Warm Drinks Are Healthier: Avoid Extremes
Neither too cold nor too hot, we will explain to you what is the correct temperature for the water and liquids that you put into your body!
As a Chinese proverb states, “water can carry a ship, but it can also cause it to sink.” In the same way, a glass of water can be very healthy or it can hinder the functioning of the body. The difference may be in the temperature.
In midsummer the sun seems to crush you and sweat runs down your forehead as you get home. The first thing you do is take a bottle of very cold water out of the fridge. You open it and let its contents slide down your throat … What a feeling!
However, ice water is less effective at hydrating than warm water or even something hot, and in some cases it can be harmful to health.
Why is it better to drink warm water than cold water
Drinking water is essential for health and to obtain the greatest benefits from it it is necessary, according to ancient Chinese traditional medicine, that you choose the right temperature and quantity for the body, taking into account the vital stage and the state of each person.
Drinking hot water or tea pushes blood flow to the surface of the body and relaxes the sweat glands, while opening the pores of the skin. Thus, by sweating, the body cools itself down and manages to lower its temperature.
On the other hand, if we drink a lot of very cold water, the blood vessels contract all the way from the mouth to the stomach. The body faces a sudden drop in temperature and will have to work to recover it, which implies a high expenditure of energy reserves.
Therefore, repeatedly drinking cold water causes a significant drop in the chi of the digestive system and, little by little, of the overall vital chi .
This explains why the consumption of warm or slightly hot water is recommended for children, pregnant women or people with yang deficiency.
This is especially so for people who suffer from insufficiency of spleen-stomach yang , which is responsible for digestive function. The consumption of cold water in a timely manner will not be harmful, but if it is habitual it damages the organism.
It is also recommended to drink warm water for cancer patients after the strong fight of their defense system ( wei chi ) against malignant cells.
Following these recommendations will allow us to take advantage of all the benefits that water provides.
Neither too cold nor too hot – the ideal drinking water temperature
A glass of water can be very healthy or it can hinder the functioning of the body. The difference is in the temperature.
The closer to body temperature (37 ° C), the better. However, young men who are in full growth, who are energetically very yang , could drink the water close to 10 ° C.
In general, water at a low temperature is vasoconstrictor and acts directly on the blood vessels of the mouth, esophagus and stomach … On the other hand, water at a very high temperature is vasodilator. In both cases, extreme temperatures can make digestion difficult. It is preferable to take it warm.
How the temperature of the water influences the organs
The organs that most appreciate the consumption of warm water are the kidneys, the heart, the stomach, the brain …
In general, all organs need to be hydrated and lubricated by water, which represents the most important part of yin in the body. Water is cold in nature and can consume the yang of the organs. That explains why we heat it before we drink it.
How and when to take it
It is best to drink the warm water in the morning, just waking up. Also during and / or after doing sports or housework.
As for drinking while eating, it is recommended to take it before meals or an hour after.
If you drink tap water, it should be boiled for hygiene and to improve its quality. Simply boil it for 3 to 5 minutes to reduce the presence of nitrates, certain chlorides and hormonal residues.
If it is bottled (preferably in glass), it is not necessary.
Regarding the ingredients that we can add to the water, one point: it is better not to mix anything, although, if necessary, we can add fresh lemon or ginger to change the flavor, or some salt if you have sweated a lot in summer or are has played sports. You can also add a little honey if you are not diabetic or are overweight.
The best options for the summer
You can opt for refreshing infusions. The most refreshing are infusions with green tea, mint, thyme or rosemary.
You can also continue drinking broths, which are still beneficial in hot weather. However, in the hottest season it is more appropriate to take exclusively light vegetable broths. For example, onion and leek, thyme, rosemary or ginger. Boil for about ten minutes.
