The Japanese have been advocates of the holistic benefits of water for many years and along with Onsen baths, water therapy has also stood the test of time.  But why should we listen to the Japanese?

The Japanese have the largest population of 100 year olds in the world, and although Japanese water therapy is similar to Dr. Batmanghelidj’s water cure, there are elements specific to the eastern way of life.

The concept

It’s not just the early morning exercise that the Japanese people swear gives them an edge in terms of health.  The notion of drinking water just after waking up, on an empty stomach, can offer much more than natural health benefits. Scientific research has proven that the Japanese water therapy can have positive effects on many ailments, and is even said to be able to cure some.

Without the correct balance of water, our kidneys, muscles, nervous system, metabolism, joints and skeletal system will all function below par. If you still need convincing, here is a list of illnesses where water therapy has been proven as an effective natural remedy:

• Headaches
• Body aches
• heart problems
• Arthritis
• Epilepsy
• Obesity
• Bronchitis/asthma
• Meningitis
• Vomiting
• Gastric problems
• Diarrhea
• Piles
• Diabetes
• Constipation
• Eye diseases
• Menstrual disorders
• Ear, nose and throat diseases

The treatment

As with any new health treatment, check with the doctor if you have any underlying medical issues before embarking on the regime. Here are the treatment steps you need to follow to.

1. Immediately after waking up, drink 4 glasses of water (equivalent to 640 ml). Do this before anything else, including brushing your teeth.
2. After drinking the water, brush your teeth but don’t eat or drink for 45 minutes.
3. Eat and drink as normal after 45 minutes.
4. Do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours after every meal or snack.
5. If you are sick, elderly, or new to the therapy, you can start gradually and build up to the 4 glasses.

Treatment length

The following guideline shows the number of days of treatment required to reduce/control/cure these main diseases:

• High Blood Pressure (30 days)
• Gastric problems (10 days)
• Diabetes (30 days)
• Constipation (10 days)
• Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the first week, and from the second week onwards daily.

Important notes

To gain the maximum effects from the treatment, it’s recommended that the water should contain no fluoride. Fitting a reverse osmosis water filter will not only supply you with pure H20, but will save pounds on buying bottled water.

The water should be hot not cold! The benefits of drinking hot water play a large part in Japanese culture, and as all their meals are accompanied by hot tea, maybe it’s time we followed their example. For instant hot water, a Quooker tap is highly convenient, providing low cost boiling water at the turn of a tap. Perfect for early mornings.

As with all health treatments, it’s important to stick the the rules. With water consumption it’s vital to stick to the quantities recommended. So, as nutritionist Natalie Bean says: “Have you drank your water today??”

[Photo by Deltaworks]