Is there a "Water Cure?"

Dr. Batmanghelidj revives ancient watercure with modern science

Yes, there is a "water cure" - sort of...read on for more.
The water cure was originally a form of therapy developed in 18th century England by a doctor named Richard Russell and consisted of treating disease with the bathing in and drinking of seawater.

Left is a depiction of a seawater cure spa circa 19th century England.

Presently it has come to mean preventing and treating many disorders by drinking water - drinking enough water at the right times. As there are problems with public water supply contamination, we add the requirement that the water we drink and wash in, be healthy or at least acceptable.

Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj (below) is primarily responsible for this awakening to the benefits of water.

Much of the information on this site comes from his research and perspective.

Healthy Water also found Dr. Christopher Vasey�s excellent book, �The Water Prescription� valuable for understanding the problems of dehydration on human health and offering remedies for dehydration. Does water cure?

To quote Dr. Batmanghelidj, �My research revealed that unintentional dehydration produces stress, chronic pains and many degenerative diseases. Dry mouth is not the only sign of dehydration and waiting to get thirsty is wrong�.When I use the word water cure, I am referring to curing dehydration with water.�

Dr. �Batman� is simply stating what may seem obvious which is to cure dehydration, you must drink water. He is also sidestepping the thorny issue of claiming that water �cures� disease. There are two reasons for avoiding this claim:

1)There is no research that definitively proves that water cures particular diseases. Don�t expect any such studies in the near future as there would be no profit in it. What many studies show is that persons that drink a certain amount of water have better health profiles than those who don�t. That�s not the same as proof. However, thousands of testimonials suggest that water can cure disease.

2)Claims of a aqua cure can land you in trouble with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There are certain guidelines that cures must meet to be touted as cures legally. Those guidelines with respect to water have not and will not be met, ever.

However, it is impossible to regulate what individuals claim about a product that is essentially free. You will often read or hear a person claiming that water did cure a certain condition. In a way, it does. If we assume that dehydration causes certain health problems and water treats dehydration, then water does indirectly cure that particular condition.

The problems that we see in claiming that water definitely cures disease, or dehydration causes disease, are not unique to this issue. For example, there are no definitive studies that prove smoking causes lung cancer. There can�t be because it would be unethical to set up a controlled experiment proving causation. And yet, there is general agreement that smoking causes lung cancer based on connection not causation.

I believe that dehydration causes certain diseases for certain people at certain times.

Following is a commercial testimonial, one of many thousands on the water therapy. The claims may seem outlandish but the number of testimonials and the depth of their sincerity (not to mention my experience with increased water intake) are the best witness to the effects of water on health.

What does water cure?

As you read above, Dr. Batmanghelidj stated that water cures dehydration.

Well, of course water cures dehydration!

I also believe that water might cure diseases that dehydration brought on in the first place. But not always! Just because the lack of water brought on a problem it doesn�t mean drinking water will automatically eliminate that same problem. The issue is usually much more complicated than that.

But drinking water would be a good start!

And the best way to prevent potential dehydration illnesses.

It�s simple but not that simple

We advocate drinking water and avoiding dehydration as much as possible. But obviously just like nothing much works without water, water cannot do much for us without the proper conditions. Like�

Salt, and other vital electrolytes

We devoted a page to the role of salt in preventing dehydration. Water is pretty much useless in our bodies unless there is sufficient salt to hold it. That�s why we think of the salt water cure as being often the same as water therapy, or watercure.

Briefly, the salt water cure suggests you mix healthy sea salt in drinking water (1 quarter tsp per quart of water) while cutting back on table salt and salty foods.

Click on navigation bar �Salt & water� for more on this.

To go to Dr. Batmanghelidj's water cure products site click here now.