The term “Ayurveda” combines the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). It is the Science of Life. Ayurveda has been successfully used for preventive, curative, and palliative medical purposes for several thousand years and by billions of people throughout the world.
Ayurvedic water therapy is a simple and effective way to increase the quality and reduce the quantity of the water you drink. It not only cleanses, purifies, strengthens, and vitalizes the digestive system, but it also benefits the whole body materially (anatomy) and energetically (physiology).
I used to interact more with patients in the German-speaking realm, where Ayurvedic water therapy was more widely known and practiced than in the English-speaking realm. In the German-speaking world, there is also more knowledge and greater acceptance of natural therapies in general. Further, costs for diagnosis and treatment by alternative and complementary medical practitioners are often covered by health insurance so people have fewer out-of-pocket expenses when they seek assistance outside the mainstream medical system.
The Simple Ayurvedic Water Therapy Procedure
- The water should be passed through a proper filtration system and allowed to stand several hours (overnight, for example) in a covered container.
- Boil the water 10 minutes in an uncovered pot.
- Fill a thermos bottle with the boiled water and take sips, at lukewarm temperature, at regular intervals throughout the day, say every hour or so. You may also drink other healthy liquids whenever you wish.
Ayurvedic Water Therapy Facilitates Hydration
Many people are suffering from dehydration although they are constantly thirsty and drink a lot of water. Deficient digestive fire (agni) can be the cause since accumulated metabolic wastes and environmental toxins (ama) — taken in through air, water, and food — block the absorption of water into the body’s cells, tissues, and organs.
Ayurvedic Water Therapy increases agni (digestive fire) and thus facilitates elimination of ama (toxins). Overconsumption of water, such as is commonly recommended by Western medical authorities, decreases agni, thus facilitating the accumulation of toxins. Once again, the decrease of digestive fire and the resultant increase of toxins in the body prevent adequate water absorption.
Ayurvedic Water Therapy Boosts Your Metabolism
Increased digestive fire (agni) results in foods being more completely metabolized with greater absorption of nutrients and intelligent life-force (prana). A properly nourished and vitalized person suffers fewer hunger pangs, snacks less, and eats smaller portions at meals.
Copper Containers for your Ayurvedic Water Therapy
Copper has medicinal qualities, when properly used, from the perspective of alchemical European and traditional Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese medicines.
Some of copper’s benefits:
- Kills germs (anti-microbial)
- Stimulates brain function
- Promotes weight loss
- Slows down aging
- Alleviates aches and pains due to inflamed joints (anti-inflammatory)
- Helps prevent cancer
We have an example of scaremongering about traditional medicine based on a materialistic Western perspective in Lauren Steussey’s New York Post article, “Trendy Water Bottles Can Make You Sick”:
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that drinking water that contains higher-than-normal levels of copper could cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while very high levels can lead to death.”
Storing water in copper containers has posed no problem experientially for thousands of years in India and beyond. Maybe it is a good idea, however, to use your copper containers to hold water only (neutral pH) and to avoid using them to hold acidic juices, as suggested in the article by Dr. Terry Gordon, environmental medicine professor at the NYU School of Medicine. There are also good spiritual scientific reasons to do so.
Therefore, you have the option of increasing the benefit of Ayurvedic Water Therapy by using a copper container to store the water overnight and a copper thermos to contain the boiled water to be drunk lukewarm throughout the day.
You might also be interested in my previous blog post, “Living Waters and Your Health”.
Joseph Michael Contrada
(Re-)Sources:
Sadhguru with Ed Begly, “The Power of Water” (video)
Mike Dhaliwal, M.D., Vedic Sage, “Ama = Toxins” (video)
Dylan Smith, “Shed Toxins with Hot Water: The Best Digestive Medicine“
Meenakshi Gupta, “Six Reasons to Try a Copper Water Vessel”
Lauren Steussey, “Trendy Water Bottles Can Make You Sick”