Now that you’ve learned about the dangers of ice water, there are plenty of ways to benefit from water through proper consumption.
According to Ayurvedic text Bhavaprakasa, warm water stimulates hunger, helps digestion, is good for the throat, cleanses the urinary bladder, relieves hiccups, flatulence, relieves cough, relieves runny nose, and pain. Warm water also removed ama, a sticky, disease-causing substance left behind in the body when food isn’t digested properly.
The first step to proper water consumption is to drink water according to the season. Just as you (hopefully) wouldn’t go outside in shorts and a t-shirt in a snowstorm, drinking ice water in winter is your body’s equivalent. In the coldest depths of winter, drink hot water that has been boiled. In the summer, water that has been boiled and cooled to room temperature water is best. In the fall and spring, consume warm water.
Water that has been boiled and then cooled is not going to increase the moisture inside the body. There’s a certain level of moisture that’s healthy, but excess water leads to edema and can even cause kidney ailments when left unchecked.
If you work, boil water your water for the day in the morning, then take your water with you in a glass or stainless steel container. In restaurants, you’ll find that many are willing to bring hot water (or water sans ice) if you ask.
