Episode 149: Water. The Easiest Way to Quickly Improve Your Overall Health
Jun 10, 2024
Jenni
What if your healthcare provider is only addressing your symptoms and not the real problem? Join us as we challenge the conventional practices of modern medicine. Through personal stories and professional insights, we expose the alarming disparities in medical billing practices for insured versus self-pay patients and how profit often overshadows genuine patient care. Learn why proactive health management and patient awareness are more crucial than ever, and get essential tips for staying hydrated this summer.
Celebrate a remarkable transformation in our second segment, where we share the inspiring story of a 40-pound weight loss success. It's common for those who achieve significant weight loss through lifestyle changes to be questioned about their methods. We dive into the assumptions that often point to quick fixes like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Shift your focus to genuine lifestyle changes that lead to sustainable weight loss and discover the power of dedication and healthy habits. This episode is a testament to challenging the healthcare status quo and inspiring positive lifestyle transformations. Tune in for an engaging and informative discussion that promises to enlighten and motivate!
Check Us Out On Social Media - Facebook: @bermanwellness , @physicaltherapynaples, @Berman Golf Instagram: @berman_wellness, @bermanphysicaltherapy , @Berman Golf Youtube: Berman Golf, Berman Physical Therapy TikTok: Bermangolf, Bermanwellness
Email us - drberman@bermanpt.com jenni@bermanwellness.com
Check out our website - www.bermanpt.com www.bermanpt.com/wellness www.bermangolf.com
What if your healthcare provider is only addressing your symptoms and not the real problem? Join us as we challenge the conventional practices of modern medicine. Through personal stories and professional insights, we expose the alarming disparities in medical billing practices for insured versus self-pay patients and how profit often overshadows genuine patient care. Learn why proactive health management and patient awareness are more crucial than ever, and get essential tips for staying hydrated this summer.
Celebrate a remarkable transformation in our second segment, where we share the inspiring story of a 40-pound weight loss success. It's common for those who achieve significant weight loss through lifestyle changes to be questioned about their methods. We dive into the assumptions that often point to quick fixes like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. Shift your focus to genuine lifestyle changes that lead to sustainable weight loss and discover the power of dedication and healthy habits. This episode is a testament to challenging the healthcare status quo and inspiring positive lifestyle transformations. Tune in for an engaging and informative discussion that promises to enlighten and motivate!
Check Us Out On Social Media - Facebook: @bermanwellness , @physicaltherapynaples, @Berman Golf Instagram: @berman_wellness, @bermanphysicaltherapy , @Berman Golf Youtube: Berman Golf, Berman Physical Therapy TikTok: Bermangolf, Bermanwellness
Email us - drberman@bermanpt.com jenni@bermanwellness.com
Check out our website - www.bermanpt.com www.bermanpt.com/wellness www.bermangolf.com
Speaker 1:
This is the Berman Method podcast, featuring Dr Jake Berman and physician assistant Jenny Berman. We are here to treat problems and not symptoms. Disclaimer this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and not to treat anyone or to give medical advice. If you are interested in any information that we are giving and would like to use this for yourself, we recommend that you contact your primary care physician or reach out to us and ask us questions about yourself specifically. Enjoy.
Speaker 2:
All right, all right, all right, baby. We are rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling. The Berman Method podcast, where we treat problems and not symptoms. Dr Jake Berman, here, with my beautiful co-host giving me the best looks in the world right now Jenny Berman, physician assistant. Jenny's a little under the weather right now, so please excuse her, give her the benefit of the doubt and cheer her on. Come on, jenny, you can do it. Yay, mommy, yay mommy.
Speaker 1:
This is the first time I've been sick in a while. Yes, I've had a cold.
Speaker 2:
And the definition or the way that we know that Jenny is sick. Is she actually laid on the couch?
Speaker 1:
I got home from work one night and laid down on the couch which I never do, not even on the weekends.
Speaker 2:
I've known you for 15 years now, or we've been together for 15 years. I've seen it twice.
Speaker 1:
The other time I had pneumonia and I was really sick yeah.
Speaker 2:
So we missed our normal podcast recording day and we're trying to catch one up right now. And, Jenny, you can do it. Babe, I can do it.
Speaker 1:
I'm here. Yes, I'm better.
