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The Complete Book of Water Healing
Using Earth's most essential resource to heal yourself Presented in a beautiful package, this authoritative guide from a leading herbalist and health writer offers you practical and scientifically sound methods of healing with the planet's most abundant and most affordable natural health product--water. The Complete Book of Water Healing includes practical illustrations and step-by-step information on treating everything from children's ailments to sports injuries with therapeutic baths, steam treatments, hydrotherapy, and more.
- GenresHealth
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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About the author
Dian Dincin Buchman
38 books4 followersAlternative medicine pioneer, writer and activist, author of ''Herbal Medicine'', ''Complete Book of Water Therapy'', ''Complete Guide to Natural Sleep'', and many other books on complementary medicine and other subjects. Past President of American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), a founder of the Council of Writers Organizations.
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May 23, 2024
A SUMMARY OF VARIOUS WAYS OF USING WATER IN THERAPEUTIC WAYS
Dian Dincin Buchman (d. 2000) was an alternative medicine writer and activist, who was a former president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and a founder of the Council of Writers Organization.
She wrote in the Foreword to this 1979 book (revised and updated edition, 1994), “This book is a product of all I have learned from my family, plus the knowledge I have gained from over twenty years of investigating the principles and dynamics of water as therapy. As a Ph.D. in health science… I have had the opportunity to explore in depth how water affects the human body and, especially, how it can be used to promote good health. This knowledge, plus the experience I have gained from teaching and lecturing on water therapy and other health-related subjects for several years, is all reflected in this volume. This book also includes much information that I have acquired over the hears talking with numerous physicians… and lay people who use water in special ways to control illness and to maintain good health.” (Pg. xi)
In the Foreword to the 1994 edition, she explains, “Water therapy is a system of natural healing. It uses the body’s need for water, and its PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES to water, to prevent, correct and treat a broad range of health and injury problems. These methods, also known as hydrotherapy, were developed in Europe over a century ago, and make up what is one of the least expensive and most versatile and dependable healing system every devised. Water therapy used stimulation with water to produce subtle changes in energy. All nondrug healing methods, from massage to naturopathy to acupuncture to chiropractic to homeopathy, share some form of energy change. All work to transform static states (illness), into active states (recovery and health). Water therapy is effective because of body physiology. Not only does the body need water to dissolve, transport and, finally, absorb nutrients; also extracts and discards waste materials through internal organs, and through the skin. Many, but not all, of the remarkable results of water therapy occur through the skin.” (Pg. xiii)
She continues, “Water therapy includes hundreds of remedies, among them several excellent fever treatments, all of which illustrate different solutions (different actions and reactions) to the same problem. 1. Drinking cool water slowly and effectively reduces fever from within the body. 2. Bathing a feverish person in cool, even cold water, immediately reduces fever. 3. Rubbing a feverish person with a cold-friction washcloth-massage reduces the fever by encouraging fresh patterns of circulation. 4. A detoxifying bath utilizes the capacity of the skin to relinquish toxins.” (Pg. xiv)
She goes on, “Cold water works this way. Cold water applications force the blood vessels to constrict, requiring the blood to travel into another part of the body. At the same time the brain cells, alert to the new unwanted coldness, quickly send fresh blood from the liver to the part of the body receiving the ‘cold treatment.’ Within seconds the body is fortified with invigorating, freshly circulated blood.” (Pg. xv)
She explains, “Cold water acts in several different ways. For example, a short cold-water application acts as a tonic, while an extended cold-water application acts as a depressant. Basically, however, cold water is restorative, reenergizing, and helps build resistance to disease. Cold water can help reduce even the highest fever, relieve thirst, act as a stimulant, diuretic, and anesthetic, relieve pain, reduce constipation, and aid the elimination of toxins from the body… Ice, or ice water, is very helpful in reducing the pain of minor burns. Ice massage, or wrapped ice, is the preferred treatment for injuries, as the cold helps to control the bleeding and reduce subsequent swelling… Warm water is sedating, relaxes the body, and when necessary it is an effective emetic… Hot water (as well as cold) can be used internally and externally. In a injury, heat increases blood flow, and will act to increase any inflammation; as a result, hot water must be avoided in treating injuries… Steam increases skin action the creates perspiration, which in turn cleanses the body from within…” (Pg. 6-7)
She outlines, “The following are the GENERAL therapeutic uses of water: As a Restorative and Tonic… For Injuries… To Relieve Pain… For Minor Burns… To Reduce Fever … To Induce Perspiration… As a Diuretic… As an Eliminative… As an Anticeptic… As a Laxative… As an Emetic… To Raise Body Temperature… As a Stimulant… As an Anesthetic… As a Sedative… As an Antispasmodic… To Relieve Thirst… For Buoyancy… For Mechanical Effects…” (Pg. 12-15)
She notes, “I have discovered that some bottled waters in America are only reconstituted, distilled, or deionized tap water. Also, water is often sold in plastic bottles, which sometimes leech their petrochemical base into the water. This defeats the purpose of buying bottled water. Glass bottles are a safer choice, but be careful choosing what brand of water you buy.” (Pg. 18)
This book will be of keen interest to those studying this type of therapy.
