As proper hydration is the basis of good health, and because nothing in the body works without well-digested water, it’s high time herbal teas were addressed!
But… properly digested water?
That’s right; everything that goes into your body needs to be separated and purified before use, or else it causes disease, and that includes water.
When you drink even high-quality spring water, your body first turns off its thirst signals and mobilizes enzymes, hormones, and other biochemicals. Before accepting any water, your body has to be careful not to bring in excessive amounts of calcium, silica, and other electrolytes that are present.
Water often contains hundreds upon thousands (even millions) of pathogenic organisms, even if its from a good source. The tendency of water molecules to associate with one another in a certain way influences its total geometrical structure (as seen in Dr. Emoto’s award-winning scientific observations), and determines how suitable it is for the human organism. Finally, the temperature of the water is considered a factor, because cold water must be warmed before it can be utilized by your cells.
All of the above factors slow down or speed up our water intake.
Low-quality water may take a longer time to be found performing healthy functions in our cells than very high-quality water. Good examples of high-quality water include clean rain water, glacial water, and high-altitude mountain spring water.
The bad stuff is more easily available, being things like “purified” recycled municipal water, reverse osmosis bottle waters, and distilled water, especially when the containers are made of soft plastic.
For most of us, it’s difficult to acquire truly hydrating natural water, leaving us with bottles, taps, and polluted aquifers to select from. But that’s the bad news.
The good news is that you can increase the quality of your water with a very simple process called ushnodaka.
Ushnodaka is Sanskrit for hot or boiled water.
In ushnodaka therapy, water is boiled for between 5 and thirty minutes, sometimes longer, and spices or herbs are added to enhance its absorption. In the West, we do the same thing to make basic herbal teas, whether it be chamomile, lemon-mint, or whatever you fancy.
Ushnodaka is usually water that’s been boiled down to half or one-fourth quantity, and most often spices like fennel, cumin, ginger, and coriander are used, so there are some differences. But the same theory applies….
Make some herbal tea!
By making herbal tea with well boiled water, you give structure to the water (through acid-base and essential oil interactions, and by dissolving micro-clusters of minerals). After the water has been boiled, unnecessary minerals rest at the bottom of the pot you used.
The herbs used help to kill bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that survived the heat. Spices and medicinal herbs stimulate the enzymes in your body, as well as digestive function in general. In Ayurveda, claims are made that boiling the water breaks up its stagnant nature and makes it “sharper” and more active, so that the body can use it easily.
Regardless, the heat of a refreshing cup of herbal tea does bypass the step of having to warm the water in your stomach and intestines.
So whether you boil your water for a longer time or choose to make a quicker cup, definitely consider drinking some herbal tea throughout the day! It’s easy, convenient, and much better for hydration than coffee, tea, soda – or even higher-quality waters!
References:
-Secret Life of Water (Dr. Masaru Emoto)
-Healing Waters (Rama Kant Mishra, ayurvedic physician; naturalhealthweb.com/articles/mishra11.html)
*See Legal Junk for Disclaimers
