I have a thing against dieting. Look, I could do with losing a few pounds myself. But there are ways of doing that without resorting to all sorts of unhealthy alterations to your diet. I also appreciate that there are people who genuinely do have a problem getting rid of excess weight. Some people suffer severe psychological distress because of their obesity. Or their perceived obesity. I remember meeting a woman who was in floods of tears as she mentioned her excess weight (for which she had been prescribed medication by a doctor). I would not have described her as fat. Young girls, in a quest for identity, sometimes think that less is best, and anorexia nervosa is a recognised eating disorder.
Nonetheless, I was horrified to read this morning that a woman had died after drinking a gallon of water in 2 hours. It is called water poisoning (anything taken in excess is bad and can kill you), and it had brought on swelling of the brain. This lady, from West Yorkshire, had been on a diet regimen that spans 12 weeks, and involves an intake of 500 kilocalories per day (normal for a woman is 2,000), backed up by regular fluid intake, soups and bars. The company that supplies the regimen states that it gives clear guidance on the amount of water to consume.
Whilst I'm on my high horse, I'll also take a swipe against multi-vitamin preparations. They're a rip-off, let me tell you. If you keep a normal, balanced diet, you don't need vitamin supplements. Should you run short, you can buy, or ask for a prescription for, the requisite single vitamin. Some years ago I had a look at the contents of multivits, and the amount of some vitamins can only be called homeopathic. Oh, that's another high horse.
I don't believe in homeopathy. Mind you, if you find it benefits you, don't stop just because I don't believe in it. The reason I don't believe in it is plain and simple laws of nature. Take kitchen salt. Good ole sodium chloride (NaCl). 48 grams of the stuff, that's an ounce and a half, contains 6 * 1023 molecules of NaCl. Now go to homeopathy. They say that if you dilute something by 1 part of substance into 10 parts of 70% alcohol, and continue to do that, it will increase in potency. By the time you have diluted 23 times, you are left with 6 molecules of NaCl in your little bottle of alcohol. By the time you've done it 100 times, you'll be lucky to find 6 molecules in any of 1077 bottles. Bearing in mind the pharmacological rule that a substance has more effect if there is more of it there, I think we're basically looking at a load of balderdash.
You know, that water thing is very big here in America also. And I never understood it. Why would one have to drink a lot of water, I mean over the amount that one would need to stay hydrated? Well over? The water is pushed, especially in a diet program called
ReplyDelete"Weight Watchers." I know I was told I must drink 8 glasses of water a day. Even by teachers in school who drank glasses of water, as they counted them. For awhile I bought into the lie and drank a bunch of water myself. Why? Because everybody believed it was true. Then I thought for myself. This is nuts! I thought. Why should anybody drink all this water? What's the purpose? This can't be right! It doesn't make sense... It was then I decided I would drink the amountof water my body needed to stay hydrated, instead of all of this extra hydration -- extra hydration which I viewed from silliness to dangerous (even fatal). I brought much dropped mouths to myself, as I was bucking the long held belief that huge amounts of water was good for oneself, and that everyone should do it. Some treated what I said as scandalous!
Well, the thought continues on, we still must drink hourdes of water. To buck the trend, to try to educate, has led me nowhere. So I was wondering, Guido, could you please state the source of the article, so that I can have it to show others to help them. I would also need the answer to the question: what is the correct amount of water to drink then?
Thanks for bringing to light the plight of this poor, poor woman, in the hopes that more women (and men) may be helped. If you could find anymore info, i would really appreciate it!
Okay, must run, must too early over here to be getting crusadelike and thinking about saving the world, so I better go do something light, like join a twitter party, LOL. Off to have some fun,
Krissy :)
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I agree with you on most counts. Dehydration does kill, i know it killed my dad, but so does too much water. Lots of people do not know how much is just right.
ReplyDeleteAs for homeopathy, did you know that the essential ingredient to it working is that between each distillation the glass has to be tapped so many times (i think it might be 7 but not sure now). Also the person who invented it 'breathed life' into his concoction as the potent force to it working.
I should lose some weight, too....but....I don't want to. I like food too much.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've always hated water. Then again, I know I drink too much sweet stuff. Oh well...damned if you do, right?
I remember overdoing the water when I was going through my chemo'. I realised that the psychedelic colours I could see dancing around my peripheral vision were caused by drinking too much water. It was the wierdest sensation but I had been told to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to wash the poisons out. I'm glad I was physically aware and stopped forcing myself to drink as I was told. Some days, because of how I felt, I left it until the last minute which proved dangerous for me.
ReplyDeleteDrinking fluids should be paced throughout the day. Not taken all at once. More people should be made aware of this danger.
Jeanie
Shame she died of this. Dehydration can be a real problem, way way too often. But, yes, moderation and all that when hydrating, or re-hydrating. Finding the right balance for the person in that person's particular situation (heat & humidity, level of exercise, etc.), obviously is best, but. Sigh. Shaking my head. To diet via drinking 2 gallons of water? WOW.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame about that lady. To much of a good thing can be bad. Certainly the eight glass a day recommendation can not be disputed.
ReplyDelete