Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Are you an aquaholic?

Water is the elixir of life, but is too much of it a good thing?

WATER, A NECESSITY But don't overdose on it

The mercury is rising. It's hot, it's sultry and you are sweating away. No prizes for guessing, summer is here and peaking. As it gets hotter, we are told it is time to drink lots of water, `x' litres or `y' glasses a day. Water is good and helps detoxify, is what we have been told about this elixir of life.

"I drink a lot of water from the time I wake up till I go to bed. The condition has reached a point where my dashing to the ladies room every hour has become a running joke in office," says Divya Menon. In case you are thinking she is suffering from an embarrassing medical condition, she is not.

It is just that she is downing seven to eight litres of water a day. We have all been educated on the advantages of water and its impact on our health and beauty, so the argument has always been in favour of water. Aquaholics like Divya are no more a rarity and they claim that there are rewards for such dedication.

The fact is that this current generation of women who seek health and joy at the bottom of expensive bottled water might as well flush their money straight down the toilet and opt for an invigorating cup of tea instead.

The prevalent message about the goodness of water is so perplexing that there are growing concerns over the increasing number of people who are overdosing on it.

So what could be the cause of Divya's problem? Water, or rather too much of it. It's like the old adage about too much of a good thing being bad. "If I don't have my quota of water then I am paranoid and feel dehydrated and get a headache. Initially it made me feel good but now I am not able to give it up," laments Divya.

So the debate on how much water is adequate rages on. Experts like Dr. Sanith Scaria, a nephrologist, argue that the eight-glass rule is probably excessive wherever the water comes from, bottled or otherwise. "There is a certain amount of water you need to drink daily and everything being equal and normal the absolute minimum is about a litre." This figure, he opines, is calculated on the basis that we lose 500 ml in perspiring and 500 ml in urinating.

Excess consumption of water can lead to a condition known as hyponatraemia (water intoxication), in which the levels of sodium in the blood become dangerously diluted, leading to complications such as convulsions, coma and, in some cases, even death.

Eating disorders

The colour of the urine is an ideal indicator of how much fluid we need. Too little intake of fluid and the urine will be dark, and with the right quantity, it will be pale in colour. Excess water is also consumed by dieters and people with eating disorders.

"Some strict dieters even calculate the water content they consume through diet. For instance, watermelon, cucumber and melons give a lot of water. Until recently the coffee consumed was also discounted, as they believed caffeine is a diuretic and it will flush fluid from the body leading to dehydration. But a recent study reveals that coffee drinkers had the same level of hydration as those who are faithful to water," says Payal Mehta, a nutritionist. Food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, contain a high level of water, which adds to the body's daily water need. "If a healthy diet with adequate fruits and vegetables is followed, it's estimated that it can provide up to a litre of water," says Payal. The water debate continues, you can never have too much of it or too less of it. But while the jury is out, you might as well keep yourself hydrated and healthy.

JESSINA MERCHANT

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail