Healing with water

Ask the Raffles Medical Group Experts

Question:

I heard about water therapy, which states that if I consume 1.5 litres of water every morning after I wake up, the water will clean my bowel and the toxins found in my body. This therapy is supposedly beneficial to patients with hypertension and diabetes. How effective is water therapy? Will it cause my body any harm?

Answer:

There is no scientific evidence that “water therapy” has any specific benefits to people with hypertension or diabetes. In fact, healthy diet, regular exercise and keeping body weight in the healthy range are the best lifestyle modifications for people with hypertension and diabetes.

Consuming 1.5 litres of water in one go can even be harmful as this is almost approaching the limit which can result in water intoxication. Also, drinking an excessive amount of fluid is not advisable for those with weak heart, which can be present in people with hypertension and diabetes. If in doubt, they should consult their doctors.