WATER SHORTAGE: POTENTIALS FOR HYPERTENSION

WATER SHORTAGE: POTENTIALS FOR HYPERTENSION

When we do not drink enough water to serve all the needs of the body, some cells become dehydrated and lose some of their water to the circulation. Capillary beds in some areas will have to close so that some of the slack in capacity is adjusted for. In water shortage and body drought, 66 percent is taken from the water volume normally held inside the cells; 26 percent is taken from the volume held outside the cells; and 8 percent is taken from blood volume (see Figure 13). There is no alternative for the blood vessels other than closing their lumen to cope with the loss in blood volume. The process begins by closing some capillaries in less-active areas. Otherwise, where will the balance come from to keep these capillaries open? The deficient quantity must come either from outside or be taken from another part of the body!

It is the extent of capillary bed activity throughout the body that will ultimately determine the volume of circulating blood. The more the muscles are exercised, the more their capillaries will open and hold a greater volume of blood within the circulation reserves. This is the reason why exercise is a most important component for physiological adjustments in those suffering from hypertension. This is one aspect to the physiology of hypertension. The capillary bed must remain open and full and offer no resistance to blood circulation. When the capillary bed is closed and offers resistance, only an increased force behind the circulating blood will ensure the passage of some fluids through the system.

Another reason why the capillary bed may become selectively dosed is shortage of water in the body. Basically, water we drink will ultimately have to get into the cellswater regulates the volume of a cell from inside. Salt regulates the amount of water that is held outside the cellsthe ocean around the cell There is a very delicate balancing process in the design of the body in the way it maintains its composition of blood at the expense of fluctuating the water content in some cells of the body. When there is a shortage of water, some cells will go without a portion of their normal needs and some others will get a predetermined rationed amount to maintain function (as it was explained, the mechanism involves water filtration through the cell membrane). However, blood will normally retain the consistency of its composition. It must do so to keep the normal composition of elements reaching the vital centers.

This is where the 'solutes paradigm' is inadequate and goes wrong. It bases all assessments and evaluations of body functions on the solids content of blood. It does not recognize the comparative dehydration of some other parts of the body. All blood tests can appear normal and yet the small capillaries of the heart and the brain may be closed and cause some of the cells of these organs a gradual damage from increasing dehydration over a long period of time. When you read the section on cholesterol formation, this statement will become more clear.

When we lose thirst sensation (or do not recognize the other signals of dehydration) and drink less water than the daily requirement, the shutting down of some vascular beds is the only natural alternative to keep the rest of the blood vessels full. The question is, how long can we go on like this? The answer is, long enough to ultimately become very ill and die. Unless we get wise to the paradigm shift and professionally and generally begin to recognize the problems associated with water metabolism disturbance in the human body and its variety of thirst signals, chronic dehydration will continue to take its toll on both our bodies and our society.

Essential hypertension should primarily be treated with an increase in daily water intake. The present way of treating hypertension is wrong to the point of scientific absurdity. The body is trying to retain its water volume, and we say to the design of nature in us: 'No, you do not understandyou must take diuretics and get rid of water!!' It so happens, if we do not drink sufficient water, the only other way the body has to secure water is through the mechanism of keeping sodium in the body. The RA system is directly involved. Only when sodium is retained will water remain in the extra cellular fluid compartment. From this compartment, through the mechanism of shower-head production, water will be forced into some of the cells with 'priority' status. Thus, keeping sodium in the body is a last resort way of retaining some water for its 'shower-head' filtered use.

There is a sensitivity of design attached to sodium retention in the body. To assume this to be the cause of hypertension is inaccurate and stems from insufficient knowledge of the water regulatory mechanisms in the human body. When diuretics are given to get rid of the sodium, the body becomes more dehydrated. The 'dry mouth' level of dehydration is reached and some water is taken to compensate. The use of diuretics maintain the body at an expanding level of deficit water management. They do not cure hypertension; they make the body more determined for salt and water absorptionhowever, never enough to correct the problem. That is why, after a while, diuretics are not enough and supplemental medications will be forced on the patient.

