Julian Whitaker, M.D. reports in his Oct. 1994 Health & Healing newsletter on Dr. F. Batmanghelidj's book "Your Body's Many Cries for Water". Dr. Batmanghelidj argues that "water activates your body's systems, and the lack of it causes a variety of "thirst" responses that we call disease.
For instance, histamine, which causes the bronchioles in your lungs to constrict, is the primary trigger for asthma. However, histamine release is also the body's primary mechanism of stopping water loss from your lungs.
Dr. B argues that most of us are chronically dehydrated, and we have to discipline ourselves to drink water to avoid this. If you drink only when you are thirsty, it's too late - you are already dehydrated. In addition, as you get older, your sense of thirst doesn't work properly.
Water is a basic REQUIREMENT for all human beings. Withholding water creates a NEED for MEDICAL TREATMENT.
I think some of these folks saying water and food are "medical treatments" should try going without their own "medical treatments" for a week and then get back to us.