Pay attention to water consumption in hot weather: this can cause weight gain

Increasing heat in the summer can cause health problems. Expert dietitians in Çankırı, warning citizens about water consumption and diet in the summer season, drew attention to the importance of drinking an average of 2.5 liters of water per day.

Saying that tea, coffee and carbonated drinks will not meet the need for water, experts emphasized that low water consumption causes fat storage and thereby leads to people gaining weight.

Dietician Eda Kıyısin said that water takes care of the body’s heat balance: “We have the hottest summer month in recent times. Of course, water consumption becomes more valuable in this process. For this, 2.5 liters of water should be consumed daily. Moreover, when cold drinks such as tea and coffee are consumed, the need for fluids is thought to be met, but the need for water increases at this point because the water discharge increases with these drinks.

As the fat cells in our body increase due to the lack of water, the stored fat also increases in these hot months, which both leads to weight gain and makes us feel weak in the process. At this point, since water takes care of the body’s heat balance, it is imperative to replenish the water in these hot months. The fluid that we expel through sweating and breathing must certainly be replenished with water.

Since thirst causes headaches, headaches begin to increase with this thirst in the summer months. Thirst tells us that the body has lost 10 percent water. When the body loses 20 percent of its water, vital functions are compromised. For this, it is beneficial to drink water without feeling thirsty. We can set an alarm or drink before and after meals to increase water consumption. But it’s important to drink 2.5 to 3 liters of water a day,” he said.

Kıyısin said that consuming water is an important factor after waking up: “As water consumption changes with the mass of the person, the need of persons with high fat content to consume more water increases. For this, the water consumption of these persons may increase to 3-4 liters. When 6-7 liters of water are consumed, we may encounter water intoxication.

For this, as with everything else, balance in water is valuable, and we must establish a balance while consuming. In general, I recommend drinking 1 glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning. Water is very valuable to wake up the metabolism, the intestines and to bring the body to itself. Some people don’t like the taste of water. In such cases, we can sweeten the water with mint leaves, cinnamon, fruit particles. But of course it is important for us to consume water as water,” he said.

For people who don’t like the taste of water, Nutrition and Dietary Specialist Dr. On the other hand, faculty member Fatma Tayhan said, “The sweltering heat affects everyone, be it children or adults. It is necessary to pay attention to possible health risks in hot weather. Eating well in the summer heat is very important for health.

First of all, we should increase the consumption of drinks such as buttermilk, tzatziki and mineral water, especially water, to replenish the lost fluids and electrolytes, as the rate of sweating in the body increases with the heat. While each person’s needs vary, it is recommended that an average adult consume about 2-2.5 liters of water per day. If you find it difficult to consume water, you can try to consume it by adding lemon, mint, fruit pieces to the water. You can tell if you are drinking enough water by looking at the color of your urine. If the color of your urine is dark yellow, your water consumption is insufficient, if it is light, it is sufficient.

Emphasizing that excessively oily and sugary foods should not be consumed during the summer season, Tayhan said, “During hot weather, preference should be given to a diet based on vegetables, fruits and whole grains rather than excessively fatty and sugary foods. The Mediterranean diet can be recommended. Boiled and steamed foods are preferable to fried foods; ice cream and milk desserts should be preferred to heavy syrup desserts.

Another issue to consider in terms of nutrition from the summer heat is food poisoning. Particular attention should be paid to the consumption of potentially hazardous foods such as chicken, eggs, milk, fish and creamy foods, and hygiene rules should be followed as far as possible when preparing these foods. Food sold outside and in the open should not be consumed and care should be taken to eat at home as food poisoning increases in hot weather.