Last updated: 8 July 2021
What is water therapy? If you ask a search engine, you’ll discover that water therapy is basically a practice where a person drinks a large amount of water upon rising in the morning, before eating. The amount recommended varies, but usually suggests 1 to 2 liters. The claim is that this is beneficial for health as it encourages weight loss and regular bowel movements.
So what do I mean by ‘extreme’ water therapy? Well, back in August 2019 I stumbled across an interesting book at a used book sale. It was titled ‘The Power of Chi‘ by author Geoff Pike. On page 60 & 61, the author writes:
“This that follows is a Chinese translated copy of Water Therapy which was taken from a paper written by a Japanese author whose name is not known to me…
‘For a long time I had been ill. I was unable to perform the smallest tasks. The fields and streams, the trees on the mountain, the plumage of the peacock had lost their colour. Day for me was night and night was day. Grasshoppers did not sing, nor linnets. No flower opened. Then, a man came to the door of my hut and asked for rice. He was old, he said, but his body was young and he journeyed for the love of journeying and lived for the love of living.
I gave him rice and he cut all my wood in a very short time, also mending the shingles of my roof. Before he left he told me this: “Tonight, eat nothing for your supper but fruit. In the morning as soon as you arise, go to the well and fill a bucket. Do not wash or eat but breathe deeply the early morning air and drink one gallon of pure water as you watch the sun come up. Do this every day of your life and you will never grow old. All sickness will be banished and you will find new life.” Then he went on his way, strongly along the path.
Next morning I did as he had told me to. At first I found discomfort to drink so much. Many times I drained the cup. Many times I urinated and cleared my bowels. I felt a dizziness but still I drank. My conjee that morning tasted more delicious than ever before. After one week I could drink all the water easily. I urinated only twice, my motions were normal and my head was clear. I quickly became well again and I have never been ill since, not even with cold or fever. This happened thirty years ago when I was forty. Every day, I have taken the water without exception and every day is new to me and better than the one that went before. Now I live for the love of life and journey for the love of journeying. I tell this story to all who will listen.’” (emphasis added)
That’s right. One gallon. Pike says he had been drinking 3.5 liters of water for the past three years at the time of writing the book. According to him he enjoyed “excellent health” and never got a hangover despite a daily habit of alcohol consumption. You can read about his experience in more detail here.
So, I thought, why not take the challenge myself? I began on the 15th of September 2019. The first day it took me almost two hours to consume two liters. The second day I pushed myself to 2.5 liters and I got it down faster. After a week I had reached 3.6 liters and I have been maintaining it every day since.
*Update: I did some research into the weight to water ratio and have found suggestions that a person should drink 1 liter per 22 kilograms of body weight. This makes sense as the therapy would be affected by a person’s total body mass. Essentially, the more you weigh, the more you need to drink to experience the full benefit.
So for myself weighing about 80kg, the formula is: 80 / 22 ≈ 3.6L.
It is true what the author says. Many times I urinated and cleared my bowels. But after a few weeks my urination and bowels movements became somewhat more normal. I say ‘somewhat’ because although I now only have one movement shortly after drinking the water, it is still fairly non-solid. It’s a lot like having an enema from the top down. My guts are completely washed out on a daily basis.
I can also confirm the benefits described by the author are true. I don’t know about never growing old, but physically I feel 20 years younger. My mornings have a sense of euphoric joy and I look forward to each new day. I haven’t been sick at all, not even with a cold or a fever. The benefits are so great, I have restructured my lifestyle to always accommodate this daily morning ritual and I intend to continue with it for the rest of my life. I have not skipped a single day since I began.
There are a few other things to consider:
- Warmer water is better than cold. In fact, I do not recommend drinking it cold at all. Your body will absorb it much slower and more of it will pass back out through your bowel movements.
- The rate of consumption is important. There seems to be a stronger benefit to drinking it as fast as possible. To get the most benefit you’ll need to get it down in under 40 minutes. I personally aim for 20 – 30 minutes. You’ll need to push yourself to do this at first, but with time it will become much easier.
- Caffeine, alcohol and other diuretics will interfere with the benefit. These things pull water out of your body and will cause you to urinate more frequently.
- Don’t skip a day. Once you are in the habit, the cycle needs to be maintained daily to get the full benefit.
- Don’t drink other liquids during the day unless you feel like you need to. I find in the summer I drink more but in the winter not so much. Water drunkenness is a real thing so don’t get carried away.
- Remember the golden ratio of 1L of water per 22kg of body mass.
After about a month of regular practice, I noticed certain health conditions began to drastically improve. Among other things the psoriasis on my scalp virtually disappeared. Bruises heal faster and my body feels less sore and tired after physical exertion.
And who knows? Is it possible the promise of ‘never growing old’ is true? Only time will tell, but I intend to find out. I’ll keep this blog updated to let you know how it’s going.
Until then, drink up!
Disclaimer: The claims I make in this article are not intended to be taken as medical advice. I recommend that you consult with your doctor before undertaking this practice.