We used to think there were just three forms of water - solid, liquid and vapor. But a scientist from the University of Washington has discovered a remarkable fourth form of water.
If his research is correct, this new type of water could help solve numerous health issues including headaches, low energy, brain fog, and fatigue. It could even help people shed stubborn pounds.
This is such a strange discovery, it set off my baloney detector, so let’s take a look. . .
The scientist is Jerry Pollack, Ph.D.. His lab, Pollack Laboratory, is part of the Bioengineering Department at the University of Washington. Pollack calls the fourth phase of water “exclusion zone” or EZ water.1
It’s also referred to as “structured water” and “gel water.” (It actually looks like a gel similar to egg whites.) According to Pollack, gel water has an extra hydrogen and an extra oxygen atom, so instead of the familiar H2O it’s actually H3O2.
I’m not enough of a chemist to evaluate the claims. Dr. Pollack holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from a prestigious university, and seems in general to have sterling credentials.
One of the interesting things about gel water is that it’s the same kind of water that’s found in the cells of your body.
You may know your body is made up mostly of water. That’s why hydration – drinking enough water - is so important to your overall health. But it’s estimated that a shocking 75% of Americans actually suffer from chronic, low-grade dehydration.
The Dangers of Being Dehydrated
When you’re dehydrated, nothing in your body works well. Studies show that even very mild dehydration, as little as a 2% loss in your body’s water weight, has a negative effect on your cognitive performance.2 You’re likely to feel tired and drained of energy. It can also make weight loss more difficult and even cause you to gain weight, because it slows your metabolism.
But proper hydration can actually give your metabolism a boost. That’s what a German study found when researchers tested the metabolic rate of participants after they drank about 16 ounces of water. Their metabolism started to increase within ten minutes.
And it continued to increase for another 30-40 minutes until it was a whopping 30% higher than it was before they performed the simple act of taking a drink.3
Even though you may be drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day, you may find it helpful to take it up a notch. It turns out that regular water isn’t the best for hydration at the cellular level. Gel water is. In fact gel water may actually have twice the hydrating power. That’s because instead of the water flushing through your system, your cells do a better job absorbing and holding onto gel water.
Dana Cohen, M.D., an integrative physician in New York City, recently co-authored the book Quench: Beat Fatigue, Drop Weight, and Heal Your Body Through the New Science of Optimum Hydration. Dr. Cohen says gel water can help you shed excess pounds. “When you’re hydrated,” he explains, “hormone signals work better, so there are less fat-storing hormones in the system.”
Once you’re fully hydrated, you can expect a bunch of other great benefits, too. You’ll have more energy and you’ll lose the brain fog. You’ll be able to concentrate more. And you’ll look better because when you hydrate from the inside, your skin looks more radiant.
Where Do You Get Gel Water?
This may be the best news yet!
The best source of gel water is plant foods. Just like us, plants naturally contain gel water. So when you eat more fruits and vegetables, you’re absorbing the gel water in the plants. And as an extra bonus, you’re also getting vitamins and nutrients.
Some fruits and vegetables have higher amounts of gel water than others. Here are the ones with the highest:
- Cucumber
- Romain lettuce
- Radishes
- Tomatoes
- Bell peppers
- Cauliflower
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
Chia seeds are also packed with gel water. You can actually see it when the seeds are soaked in water for a few minutes.
You can even turn your eight glasses of water a day into gel water by infusing the liquid. Just add some berries, slices of citrus or cucumber to a pitcher of water in the morning and drink from it throughout the day. Better yet, prepare it the night before.
