With that cautionary note, I include below brief comments about the optimal state of hydration and lists of vitamins, minerals, essential amino and fatty acids and herbs that I have found to be of special value in the management of chronic stress and anxiety. Again, I prescribe nutrients to prevent metabolic roller coasters that feed other stress responses. I provide detailed information about the mechanisms of action of most of these agents in the companion volumes, The Butterfly and Life Span Nutrition and The Canary and Chronic Fatigue. My patients who lead stressful lives frequently complain that they need to drink large quantities of fluids to take their prescribed nutrients and herbs. I tell them that is good news.
Water is an essential macronutrient.
Water is nature's best diuretic. It is the most efficient detoxifying agent in the human metabolism. Water is the simplest solution to acidotic overload in conditions of stress. Water can significantly reduce the stress of allergic and sensitivity reactions. Water is the cheapest diluent for environmental pollutants.