Another problem in assessment of hypertension is its means of measurement. Anxiety associated with having hypertension will automatically affect the person at examination time. Readings of the instruments may not reflect the true, natural, and normal blood pressure. An inexperienced or hasty medical practitioner, more in fear of litigation than mindful of accuracy of judgment, might assume the patient to have hypertension, whereas the person might only have an instant of 'clinic anxiety,' thus causing a higher reading of the instrument. One other very important but less-known problem with the mechanism of reading blood pressure is the process of inflating the cuff well above the systolic reading, and then letting the air out until the pulse is heard.

Every large (and possibly small) artery has a companion nerve that is there to monitor the flow of blood through the vessel. With the loss of pressure beyond the cuff that is now inflated to very high levels, the process of 'pressure' opening of the obstruction in the arteries will be triggered. By the time the pressure in the cuff is lowered to read the pulsation level, the recording of an artificially induced higher blood pressure will become unavoidable. Unfortunately, the measurement of hypertension is so arbitrary (and based on the diastolic level) that in this litigious society a minor error in assessment may label a person hypertensive. This is when all the 'fun and games' begin!

Water by itself is the best natural diuretic. If the persons who have hypertension, and produce adequate urine, increase their daily water intake, they will not need to take any diuretics. If prolonged 'hypertension-producing dehydration' has also caused heart failure complications, water intake should be increased gradually. In this way, one makes sure that fluid collection in the body is not excessive and unmanageable.

The mechanism of sodium retention in these people is in an 'overdrive' mode. When water intake is increased gradually and more urine is being produced, the edema fluid ('swelling') that is full of toxic substances will be flushed out, and the heart will regain its strength. The following letters are presented here with the kind permission of their authors, who wished to share their welcome experiences with the readers of this book.

Dear Dr. Batmanghelidj,

November

I have just ordered another copy of your book on water, having given a son my first copy. I tell everybody about it and my experiences. Perhaps you would be interested.

My first son Charles, 58, who lives with me is deaf and autistic. I take him 3 or 4 days a week to a facility for the handicapped. They had been taking his blood pressure there and notified me that the doctor said he should go on medication - his BP was 140-160/100-104.1 had just received your book and asked the M.D. to let me experiment for 2 weeks. Reluctantly he agreed, but warned me it was very dangerous.

I kept Charles home and used the water routine, also adding a little magnesium and potassium.

Two weeks later the nurse took his BP. and it was 106/80. She said-'The doctor will be in shortly'- evidently the M.D. didn't believe her and he checked it himself and had to admit it was so. He didn't ask me what I did, so I did not tell him about water, but if the BP. continues as it is, I will tell him.

I went on the water routine too without any particular problem in mind, but noticed that in about 10 days my tendency to get dizzy if I moved my head quickly had disappeared. I also had been unable to lower my head to flat at nights and had to have several pillows. Now lam much better, and have had only one spell in over a month: I am 82 and a 1/2.

Thank you for the work you are doing - it is much needed. More power to you. Marjori Ramsay.

If you can find out why this doctor was not interested in discovering how Charles's mother brought his blood pressure back to normal, you will then realize why we have a health care crisis on our hands!!

Michael Peck has in the past been involved in an administrative capacity with the Foundation for the Simple in Medicine. The foundation is a medical research ('think tank') institution. At a scientific and public education level, the foundation is engaged in the introduction of the paradigm shift on water metabolism of the body in this country. Mr Peck briefly explains his medical problems since childhood. Who in the world would have thought so many disparate medical conditions could be related, and after so many years, these conditions would disappear as a result of a simple adjustment to daily water intake? The solution to Mr. Peck's medical problems was so unique his wife also began to adopt the 'treatment ritual.'