Athletic competitors such as boxers or marathon runners drink copious amounts of water after working up drenching sweats. It's a necessity. These people know well what could happen otherwise. It's well known that lack of hydration following strenuous physical activity can cause catastrophic results.

What about the not-so-athletic individuals who never work up a heavy sweat, but have gradually dropped their routine of drinking an ample amount of water? The average non-athletic, ordinary Joe or Jill Schmo spends hours engaged in regular day-to-day living accompanied by minimal water consumption. These people are all around you. They may not be readily obvious, but many of these people are very sick after unknowingly become dehydrated.

The late Doctor F. Batmanghelidj left us an important book about water and how it is important to health. The title is You're Not Sick, You're Thirsty: Water for Health, for Healing, for Life. The doctor listed a vast array of reasons why we all need to drink ample amounts of water as a part of our daily routine. His words make sense.

This doc was put down by some established medical professionals. When those who preach the mainstream line of thought don't buy into what is said, their reaction may be an indicator that the message is on target. I have a feeling that this is one such example.

The list of ailments which could be eliminated through proper hydration is a long one. The doctor's research led him to cite asthma, allergies, abdominal pain, hypertension, constipation, diabetes, migraine headaches, dry eyes and even breast cancer as being among the many maladies that a few more trips to the water cooler could have prevented. Who is to say that's wrong?

Perhaps the most interesting findings of Doctor Batman, as some called him, relate to the brain. As the book points out, this small but most important organ of the human body that weighs only about three pounds is about 85 percent water. The doctor's recommendation for stopping a migraine is four glasses of water. Fortunately I am unable to test that advice, having never suffered from migraines.

There are five things on the Batmanghelidj list of what is most important to human survival. They are air, water, salt, food and exercise. If you digest this book with an open mind, I'm pretty confident you will discover much that will be to your benefit. Maybe you will even take some of it to heart, and be better for it.

Interesting hypothesis regarding water as a medicine. I suspect that some of the described effects are accurate but much is not. The information provided is theoretical and anecdotal. No scientific evidence is provided. There is truth that appropriate intake of water is valuable in maintaining health. I remain skeptical of his claims, which are too broad in nature. ( )

It just makes sense that many of our health issues can begin in lack of proper hydration. A good read - but check it out of the library -- not a keeper. ( )

I’m not sure how I really feel about this book…on one hand I do think water is extremely important as a part of healthy living, however much of this book is extensive descriptions of body functions that aren’t overly technical…but, for me at least, take away from the “readability” of the book. It is my opinion that this could have been half as long and still made his point (and made it well). My main problem with Batmanghelidj is that he makes a LOT of claims as to the many, many, many (practically every condition, syndrome, and disease imaginable) is “curable” by consumption of copious amounts of water and some salt and minerals. While I don’t doubt their benefits…I would really have liked to see some documented studies and/or testimonials by other experts in the field and Batmanghelidj doesn’t supply either. This book is entirely comprised of his personal opinion and experience, the book also provides no bibliography, references or recommend reading. Without studies of some kind to back up his claims…Batmanghelidj just comes off as a man beating the water trough and sounding very whiny about how is theories are not taken seriously or accepted by the medical community at large. I think since the inception of his work, water has become more widely acknowledged as necessary for healthy living…but it would take some serious effort to prove all of his claims and have them accepted the way he would like them to be. I wouldn’t recommend buying this book…if you’re interested in the subject (and I did find a lot of the book helpful and informative, I just don’t take his claims as to the far reaching effects he would like us to believe), check it out from your local library (like I did) or buy it used…I give it a C based on the unfounded medical claims alone. ( )

This book will change your life, starting with your awareness of your own body. An excellent read for people who dislike doctor visits, pharmaceuticals, or even being ill for that matter. In fact, I recommend that everyone read this book, cover to cover. ( )