Dian Dincin Buchman (d. 2000) was an alternative medicine writer and activist, who was a former president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and a founder of the Council of Writers Organization.
She wrote in the Foreword to this 1979 book (revised and updated edition, 1994), “This book is a product of all I have learned from my family, plus the knowledge I have gained from over twenty years of investigating the principles and dynamics of water as therapy. As a Ph.D. in health science… I have had the opportunity to explore in depth how water affects the human body and, especially, how it can be used to promote good health. This knowledge, plus the experience I have gained from teaching and lecturing on water therapy and other health-related subjects for several years, is all reflected in this volume. This book also includes much information that I have acquired over the hears talking with numerous physicians… and lay people who use water in special ways to control illness and to maintain good health.” (Pg. xi)
In the Foreword to the 1994 edition, she explains, “Water therapy is a system of natural healing. It uses the body’s need for water, and its PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES to water, to prevent, correct and treat a broad range of health and injury problems. These methods, also known as hydrotherapy, were developed in Europe over a century ago, and make up what is one of the least expensive and most versatile and dependable healing system every devised. Water therapy used stimulation with water to produce subtle changes in energy. All nondrug healing methods, from massage to naturopathy to acupuncture to chiropractic to homeopathy, share some form of energy change. All work to transform static states (illness), into active states (recovery and health). Water therapy is effective because of body physiology. Not only does the body need water to dissolve, transport and, finally, absorb nutrients; also extracts and discards waste materials through internal organs, and through the skin. Many, but not all, of the remarkable results of water therapy occur through the skin.” (Pg. xiii)
She continues, “Water therapy includes hundreds of remedies, among them several excellent fever treatments, all of which illustrate different solutions (different actions and reactions) to the same problem. 1. Drinking cool water slowly and effectively reduces fever from within the body. 2. Bathing a feverish person in cool, even cold water, immediately reduces fever. 3. Rubbing a feverish person with a cold-friction washcloth-massage reduces the fever by encouraging fresh patterns of circulation. 4. A detoxifying bath utilizes the capacity of the skin to relinquish toxins.” (Pg. xiv)
She goes on, “Cold water works this way. Cold water applications force the blood vessels to constrict, requiring the blood to travel into another part of the body. At the same time the brain cells, alert to the new unwanted coldness, quickly send fresh blood from the liver to the part of the body receiving the ‘cold treatment.’ Within seconds the body is fortified with invigorating, freshly circulated blood.” (Pg. xv)
She explains, “Cold water acts in several different ways. For example, a short cold-water application acts as a tonic, while an extended cold-water application acts as a depressant. Basically, however, cold water is restorative, reenergizing, and helps build resistance to disease. Cold water can help reduce even the highest fever, relieve thirst, act as a stimulant, diuretic, and anesthetic, relieve pain, reduce constipation, and aid the elimination of toxins from the body… Ice, or ice water, is very helpful in reducing the pain of minor burns. Ice massage, or wrapped ice, is the preferred treatment for injuries, as the cold helps to control the bleeding and reduce subsequent swelling… Warm water is sedating, relaxes the body, and when necessary it is an effective emetic… Hot water (as well as cold) can be used internally and externally. In a injury, heat increases blood flow, and will act to increase any inflammation; as a result, hot water must be avoided in treating injuries… Steam increases skin action the creates perspiration, which in turn cleanses the body from within…” (Pg. 6-7)
She outlines, “The following are the GENERAL therapeutic uses of water: As a Restorative and Tonic… For Injuries… To Relieve Pain… For Minor Burns… To Reduce Fever … To Induce Perspiration… As a Diuretic… As an Eliminative… As an Anticeptic… As a Laxative… As an Emetic… To Raise Body Temperature… As a Stimulant… As an Anesthetic… As a Sedative… As an Antispasmodic… To Relieve Thirst… For Buoyancy… For Mechanical Effects…” (Pg. 12-15)
She notes, “I have discovered that some bottled waters in America are only reconstituted, distilled, or deionized tap water. Also, water is often sold in plastic bottles, which sometimes leech their petrochemical base into the water. This defeats the purpose of buying bottled water. Glass bottles are a safer choice, but be careful choosing what brand of water you buy.” (Pg. 18)
This book will be of keen interest to those studying this type of therapy.
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