Ensure you keep yourself hydrated. (Source: File Photo)
Drinking warm water is often recommended by health and fitness professionals, but considering the summer heat, it feels impossible to quench one’s thirst with lukewarm water. Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration as the small intestine absorbs most of the water consumed through food and drinking. On the other side, drinking water helps to break down food faster than drinking cold or chilled water. It reduces the risk of constipation and supports good digestion.
There are multiple benefits of drinking warm or hot water throughout the day:
* Warm water is a vasodilator which means it expands the blood vessels, improving circulation. It also helps the muscles to relax and reduce pain. So if you have sore muscles or muscle pain in general, drink warm water would eventually give some relief.
* A study published in 2003, ‘Water Consumption Increases Weight Loss During a Hypocaloric Diet Intervention in Middle-aged and Older adults’ found that switching from drinking cold water to hot water could increase weight loss. Researchers found that drinking 500 ml of water before a meal increased metabolism by 30 per cent.
* Warm water fights common flu and cold. It also gives quick relief for people suffering from sinus problems.
As per Ayurveda, drinking warm water is always beneficial to our body in many ways, says Shalini Arvind, Chief Dietician, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore.
* It helps in improving digestion and also in thinning the mucus when one is facing congestion.
* This is relevant more during the flu outbreaks that often surface at the time of seasonal changes.
One may find it difficult to adapt suddenly to the habit of switching over in summer rather it will be easy if one has a habit of drinking warm water throughout the year.