Consumption of large volumes of “empty” clean cold water is simply harmful, because:
Supercools the body (increases the tendency to catch colds, leads to dizziness, indigestion, gases, nervousness, etc. – according to Ayurveda);
· From the point of view of Ayurveda, “extinguishes the digestive fire” – prevents the normal digestion of food and, which is also important, the absorption of useful substances from it;
flushes electrolytes and beneficial minerals from the body,
In the case of a completely fanatical consumption of “life-giving moisture”, it can lead to – a strong loss of electrolytes (sodium ions from blood plasma), a condition that is dangerous to health and in rare cases even to life.
In some cases, drinking too much water can lead to negative consequences:
ailments such as headache, vomiting, mental confusion, lack of energy and loss of productivity for the whole day, etc.,
stress,
or even death (in rare cases, at the level of 0.5% for marathon participants, for example).
Typically, cases of hyponatremia can occur in novice runners (not necessarily on a marathon!) or during a hike with the participation of amateurs who drink water at every opportunity, or on vacation in hot countries.
British scientists studied the negative effects of drinking excessive amounts of water in professional and non-professional athletes participating in marathons (including the Boston marathon). Scientists have offered some useful tips that will be useful not only to runners:
1. Drinking water must be clearly planned, literally “in grams.” The purpose of drinking water is to replace the water and electrolytes lost by the body through sweating.
You need to replenish by drinking water as much fluid as you lose. When exercising in the gym, weigh yourself before and after an intense workout (at the beginning and at the end of your gym visit). If you have lost, for example, 1 kg of weight, then you should gradually, slowly, drink 1 liter of water (some athletes advise 1.5 liters for every liter lost) or a sports drink with electrolytes. Your goal is to drink no less and no more than you lost with sweat (which will be clearly visible on the change in body weight).
Outside the gym, for example, sitting in the office or at home, a person still loses moisture through sweat, although this is not as obvious as, for example, in a sauna or during a fast run. The strategy of “replenishing weight” will be the same. This is where the cherished “2-4” liters appear – “the average temperature in the hospital”, very average data on the loss of moisture by a person.
A curious fact: in many Western discos (and almost always in raves and similar mass events for young people), salted nuts and water are distributed free of charge. Do you think this is some kind of clever advertising ploy to get people to buy more other drinks when they are thirsty? Against. This move was designed with medical input, and the point is that it doesn’t matter how much water the ravers drink. It is important how much of it stays in the body. Dehydration – including life-threatening – can also occur if water is consumed in a normal amount. However, if there is no salt at the same time, moisture does not linger (this is especially dangerous, of course, in case of drug intoxication). In the event that a person does not consume electrolytes, it is safer to severely restrict water intake.
2. And what are these “electrolytes” supposedly important for retaining moisture?
These are substances that are found in blood, sweat and other body fluids that contain electrically charged particles (ions) that allow electrical impulses to be conducted through the cell membranes of nerves and muscles (including the heart muscle), as well as controlling acidity (pH- factor) of blood. The most important of the electrolytes are sodium, potassium, but calcium and magnesium, and other substances (chlorides, bicarbonates) are also important. Electrolytes are controlled by the kidneys and adrenal glands.
If you drink a lot of water without consuming electrolytes (including mainly sodium), the water will most likely just “fly” through the body and pass out in the urine, not being absorbed. At the same time, if we drink cold “empty” water in liters, we simultaneously give an increased load to the kidneys (and to the unfortunate, supercooled stomach).
Logical question: well, drinking clean cold water is not as healthy as it might seem. Can electrolytes be replenished to balance water intake and retain water? Yes, and for this there are special mixtures, medical and sports (including numerous drinks, sweets and sports gels developed for fitness).
The only trouble is that the most famous and bought all over the world sports drinks, which are designed to compensate for the loss of electrolytes even in athletes during a marathon, and will certainly help office dwellers and housewives, are far from being so useful. The “top” drinks are Gatoraid, PowerAid, and VitaminWater (from Pepsi). Unfortunately, most of these drinks (including Gatorade and other “best sellers”) contain dyes and other chemicals. And if you consume them in liters, this is a reason to think about the natural alternative…
Which is, for example, coconut water (juice from drinking coconut). Keep in mind that packaged coconut water is, of course, not as good as fresh, and some of the nutrients are lost in it. However, by all chemistry it is a practical IDEAL source of electrolytes. This is used by professional athletes – including the famous runner and ironman, vegan Rich Roll. Yes, coconut water is not cheap. However, a positive result from its consumption is felt by both athletes and ordinary people. The correctness of the choice is evidenced by the absence of shadows (dark circles) under the eyes and visually “refreshed” appearance.
More win-win options: freshly squeezed fruit juice, smoothies – they “kill two birds with one stone”, not only replenishing the loss of moisture, but also delivering nutrients, antioxidants and protein to the body.
You can prepare the “electrolyte” mixture yourself. All vegans have their own recipes, but a universal solution is to mix 2 liters of water with the juice of 12 (or whole) lemons (to taste), 12 tablespoons of sea salt (or pink Himalayan) and a sweetener, such as honey (natural honey is useful in cold drinks! ) or, at worst, sugar. It is clear that you can safely experiment, replacing, for example, honey with stevia juice or maple syrup, lemon with lime or orange, and so on. Nobody bothers to turn this drink that restores the water-alkaline balance into a more satisfying smoothie by adding a banana (due to its mineral composition, it also promotes rehydration), as well as, if possible and taste, wheatgrass, fresh berries, and so on.
Thus, if you are thirsty, the best solution is an electrolyte drink (or coconut water from any big supermarket) + banana. If you’re not thirsty, you can simply consume plenty of fresh vegan food, including juices and smoothies, with warm water or herbal teas that feel good. But not cold water from a cooler!
Commentary of a specialist, therapist Anatoly N.: