Drinking plenty water prevents kidney stone, boosts immunity — Experts

Health experts have explained that drinking plenty of water everyday is important, as it boosts health conditions. They stressed that taking enough water each day could prevent kidney stone, arthritis, dehydration — a condition that can cause unclear thinking, mood change, body overheat and constipation — among other health challenges.

For the Abuja-based public health physician and health promotion specialist, Obinna Ebirim, many people do not know their urine contain different waste products, which the ordinary eyes cannot see and when these waste accumulate with little urine they begin to form crystals that turn into kidney stone. Drinking plenty of water will in this case make these crystals to be easily filtered in the kidney and push out through urination.

He stated that some people think it is only when they take in solid food that they can drink water, which is wrong; “not taking enough water will result in crystals blocking the passage of urine and causing problems, including kidney stone.”

Ebirim also disclosed that staying under the sun for a very long time could make ones urine to be black in colour, which some people see and think they have malaria, while it is just because they have not taken enough water for the day or their poor water intake.

“Another thing that could cause kidney stone is obesity because it changes the acidic content in the urine and when this changes, the chances of having kidney stone becomes high. Eating food such as meat that contains protein causes kidney stone because meat contain uric acid, which increases the chances of having kidney stone,” he said.

Other causes, he noted includes family linage, as anybody that has family history of kidney stone will definitely have it in his/her lifetime.

The public health physician noted that people who take drugs not prescribed by medical doctors for instance vitamin C among others stand the chance of having kidney stone.

“However, even if one wants to take food supplements you need to see your doctor. Kidney stone in the body could make one have severe back pains; some times the pains will affect the stomach, making them to throw up, have bloody and offensive urine odour and fever with severe cold. For some men the pains could enter their glucose. Kidney stone can be treated with drugs or by drinking plenty water to push the crystals out,” he said.

A senior lecturer and consultant public health physician at the Department of Community Health and Primary Health Care, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Dr. Modupe Akinyinka, observed that the human body contains at least 60 per cent of water, saying it is necessary for people to drink plenty of water everyday to stay healthy and stress free.

She, however, noted that if water is wrongly taken that it could cause problems and diseases such as arthritis, heart diseases, hair indigestions, skin disorder, among others
She disclosed that more than 80 per cent of people drink water wrongly, and knowingly or unknowingly destroying the benefits of the essential element in their body.

“When you drink water in a standing position or running, your kidney will not be able to filter the water as this can cause swelling in the kidney,” she said.
According to her, people should drink water in sitting position because this will help to stabilise the body system.

“I have seen people running, while they are drinking water; this is wrong because it will affect their kidney. Water should be taken sip by sip because it has to mix properly with the sliver before entering the stomach, but when gulped in haste, it will not mix properly and this is not good for human beings.
“Drinking cold water always could block ones throat and affect the blood vessels, making it impossible for blood to move all over the body. This could lead to joint pains; so, it is advisable for people to drink water in the morning, at least two glasses before brushing their teeth.”

For Family Physician, Chukwuma Ogunbor, it is proper for people to drink two glasses of water 45 minutes after their meal, adding that it is better to drink water using a cup than drinking directly from the bottle.

According to him, drinking from the cup encourages sipping, while drinking directly from the bottle will make one to gulp the water, which is not healthy for the heart and throat.

Dr, Ogunbor noted that water helps in weight loss, anti ageing, digestion, boost immunity, improve circulation and purifies the blood, adding that those who take plenty of fruits or vegetables everyday do not need to drink much water because the fruits and the vegetable already contain water.