There was a time, not so long back, that I used to get stomach cramps and I’d resort to taking laxatives. It was easy enough–and it worked. I didn’t understand how wheat clogged me up or that my stomach couldn’t take too many carbs at once. I was just not aware of what “being healthy” meant.
Now, of course, I have come a long way (maybe too far, those who know me well might say). However, having tried laxatives and soaked prunes, then cutting things out of my diet, then avoiding wheat or dairy, the best solution to date has been my latest hot water fad (only I hope it’s not just a fad).
I started off by drinking hot water in the morning before my breakfast, hoping that this would help to cleanse my system, which it only sometimes did. However, it was not long before I became obsessed with hot water and began to drink mug after mug throughout the day.
Being a hot drink fanatic, I was still gulping down just as many teas and coffees as before, but the addition of hot water right through the day literally began to sort out my digestive system. It was doing the work a laxative would usually do and, free from any stomach cramps and bloating, I was beginning to feel great.
It is an Ayurveda digestion rule that drinking cold water during and after a meal is not good for the body, and it is also believed that this does not help if it’s weight loss you’re after. Therefore, replacing it with hot water, as the Japanese and Chinese do, is the best solution.
Here’s my healthy digestion tips: sip hot water whenever I’m at home, ask for hot water at restaurants after my meal and at coffee shops while I’m sitting and reading. Yes, it’s an odd thing to order and I do sometimes have to repeat myself, but it sure does clean the stomach and flush out toxins. And, above all, it has naturally helped me to cut down on teas and coffees.
What’s more, hot water not only helps the digestive processes, but also is said to relieve heartburn, acute indigestion, vomiting, and cramps in the abdomen. And if the taste of plain hot water is too bland, then enjoy it in the form of herbal tea. Add some fresh mint leaves or a teabag of green tea (my favorites are licorice or cinnamon), and if you have a sweeter tooth, then stir in a spoonful of honey.
