Thrive - Basics
HydratION
WHY HYDRATION is IMPORTANT
Our bodies are made up of mostly water. It makes sense that we must replenish that water each day to keep our systems functioning properly. Water is fundamental for great health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19724292/
Water contains electrolytes and major minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, which are essential to good health. Water serves multiple functions: it carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body; helps control body temperature; cleans the stomach and intestines; aids in digestion; improves nutrient absorption; and removes toxins from the body. A baby is 75% water, and as we age, we are about 55% water. In spite of the fact that over half of our body consists of water, dehydration is common. Choosing water over other beverages has been shown to reduce the risk of weight gain. This study on children showed a 31% decrease in weight with adequate water intake. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19336356/
There are a multitude of other benefits from drinking sufficient water: better cognitive function, better mood, fewer headaches, proper blood flow to muscles, less fatigue, and weight loss. Thirsty, anyone?
-
Drink enough water for many reasons, but especially so that your lymphatic system operates effectively.
-
Learn how and why to filter your water. It’s better to buy a filter than be a filter.
-
Juicing is one of the most effective ways to get concentrated nutrition. Learn about some other drink options, as well.
-
In order to evaluate super-alkalized water, it is important to understand the normal range of blood pH.
How Much?
Currently, there is no way to measure hydration status, so we have to pay attention to our intake. One of the most important reasons for a cancer patient to drink adequate water is that insufficient intake can make the lymphatic system sluggish. Drink at least 64 ounces of water per day if you are an adult, and more if you are exercising or if you are working outside in hot weather. Children should drink half their body weight in ounces.
Thirst is not a good indicator of our need for water because once we are thirsty, we may already be dehydrated. Research shows that as we age, we don’t feel as thirsty. Athletes need to drink even more water. When athletes are dehydrated, they can experience decreased endurance and less exercise benefits. Just 2% fluid loss can cause these issues. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17921463/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8438652/
Suggestions
Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning.
Fill a large pitcher or water bottle with at least 64 ounces and sip it throughout the day, especially if you are out of the house. Drink more if you exercise or sweat.
Water bottles
Water bottle (32 ounces, glass)
Water bottle (36 ounces, stainless)
Water bottle (64 ounces, stainless)
For variety, flavor your water with lemon, lime, oranges, cucumbers, or edible essential oils (i.e. lemon, orange, or peppermint). However, realize that anything added to water activates the digestive system and results in flavored water taking longer to be assimilated into the body.
Hot lemon and ginger water is soothing and delicious.
Use an app such as Plant Nanny on your smart phone as a way to remind you to drink.
Drink water between meals instead of with meals since drinking with meals can dilute the stomach acid needed for digestion.
Our Experience: I keep a large glass of water in my room each night, and I drink it first thing in the morning. After breakfast, I fill a large glass pitcher that I drink from throughout the day. If I am leaving the house for the day, I fill a large water bottle and take it with me. Joel fills his water bottle every morning with lemon water and refills throughout the day at work.
Buy a Filter, Don’t Be A Filter!
There is a lot of confusion over water filters. Here is what I have learned: it is best to drink water that contains minerals. For this reason, a reverse osmosis system or distilled system is not the best way to go long-term. Using some type of carbon filter is best because it removes most of the bad substances, yet it retains minerals.
I checked my city’s local water by visiting EWG.org. Even though I had already been filtering our water, I learned there were three cancer-causing substances in our city water: hexavalent chromium, radium, and total trihalomethanes or TTHMs.
Water Filters
OUR WATER FILTERS
I definitely went a little overboard, and I now have several water filters. I have always had a whole house carbon filter to purify all of the water in our home for drinking, showering, dishwashing, and laundry. Reverse osmosis or distilled water is recommended when fasting or detoxing. I also have a couple of water filters for traveling.
Carbon WATER FilteR
This filter purifies all of the water in our home and allows us to drink great-tasting, filtered water from every faucet. Carbon filters remove odor, chlorine, chloramines, some THMs, some haloacetic acids, some heavy metals such as lead, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bacteria, and sediment, while retaining the minerals.
Here is the whole house filter I have: 300WH Granular Activated Carbon Whole House water filter system
If you don’t purchase the whole house filter, be sure to purchase under sink (for drinking and cooking) along with shower head filters.
Under sink filter: 100US Granular Activated Carbon Under the Sink water filter
Shower head filter: 75 SH KDF Shower water filter
This is my whole house carbon filter.
REVERSE OSMOSIS OR DISTILLED
Reverse Osmosis (RO) filtered water or distilled is ideal for fasting and detoxing, but is not recommended for regular drinking water. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a report called Nutrients in Drinking Water, which addresses health issues resulting from drinking distilled or de-mineralized water. RO filters remove everything, leaving you with pure H2O. There are several different 2-Stage and 3-Stage options if you want to purchase one for detoxing. You may need a special unit if you have well water. You can purchase under sink filters in many places; but here is a 3-stage under sink RO water filter system.
TRAVELING
When traveling without a filter, I buy water that contains minerals, such as Evian or Fiji.
Filters for traveling:
Lifestraw Go Water Filter Bottles: These have an internal filter that removes contaminants and chlorine. It is convenient for traveling and fits in a small suitcase, which is why I bought them for my family.
Travel Berkey Water Filter: This is a larger unit for traveling by car. Honestly, it is large enough and beautiful enough to use in your kitchen.
Juicing and Other Drinks
JUICING
According to a study done in 2005 by the Institute of Medicine, Americans get about 22% of their water from food. In other countries, where the intake of fruits and vegetables is higher, their water intake is higher. Fruits and vegetables are comprised mostly of water, so if we have a diet higher in plants, then our water intake should be higher as well. Juicing is another way to get more water and nutrients at the same time. Be careful with bottled juices that have added sugar.