Speaker 2:
Treating problems, not symptoms. David against Goliath. We're David going against Goliath. The corporate medical system, Western medicine. We do not believe they have your best interests in mind. Big Pharma and the insurance companies will always choose profits over patient outcomes. We're dealing with it again right now with some stupid little hospital visits that we had that it's like are you freaking, kidding me? You're charging us five grand if we use our insurance, but if we tell you that we don't have insurance and you bill us out of network, you're billing us $800?.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, we actually. We had to have an ER visit for VRK, but anyway, we the hospital knocked down the bill or self-pay knocked down the bill 60% to what they would have billed the insurance. And I was like holy moly, okay, so we self-paid. You know the 40% that was left of the bill. Then I got another bill from the physician, because the physician bill is not included in the ER bill.
Speaker 1:
So I get another bill from the physician which is by a totally different company, not even associated with the hospital. So I call them and tell them you know you billed us as insurance, we're self-pay, so that should change the bill. She says, yeah, we'll bring it down about 20%. And I said, well, the hospital brought my bill down about 60% and you're going to do 20%. And I said, well, the hospital brought my bill down about 60% and you're going to do 20%. And she said, well, show me the proof that the hospital brought it down 60% and we'll match it. And I was like, excuse me, so if I hadn't sent anything, you would have made me pay 80% of the bill. But now that I'm telling you the hospital did what they did, now you're going to bring it down to where I paid, 40% of it.
Speaker 2:
Exactly.
Speaker 1:
Excuse me.
Speaker 2:
They will always, always, always, choose profits over patient outcomes. This happens every single day all over the country and you're being taken advantage of. Insurance is not insurance. Is car insurance. It is there for the catastrophe. It's there for when you total your car. It's there for when you have a heart attack or a stroke or some type of major, major incident. It is not for your general health care. You should not be relying on health insurance for your general health care. You would not use car insurance to go get an oil change, right, right, right. You just wouldn't.
Speaker 1:
Exactly, yeah, so it's there for the big issues. And we were actually sitting in another doctor's office yesterday and I was looking around at the office and there were labels of the medicine everywhere, like on the bed there were, you know, wrapped around the bed. There were labels of the medicine everywhere. Like on the bed there were, you know, wrapped around the bed. There were labels of the medicine and on the counters there were labels of the medicine. And I was like, well, you know who they get funded from.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, you're sponsoring this office Right with the medication and that's why this office in particularly recommends that medicine so frequently, because they get a kickback from the amount of times that the patients actually take the medicine that they're recommending.
Speaker 2:
It's absolutely bonkers. It is profits, not patient outcomes. You must question everything, and we've said it so many times on this podcast. Question me, question Jenny. If the answer we give you doesn't make sense, then go somewhere else.
Speaker 1:
Right, right, exactly.
Speaker 2:
Little fun fact before we get started with today's topic. We want to talk about water and dehydration, and everybody knows they should be drinking more water. It's the summertime now and it's more important than ever to drink more water. But before we do that, a little fun fact Semaglutide right. This is the lose weight quick drug that's sweeping the nation right now.
Speaker 1:
Ozempic Wagovi Zepbound. That's what you're relating to. Yeah.
Speaker 2:
How did you lose 40 pounds Whenever? It's so funny now, because I've heard this so many times with customers that we have that are losing weight the right way with lifestyle changes, when they run into friends that they haven't seen in six months or a year. It's not. Hey, how are you doing? You look great. The first question is How'd you do it? How'd you do it? Did you take the pill?
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, Well, it's not a pill. Did you take the injection?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, did you take the injection? Are you on Ozempic Right? Are you on Smaglitide? It's like what? That's borderline offensive. No, I did it the right way. I did it the freaking hard way, right, right. So, anyways, the fun fact is that Ozempic is, or Smaglitide is, a European-based company, or at least it was developed in Europe, and they don't even approve it over there for weight loss. The only thing you can use it for over there is what it was designed for, which is diabetes.
Speaker 1:
Right, type 2 diabetes yeah.
Speaker 2:
Type 2 diabetes. So America, I'm pretty sure don't hold this one to me Fact, check it yourself. I'm pretty sure that America is 80% of the prescriptions of Ozempic and the vast majority are moving more towards weight loss and not even diabetes.
Speaker 1:
Right, right, and certainly you know this is not to discount that some individuals can really benefit from using semaglutide or terzepatide, wagovi, manjaro those are, you know, the prescription brand name versus compounded medications and certainly we've used them in our office for clients who are making the lifestyle adjustments and do have insulin resistance. And we're really struggling to take that next step with the lifestyle and dietary adjustments as far as seeing progress, and so we'll utilize these medications, but using them the right way, not just jumping on the bandwagon with no change in their intake or their lifestyle, to where they're not going to maintain the weight loss afterwards. We're making consistent dietary and lifestyle changes while using the medicine and using the medicines at the lowest dosage, so that is easy for the body to adjust and to wean off of once. You don't need it anymore.
