Water is the source of life, and all life activities in the human body cannot do without it. However, many people's understanding of drinking water is limited to quenching thirst. In fact, drinking water is also a science, and drinking water correctly is very important for maintaining human health. Some people should drink more water, while others should drink less.
For the human body, water in the body is not only a carrier for transporting various nutrients, but also directly participates in the body's metabolism. Therefore, ensuring adequate water intake is crucial for the normal functioning of human physiological functions. So how much water should we drink every day? Dr. Li Baihua, director of the Department of Nutrition at Peking University Third Hospital, told reporters that generally speaking, the amount of water a person drinks every day must at least balance the amount of water consumed in the body. The amount of urine excreted by the human body in a day is about 1500 milliliters, plus the water evaporated from feces, respiration, or the skin, the total water consumption is about 2500 milliliters. However, the human body can only supplement about 1000 milliliters of water from food and internal metabolism every day. Therefore, normal people need to drink at least 1500 milliliters of water every day, which is about 8 glasses.
The amount of water each person needs to drink usually varies depending on activity level, environment, and even weather. Drinking too much water has little impact on the health of normal people, but it may cause increased urination and cause inconvenience in life. However, for certain special groups, the amount of water must be paid special attention to. For example, patients with edema, heart failure, and renal failure should not drink too much water, because drinking too much water will increase the burden on the heart and kidneys, easily leading to aggravation of the disease. How much water these people should drink should depend on the condition and follow the specific advice of a doctor. For patients with heatstroke, cystitis, constipation, and dry skin, drinking more water can have a certain effect on alleviating the condition. In addition, people should drink more water when they have a cold or fever, because the rise in body temperature will cause water loss, and drinking more water can promote body heat dissipation and help the patient recover. Women during pregnancy and people with a large amount of exercise also consume more water and should drink more.
Plain boiled water is the best drink. Nowadays, various types of purified water, mineral water, and beverages on the market have a wide variety of names, and the advertising is even more tempting. So what should people choose to drink? In fact, from a health perspective, plain boiled water is the best drink. It contains no calories and can be directly absorbed and utilized by the body without digestion. It is generally recommended to drink warm water below 30 degrees Celsius, which will not overly stimulate gastrointestinal motility and is less likely to cause vasoconstriction.
Sugary drinks will slow down the speed of water absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Long-term and large consumption of beverages will have certain adverse effects on the human body's metabolism. Dr. Li Baihua told reporters that although sugary drinks like orange juice and cola taste good, they should not be consumed in large quantities. The daily intake should be controlled to one glass, and no more than 200 milliliters at most. For diabetics and obese people, it is best not to drink beverages.
Bottled water such as purified water and mineral water is deeply favored by modern people because of its convenience. However, Dr. Li Baihua reminded that when drinking these waters, it is necessary to ensure their hygiene. A bucket of water should be finished within a month, and people should not use purified water as the main drinking water. Because water is one of the six major nutrients of the human body, it contains a variety of minerals and trace elements beneficial to the human body. The content of these substances in purified water is greatly reduced. If people's dietary structure is usually unbalanced, it is easy to lead to nutritional imbalance. Some people worry that the hardness of tap water is too high and will be harmful to health, but Dr. Li Baihua introduced that the hardness of water has basically no effect on human health, and the tap water in China now meets the standards for drinking water. Drinking boiled tap water is safe.
Tea and coffee have refreshing effects, but Dr. Li reminded people that it is advisable to drink light tea and avoid drinking coffee excessively, because caffeine will affect the absorption of calcium. Some people are addicted to coffee and drink three or four cups a day, which can easily lead to diseases such as osteoporosis.
Many people often only think of drinking water when they are thirsty, and often swallow it in large gulps. This approach is also wrong. Drinking water too quickly and urgently will inadvertently swallow a lot of air, which can easily cause hiccups or bloating. Therefore, it is best to hold the water in your mouth first, and then drink it slowly. Especially for people with weak stomachs, they should drink water slowly, one sip at a time.
As for the time to drink water, Dr. Li Baihua told reporters that you should not wait until you are thirsty to drink water. You should drink water moderately between meals, preferably a glass every hour. People can also judge whether they need to drink water according to the color of their urine. Generally speaking, human urine is light yellow. If the color is too light, it may be that you have drunk too much water. If the color is darker, it means you need to supplement more water.
Drinking less before sleep and more after sleep is also a principle of correct water drinking. Because drinking too much water before sleep will cause eyelid edema, and you will have to go to the toilet frequently in the middle of the night, which will reduce sleep quality. After a night's sleep, the human body loses about 450 milliliters of water, and it needs to be replenished in time after getting up in the morning. Therefore, drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach after getting up in the morning is beneficial to blood circulation and can also promote the clarity of the brain, making the thinking of the day clear and agile.