Guest column: Stay hydrated, swap fizzy drinks with coconut water, juices

Heat stroke results from prolonged exposure to high temperatures -- usually in combination with dehydration -- which leads to a failure of the body’s temperature control system. When a person is exposed to heat for a very long time, the first thing that shuts down is their ability to sweat. It is one of the most serious forms of heat injury and demands immediate medical attention. Failure to do so can result in death, as has been witnessed recently in Kerala.

Heat stroke can kill or cause damage to the brain and other internal organs. It often occurs as a progression from milder heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat syncope (fainting), and heat exhaustion. But it can strike even if you have no previous signs of heat injury. As the body temperature increases very rapidly, the central nervous system and the circulatory system are impacted.

Today, the consumption of cold fizzy drinks has become the most common way to beat the heat. Such fizzy drinks, although they may chilled and quench thirst for a while, their impact on human health is adverse and stays on in the long-term.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), or soft drinks, include carbonated and noncarbonated beverages that contain sugar-based caloric sweeteners and are flavored with fruit juice or natural or artificial flavors. These Sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with cardiometabolic diseases, which may increase the risk of stroke and heart attacks. Drinking sweetened beverages raises “bad” cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, diabetes, and blood pressure. Several studies report that drinking just one can of a fizzy drinks per week increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke by 25 percent. No matter what drink you take, excessive consumption of sugar in any form is a problem. High overall sugar intake from any drink like coffee with sugar or juices can lead to several complications.

Furthermore, the increased consumption of sugar in sodas increases body weight, which in turn causes the liver to produce even more cholesterol. This summer, in order to avoid any sun and heart-related diseases, the following are recommended.

—Dr Girish Navasundi, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals Bannerghatta