Getting Into Hot Water

Ayurveda teaches that one of the simplest and most profound ways we can boost our metabolisms and help them to become stable and balanced is to get into hot water!  You may remember that one of the qualities we need to introduce through our food to support a balanced digestive fire (or AGNI) is 'warm'.  Sipping hot water (boiled water that has cooled down enough to drink) throughout the day is the easiest and most obvious way to do this.

Rather than introducing a new practice into an already busy life, why not try changing something you already do into a habit that encourages strong metabolism rather than hampering it?  We all drink water all day, everyday... so why not try drinking hot water instead of cold?  If you don't like the taste of it initially, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or you can try a non-caffeinated herbal tea like peppermint (good for hotter days) or lemongrass or something similar that you enjoy (please note green tea usually has caffeine in it).  I used to hate the taste of hot water but now that I'm used to it, I totally love it... and drinking it feels like sweet relief to my tummy instantly, especially if I have any kind of indigestion.  It is like a warm hug for my insides!  Sometimes on really hot days I don't feel like hot water so much so I just drink room temperature water - but I do notice how 'heavy' this feels in my belly compared with the hot water.  But don't take my word for it, try it out for yourself.

As well as drinking hot water throughout the day you should, of course,  generally avoid drinking cold drinks.  Say 'no' to ice in drinks and if you have to have water from the fridge, wait until it has warmed up before drinking it.  Drinking iced drinks is like throwing your tummy into an icy plunge pool... it leads to shock and constriction in the membranes and sphincters that should be soft and relaxed, ready to release all of the acids and enzymes needed to 'cook' your food.

If you are like me and have a tendency to pour yourself a mug of hot water then forget to drink it until it is cold, I suggest purchasing a small thermos that you can pop on your desk and pour yourself little cup fulls at a time.  

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