Speaker 2:
Yes, very, very important to note the difference. So done with the fun fact, let's move on with what we actually wanted to talk about today, which is water water intake, hydration, dehydration how much should you be drinking? I know I should be drinking more, I just can't do it. What are some really simple and easy tips and tricks to increase your water intake, and why is it important? Let's start off with some signs. What are the most common signs of dehydration?
Speaker 1:
Fatigue, Nobody wants to think about it. When they are tired all the time, specifically in the afternoons, they don't ever want to think about the fact that they're not drinking enough water Fatigue. Well, I had a cup of water this morning, yeah, Plus your two cups of coffee and your iced tea, right.
Speaker 2:
That counts as water, doesn't it?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, that's a question I get a lot is does tea count as water intake?
Speaker 2:
No, no, the answer is no. Sorry, mom, I have to call you out too. So we're on vacation and we're sitting around the pool and having drinks around the pool and we're like mom, I think it's time to have a glass of water. We're all drinking water and she goes. I've got ice in my drink.
Speaker 1:
She's like the ice is melting. That counts right?
Speaker 2:
No the ice in your soda doesn't count.
Speaker 1:
The ice in your iced tea doesn't count.
Speaker 2:
But these are legitimate thoughts that a lot of people have is I had a cup of water this morning. I drank a bottle of water today. You don't really comprehend the need for water. So the most common side effect or, yeah, side effect of dehydration is fatigue.
Speaker 1:
Right. But then we see other side effects. So besides feeling fatigue, feeling faint, feeling dizziness when you're going from a sitting to standing position, getting dizzy when you stand up, or some people even see stars or see black when they stand palpitations, so irregular heartbeat, having a really fast heartbeat, so what we call tachycardia is a sign of dehydration as well. Dehydration slows down your metabolism. Slows down your metabolism by 30%. So the struggle for weight loss can be a side effect of dehydration. Constipation is another big one.
Speaker 2:
Constipation is a huge, huge one. You've got to have water to get the bowels moving. You have to Right.
Speaker 1:
So abdominal pain, bloating, gas pain, constipation all commonly associated with dehydration as well.
Speaker 2:
Yes. So what is the number? Everybody wants to know the number. What's the magic number?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and there really isn't a magic number for every individual out there. Our guideline at Berman Health and Wellness, our guideline and our starting point, is typically 80 ounces. If you're not getting 80 ounces a day, you're not drinking enough. Now, of course, this is not going to be the case for those of us with congestive heart failure or certain heart abnormalities where we can't drink too much water. Right. But for most healthy individuals not associated with heart conditions, we're starting at 80 ounces of water, but we could go up to a gallon, 128 ounces, we could go up to 150 ounces. Really depends on the person and the activity. But the asterisk here is we have to balance water intake with electrolytes and that can be the tricky part for a lot of people.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I mean, I think that that's a second part of this equation, because I can almost put money on the fact that 90% of the people listening to this podcast right now are not even getting 80 ounces of water in a day.
Speaker 1:
Right, right, and if you're not getting 80 ounces you probably don't need a ton of electrolytes, unless, again, you have this medical condition where you have low potassium or low sodium levels, then certainly that's something to be aware of. But again, for most people who are healthy here listening, when you're getting less than 80 ounces you probably don't need to be intaking electrolytes or thinking about that, adding a stress there. But once we get up towards 100 ounces of water a day, then we're saying, okay, we need to make sure we're regulating our electrolytes appropriately, whether we're doing that through supplementation or getting pink Himalayan salt with your meals.
Speaker 2:
And again, these are outliers. The vast majority of you listening right now are not drinking enough water. 80 ounces of water is five bottles of water. You're not drinking five bottles of water. You're not. I work with you every single day. Jenny works with you every single day and you're not drinking that much water.
Speaker 1:
Right. So clients will ask us well, how am I even gonna increase that? You know what's the easiest way Water is boring, or I just don't think about it, and my recommendations are always to start your day with 16 ounces of water. Wake up, walk to the kitchen, put 16 ounces of water in a cup and drink it. Finish it Then before, by the time you're done eating breakfast, have another 20 ounces. There we are with 36 ounces of water already done by the time you're eating breakfast in the morning.
Speaker 2:
It is by far the easiest way to get a jumpstart on your overall daily consumption. But, more importantly, get your metabolism going. And it is clear as day with me and my body when I drink water first thing in the morning versus I don't. So every quarter I have to go up to Orlando for a business meeting and I usually leave the house around four in the morning. Five in the morning don't work out that morning, just get in the car and start driving.
