But, have you ever considered that drinking water can have negative effects on your body? Unfortunately for the contestants, the organizers of the contest “Hold Your Wee for a Wii”, held on Californian radio station did not know about this.
The water drinking contest claimed a life of 28 year old woman, even as other contestants suffered from physical discomfort after consuming large quantities of water for the event. There is no doubt that drinking water is good for you, but pause a moment and have a look at the list of list of ten things you may not know about drinking water.
HERE 10 THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WATER:
1. Hyponatremia:
Hyponatremia is a condition often caused by over hydration of the body from drinking surplus amount of water. The condition can lead to serious illnesses like congestive heart failure, liver failure, kidney failure and pneumonia. Many endurance athletes and marathon runners are known to develop some degree of hyponatremia as they try to rehydrate themselves.
2. Psychogenic polydipsia:
people suffering from mental illness such as schizophrenia or having developmental disabilities, exhibit the condition recognized as psychogenic polydipsia.People with psychogenic polydipsia drink excessive amount of water, so much that the kidney fails to excrete it successfully. Occasionally, the condition can be fatal as the serum sodium level falls down to critical levels, leading to cardiac arrest or seizures.
3. Vested interests of bottled water companies:
Have you noticed the increase in the campaigns of health benefits of drinking water after the advent of bottled water companies? The sales of bottled water have gone up dramatically in the last few decades, reaching 200 billion bottles globally at present. Most of the benefits of drinking water campaigns are carried out by the profit making companies, who are having a major chunk of the benefits. The fastest growing beverage company is $10 billion industry today.
4. Drink 8 ounces of water per day:
Drinking 8 ounces of water per day for good health has become a gospel for health freaks. Honestly, there is no scientific evidence to support the actual amount of drinking water required for healthy living. The body can derive its fluid intake from fruits, vegetables, tea, milk, chocolate drinks or fresh juices apart from water.
5. Drinking bottled water after heavy workout can be unhealthy:
Bottled water is the not good after a heavy workout or during excruciating outdoor activities. People, who have been through strenuous physical activity for more than one hour, need replacement of electrolytes like potassium and sodium besides water, which cannot be replenished by bottled water alone.
6. Cosmetic purpose of water is negligible:
You often are bombarded with the benefits of water for improving skin tone, making you look fit and many more. The fact is that these benefits are not based on scientific research and are negligible. On average a person weighing 70 kg will already have 42 liters of water in the body, since our body is made of 60% water. How much cosmetic difference could an additional 2 liters of water make is something to ponder upon
7. Water in food is no different:
The water we consume from food is as good as bottled or tap water. Besides replenishing the body with required fluid, they provide essential minerals and nutrients to the body. Some of the foods like Lettuce, cucumber, watermelon, broccoli, grapefruit, carrot and apple contain more than 90% of water. Even a baked potato is 70% water.
8. Brain swelling or brain edema:
Consuming too much of water may cause a swelling in the brain, also known as brain edema. Kidneys fail to remove excessive amounts of water from the body, thinning the blood and reducing the salt concentrations, reaching the brain cells and causing them to swell. The swollen brain is pressurized in the skull which stops vital body functions like breathing leading to death.
9. Water Intoxication:
Water intoxication or water poisoning is a dreadful condition caused by plain water which is consumed excessively. The symptoms of water intoxication are headaches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, confusion, mental disorientation and frequent trips to toilet. If not given immediate help, water intoxication can lead to death.
10. Difficult diagnosis:
When the symptoms of excessive drinking of water shows up as confusions, no one is going to think that the culprit is water. It is often mistaken for effects of drugs or some other malady. If diagnosed rightly, diuretics can decrease the water load immediately.
Summary :
Drinking water is the most essential way to keep the body healthy but we should always moderate the way we drink water both at night, in the morning or afternoon because anything which has so many advantage must surely have disadvantage too.
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