Last week while visiting the doctor, I became aware of just how many of us are sitting in doctors’ offices – due to stress and all of its accompanying attributes that show up in hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and so many other ailments. As divine expressions of God, we have the ability to heal ourselves. God gives us the wisdom that we need when we need it, if we just listen.
Our bodies tell us what we need to know. The problem is that we fail to be obedient. Much of what we need to do is simple. Some of the most common illnesses can be cured with simple remedies: exercise, proper rest, nutritious food, and water. 
Are you exercising? We need to walk or run or stretch or lift or dance for at least 30 minutes twice a day – at least 6 times a week. Rest and proper diet are also key. But an important question rarely asked is whether we are drinking enough water?
We know that we need water, but we don’t drink it. I hear folks saying they don’t like water; they don’t drink water; and they drink other things instead. Water is not just good for us; it is vital to our good health.
Dr. F. Batmanghelidj, author of Your Body’s Many Cries For Water: You’re Not Sick; You’re Thirsty (www.watercure.com), treated more than 3,000 peptic ulcer patients with water alone and discovered that disease responds to water by itself. Chronic dehydration is the root cause of most major degenerative diseases of the human body. That merits repeating: Chronic dehydration is the root cause of most major degenerative diseases of the human body!
Without the right amount of water to wash the acidic waste of metabolism, chaos results in our bodily functions, causing pain, Alzheimer’s, stress, tumors, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, allergies, and other ailments. These ailments can actually be healed with water! I checked out what the Bible says. In Judges 15:19, it says “Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived.”
In Isaiah 43:3, God says “I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”
There is Spirit in water to sustain us, to bless us, and to heal us.
What does Daniel seek to drink? In Daniel 1:12, he says “Give us nothing but vegetables to eat 
and water to drink.” Why? Our bodies are composed of 25 percent solid matter and 75% water; brain tissue is 85% water.
Jesus said I will give you “living water” (John 4:10). Implicit in the power of his words is not only that he would give the Spirit but also that the Spirit in him, which is present in us all is the blessing in all water. Revelation teaches us that the angel revealed “the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the 
Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).
But in order to receive the benefits of water, we must drink this “free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17). Tea, coffee, alcohol and other beverages are not substitutes for water. Only water can bless us. See Dr. Christopher Vasey’s The Water Prescription: For Health, Vitality and Rejuvenation for information on what kind of water to drink and for
remedies on re-hydrating.
Most importantly, drink water. Experts say that it is good to consume half the amount of your body weight in water ounces. So if you weigh 100 pounds; you should consume 50 oz of water; if you are 200 pounds, you should be drinking 100 oz of water each day. If you work out, you must add at least a liter or 32 oz of water to every hour of exercise – on top of your daily requirement.
The literature says that the best time to consume water is 8 oz/a glass before consuming each meal and 8 oz/a glass an hour after each meal; and 8 oz/a glass water after eliminating water.
A good gauge of whether we are getting enough water is the color of our urine: it is supposed to be colorless. If it is yellow – we are nearing dehydration; if it is orange – we are dehydrated. If it is brown, well, start drinking.
I try to drink at least 32 ounces upon rising and another 32-48 ounces when I hit the gym; 32-48 ounces at work; and another 32-48 ounces at home. My favorite is Volvic. Learn which one you prefer.
But drink up physician, and heal thyself.
Reverend Cecilia Loving is the Spiritual Leader of SPIRITMUV, a nondenominational church which meets at the Unity Center of New York City every Sunday at 2:30 PM to meditate on the spiritual oneness, to uplift each in song, to
pray from the divine within, to study truth, and to grow in the awesome power that we are. For more information, go to http://www.spiritmuv.com.
Join us everyday for FREE MEDITATIONS at http://www.spiritmuvmeditation.com. All you have to do is sign up and the meditation will be sent to you each day so that you can meditate at your leisure. If you want to change your life; meditation will bless you beyond belief.
I believe that this seventh grade wisdom is applicable to your life, regardless of whether you are twelve or ninety-two – or any age in the “middle.” We are all in the “middle” of something, and we can make it the best time of our life or the worst. So I was interested in sharing Christa’s perspective, who wrote that even though she was “new to Pikesville, [she does] know a little bit about how to survive middle school.”
Be Yourself: Be your “crazy, original, happy, and loving self.” This rings true for all of us. We have to listen to the inner voice of Spirit and be receptive to whatever makes us uniquely us. We were all called to do something phenomenal. As Jeremiah taught us, God said “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart” (Jeremiah 5:1).
Don’t Let Anyone or Anything ‘Slow Your Roll’: You can use being bullied and being picked on to “become stronger” and no matter what, “do not let people get [you] down.” Nothing and no one can prevent us from receiving the absolute good that the universe has in store for us. As Paul says in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Don’t Think You Know Everything: There’s always an opportunity to “learn new things, so don’t waltz into 6th grade acting like you know EVERYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING.” It’s important to
ake Advantage of What You Don’t Know to Make New Friends: Asking questions like “where is this class” or “can you help me with my locker” are perfect ways to make friends. “[B]e open to meeting new people: don’t stay stuck in a little cult.” You have to “be bold and walk up to people” and “hang out with as many people as possible.” Jesus said it another way, he said “love one another” (John 13:34). When we love one another, we are compassionate about their feelings; we get to know them; we make time for them; we celebrate them; we help them push through the rough spots; we hold their hand when they need companionship; we praise them when they need uplifting; we forgive them when they’ve made a mistake.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions: Don’t worry about being made fun of for asking questions. You are probably asking the question that several other people want to ask. Jesus said “ask and you will receive” (John 16:24). When we open up our minds and are receptive to the universe, we receive certain questions because they are necessary to push us farther along the path. Our questions themselves are blessings, and if we fail to follow up on them, we don’t open the door to that channel of good.
t’s Cool to be Smart: “Bad grades are not cool! Try to be the smartest. So what if people say ‘you’re some kind of smarty pants.’ Take that as a compliment. You’ll be the one who becomes that millionaire everyone dreams of being. If people say you’re a nerd, those people will end up working for you most likely.” In 2 Chronicles 1:11-12, God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.” Wisdom is the greatest wealth we can have. The best wisdom we get is from God, and when we seek first God’s Kingdom, all else will be given – including wealth, leadership and divine ideas.
Keep Your Cool: Peer pressure is not good. You have to be an independent thinker. At one extreme, peer pressure may cause you to “do something dangerous”; at the other extreme, it can also make you do something like “skipping class” or “hitting someone.” Regardless, “it’s not good. It can get you into serious trouble if you mess with the wrong person. So always keep your cool.” Jesus said “Peace, be still!” (Mark 4:39). Being cool requires us to realize that God is the only leader that we need to follow, in a peaceful, graceful, loving mood.
Namaste,
God is a Brown Girl Too 