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Sat 15 Jul, 2006 11:42 am
Recently I read that most people--especially those who meet the daily requirements for 6-12 servings of fruit and vegetables--get much of their daily water requirement from food. Forcing fluid to the point of discomfort is unnecessary--and may be counter-productive.
First, swilling water stretches rather than shrinking your stomach, depriving you of a physical clue that Enough Is Enough.
Second, those of us who are overweight have gained those extra pounds through mindless, habitual overeating. Thin people savor every mouthful--and stop eating when food no longer tastes delicious. Mindless water drinking has fewer calories than mindless eating, but mindless ingestion is a bad habit.
Third, having had all that water, a fat person can figure that they have earned a little dessert--that they deserve a little dessert.
Also, artificially sweetened drinks can actually stimulate the body's craving for sugar. The sweet taste of artificial sugar is not followed by a sugar rush and the body feels cheated.
If you aren't prone to insomnia, caffeinated drinks are no longer wicked (providing that you skip the sugar and whipped cream).
I'm lucky in that my well produces soft, tasty water--which can be frozen into delicious, crunch ice cubes.
I've taken to drinking a variety of herbal teas--and swabbing down the kitchen surfaces while the kettle boils. I've found that either hot or cold beverages are more satisfactory than room-temperature water. Further, teas lend themselves to sipping and savouring.
I tend to agree with all that, Noddy. Further, there were some fairly recent indicators that some of the people who had trouble at the end of marathons were suffering from too much hydration.
On the other hand, a lot of people seem to know something I don't about the benefits of a lot of water, so, I'm listening.
ossobuco wrote:I tend to agree with all that, Noddy. Further, there were some fairly recent indicators that some of the people who had trouble at the end of marathons were suffering from too much hydration.
On the other hand, a lot of people seem to know something I don't about the benefits of a lot of water, so, I'm listening.
Elevated hyration caused alterations in blood pressure and of course in electrolyte concentrations in their blood. Could result in heart failure.
Osso--
A woman on the fringes of Mr. Noddy's family was hospitalized after drinking gallons and gallons of water.
I've also read of kids being pressured to chug gallons and gallons of water for fraternity initiations and being hospitalized.
I think forcing fluids is one of the little tricks that bullemics use to keep a feeling of fullness.
I thought that was alcohol the initiation folk drank "gallons" of... didn't know about the water.
Recognize about the change in electrolytes, Miller, but didn't remember about blood pressure.
I spend lots of time in the 95+ weather and have to drink a lot of liquid. Still, I drink less than the people I work with and they seem to be the ones who can't handle it. I listen to my body, and never force it.
I'm thinking that here in New Mexico is quite different than other parts of our nation, NO humidity. I am never without a glass of water because people here dehydrate instantly and can become seriously ill.
Osso--
Overhydrating was supposed to be safer for the pledges than chug-a-lugging the hard stuff. Fraternity men don't know everything.
Edgar--
Personal question: Do you sweat more or less than your co-workers.
Dys--
I spent time on the flat side of Colorado. In desert climates, swift dehydration is a possibility. I doubt that the danger is as great on the air conditioned east coast.
The humidity on my back porch is 28%. I just looked up San Fernando in the San Fernando Valley, and it's also 28*. Dunno, I haven't felt it as all so much dryer than LA (semiarid desert) here, though dryer than Venice, which was by the coast... although I guess it dips lower here.
It's true I'm not outside right now, it being 98 in the porch shade. I'd just wither away in a few minutes whatever the humidity.
On the other hand...
for those with high plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, hematocrit, and so on, it looks like high levels of water are better. (Though exactly what high levels are is not all so clear yet in this discussion.).
This piece also goes on about it being plain water. (I've read bunches that it doesn't have to be).
http://www.llu.edu/news/pr/042502water.html
And, here's Mayo Clinic on the subject -
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
At the end it says drinking too much water is uncommon.
As an aside, the term "branch water" often heard in old western movies just means plain water as opposed to carbonated or flavored water (no gaz) taken from an old southern term "branch" meaning small river or stream.
Thank you for your attention to this matter,
The Dys.
You're welcome. I'd always wondered...
Osso--
Thanks for the research.
I have a mental picture of our Hunting, Gathering Ancestors trudging from campsite to campsite lugging a gallon of water for each and every member of the clan.
Still, "Drink More Water" is a relatively harmless exhortation.
Dys--
Bourbon and branch water has some of the elegance of the old South.
I spent some time in Colorado on the dry side of the Rockies where the locals drank rotgut and ditch water. This is not elegant.
Edgar--
Personal question: Do you sweat more or less than your co-workers.
They tell me I sweat less than them. Maybe so. That seems strange, since I am usually moving quickly to get things going, while the help chats and looks to get motivated.
Read in the Mayo Clinic thing that one need more water with humidity due to the sweating. Somehow I think sweating a lot might call for some stuff with electrolytes..
I'm sure there is much more out there on all this, Noddy.. I hardly made a dent, just got some varied views.
Edgar--
As I suspected.
I'd guess that about half the world adores the heat of summer--even if it comes with high humidity and the other half is genetically structured to prefer cool weather.
If you don't sweat as much as the "average" you probably have the genes to use water very efficiently.
I stop in the heat of the day and drink a cup of hot tea in the air conditioned office, several times.
Quote:I stop in the heat of the day and drink a cup of hot tea in the air conditioned office, several times.
Then, like mad dogs and Englishmen you go out in the noonday sun.
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