Drinking water-good or bad? (Part1)

In the year 2001, I was looking after my wife in a hospital when I met a young man with three or four bottles of water. Out of curiosity, I asked him why he was lugging so many bottles around. He turned to me with a serious expression on his face. “Do you know how important it is to have this water with me?”

Then, he explained, “Recently, I had a terrible pain at the lower abdomen. I came to this hospital for an examination and was told that I had stone in the kidney.

Fortunately, the doctor gave me a painkiller and some medicine to make it easier for the stones to pass out from my kidney. Then I asked the doctor why I had these stones in my kidney. According to the doctor, minerals and other metabolic substances such as oxalates and calcium are filtered from the bloodstream into the kidneys. In the kidneys these substances can crystalise and become solid deposits which can attach themselves to the walls of the kidneys. These crystals then grow to become kidney stones. These kidney stones cause pain at the left side of the body, the groin and the lower abdomen. Sometimes, there is blood in the urine.”

So, he asked the doctor for advice to prevent future occurrences.

“Young man, you must drink more water. You must drink eight to ten glasses a day.”

“But how much is that? Nowadays as things become more expensive, glasses are getting smaller and smaller.” He protested about the measurement used for the water.

The doctor thought about it before replying, “You have a point there. It is approximately two and a half to three and a half liters of clear drinking water. This amount of water can help to move the stones out with the urine. If your area has limestone caves, then you may have to consume water taken from another area as lime can crystalise easily and cause kidney stones to form. So can grapefruit juice. It can bring the risk of getting kidney stones.”

The young man protested again, “It’s so difficult to drink so much water. You know, my stomach would be bloated.”

“Young man, when you drink water from a glass, you are also gulping in a lot of air. That is what makes you bloated. Use a straw when you drink and you will find it easier to take in more water. Water is important for your health. Do you know that a lack of water in the body can cause problems to your health?”.

“So, do you understand now why I carry so much clear drinking water with me? I don’t want to have to suffer that pain again.”

Thus, it is important that our body have sufficient water.

Water is not just for preventing kidney stones. Approximately a month ago, my son returned for the Chinese New Year with fever, poor appetite and the urge to vomit each time food is swallowed. It was dengue. Dengue is a viral disease spread by the Aedes mosquito. The mosquito is a carrier and is not affect by the virus. Dengue patients usually die because of internal hemorrhage which leads to blood vessel collapse when dehydration occurs as a result of fluid loss during hemorrhaging.

To overcome the disease and prevent death, blood infusion may be necessary as platelets and red blood cells diminish and blood pressure goes down. So, blood tests are necessary. When platelets, red blood cells and blood pressure return to their normal level, the patient is out of danger.

Regarding fluid loss during hemorrhaging, lots of water is necessary. However, when there is fluid loss there is also minerals and salts loss. Therefore, if the patient can take water orally, it is advisable to drink some isotonic drinks. (Isotonic drinks are drinks formulated to replace fluids, energy and electrolytes. Electrolytes needed by our body are calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride.)

From the above it is obvious that we must keep our body sufficiently hydrated always. Having our body sufficiently hydrated also implies that we maintain our body with a PH level of 9.9 which is alkaline. When our body is in an alkaline state, it is healthy and not conducive to diseases while an acidic state caused by drinking soda drinks, tea, coffee and beer is conducive to sickness.

Here is my own true story about how lots of water kept me sober. During my younger days, I was quite egoistic. What I am going to tell is nothing to be proud of as I am revealing a weakness. Nevertheless I am proud to inform that I no longer drink and was able to get out of those drinking situations with my dignity intact. It was tough, putting aside drink after drink when friends who know you can drink come after you to join them. Determination was the only way to exit.

Well, after each sporting event in which I officiated, there was a lot of liquor and food served. Challenged by some friends to take bottle after bottle of liquor, I learned very early that drinking lots of water, just as your head was on the verge of getting too high, too heady and flushed, was one method to bring down the effect of the alcohol. Then, it was a visit to the toilet to get rid of the diluted alcohol. This was followed by another round and the cycle continued. I survived to beat quite a number of them for a few years.

Then, one day, I realised the stupidity of my action when I saw a man with constantly unsteady shaking hands and fingers caused by drinking too much alcohol. I decided to immediately stop the damaging habit once and for all. Thanks to that man, I am still healthy today.