quick water diet
What is the quick water diet?
It is common among some to follow the so-called quick water diet or water fasting, which is abstaining from eating and drinking except for water, and there is no specific period for the water diet, but medical advice suggests between 24 hours and 3 days as a maximum for the time in which you can stay without food,
Many people believe that this diet has many health benefits, such as weight loss and detoxification, and as we mentioned, there are no scientific guidelines about the duration of the water diet and how, but some continue on the water diet for 24-72 hours, and the water diet should not be followed for a longer period Without medical supervision, some people may feel weak or dizzy during this period.
As for the subsequent phase of the water diet, it is to resist the desire to eat a large meal, because eating a large meal after fasting may cause unpleasant symptoms, and instead break the fast by drinking juice or eating a small meal, and then starting to eat larger meals gradually throughout the day, and is considered a phase Post-water diet is especially important if the dieting period is long, to increase the risk of developing refeeding syndrome, a fatal condition in which the body undergoes rapid changes in fluid and electrolyte levels, and the post-water diet phase lasts about one day, but people Those who fast for 3 days or more may need up to 3 days before feeling uncomfortable when eating large meals, and a quick water diet carries many risks, and can be very dangerous when followed for a long time.
The benefits and harms of a water diet
Is it safe to follow the water diet?
There are no scientifically proven benefits to water diet, so most nutrition experts advise not to follow this diet, and water diet can not cause harm when followed for a few days for most healthy people provided they are exposed to dehydration, but water diet for long periods may cause many health problems, as it needs The body needs vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from food to maintain the health of the body, and in case the person does not get enough nutrients, the person may suffer from fatigue, dizziness, constipation, dehydration, inability to tolerate cold temperatures, and other problems. Fasting for a long time can be life threatening.
It is worth noting that some groups should avoid following the water diet completely, because it can cause serious health damage to these groups, including: people with kidney disease, those who take multiple medications, pregnant and lactating women, and those with an eating disorder, and caution should be exercised. For people with diabetes, heart disease, and liver disease to follow this regimen without consultation and follow-up by a doctor.
Water diet side effects
Following a water diet can cause a number of problems and damages that must be taken into consideration:
Nutrient deficiency:
Any type of strict fasting can increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies. When you restrict calories, you restrict your intake of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, and electrolytes, which are elements your body needs to function properly.
Serious changes in blood pressure:
Very low blood pressure can occur when drinking a lot of water, and the risk of orthostatic hypotension, which is a sudden drop in blood pressure when standing, may also increase, and this condition may cause dizziness and lightheadedness, and the risk may also increase Orthostatic hypertension, which is a sudden rise in blood pressure upon standing.
Low levels of sodium in the blood:
Or the so-called water intoxication, where hyponatremia occurs when replacing water and salt lost during sweating by drinking water only, and hyponatremia can cause neurological symptoms ranging from confusion to epileptic seizures, and coma, and the severity of symptoms depends on the extent of low levels of sodium in the bloodstream. and how fast it goes down.
Drought:
Following a water diet can cause an increased risk of dehydration, because approximately 20-30% of daily water consumption comes from foods eaten, and if you drink the usual amount of water without eating foods, the body may not get enough water, and symptoms include Dehydration: dizziness, nausea, headache, constipation, hypotension.
Other damages:
Other side effects of the water diet may include fainting, brain fog, fatigue, and changes in hormone levels in women if it is followed for a long time.
Are there studies on the benefits of water diet?
There are a few studies available on this type of diet, but the results of these studies cannot be generalized, such as the study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics in 2001, which showed that a water diet under medical supervision may help regulate blood pressure, and stimulate follow-up. Healthy diet and lifestyle changes, but there is a need to study this and other long-term effects,
Some suggest that water diet may reduce weight quickly, however, it can cause a lot of health risks, and this loss is also unhealthy, because water diet restricts calories, which causes a large loss of weight quickly, and most of this loss is from Water, carbohydrates, and muscle mass, not fat.
The healthy way to lose weight
The reason behind losing weight is to burn more calories than the amount of calories consumed, and this can be done by reducing the consumption of calories from foods and drinks, and increasing the calories burned by increasing the level of physical activity, and the following is an explanation of this:
Reduce calorie consumption:
It is not possible to get rid of excess body fat when continuing to eat a large amount of foods and sweets, but this does not mean depriving of favorite foods, but rather high-calorie foods should be rationed in small quantities, and on special occasions, and fat stores in the body can be burned by reducing food. Intake, usually reducing 300-500 calories per day leads to a loss of 0.5-1 kg per week, which is a realistic and valid goal, and there is no difficulty in reducing calories for people who consume a large amount of calories from cakes, sweets, biscuits, and drinks It is important to replace ready-made and fast meals with healthy options.
Eat a healthy diet:
Lifestyle changes towards a healthy, balanced diet help reduce the number of calories consumed and help ensure that you get all the nutrients your body needs. Some diets may recommend cutting out certain foods, such as meat, fish, wheat, and dairy products, but Cutting out certain food groups leads to not getting enough nutrients and vitamins that the body needs to function properly, and weight can simply be lost without excluding one of the food groups from the diet, where a healthy and balanced diet must include a variety of foods from food groups the five,
They are: vegetables, fruits, legumes, proteins, and dairy products.
Increase physical activity:
Physical activity helps increase the number of calories the body burns for energy, and physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other health problems, so it is recommended to engage in moderate physical activity at least 150 minutes per week, and this is estimated at thirty A minute a day five days a week or more, and the daily thirty minutes can be divided into 10 minutes three times during the day, and it is recommended to choose the activities that a person enjoys, such as walking, gardening, swimming, dancing, and other activities.