodium/potassium imbalance in your brain. According to Jerome Goldstein, director of the San Francisco Headache Clinic, the sodium/potassium imbalance, and that the brain tries to retain its water when the incoming supply is inadequate, increases pressure on it -- hello headache. That means drink water, not just any fluids. Goldstein theorizes that some fluids can actually increase headache pain.
If you have trouble drinking enough water try some of these suggestions:
Strong bones -- everyone knows we need calcium, but there are many additional contributors, including:
Headache relief may be no further away than the nearest supply of feverfew. This herb has been in use since the days of the Roman Empire, but studies as to its efficacy have not had consistent results. But it may decrease the number and severity of attacks. And it may prevent migraines.
A normal dose is 100-125 mg, taken once or twice a day. Be sure you get at least .2% parthenolide, which is the active ingredient in feverfew. Generally speaking, the herb has no side effects, but if you are allergic to ragweed, it might give you problems since feverfew and ragweed are in the same botanical family. Also, it should not be taken with supplements/drugs that act as blood thinners.
Especially for migraines, magnesium and vitamin B-2 may be effective. A German study using 600 mg doses of magnesium found that the number of headaches was reduced after about two months. American and Belgian neurologists found similar results from giving 400 mg doses of vitamin B-2. It should be noted that both treatments caused diarrhea in about 20% of the patients.
Balance problems? Here are some exercises that might help. You will need a hallway narrow enough to be able to touch both walls simultaneously, and long enough to take 10-20 steps in one direction; or some viable alternative.
Now for the sway. Without changing your postural position, lean slightly forward (only your ankles move), then to the right, to the back, to the left, then forward again. As you get used to this, you will be drawing an invisible circle with your head. Do this as many times as you like, but be sure to do as many repetitions in the opposite direction.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) was identified in 1988, but because there is no test for it, and it has a list of seemingly unrelated symptoms (including: fatigue, muscle and joint aches, trouble with sleep, memory, and concentration -- symptoms of many other illnesses.), it is difficult to diagnose; and, in fact, there is still skepticism among physicians about whether it is a physical condition, or simply a psychological one. But there seems to be an increasing amount of evidence supporting it as a physical condition. A newly published study (February 2000, American Journal of medicine) has found a new immune system protein that apparently is found more in people with CFS than in those without it. Belgian/French researchers found that it occurred in 88% of those studied who have CFS , but in only 28% of those without CFS. This study is far from proving that the protein causes CFS, but provides something to study further.
Adding to the evidence that CFS is real, as reported by Anthony L. Komeroff, MD, is that the study identifies a small part of the immune system that seems to be part of fighting viral infections that are activated in many CFS patients.
He also states that studies have found specific biological abnormalities in CFS patients, and more often in CFS patients than in non-CFS patients. These abnormalities were found in the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) in the brain, and in the hypothalamus of the brain. Unfortunately, none of the abnormalities discovered so far can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify CFS.
For now there is no effective treatment for CFS -- not surprising since there is still no consensus on what CFS actually is.
Since there is no diagnostic test for CFS, diagnosis depends on a patient profile meeting the following criteria:
Probiotics (also called "functional foods") ? What are they? Should I take them? They are "friendly" bacteria that are now being sold in some stores as health friendly supplements -- in beverages, as capsules, and... Probiotics are being marketed as a vehicle for enhancing our immune systems.
Probiotics have been sold in Europe for years, and are now a burgeoning product in the U.S.
So, again, what are they? They are drugs aimed at eliminating "bad" bacteria -- that stuff that causes infections. Probiotics are intended to flood your system, and to overwhelm the bad guys to either prevent them from gaining a toehold in the first place, or to at least help you get well faster if you do catch something. One formal definition is: Probiotics -- a category of dietary supplements consisting of beneficial microorganisms. Probiotics compete with disease-causing microorganisms in the GI tract of humans and animals. When helpful bacteria such as acidophilus are reintroduced into the GI tract, the result is balance. Probiotics are responsible for several activities in the gut, including manufacturing B vitamins -- biotin, niacin, folic acid, and pyridoxine (B6); producing lactase; producing antibacterial substances that kill disease-causing bacteria; killing harmful bacteria by changing the acid/alkaline balance, and by depriving the harmful bacteria of the nutrients they need, improving digestive tract function, and combating vaginal yeast infections.
