REASONS WHY COLD WATER IS BAD FOR THE BODY

 

Many people think that cold water is good for the body since it refreshes the body in a hot weather. Others also think that cold water is very good after going to the gym or after some morning exercise. Others also feel more comfortable taking cold water after a meal. All these are several reasons why we like taking in cold water but there are some reasons why you should avoid or limit cold water intake. Here are some of them;
1. IT CAUSES HEADACHE/ MIGRANE/ BRAIN FREEZE
Brain freeze occurs when something extremely cold touches the upper palate (roof of the mouth). It typically happens when the weather is hot. The trigeminal nerve conducts signals from dilating blood vessels in the palate to the brain, which interprets the pain as coming from the forehead.
When we take something cold in our mouth, blood rushes through the anterior cerebral artery in the brain. Researchers suspect that cold water may briefly cool the blood and the increased flow is the body's way of warming things up again to keep the brain at an optimal temperature. This evidence isn't conclusive, but its likely we experience this increased pressure as headache pain.
2. IT AFFECTS DIGESTION
When cold water enters the body, it makes the stomach to contract. Stomach contraction makes food digestion difficult. Cold water also hardens the food which makes it not properly digested. So the necessary nutrients are not gotten from the food.
3. IT USES ENERGY
The normal core temperature of the body is 98.6 oF or 37 oC, and the temperature for ice or cold water is 38 oF or 4 oC. So when cold water enters the body, digestion is slowed, energy is being used to regulate the temperature of the water to normal body temperature. At the end, much energy is used and digestion is slowed. This energy is obtained from the burning of calories in the body.
4. IT GENERATES A LOT OF MUCUS (RHINORRHEA)
Rhinorrhea is a condition where there is watery- fluid in the nasal cavity. Ice water creates a runny nose and blocks up the sinuses. Your body creates mucus as a natural humidifier to warm any ingested cold air/ liquid. This results in extra mucus accumulating in your nasal cavity thus causing rhinorrhea / sore throat.
5. IT SOLIDIES FATS
The temperature of cold water solidifies fats in the alimentary canal. When the fats are hardened, the body finds it difficult to digest/ emulsify the fats and will be deposited under the skin causing obesity. These fats can also be built in your arteries, thereby blocking the passage of the blood. This causes artheriosclerosis which can leads to heart attack/ cardiac arrest.
6. IT AFFECTS THE TEETH
Chewing ice can lead to a variety of serious dental issues, including a broken, cracked or chipped tooth, enamel damage, a sore jaw and issues with fillings and crowns.
There are several effects of cold water on the body. You may be allergic to taking in cold water severally but try to limit your intake of cold water and this will help you live a good healthy lifestyle. Stay tuned and we will be back with more health tips.
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