On sunny summer days, people often want to drink a glass of cold water to relieve heat and thirst. However, this action unintentionally harms the body.
When it’s hot, I crave water and really like cold water and iced soft drinks. Doctor, please tell me if using chilled water is good? How to drink water properly in summer? (Pham Thien, Hanoi)
Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang, Viet Nga High Pressure Oxygen Center, Ministry of National Defense (Hanoi), advises:
Water is extremely important to the body. Therefore, experts recommend that if you do not eat for 100 days you will die, but if you do not drink water for only 100 hours you will not be able to survive. Water helps maintain the body’s activities, participating in the process of regulating heat and eliminating waste.
Experts warn that harmful drinking habits on hot days include:
– Drinking water that is too cold: On sunny summer days, people often want to drink a glass of cold water to relieve heat and thirst. However, this action unintentionally harms the body. Cold water constricts blood vessels in the digestive system, disrupting blood microcirculation.
– Drinking too much water: Some people have the habit of drinking a large glass of water in a short time after going out in the sun to quench their thirst. However, this action is not good for health. This action increases pressure on the circulatory system and kidneys. Drinking too much water also makes you urinate a lot, disrupting electrolytes such as sodium, potassium…
Soft drinks help quench thirst but can easily cause metabolic disorders. Photo: Freepik.
– Abuse of carbonated and alcoholic drinks: Sun exposure increases the need for sweet drinks and beer. Drinking chilled sugary foods often creates a delicious, cool feeling. However, a can of soft drink contains about 25-40 grams of sugar. Meanwhile, a person only needs 20 grams of sugar/day. Therefore, you should not consider soft drinks as a daily, continuous drink because there is a risk of causing metabolic disorders, increasing the risk of obesity and diabetes if consumed too much.
How much water is enough?
For normal people, the average amount of water per day is 40ml/kg. For example, if you weigh 50kg, you need to drink 2 liters of water. This amount of water is divided into 8 parts and distributed evenly 3 – 3 – 2 in the morning, afternoon, and evening. People with chronic diseases such as heart disease or kidneys need to consult a doctor about the amount of water used during the day.
Every day, you can monitor whether you drink enough water or not by observing your urine. Light yellow urine is enough water. Urinating more than 4 to 6 hours and dark urine is a warning sign that the body is dehydrated.
Note, don’t wait for your body to say you’re thirsty to drink water, you should drink small sips often, always keep water within reach.