Wellness Point: How To Drink Water

                  - Milan K. Sinha, Stress Management & Wellness Consultant

Italian polymath of the highest order Leonardo da Vinci says, “Water is the driving force of all nature.” We also know well that “WATER is LIFE”; if there is no water, there is no future for all living beings; the human body contains more than 60% water; our mother earth has 71% water; our dependence on the water cycle is immense.  French scientist and explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau rightly asserts, “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” 

Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidi, an internationally renowned researcher, author and advocate of the natural healing power of water says that “Water is the basis of all life and that includes our body. Our muscles that move our body are 75% water; our blood that transports nutrients is 82% water; our lungs that provide oxygen are 90% water; our brain that is the control center of our body is 76% water; even our bones are 25% water.” 
 
Can anyone deny these facts? Actually water related issues have many dimensions. In fact, our health is truly dependent on the quality and quantity of water we drink. Notwithstanding these facts, we are yet to learn well when to drink water and how and how much to drink water? This question may seem to be funny and insignificant at first sight but if we go through next few lines, we would surely appreciate the importance of it. 
 
In fact, drinking water has a system and a pattern to be followed in order to stay healthier. To say, if we learn and practise the proper way of drinking water, we can keep our body adequately hydrated and reasonably toxin free thereby reaping significant health benefits. To put it precisely, it is desirable for us to drink about three to four litres of water daily depending upon the season, our body type and nature of physical activity. We should take water slowly while seated comfortably. It is better to feel that water is going down our stomach slowly and effectively through the food pipe called oesophagus in medical terminology to quench our thirst and keep all organs active.
 
Experts do opine 1) not to drink water in between any meal, just before or after any meal. Truly speaking, we should drink water 30 to 40 minutes before and after any meal. 2) To keep the body hydrated during sleeping hours to avoid the possibility of brain and heart strokes at night. 3) To take few sips of water, whenever we feel stressed for whatever reason. It gives immediate relief. 
 
Drinking two glass of water, preferably lukewarm with two spoonful lemon juice poured in it during morning hours in empty stomach is highly advantageous for our health - heart, belly, intestine and eyes in particular. For added benefits, some honey (one spoonful, if you are not diabetic) can be added or some salt, preferably pink salt (quarter spoonful, if you don’t have high BP problem).
 
What about drinking "Luke Warm Water" instead of cold water as a matter of routine? Undoubtedly, it is always better to have lukewarm water than cold water. Health experts are of the view that by drinking lukewarm water, body fat deposits and toxins circulating in the blood are eliminated slowly from the body. It also helps improve blood circulation and lowers the risk of various health complications due to the presence of toxins in the body. 

In fact, drinking lukewarm water has other inter- related health benefits. It helps in nasal and throat congestion, digestion, reduction of body weight, prevention of pimples and acne, prevention of premature aging and skin infections, to name a few. Drinking lukewarm water has another big advantage - we are at a relatively lower risk of falling prey to a number of water borne diseases. 

In short, if we practice the art of drinking water, many of our health problems and diseases which include Arthritis, Heart burn, Migraine, Constipation, Colitis, Kidney problems, Asthma, High BP and Back pain, will be mitigated, if not completely eliminated without incurring any extra cost.

Finally, here’s a point of caution: In case you are under treatment of any disease or under any medical supervision, do follow the prescription of your doctor and/or seek his/her medical advice on the subject.

As always, I'm keen to know what you think on this subject. Hence, request you to post comments to share your views and experiences. Stay healthy and happy.

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