According to Ayurveda, regular use of boiling hot water strengthens the immune system, gives you strength and energy. In our region, but also in the East, drinking hot water is normal. In Russia, Ukraine and similar countries “kipjatok” is constantly kept in a kettle and normally used instead of cold water.
In countries such as India, China, and Japan, hot water and other hot beverages are also common. It’s part of a tradition thousands of years old.
If people follow something and keep it for generations, we can assume that it’s useful for some reason.
Why Boil Water?
The purpose of boiling water is multifaceted. First and foremost, boiling destroys microorganisms and promotes deposition of chemical impurities from the water. If you boil ordinary tap water and let it simmer for 5 minutes, after cooling you can find sludge waste and harmful substances. So, the first result of boiling it is, getting the microbiological and chemical quality of water. The second purpose of boiling is more subtle, but equally important. Water is the solvent in numerous biochemical reactions that are constantly happening in our body. Water and fire are the foundations of chemistry, primarily biochemistry.
The Fire Called Agni
The common name for all metabolic processes in the body is pitta dosha. The literal translation of the word pitta is “acid”, as the word itself indicates digestion and biochemical processes. According to ayurveda, Pitta dosha is composed of fire and water.
A special part of this principle is Agni, which translated from Sanskrit means fire. It represents the fire of the digestive system and is responsible for the digestion of all that man eat, drink, smell, hear, see, touch… Agni transforms everything that comes to mind and body.
Boiling Introduces Agni To Water
When we drink water, uncooked, our inner Agni must digest bacteria, parasites, spores and molds that the water contains. If the Agni is weak, there is a disease present. That’s why many Westerners get dysentery as soon as they arrive in India. On the other hand, if the external Agni destroys these unwanted substances, the disease doesn’t occur. Now it’s clear why the water (and food) should be boiled.
Regular use of boiled water strengthens the immune system, gives you strength and energy. This is especially important for people who are already sick.