Juicing is often recommended for anyone with a health challenge because it is a great way to detox and add more plant nutrition to your diet. Juicing also makes some people feel positive benefits like more energy. This is true for me! Eating and/or juicing produce are both beneficial because they assist in helping to flood your body with nutrients from fruits and vegetables every day.
I learned about the power of juicing from my mom. She had autoimmune diseases, and I would help her juice. I would also drink the juice with her. After we were diagnosed, I juiced almost every day. Carrots, celery, beet root, greens, ginger root, turmeric, lemon, lime, apples, garlic, and more. These days, I juice only 1-2 times per week because we have found so many more ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into our diet. I found a wonderful local place called Got Sprouts that delivers fresh sprouts and sprouted salads, and it even ships nationwide. They make a sprouted juice of sunflower sprouts, pea sprouts, celery, and cucumber, and they say that this juice contains more protein than a steak!
Here are some juicing tips I’ve learned along the way:
If you juice sprouts like wheatgrass, be sure to fold a small bunch in half and feed the bent section into the juicer.
If you feed celery into the juicer last, it grabs whatever remnants are in the juicer and pulls them out; the result is no waste and less cleaning!
Add fresh-squeezed lemon juice to any juice to make it more palatable.
JUICERS
I have an Omega MM900HDS Low Speed Masticating Juicer, and I love how simple it is to clean. You do have to cut up large fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces to feed into the chute, but the clean up is so much easier than other juicers, and that is important to me!
Here are other options: Breville, Nama J2, and Super Angel.
Adding an apple can make juices more palatable. Green apples actually have the least amount of natural sugar.
I have always encouraged our kids to enjoy fresh juices. Now, as adults, they really appreciate the benefits of drinking fresh juice!
I order wheatgrass from Got Sprouts, bend small bunches, juice it, and drink it often! So simple!
I will often juice for two days at a time. I love these drinking glasses with lids to keep juice fresh.
OTHER DRINKS
Water should be your main drink! But when you need a little variety, here are some other options.
COFFEE
If you are a coffee lover, like Joel is, you will love the fact that you may not have to give up your morning cup of coffee. Coffee contains polyphenols and other antioxidants, and has even shown benefit for some cancers. Joel found this study showing that intake of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee after diagnosis of colon cancer was associated with lower risk of CRC-specific death and overall death. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29158191/
Here are some additional studies:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26656410/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27665923/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17484871/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24276028/
Drinking coffee occasionally, or even one cup a day, is fine. When coffee becomes a necessary stimulant, or an all-day drink, or is laden with sweeteners and creams, then it is a problem. Joel switched to a mushroom-based coffee. There are several companies making mushroom coffees — Organo and Four Sigmatic (lion’s mane, reishi, and Ganoderma). Then you get the benefit of mushrooms and a little coffee, too.
SODA
If you love the taste of soda, try these recipes:
Mineral or sparkling water, pure unsweetened cranberry juice, and stevia.
Water, pure unsweetened cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar, and stevia.
TEA
There is a lot of evidence that tea is beneficial for health, especially green tea for cancer!
There are over 1,300 anti-cancer studies on green tea.
Green tea contains concentrated levels of catechins (catechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and gallocatechin gallate).
Green tea contains polyphenols (EGCG, EGC, and EC), which are very high in antioxidant potential and have enhanced chemotherapy benefits.
Other teas such as black, white, dandelion root, hibiscus, and Jason Winters (blend of red clover, chaparral, oolong tea leaf, herbalene spice blend, and Indian sage leaf) are also good options. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/tea-fact-sheet#what-evidence-from-human-studies-links-tea-to-cancer-prevention
I learned from Dr. Pam Popper (founder of Wellness Forum Health) that the supposed benefit of drinking super-alkalized water is based on the myth that more is always better. If the pH of tap water is 7, then a super-alkalizing machine that produces water with pH as high as 9.5 or 10 must be better. In order to evaluate this, it’s important to understand blood pH.
The body must maintain blood pH between 7.35 and 7.45. Even slight variations can significantly impact health. Therefore, the body will make adjustments to keep blood pH in normal range. Dr. Popper says that the statement, “cancer cannot exist in an alkaline environment” is not true. For instance, blood cancers can thrive in blood with pH of 7.35-7.45.
According to Dr. Popper, “In order to ‘assess their acidity,’ people are often encouraged to test their pH with urine strips. This is a waste of money and time for a couple of reasons. First, urine pH varies and reflects the sum of many metabolic processes. The other reason is that urine pH reveals nothing about blood pH, which does not change unless an individual is seriously ill. The body will always maintain correct pH, which varies depending on location – the pH of urine is different than blood, which is different than the pH of the stomach, etc. The question is how much compensatory activity is needed in order to maintain the right pH in all the right places.”
Dr. Popper also highlights the fact that long-term effects of drinking super-alkalized water on humans are unknown at this time. Limited studies on animals have shown concerning effects, such as necrosis, fibrosis, hypertension, urinary tract and bladder infections, and pain. She admits that the results of animal studies are not always predictive of results in humans, but she does caution against super-alkalized water and the machines that make it. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9524951/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9922944/
Dr. Popper strongly recommends regularly drinking water from carbon filters and eating a low-fat, plant-based diet to reduce acid load and protect the bones. Visit the Diet page to learn more about the diet she recommends.
Super-alkalized Water
Next Up...
Exercise
Research shows that exercise reduces the risk of both recurrence and death from cancer. Exercise also reduces cancer-related fatigue for patients undergoing traditional treatment, such as chemotherapy.