Speaker 2:
And one time I did not drink any water at all, just got in the truck, started driving, grabbed a coffee at the gas station and started driving and I pretty much got to Orlando and then I was like I'm hungry, that's time, it's time to eat breakfast around 830. Now what I do every single time is I pound 16 ounces of water first thing, right when I wake up, get in the truck, start driving and I don't even make it 45 minutes and I'm freaking, starving, absolutely going. Where's my protein shake? Where's the protein bar at? I got to have something because it jumpstarts your metabolism. You got to get the water in so that things start going. It's that simple.
Speaker 1:
That's absolutely correct. But besides, starting your day with hydrating the water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach does detoxify, so it rids the body of toxins, stimulates the metabolism, stimulates the brain, so it helps with brain fog, it helps with making sure that we're burning fat during the day. So that's absolutely true. So, starting out 16 ounces water, getting in another 20 ounces by the time you eat breakfast. So starting out 16 ounces water, getting in another 20 ounces by the time you eat breakfast, then you're focused on getting another about 24 ounces before you eat lunch, or by the time you're done eating lunch, you're getting another 24 ounces of water. So this is more than one bottle.
Speaker 1:
But if you're using a cup like a Yeti cup, which is typically 30 ounces, you're getting less than one of those between your lunch and your dinner, I'm sorry, between your breakfast and your lunch. Then we're focusing on another 20 ounces before by the time you're done with dinner. So another 20 ounces between lunch and dinner in the afternoons, and then you're really done for the day. If your goal is 80 ounces of water, you're done by dinner time. So that way you're not drinking through the evening time and staying up all night to urinate.
Speaker 2:
I know that there's at least one person that just pressed pause and ran to the bathroom. Just listening to all that water intake, you're like, oh my gosh, I got to pee and that's something that everybody. I think that's the number one opposition or reason why I can't drink more water. I just pee all the time. I would just keep peeing all the time. And it is true For the first couple of days when you're increasing your water intake there's a lot of urgency because your body is just not used to it.
Speaker 2:
It happens to me every single time we get back from a vacation. When I'm on vacation, I don't drink near as much water daily as I do when I'm in my normal routine. Normal routine, I'm at least 100 ounces a day, closer to 130 ounces a day. When I'm on vacation it might be half of that. So the first day back from vacation and I go back to my normal routine of drinking water, it is every 45 minutes I'm like crap, got to pee. Sorry, hold on one second, be right back, got to pee. But that only lasts a couple of days, right, Once your body gets back into the groove and used to what's happening, then I'm good.
Speaker 1:
Right, right. So your body will get adjusted to it, your bowels will start utilizing the water more efficiently, your organs will start utilizing it, the metabolism. So then you're not urinating so frequently. So some of the takeaways here is to group the water. Do the 16 ounces in the morning, do the 20 ounces by the end of breakfast, 24 by the end of lunch, 20 by the end of dinner, and that way you're already making the strides. And then if you're drinking water in the in-between, that's added bonus and extra.
Speaker 1:
Get a cup. Get something that is consistent, that you can use and reuse. And reuse A Yeti cup, the Hydro Jug, which you can get in the. Now they make smaller ones, like 28 ounces I think, but you can get in a 40 ounce or a 72 ounce. So get something that you can drink out of and get a straw Using a straw. People will always look at me like I have four heads when I first say this to them Using a straw will make you drink way more water, and they're like really no, that's not true. And then they get a straw and they're like oh my gosh, I drink so much more water with a straw. Get a straw and use it consistently throughout the day.
Speaker 2:
That's true. So I used to secretly make fun of Jenny. When I saw her carrying around her 70 ounce hydro jug. I'm like, ah, you're such a tool, come on, do you really need to carry that around? Then I got one, and it's. It's really a game changer. It simplifies it so much so by the time I think by the time I'm done with breakfast, I'm at 48 ounces of water already. Wait a minute. Does almond milk count? No, that doesn't count.
Speaker 2:
Yeah 48 ounces of water already. Then my hydro jug is 70 ounces. So I fill that thing up and I take it to work with me and the goal is to be as close to done with that by the time I leave work at the end of the day. And there are many days where I'll be driving home and I'll be like, oh crap, I got some work to do on this thing and I'll just be drinking it the whole way home.
