I have seen so many ads being served up on YouTube by Google that are relating obviously false medical information that it really angers me, and I wanted to warn you to be very careful not to trust any ads for information. Ads are made to sell things, pure and simple. That disgusting ad prompted me to write this article.
Just now, I saw an ad with an older blonde in a white coat with a "Certificate of Medical Qualification" for Angela Davies next to her. She starts out by stating that drinking warm water increases your risk of dementia. This is false.
I used Google Scholar to look at research on the topic. Anything from animal studies I gave a decreased value for because, for example, mice often don't react the same way as us to things, just like dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.
Here are the facts:
- Drinking water decreases your risk of dementia, especially in the morning when the natural levels of formaldehyde in your brain are high, and when you have been sweating profusely or for a long time (although you may not realize it).
- Warm water decreases the risks more than cold water.
- Unboiled water is worse than boiled water if the source is not trustworthy, as is true in many countries throughout the world, or if it comes from a nearby body of water.
- Water with aluminum in it has a higher risk of causing dementia. Always throw away aluminum containers if you see pitting, especially if it looks like there's a white powder in them.
- Tap water, where the water filtration system is good, is the best choice unless you can afford a proper water filtration system (many of the popular ones don't provide enough protection, especially against heavy metals, biological contamination, etc.)
- Bottled water, AFAIK, still isn't regulated and a lot of companies will put over-chlorinated water in, plain tap water, or worse. It's convenient but you don't know if it's safe.
- Drinking water throughout the day is highly recommended because your muscles and organs (including the brain) need to stay hydrated. How much depends on how large you are as well as how much you're sweating.
- Drinking some types of beverages (dark sodas, tea, coffee and other high-tannin beverages, as well as sports/electrolyte drinks) in large quantities can cause damage to your kidneys and other parts of the body. If you're sweating a lot, always alternate between water and electrolyte drinks (Pedialyte and imitators, Body Armor, Gatorade, Power Ade, Vitamin Water, etc.) to replenish sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and bicarbonate. You can make your own, but you'll need to find out the correct balance to avoid hurting yourself. A simple choice is water with some sugar and salt in it. Electrolyte beverages, just like sweetened beverages, should NEVER be consumed in large amounts because of the risks. They are NOT casual beverages.
- People who already have dementia are less likely to drink because the build-up of formaldehyde in their brains results in a strange response that depresses their desire to drink, creating a vicious circle. I saw that happening with my mom. :(
- Pure juice is better than soda, but you should not drink too much juice because the cumulative effects can be dangerous.
- Coffee and tea are good for health but coffee should be limited to 1-2 cups a day, whereas tea can be up to 4-6 cups (depending on your size).
- Some types of alcohol (e.g. red wine), in small amounts per day (a cup or two), can provide health benefits, but liquor and liqueurs have no health benefits and damage your liver and brains (like dementia). Beer, and some other alcoholic beverages, for those who are genetically prone to gout, can make the gout worse, just like meat.
- Carbonated beverages are not good for health. I know, I know, everyone loves them, but here's something I learned. I recently did a blood test and had a carbonated, caffeinated energy drink in the morning because my brain just wouldn't wake up. 8 hours of fasting later, I had my blood drawn. For the first time in my 58 years of life, I had elevated amounts of carbon dioxide in my blood. Totally serious!
- Do not put milk/creamer in coffee or tea. The proteins in them bind with the antioxidants in the coffee/tea, making them unusable by your body.
- Drinking too much of anything is bad for health because hyper-hydration is a real problem.
Symptoms of dehydration include nausea, confusion, poor focus, reduced memory, dizziness, trouble walking in a straight line, lethargy, "cotton head", headache, very pale or very red skin (depending on the stage), rash, etc.
I'd also like to add that bathing dementia sufferers with warm water provides health benefits, too.
Sorry I didn't provide a screen shot of the ad - I forgot and now it's blocked.