Can Drinking to much Water be Dangerous?

Starting the water journey was not easy. There are so many more beverages out there that are much more decadent. I use to take that small 16.5-ounce plastic water container and it would last me a week.Now I take a gallon of distilled water that lasts two days. I try to get at least 64 ounces (8 glasses) of water daily. This does not count the vegetables I eat, the fruits I enjoy or even the quart of herbal tea I drink. When I first started drinking the distilled water I knew that approximately 70% of my adult body was water. I was also aware that I get plenty of water from the food that I eat but according to one academic, I should try to drink half my body weight in ounces of water daily. The example is a male weighing 200 pounds should drink 100 ounces (12.5 glasses) of water daily and that is not even factoring in warmer drier temperature (Dallas in July and August). 

My drinking these large amounts of water daily really worried the NPs and Physicians in Neurology and they commented loudly and often. They were expecting me (the stroke nurse) to have a stroke. Drinking enough water, to replace used up body fluids, is a good health practice. On the other hand, drinking too much water (in a short span of time) causes the cells to become over-saturated. This can cause brain injuries, strokes, and even death. I know during high school or college days you had this one friend that drank too much the night before but still had to cut the grass the next morning. He or she is thirsty and sweating but can’t seem to get enough water. The skin, our largest organ, continuously pushes out differing levels of fluids (sweat). Each breath we take diminishes our fluid balance. We also lose large amounts of fluids through urinating and defecating. Now let’s say this friend has heard it said gazillions of times that when you're exercising or working outside in the heat, drink lots of water. Now let’s say he drinks gallons of nice cold refreshing water over a short period of time. What happens to his body? First of all, his kidneys can only [expel] about half a liter an hour. Drinking this much water decreases the sodium levels in his body causing hyponatremia. The sodium’s job is to balance the fluids in and around his cells. 

Drinking too much water causes an imbalance, and the liquid moves from his blood to inside his cells, making them swell. People who aren't medically attuned get overzealous and drink amounts of water that endanger their health. They don’t understand what is happening when they start vomiting, feeling lethargic, or develop fecal incontinence. By the time, they make it to an emergency room, there is a chance that they will fall into a coma, develop brain swelling and even die. Stay tuned to find out how to determine the perfect amount of water for you.