Speaker 2:
And because it has a straw, I'm able to put down way more than my old jug that I had to actually lift up and drink the normal way, and that's just annoying. It's hard to do a whole lot at the same time, but the straw just makes it so much easier. And the best part for me this is what I've learned is I don't like drinking water. I don't at all. But when I have a straw I'm able to be more intentional with the amount of water that I'm drinking when I go to drink water. Said, differently, if I'm drinking out of a bottle, it's really easy to take a sip or a big sip out of a bottle and say, okay, I drank some. But when I'm drinking out of a straw, I can say, okay, let's put down 10 ounces, let's shoot for 15 ounces real quick and just say okay, I did it.
Speaker 1:
Right? Yes, and that's the best part of having a straw is that you are able to drink more than you actually feel like you're drinking. And the other thing about getting a bigger cup like getting a 30 ounce cup or a 40 ounce cup is filling it less frequently. You don't have to remember or take time to get up and go refill your 16 ounce cup or to grab another bottle of water refill your 16 ounce cup or to grab another bottle of water. You fill it less times a day, so it takes less time now.
Speaker 2:
It takes less time but, more importantly, it helps you keep track. That's right. It's much harder to keep track Did.
Speaker 1:
I drink three bottles of water, or eight bottles of water today.
Speaker 2:
Right right, it's really easy for me to remember did I drink one 70 ounce hydro jug of water or not?
Speaker 1:
Right, and you know. To come back, tea, especially caffeinated tea, does not count. Decaffeinated tea, I guess you could partially count, because decaf still has some stimulation to it and caffeine is dehydrating. So that's why we don't count. Anything like decaf coffee or regular coffee or iced tea doesn't count for hydration because it's actually dehydrating you. With the caffeine you can certainly flavor your water. So, using infused waters, using lemon water, putting lime or cucumber in your water, we use the little packets called True Lemon, t-r-u-e lemon, which are sugar-free packets. They don't have aspartame in them, like some other brands like Crystallite. If you're using Crystallite, get rid of it. It has aspartame.
Speaker 2:
Boom.
Speaker 1:
So we use the True Lemon packets here and there to be able to change up the flavor of the water too.
Speaker 2:
Yes, what else? Anything else?
Speaker 1:
I think that's it. Just make sure this summer that you're hydrating. If you're feeling fatigued, constipated, like you can't lose weight, that your heart rate is increasing, you're probably not drinking enough water.
Speaker 2:
It's not easy. I don't like it at all. Jenny loves drinking water. Jake does not love drinking water, but it's one of the easiest things you could possibly do to make your overall health better.
Speaker 1:
Right.
Speaker 2:
Good.
Speaker 1:
And don't forget your electrolytes If you need them. Ask a professional like us if you should be drinking electrolytes and what kind, Because that's the other thing. All those electrolyte companies out there, majority of them are crap and have a ton of sugar or maybe aspartame.
Speaker 2:
Which ones do we use?
Speaker 1:
We like the Element, we like the Tom Brady.
Speaker 2:
The TB12.
Speaker 1:
TB12 electrolytes. We also like the Ultima, ultima electrolytes we use.
Speaker 2:
And this is subject to change too. So if you listen to this podcast five years from now, I'm sure it'll be different, because we're constantly constantly looking at the cutting edge evolutions of what's coming out. So I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we went back three years ago and heard what we were recommending then and just gagged. I mean like, oh my gosh, I can't believe that's what we used to recommend, because it's constantly evolving. We're constantly trying to find what is the best thing today. What's the best thing today? Good.
Speaker 1:
That's right. Yes, we're always trying new things for sure. All right Good, have a great week.
Speaker 2:
Hold on, make sure you like and subscribe to this podcast. Share this podcast with somebody that does not like water at all and doesn't drink it and doesn't think they need it. Rate us, review us. We need some reviews. We haven't had any in a little while.
Speaker 1:
Reviews comments.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, comment. Email us if you want us to talk about something in particular. We love hearing back from you guys. So, drberman at bermanptcom, email me some questions and we'll talk about it on one of the next episodes. Awesome.
Speaker 1:
Ciao for now. Episodes Awesome. Ciao for now. Thank you for subscribing on your social media and podcast platforms to the Berman Method Dr Jake Berman with Berman Physical Therapy and Jenny Berman, physician Assistant, with Berman Health and Wellness. You can find more information on our website wwwbermanptcom for physical therapy, bermanptcom forward slash wellness for the health and wellness. You can also find us on social media Facebook, instagram and on your podcast platform, so be sure to follow us, like us, subscribe to us and, if you would like any further information, definitely visit our website and reach out to us. You may also find our free reports on the websites as well, where you can download this free information for yourself. Have a great day.
