Amidst the global pandemic of COVID-19, the department of AYUSH has given the guidelines as part of Ayurveda, and the first and foremost suggestion given, is regarding the use of warm water.
In the last post we have already discussed the benefits of having ushnodaka ( warm water)
Let's see why exactly is boiling or cooking of water so important.
According to Ashtanga Sangraha,
For persons who have mild increase in doshas (which are moving throughout the body), who have poor digestive capacity and who have become weak after illness, even little quantity of uncooked water (aama- udaka) will not be good, as it will cause increase of all the 3 doshas.
As mentioned before, when the water is not thoroughly boiled or cooked it is called as aama-udaka. This process of boiling the water helps to make it laghu (light to digest). No matter how pure the water - even aantriksh jala (rain water) or present-day RO/UV purified water should be subjected to boiling.
According to ayurveda, almost all the diseases arising in the body are due to the improper functioning of agni (digestive fire). Uncooked/unboiled water has guru guna, which makes it difficult to be digested by the agni. When one experiences slight derangement of doshas (where the disease formation has started), and then consumes unboiled water in such a condition, all the 3 doshas are increased as a result, and the process of disease formation is sped up.
The general practice of mixing normal unboiled water to hot water to cool it down, should be strictly avoided. Doing this defeats the whole purpose of boiling the water, since mixing the two will make the boiled water lose all its newly acquired properties. If required, the boiled water can be cooled down to room temperature and consumed as and when required, especially during summer season.
For detailed consultation with our doctors contact ayur.nidhi@yahoo.com or use our website www.ayurnidhi.com to book an appointment.