Not only to meet the needs of body fluids, water therapy can also provide various health benefits. However, this therapy should not be done carelessly, because the habit of drinking too much water can also endanger health.
Water has a variety of important functions for the body, such as improving digestion, controlling body temperature, and helping metabolism in the kidneys. Therefore, meeting the body's fluid needs by drinking water is very important.
Everyone's fluid needs are generally different. However, adults are recommended to consume about 2 liters or 8 glasses of water every day. Well, water therapy is one way to meet fluid intake, but the method is slightly different.
What is Water Therapy?
Water therapy is done only by drinking lots of water when you wake up in the morning, when the stomach is still empty. This method is believed to maintain intestinal health and improve digestion.
There are several things to consider when undergoing water therapy, namely:
- Use normal or warm water and avoid cold drinks.
- Drink water using a 160 ml glass, 4-5 times in the morning.
- Avoid brushing your teeth after drinking water.
- Wait about 45 minutes before eating breakfast or eating any food.
- Limit meals to 15 minutes and wait 2 hours before eating other foods.
When you first start water therapy, you will urinate many times until your body is able to adapt to the increased amount of fluid.
In addition to maintaining intestinal and gastrointestinal health, water therapy is also believed to prevent various diseases, such as dehydration, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
However, behind the various health benefits that can be obtained, water therapy is also at risk of causing poisoning or intoxication.
Is Water Therapy a Risk of Poisoning?
The process of regulation and disposal of fluids in the body is regulated by the kidneys. Normally, the kidneys of a healthy young adult can excrete half a liter of water within an hour.
Well, consuming too much water in a short time can make the kidneys have to work harder in processing fluids that enter the body. Over time, this can lead to impaired kidney function.
Not only that, drinking too much water can also lower sodium levels in the blood, which can trigger fluid and electrolyte imbalances in the body's cells. As a result, there is poisoning or water intoxication.
Water intoxication is a condition when the level of salt or sodium in the blood drops drastically to too low a level due to drinking too much water in a short time.
A person experiencing water intoxication may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, seizures, and muscle cramps or stiffness. In addition, lack of fluids and electrolytes in the body can also trigger brain swelling to coma.
When Should You Drink More Water?
One way to detect fluid adequacy is to look at the color of your urine. Dark yellow urine is a sign that the body is dehydrated or dehydrated.
Meanwhile, the color of urine that is clear like water indicates the body has excess water and this is also dangerous. Therefore, you are advised to stop drinking if you feel you are not thirsty.
For some conditions, the body does need more fluids so you need to drink more. Following are some of the conditions:
1. Pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy, pregnant women are recommended to consume 2.6 liters of water every day. This is important so that the health of the mother and fetus is maintained.
In addition, drinking water during pregnancy can also remove toxins in the body, boost the immune system, and improve digestion. For breastfeeding mothers, fluid intake is needed more than pregnant women, which is about 3 liters.
2. Sports
During exercise, body fluids will be lost through sweat that comes out of the body. Therefore, it is recommended that you consume more water, at least 1.4 liters of water that you drink before, during, and after exercise.
However, if the exercise you do is more intensive or more than an hour, you also need to consume isotonic drinks to replace the electrolytes that are excreted from the body with sweat.
3. Hot environment
Hot temperatures or hot environments can make you sweat more easily. If not accompanied by consumption of more water, the body will be dehydrated and at risk of becoming dehydrated.
4. Certain diseases or health conditions
When experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, and fever due to certain health problems, you are advised to drink more water to replace lost body fluids.
Patients with urinary tract infections or stones are also advised to drink more water to remove germs and stones through urine. However, limit your intake of drinking water, if you are experiencing liver problems, kidney disease, and heart failure.
Well, seeing the benefits and risks, you are encouraged to be more careful if you want to try water therapy. However, you should still drink water in sufficient quantities as needed and in a reasonable time span.
If you have any questions about water therapy, don't hesitate to consult a doctor. In addition to making sure whether water therapy is safe for you to do, the doctor will also help you find out the right amount of fluid intake and according to your condition