When you have a cold, a stomachache, or even any discomfort, there is always someone around to tell you to “drink more water.” This person must be concerned about your health, because water is the source of life, and the human body is made up of about 70% water.
However, according to the Survey report on Cognition of Water and Quality of Life in China, 95.3% of people cannot drink water, 65.9% drink only when thirsty, and less than 5% have the habit of drinking water regularly and regularly.
A new Canadian study has found that people need to drink more water as they age to make up for changes in body temperature.
Life Times combined research and interview experts to give guidance on drinking water for different elderly groups.
// Why do you need to drink more water as you get older? //
A recent study from the University of Ottawa, Canada, showed that as people age, they need to drink more water to compensate for changes in thermoregulation.
Previous studies on the effects of dehydration on body temperature regulation have focused on young people
Hydration, or drinking water, is key to regulating body temperature and can help prevent a range of health problems, such as muscle pain, fatigue and heat exhaustion. Regulating sweat loss is the body’s mechanism for preventing further dehydration.
When older people exercise, the body’s mechanisms for reducing heat loss and raising body temperature are slower than in younger people, the researchers said.
At the same time, the ‘thirst centre’ in the hypothalamus is less active as we get older, so the brain doesn’t signal to people that they need to drink in time, making them less likely to feel thirsty.
Whether thirsty or not, the researchers suggest that older adults compensate for their thermoregulation by consuming more water in moderation.
A recent review by Spanish researchers also supports this theory.
By analyzing a large number of articles and guidelines on water recommendations, the researchers recommend that people over 65 drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water a day.
The study points out that all clinical and environmental factors cannot be taken into account and that most international recommendations for drinking water intake do not take into account the physiological characteristics of older persons and the effects of other diseases.
Many studies have shown that patients who drink less than their daily requirement (especially those who drink less than 1 l/d) will experience a worsening of their condition.
The researchers also stressed that drinking too much water could be a potential cause of illness, with older people trying not to drink more than two litres of water a day before reaching saturation.
// Not drinking water, 5 diseases are at high risk //
Drinking water habits to some extent affect a person’s health level, drinking water habits good, have better metabolic and immune function.
1 constipation
Defecate 70% is moisture, if the body lacks water, the moisture in defecate can be absorbed by large intestine, bring about defecate to be dry, defecate not free.
Constipated people are advised to drink 2.0 liters of water 8 to 10 times a day and eat more vegetables rich in dietary fiber, such as celery.
2 stones
Clinical observation and epidemiological investigation found that many patients with kidney stones, urinary stones, daily water intake is less than the general population.
Drinking less water will lead to reduced urine volume, waste in the body can not be discharged in time with urine, easy to form stones.
3 gout
This is due to increased uric acid in the body or reduced excretion, urate deposition in joints, kidneys and other parts of the cause.
Drinking less water can lead to uric acid not being excreted smoothly, increasing the risk of disease. Zhao Feihong suggested that gout patients can drink more rich in strontium, calcium mineral water.
4 blood clots
Zhao feihong said that if patients with high blood pressure, high blood fat and high blood sugar don’t drink enough water, their blood viscosity will increase and blood circulation will slow down, which may easily lead to myocardial infarction and cerebral thrombosis. It is recommended that “three high” patients drink more water with high magnesium content.
5 cancer
People who drank more water had a lower risk of bladder, prostate, testicular, ureter and pelvis cancers.
//7 Type of elderly, hydration is appropriate //
The above study is applicable to the elderly without any of the following diseases. Fu Wanfa introduced, the following 7 types of elderly must control the amount of water, drink too much will aggravate the condition, even life-threatening.
Elderly people with hypertension
Blood vessels are like water pipes. When there is much water, the pressure of the pipes is high. If you drink too much or too much water all at once, it increases the amount of water in your blood, acting like a hose and forcing your blood pressure up.
Elderly people suffering from coronary heart disease, heart failure and other heart diseases
Drinking too much water can force the heart to pump blood harder and faster, which can cause chest tightness and other unpleasant symptoms.
Especially in patients with heart failure, drinking water should not exceed 1.5 liters. Patients with heart failure accompanied by renal insufficiency, acute heart failure, etc., should strictly follow the doctor’s instructions on the amount of water they drink daily.
Elderly people suffering from acute and chronic nephritis, renal failure, uremia and other kidney diseases
In clinical practice, uremia patients must strictly limit the amount of water they drink according to their height, weight, urine volume and other data.
Renal insufficiency of the elderly, drinking too much water will aggravate the body sodium and water retention, resulting in body edema, and protein through urine loss in large quantities, reduce blood osmotic pressure, make edema more serious.
Elderly people with liver diseases such as cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure
Liver function is damaged, metabolization ability becomes weak, can cause endocrine function disorder, often cause ascites (free fluid inside abdominal cavity accumulates excessively), drink water excessively can aggravating oedema, abdomen bilges wait for a symptom.
Elderly people with severe gastrointestinal disease
Drinking too much water will dilute the stomach acid and aggravate the intestinal burden, which may aggravate the uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting and abdominal distension.
An elderly person with acute pancreatitis
These older people often have abdominal pain and severe bowel dysfunction, which can be aggravated by drinking too much water.
An elderly person with acute cholecystitis
Eating and drinking water can make the gallbladder contraction, drinking too much water will increase the frequency of gallbladder contraction, aggravating pain symptoms.
// The proper way for the elderly to replenish water
In addition to the above special circumstances, experts have come up with four “ways to drink water” in view of the complexity of the elderly’s physical conditions:
Plain water is best
Water is a great tonic and not only does the body benefit from it, it also doesn’t have to deal with additional ingredients such as sodas, sugars, additives and other ingredients that don’t contribute to the body’s health.
Drink water frequently and
Ma Guansheng, a professor in the department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene at the School of Public Health at Peking University, recommends that water be evenly distributed at any time of day, in small amounts and many times. Under normal circumstances, every time 200 milliliters or so, a day 6~8 cups of water.
Keep hydrated after exercise, but the elderly do not need extra electrolytes if they are eating a normal diet. People with heavy taste and high uric acid should drink more water at ordinary times.
Summer more than winter
Summer temperature is high, sweating, hydration should increase; Winter activity is less, the body metabolizes slowly, fill water to be able to reduce. Increase or decrease range is in 200~300 milliliter advisable.
Take a sip after a bath
Many people feel thirsty after a bath and drink a glass of water in one gulp. However, taking a hot bath will increase blood flow, and drinking too fast will be harmful to health, especially for the elderly. It is recommended to drink a cup of warm water slowly at this time.
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