All are very much cautious to keep the body hydrated, as we all know that our body works smoothly ,only if it is properly hydrated.
Unfortunately “keeping hydrated” has became the only goal of consuming fluids.
It has a lot more other functions in our body, and different fluids has different functions.
Water: Considered as the best among all the fluids.
Water is the elixir of life. And it is the ultimate refresher. There are a lot of benefits to drinking water. A few are obvious and commonly known, such as boosting the immune system, flushing out toxins, improving your complexion, and promoting weight loss. Other benefits are often overlooked, such as helping to prevent headaches, cramps, and sprains. But does it mean you have to gulp gallons of water every day?
“Excess of anything is bad for health”- Ayurveda recommends ideal quantities of water intake.
Drinking 1-2 litters is more than enough, but the people often think ‘the more, the better’. There are many health enthusiasts who consume much more than what is really needed.
Definitely the quantity will differ at different situations, season’s, different disease conditions and at different geographical area etc. Ayurveda always recommends, drink water only to quench thirst. And that is definitely the marker of daily water intake.
Also the colour of your urine can be considered as an indicator of water intake. The ideal colour of your urine should be pale straw coloured, if it is more dark, you have to increase your water intake and if it is less pale, your water intake is more.
Ayurvedic texts explains the excess water intake (in any forms of fluid intake) causes reduced digestion, increased frequency of micturition , insomnia, increased sweating and it makes you more prone for skin diseases with predominant symptoms as itching.
Modern science also now identified the condition of excess hydration as toxic. But here the excess means very high amount of water intake and that is not common.
Some ideal recommendations of Ayurveda on fluid intake.
- Always try to drink boiled water (warm or cooled). This has many amazing benefits like improves metabolism, detoxifies body, thus promotes weight loss, curtail your cravings(when drink in the morning), burns fat, reduces throat congestion, improves digestion, helps in easy bowel movement, and it is light to digest.
- Good to have warm water during hiccups, gaseous distension of abdomen, in all neuro- muscular complaints including joint pains and swelling.
- Warm water is also gives relief when taken during cough (all types) breathing difficulties due to different disease conditions, pain at the flanks , in fever(all fevers including Covid -19), and in all the diseases caused by indigestion (there are many diseases like diarrhoea, vomiting) etc.
- Boiled and cooled water is also easy to digest, good for persons having acid reflux, during Summer season, and in hot climate.
- Each day we have to freshly prepare boiled water, and should not use the leftover the next day.
- And the use of warm water is very essential in the coastal areas where the humidity is more.
- And it is very clearly explained that except in summer and autumn season, in all other times even a healthy person also should drink water only to quench thirst, not more than that. Our body is well equipped to communicate it’s needs. We just have to listen. And especially those who are very much thirsty, also shouldn’t drink excess water.
- When we are eating, it is better to consume water in the middle of the food, and must avoid drinking water just before food and at the end of the food.
- We must avoid drinking water when we are hungry and not thirsty.
- Feeling of unusual thirst might be a warning sign of some disease conditions already you have or which will going to affect you in near future.
- Uncooked water will help to reduce the core body temperature, so can be used during fainting, sunburns, during excessive hot climates. Otherwise it is heavy to digest, reduces our digestive power and causes unnecessary fat deposition causing weight gain.
- There are many good herbal medicines which can make cooked water, tastes better, and which will hasten your digestion, since majority of life style diseases are a result of reduced metabolism.
- And these herbs can be customised wisely according to the current need of that person (like disease conditions, and the external and internal environment of that person.)
- Usage of all kinds of beverages including tea, coffee, and softdrinks should be reduced, as all are not a substitute for water intake.
- Even the green tea is bad if consumed more, since to digest caffeine body needs more digestive juices and requires more time.
