There are a couple of things patients or practitioners may be referring to when mentioning water therapy for diabetes. For many, they get in the water and exercise for their water therapy. Diabetes causes a lot of foot problems and many diabetics find it painful even to walk. Exercising in the pool, sometimes referred to as hydrotherapy or aquatic therapy, is much less painful and offers other benefits. Water therapy for diabetes can also refer to the practice of drinking large amounts of water upon waking up in the morning. This is believed by some to cure many ailments, diabetes being one of them.
Water Therapy for Diabetes in the Water
Water therapy for diabetes, or hydrotherapy, is widely recommended for anyone with diabetes. It is actually good exercise for anyone but for people with diabetes and other painful or debilitating conditions, it is a form of exercise that can get the heart rate up, improve circulation, and condition muscles without the discomfort of standing, running or walking. Almost any exercise that doesn’t involve weights can be done in the comfort of water. Water therapy for diabetes consists of a series of exercises that takes advantage of the buoyancy of water so that painful feet don’t hinder the exercise routine. It is also helpful in that the sounds of moving or splashing water is relaxing and stress-relieving, and if done in a heated pool or large tub, the heat is soothing and therapeutic.
Painful feet aren’t really an issue, and while almost taking gravity out of the equation (which is helpful for disabled or obese diabetics) the viscosity of water still provides resistance that is needed for conditioning and minimizes the possibility of injury due to losing balance and falling.
One consideration if you are considering water therapy for diabetes exercise routines is risk of infection. Infection is a major reason for hospitalization of diabetics, and if there is an open wound or infected area, it should be allowed to heal before entering a pool or other body of water.
Water Therapy for Diabetes – Consuming It
Some people believe a form of water therapy for diabetes that calls for drinking 1.5 liters of water immediately upon awakening will cure diabetes. There is anecdotal evidence that suggests this may help diabetes by encouraging blood production and aiding digestion. This use of water therapy and diabetes treatment is particularly popular in Japan and India, where it is believed to cure everything from high blood pressure to Meningitis and Epilepsy. The procedure for this water therapy for diabetes is to drink the water before even brushing your teeth, and before eating or drinking anything else. Nothing is to be eaten for at least an hour after drinking the water and it is to be drunk in successive glasses until at least 1.5 liters is consumed. There are claims that diabetes can be cured by following this routine for 30 consecutive days at a minimum.
Everyone should include plenty of water as part of a healthy diet, and for diabetics it would certainly be the preferred beverage to drink with all meals. But the claims that water therapy and diabetes cures is a sure thing should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.
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