Drinking More Water? Maybe . . . Maybe Not.

During this season of marathons, 5K races, and other sporting activities, make sure to drink water responsibly.

We always hear about staying hydrated: drink more water, drink coconut water, or drink X liters of water. Drinking water is critical for living as it stabilizes your body temperature, increases blood flow, and also supplies oxygen. On a daily basis, one must drink at least 2–2.5 liters of water. If you are physically active, then your water intake goes up accordingly.

Your body is an amazing machine that can balance out your water and sodium levels. It can excrete excess sodium through sweat and urine and can simultaneously get rid of toxins as you consume more liquids. Now, the same water that has been proven vital for your existence—keeping your skin radiant and alive, and detoxifying your body and nourishing your cells—can become problematic and even cause death.

Everything in moderation is not just a fancy quote. It should be taken seriously. Water, when taken above your natural limit, can cause hyponatremia. Hyponatremia can dilute your sodium levels and can lead to death. Many marathon runners are victims of hyponatermia and some have even died due to over-consumption of water. This is a condition where your level of sodium is extremely low (sodium is critical for blood regulation and removal of lactic acid) and zaps your body’s electrolytes.

Symptoms:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Loss of energy
• Spasms and muscle soreness
• Irritation and headache
• Shortness of breath
• Coma

Prevention:

• Drink water only when thirsty. Avoid drinking water continuously as a habit.
• If you are working out – make sure you consume only 2–3 glasses of water after or during workout
• Avoid drinking aerated drinks and consuming high sodium foods, which make you more thirsty and disrupt your sodium level
• Consume only natural sources of sodium: seaweed, Himalayan sea salt (take iodized salt in small portions).

Tips to quickly stabilize your body:

• Mix 1 glass of water with ½ lemon (juiced) and 1 teaspoon sea salt.
• Mix coconut water with 1 tablespoon seaweed powder.
• Mixing water with baking soda and apple cider vinegar is meant to balance your Ph levels and balances out your sodium to water proportion as well.
• Drink a lot of vegetable juices, as they are naturally high in sodium.
• Replace refined salt with with soy sauce, Braggs amino acids, or seaweed powder.
• Avoid drinking coffee, alcohol, and other diuretics which remove water and cause imbalance in your body.
• If you are prone to loss of sodium, take a bath once a week with Epsom salts that naturally allow your body to absorb good salts and relaxes your muscles
• Take a natural dip in the ocean that is packed with essential salt and minerals.
• If you are a triathlete or into extreme sports–then do carry sodium tablets, coconut water, and other supplements that will help you during this process

Life is about balance. Moderation is the key to good health, mind, and soul.