Simple techniques to drinking water

Water is essential for life and good health, since our bodies are made up of 75-percent water. Did you know that there is a correct and incorrect way of drinking your water? Yes, there is! Let’s find out the right way to drink your eight to 10 glasses of water a day.

• Drink water when you wake up. Your body loses water while you sleep, so drink a glass before you go to sleep, and another glass when you wake up. You are naturally thirsty or dehydrated in the morning. Drinking water in the morning helps flush out the toxins that have accumulated all night.

• Drink 8 to 10 glasses a day. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 120-pound individual needs eight cups of water a day, while a 190-pound person would require 12 cups daily. However, some elderly individuals may do well with only five to six glasses a day. We should also monitor our urine color and keep it on the light yellow side. As a rule, drink only a maximum of 16 glasses a day, and not more.

• Drink little by little throughout the day. It is preferable to sip water throughout the day rather than to drink two glasses all at once. This will lessen the stress on the heart (especially if you have heart disease) and give your body more time to absorb it.

• Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re probably already two glasses below your normal water needs. Elderly people are also less sensitive to the body’s need for water.

• Drink water and limit alcohol, coffee, and sodas. Some experts believe that tea, sodas, and coffee can be potentially dehydrating. One study shows that adults who drank six cups of coffee daily experience mild dehydration. Drinking alcohol is much worse because it actually dehydrates you by making you urinate a lot.

• Train children to drink water. Set a good example to your kids and drink water together. Make sure that children drink enough water when they’re active.

• Drink more when it’s hot. People living in hot climates need to drink more water. They are more prone to develop kidney stones compared to those living in cooler regions.

• Drink more as you exercise. When you exercise, you need to drink more water to compensate for fluid loss. Go for an extra 500 ml. of water for a 30-minute to one-hour exercise. Eating a banana also helps keep your potassium up.

• Drink more when you’re sick. Even though you don’t feel like it, you really need to drink more water to help your body recover from various infections. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll feel much worse.

• Drink more if you’re pregnant. Women who are expecting or breastfeeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 10 cups of fluids daily and women who breastfeed take in about 13 cups of fluids a day.

Water can also be used to help treat many diseases such as the following:

• Water helps reduce weight. By drinking a glass or two of water before a meal, you will lessen the amount of food you can take in order to feel full. Water has zero calories and will not make you fat.

• Water keeps your skin soft and radiant. Just as a dehydrated person will have deep-set eyes and wrinkled skin, so will a fully hydrated person exhibit a normal and beautiful skin tone.

• Water prevents kidney stones. The most common cause of kidney stones is not drinking enough water. Since water dissolves the substances that form stones in the urine, drinking 12 glasses daily helps treat kidney stones.

• Water treats urinary tract infection. The more water you drink, the more you will urinate. Drinking lots of water will help flush out harmful bacteria from your bladder.

• Water helps patients with diarrhea by preventing dehydration. As a first-aid for diarrhea, you can make your own oral rehydration solution at home. Mix a glass of water with two teaspoons sugar and one teaspoon salt, and drink as much as you can tolerate.

• Water helps reduce fever. For symptoms of flu, water can help lower your body temperature when you urinate the “heat” out of your body. If you’re sick, drink more water for you to recover faster.

• Water helps treat cough and colds, sore throat, and respiratory infections. Water helps loosen sticky phlegm. A respected lung specialist told me that some mucolytics out there are just as beneficial as drinking lots of water.

• Water reduces heartburn. Taking two to three gulps of water every 20 minutes or so can help flush the stomach acid away. Bananas and water are effective alternatives to taking antacids. Try it.

• Water prevents constipation and its complications. Too little water can harden the stools and lead to hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, a disease of the large bowel. Drink water and eat lots of vegetables to soften your stools.

• Water keeps you alert and energetic. If you’re dehydrated, your blood is literally thicker. This makes it harder for the blood to circulate. As a result, the brain can become less active and you can feel confused and fatigued. Some studies also show that water may help cure migraine headaches.

So, from now on, remember to drink up for your health! –Willie T. Ong, MD (The Philippine Star)