You Might Be Drinking Water and Doing It The Wrong Way

^{A woman was walking on the walkway yesterday and of a sudden she collapsed. People were in a panic state and since we do not have an active emergency number or quick response in Nigeria, we had to start first aid by ourselves. While people were still going in different directions, I noticed her pale look and her broken dry lips. I asked that she was given very little water after which she regained consciousness and was given electrolytes. She later mentioned that she was instructed by God to fast for 7 days and walk from Lagos to any state her feet could carry her to. The day she collapsed was her first day and it was clear that she collapsed from dehydration. I am not against her faith, but health is important first and she didn't put it into consideration.}

^{Is it possible to do something all your life and still do it wrong? This was the shock I got on my face when I realize that a lot of people in the world do not drink the needed water required daily which in turn meant they are doing it wrongly. Funny enough, it isn't like we do not have access to water because about 73% of the global population have access to a safely managed drinking water service so what could be wrong?}

^{Image; Pixels}

^{Why will about 60% of the world's population not take enough water to meet their recommended daily intake when its not like they do not have water around them, the answer to me is that they are not informed enough so I will be doing that now to help us learn about the water mistakes we make and how to get prevent them in the future.}

^{You are outside on a sunny afternoon and you have been walking a long distance, all you want to do is drink water so you can quench your thirst and continue on your journey and then you got the water only to gulp in large amounts very fast to quench the thirst. Now this might sound fine since it is to quench thirst but it could have detrimental effects on your health. The best thing to do is to sip it slowly so the body will be able to absorb the water effectively.}

^{Rushing it will diminish the body's ability to absorb the water. Also, it can dilute essential electrolytes like sodium, leading to hyponatremia and it can be life threatening in severe case. Now that I have mentioned this, I hope that the next time you reach for a glass of water, you sip it and not gulp it all.}

^{Image; freerangestock}

^{On the talk of drinking while thirsty, we can say that water is good to quench thirst but it should not be taken only when we feel thirsty because at this time, our body is already slightly dehydrated. Keeping the body hydrated is better for optimal functioning instead of allowing the body to pass through thirst. Taking sips throughout the day is a good way to keep your body from thirst.}

^{Water is not carbonated, caffeinated, or sugar drinks, water is water. Replacing water with other types of drink is something that is common with a lot of people and while these drinks might taste good and look like they quench your thirst, they are not substitute for water. They are loaded with empty calories and sugar and people who replace water with these sugar drinks have a high chance of gaining weight over time. To those who take tea and coffee and say it is a better alternative, well, it can serve as a diuretic, causing more water to be lost instead of kept in the body.}

^{In all, staying hydrated is very important during our physical activities and it is vital for our well-being. Neglecting our hydration need can be bad for our health. When we engage in physical activity, it leads to fluid loss and not replenishing it leads to dehydration which can be followed by a cascade of events.}

_.

^Reference

^.

^{https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/25-of-us-adults-say-they-drink-1
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318619
https://www.wockhardthospitals.com/articles/general-health
physiology
https://www.massgeneral.org/children/weight-loss/rethink-your-drink-how-sugary-drinks
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3210834/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-27/does-drinking-coffee-make-you-dehydrated/11220452}