They are kind of a preantibiotic. In theory you could eliminate antibiotics. But I'm not ready to recommend them yet. Are they really effective, and without problems? [That is sort of an academic question, since, as near as I can tell, we're getting them whether we want them or not.] We should be watching for information about them, and not just from those who produce items containing them.
Exercise Corner: In this issue we will examine a wrist rotation exercise. You will need a strength bar (like a dumbbell with only one "bell"), or its equivalent. A strength bar has a long handle (maybe 20 inches) with a weight on one end. I use an old dumbbell that comes in pieces -- an iron bar, an aluminum sleeve, and a set of collars held in place by screws. I use the bare bar (no sleeve) with one or more collars attached at one end. Depending on the strength of the person doing the exercise, one collar may be sufficient, but if not, another collar with a weight plate inbetween may be added to increase the weight (21/2 - 10 pounds is enough for most people -- remember that the length of the bar effectively multiplies the weight being used). The strength bar is made specifically for this exercise, but it isn't essential -- improvise -- even a hammer will work.
OK, now that you have your implement in-hand, there are a couple of options -- either lay your forearm across a bench (you are in a kneeling position facing the bench) with your wrist extended out past the edge, or you can sit with your forearm resting on your thigh with your wrist extended out past your knee (and in either case, your elbow is bent). From this position, start with the bar in a vertical position, weight at the top of the bar; then rotate your wrist until the bar is horizontal to the floor, then reverse the rotation until the bar is again horizontal, but pointing in the opposite direction (i.e., you are rotating side-to-side through 180° -- pronation/supination). The movement is much like that of the windshield wipers on most cars. When you complete the desired number of rotations, repeat with the other hand.
This exercise works the muscles of the forearm, and involves part of the upper arm, specifically: pronator teres, pronator quadratus, brachioradialis, supinator, biceps brachii, extensor carpi longus, extensor pollicus longus, abductor pollicus longus, and the flexor carpi radialis.
In general, this exercise should be done at slow to moderate speed, although athletes may want to increase the speed. Also, where you grip the bar determines the amount of force -- heavier/harder at the end and lighter/easier further up. Note that some people use dumbbells for this exercise, but they are very inadequate because of the weight balance and the short lever, both diminish the effectiveness of the exercise.
(Q) I know this is an old question, but do magnets actually help relieve pain?
M.N.F., Union City, CA
(A) There is no scientific evidence to prove whether magnet therapy works or not, but it remains popular. Worldwide, over five billion dollars a year are spent for this "painkiller."
A recent study of the effect of magnet therapy on back pain found zero evidence that it works. But there is still a lot of anecdotal support for its use. Even if it just works as a placebo, and you can afford it, go ahead and use it despite its unproven status. It won't make your condition worse, unless you forego conventionally recognized treatment that might actually cure the problem.
(Q) Does Metabolife really help with weight loss?
J.B., Mountain View, CA
(A) If you are taking it, or are contemplating taking it, you may want to reconsider. Its main active ingredient is ephedra, which the FDA has been scrutinizing for years. Ephedra (a.k.a. Ma huang, chinese ephedra, or epitonin) shrinks blood vessels and increases heart rate resulting in several possible side effects: high blood pressure, irregular heart beats, psychosis, stroke, and even death.
Metabolife contains 12 mg of ephedra per tablet, while the FDA recommends no more than 8 mg per tablet. Ephedra also contains the same amount of caffeine as a cup of espresso. That info comes from the June 2000 issue of Health magazine.
(Q) I like shrimp, but am concerned about its high cholesterol content.
H.M., Chelmsford, Eng.
(A) Shrimp is nearly the highest of all shellfish in cholesterol, but it may be more benign than cholesterol from other sources. And shrimp is quite low in saturated fat, which is worse than dietary cholesterol for raising blood cholesterol. Shrimp also contain those healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Editorial comment:
After the Olympics there will probably be a wave of people looking to buy a trampoline, but don't.
Every year about 83,000 Americans end up in an emergency room as a result of trampoline accidents, and about 3/4 of them are under age 15. And adult supervision isn't enough to matter. The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends they be banned from homes, schools, and playgrounds.
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