Water plays a key role in the regulation of all our life functions. However, between the hectic pace of business life and the hustle and bustle of daily life, we often make the important mistake of not drinking enough water!
Acıbadem International Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz warns that when we do not consume enough water, many important health problems such as dehydration, premature aging, blood pressure and digestive problems can develop, and said, “Therefore, it is very important that we drink as much water as your body needs every day. . It is said that it is best to drink 8-12 glasses of water daily. But the truth is that the amount of water you need can vary depending on your gender, how much exercise you get, how hot it is, and many other factors. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends a total of 13-15 glasses (about 3 liters) of fluid each day for adult men. She also recommends that women drink 9 glasses (a little over 2 liters) of fluids each day,” she says.
At this point, many questions come to our minds: Does lemon water help? Should I drink water on an empty stomach in the morning? Is warm water or cold water more beneficial? Does water weaken? Acıbadem International Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz answered the 8 most frequently asked questions about water consumption, which is our source of life; made important suggestions and warnings.
IS DRINKING MUCH WATER AS MUCH AS DRINKING LITTLE WATER?
In addition to drinking less water, drinking a lot of water can threaten our health by disrupting the fluid and electrolyte balance in our body. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz said, “If you have heart failure or kidney disease, you may need to limit your fluid intake. Because when you drink a lot of water, your kidneys cannot remove excess water, a picture called ‘hyponatremia’ may occur. This means that the minerals in your blood are diluted or diluted. As a result, your blood sodium levels drop, your body’s water level rises, and your cells swell. “This can lead to serious, even life-threatening problems.”
IS IT CORRECT TO DRINK WATER IN THE MORNINGS?
It has been proven that drinking 500 ml of water as soon as you get up in the morning accelerates blood flow, increases the production of new blood cells and makes your skin glow. Drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning also helps to get rid of excess weight by contributing to the work of the intestines. In addition to making you feel less hungry, it also helps to remove toxins in the intestines from your body. In addition, it accelerates your metabolism, contributes to a healthier and brighter appearance of your hair, alleviates the problem if you have heartburn, supports the prevention of kidney stone formation and bladder infections, and strengthens your immune system.
DOES DRINKING WATER WITH LEMON AND VINEGAR BENEFIT?
Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz states that it is beneficial to drink water with lemon or vinegar in the morning and lists the reasons as follows: “Potassium in vinegar and lemon can help control blood pressure. The vitamin C you get from drinking warm lemon water in the morning can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. At the same time, it fights diseases and bad bacteria that develop in an extremely acidic environment, raises the body pH, supports healthy cell function and structure, and removes bacteria and viruses from the body. .
WHAT IS THE MOST RIGHT WAY TO DRINK WATER?
The most correct way to drink water is to sip a glass of water in 10-15 seconds. Consuming water half an hour before and half an hour after your meals helps prevent your stomach from expanding. Attention! Consuming too much water at once can cause bloating and discomfort in the stomach.
SHOULD I DRINK WATER WHILE Eating?
Approximately one glass (200 ml) of water consumed with a meal helps break down large foods and facilitates their passage from the esophagus to your stomach. It also prevents bloating and constipation by contributing to the smooth movement of food.
DOES IT DEFINITELY DRINK THE WATER COLD OR WARM?
Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz states that the safest way to drink water is to consume warm water as very hot water can cause irritation in the mouth, while very cold water can thicken the nasal mucosa and make respiratory tract passages difficult. Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz, “However, drinking cold water also has many benefits. For example, drinking cold water can be a good option to reduce the rising body temperature while exercising, running or when it is very hot outside,” she says. As a result, drink cold, hot or warm water; The important thing is that you do not neglect the water you need to take into your body.
IS IT IMPORTANT TO DRINK WATER WHILE SPORTS?
We need water to keep our organs and cells working properly while doing sports. Drinking water while exercising also helps regulate our body temperature. So if you don’t drink enough water during exercise, you put yourself at great risk for dehydration and other complications. You may also experience muscle fatigue, cramps, weakness and loss of coordination. In case of dehydration, your body cannot cool itself, and as a result of the increase in body temperature, serious conditions such as heat stroke may occur. To prevent dehydration, pay attention to the amount of water you drink not only during exercise, but also before and after exercise. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz pointed out that there are no definite rules about how much water to drink while exercising, “Because metabolism varies from person to person. You should consider factors such as your sweating rate, the heat and humidity in your environment, and how long and intense you exercise.
IS DRINKING WATER WEAKNESS?
Studies have shown that water increases the metabolic rate by up to 30 percent, while drinking water before meals creates a feeling of satiety and thus allows us to eat less. In another study, it was stated that drinking water before meals allows us to consume an average of 75 calories less thanks to these effects. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu Oğuz emphasized that the major factors affecting our metabolism are our genes and our age, and said, “These are two factors that we cannot interfere with. We can say that the factors that we can intervene are adequate and quality sleep, adequate nutrition and exercise. Drinking water has a positive effect on the metabolic rate. However, this effect is too small to significantly impact weight loss goals. In other words, we should focus on factors that have greater effects to speed up our metabolism.