We always hear people telling us to drink more water, drink more water, drink more water.
Now studies have shown that drinking too much water may not necessarily be good for the health after all. I am not referring to the excessive drinking to the extent of water drunkness (hyponatremia) i.e. the body's balance of electrolytes get knocked off its feet.
After all, I always say that too much of anything (even the good ones) is bad.
But it's just that this findings debunks the old adage where drinking 8 glasses of water everyday is good for you. To pun a bit, the adage now no longer holds water (Sorry. Couldn't resist). Still, I supposed our friends and family nag us to drink more water is perhaps our own consumption doesn't even amount to half of the 8 daily "required" glasses?
Don't get me wrong. Drinking water is still good for the body but perhaps the optimum number of glass to drink per day is now a smaller number?
The article further debunks 4 common myths.
1. Drinking Water Flushes Toxins - False.
I was a firm believer of that as I practice the pee-a-cup-drink-a-cup method whenever I fall ill or caught a cold. Basically, what I do is that I will drink a cup of water and naturally, you will find the urge to pee in an hour or two's time. Drink another cup as soon as you peed and repeat this process until you recover which usually is the next day or the day after at the latest.
I always thought that peeing help not only to flush out toxins and excretory matter but also to draw heat away from the body especially one is having fever.
I won't give up this practice whenever I am sick even after reading this article as I always felt that I recover faster via this aid.
Placebo effect?
2. Drinking Water Suppresses Hunger.
Ah.. I know this one. It does suppress hunger when one drink till he/she is full or even bloated but that would last only a few minutes before the water passes through into the small intestines. Once the stomach is empty again, the hungry pang will be back.
Whenever I am hit with hunger pangs, I will ignore it. It is simply a case of mind over matter. Something that I've mastered as early as my secondary school days. This is especially so during my school sports days or my gym days where I can't have any intake of food prior to the training session or risk stitches. And yes, drinking water doesn't help at all.
3. Drinking Water Reduces Headache.
I supposed this is a yes and no answer. Speaking from personal experience, it does help with hangover but only if you drink water before you go to bed. I have another anti-hangover practice is that whenever I stumble home, no matter how pissed drunk I am, I would force myself to drink a cup of water before I pass out. That always works for me in the morning after i.e. no headaches from hangovers.
Strangely however, it doesn't work if you drink the cup of water after you wake up and I supposed it is just as ineffective if your headache is the real migraine type.
4. Drinking Water Improves Complexion.
Another old wives' myth is that if you have pimples on either side of the face in a symmetrical fashion, it means that you are not drinking enough water. Whenever we have an acne outbreak, we were more than often, advised to drink more water.
I supposed the studies here is not saying that there is no benefit from drinking water. Rather, it is trying to say that there is no additional benefit to drink water above one's requirement.
I guess in most cases, we were often nagged to drink more water until we get this mistaken impression that the more water you drink the better it is for you. The truth of the matter here is that when most of us get caught up with our hectic schedule, the activitiy of drinking water is one more often neglected.
And so, it is not a case of drink more water is better for your heath but rather drink enough water is better for your health.
Go drink a cup of water after this ok?
Cheers.
Related Article:
Image Credit: http://www.reuters.com/
- Voxeros
1. Alexander left...
Thursday, 10 April 2008 6:25 pm :: http://www.kakinan.com/alex
Very nice blog you have! This is an interesting post. Thanks for the valuable information. Hi, I am Alexander. I happened to stumble across your blog and I cannot resist myself from commenting. sorry. :P Have a wonderful week ahead. 2. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 10 April 2008 9:18 pm ::
Alexander: Please do not apologise. I am more than honoured to have you grace my little humble blog. Welcome to the blog! 3. Ruok left...
Thursday, 10 April 2008 11:26 pm
kaoz, I read liow damn thirsty. 4. aloe left...
On another note, I also have the tendency to drink more water when I'm sick..... LOL!!!
Friday, 11 April 2008 10:05 am :: http://www.xanga.com/aloeve
yes sir.. me go drink water now sir.... On another note, I also have the tendency to drink more water when I'm sick..... LOL!!!
5. JayWalk left...
Aloe: We all do especially when we have to take medication at regular intervals.
Friday, 11 April 2008 4:11 pm ::
ruok: Well, what cha waiting for? Go drink water!! Aloe: We all do especially when we have to take medication at regular intervals.
6. Ruok left...
Friday, 11 April 2008 11:21 pm
I rather go drink whisky. 7. JayWalk left...
Saturday, 12 April 2008 1:12 am ::
ruok: With water lor! 8. Ruok left...
Monday, 14 April 2008 6:56 pm
with warm water. Its like sake with the right whisky. 9. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 15 April 2008 8:02 am ::
ruok: Ah yes, I recall that sms in the middle of the night while I was overseas that you complained that the aircon in the Lup Sup Bar was too cold. Good thing you had that warm water with you! 
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