My client, Kay, said she enjoyed my article on not drinking pool water. Seems she has a very large in-ground swimming pool and was unaware of the hidden dangers of swallowing pool water. She warned her grandchildren that they just might pick up an intestinal "bug" should they gulp too much. So, when Kay handed me an article* on drinking water—no, not pool water—to lose weight, well, I had to check this one out.

This was an actual study on how the temperature of water consumed, and when, equates to a surprise in losing body weight.

Researchers have found that consuming water throughout the day under certain conditions makes a big difference in weight regulation. The secret? Well, alternating different water temperatures—first hot water, then warm, and then cold— effects your metabolism. How? Here goes.

According to researchers, the body stores toxins in the liver, lymph, intestines, and the skin. These toxins slow down your metabolism. Drinking hot water starts a condition called peristalsis— muscle contractions—that get toxins moving out of the digestive tract, the liver and the lymph system. Not only are the toxins flushed away, but some evaporate off the skin through open pores.

Want to get rid of hunger pangs? Researchers say that by downing a full glass of lukewarm water you could lose weight. Seems when warm water is consumed (a full glass, that is), this action causes your stomach to expand. The brain gets a signal that the stomach is full and voila no more hunger pangs! Because lukewarm water makes the stomach expand much quicker than hot or cold water, the digestive system isn’t shocked and digestion interrupted. This large glass of warm water helps stabilize your blood sugar which in turn causes your hunger pangs to shut down.

So how does cold water work? Well, seems whenever we ingest a glass of cold water, the body’s metabolism rate jumps up 3% or more within 10 minutes of swallowing. This jump in your metabolism rate can last up to 30 minutes or more. "So what?" you say. Well, ingesting cold water requires the body to kick into overdrive to heat up that cold water for absorption within the body. That requires a lot of calories (energy) to be burned off and broken down.\

Now, they claim that if you alternate drinking H20 throughout the days and weeks at end, you can lose weight. The temperatures of the H20 you ingest have a lot to do with your anticipated weight loss. So they say to use the hot, lukewarm, and cold water methods daily and watch your metabolism kick into overdrive.

Probably the best advantage of this water "diet" is that it will re-hydrate those who choose to try it. It’s estimated that nearly 80% of Americans are dehydrated and this would be a big plus for them.

Everyone should be drinking at least 64 ounces or more of water a day—minimum. Try counting this out throughout the day. Have a 64 ounce bottle of water in the fridge at all times. Make it a point to try and drink one full bottle a day. It may be tough at first, and you will be visiting the restroom frequently the first couple of days, but your body will adjust to it.

Many of the testimonials in this water weight loss diet insist on drinking a large glass of water—at all 3 temperatures varied throughout the day. This would fill their craving for food—even though they did eat after water ingestion. You may want to try this out for yourselves. Claims of more energy, shiny hair, and clear skin are also results of drinking more water. Gosh, all of a sudden I’m thirsty!

"Maximum Metabolism" by Christopher Vasey, N.D. appeared in First Magazine: for the Woman on the Go.