How to Drink Water?! with Tracy Bhalla

Eating Smart with Tracy Bhalla How to Drink Water?!

Wow – is there a right and a wrong way to drink water? Well, yes, apparently there is. And many of us have been doing it incorrectly for years!

We are all aware of water quality of course, though that is not to say that bottled water is always better than straight from a spring or even from the faucet; just because you are paying more for it does not automatically make it better! In fact, using a filtration system such as Brita, is just as effective (and more so in some cases) at giving you that nice fresh water tastes we all desire. Not to mention water that is free and clear of all things undesirable, like iron for instance.

HOWEVER, that is not what this article is about. Today we are going to discuss water temperature. Yes, you read that correctly, TEMPERATURE, and how that affects your whole body.

I know that most Americans cannot drink a soft drink without a TON of ice in the glass first, but maybe after reading this you will think twice about that practice. In Europe, most drinks are served cool or room temperature; note “cool” as opposed to “cold”, cool being around 60-68F and cold being 36-42F – quite a difference. Most people cannot drink a cold drink very quickly, so if you are dehydrated it is difficult for you to consume as much water as your body needs if it is too cold. Whereas if it is “cool” we can drink it without issue and therefore tend to drink more, this hydrating much more effectively.

Cold drinks can actually induce stomach and/or headaches, supposedly from the shock of the super low temperature.

Drinking warm water can actually aid in digestion, help your circulation and generally assist your body in getting rid of toxins faster. Experts claim that cold drinks hinder digestion, they make your blood vessels contract thereby restricting your ability to digest effectively. The body is spending all its efforts trying to regulate your body temperature – i.e., getting it warmer again – which can cause water loss and make you feel dehydrated.

The normal body temperature is 98.6F, when you consume something that is only 38F then your body must compensate by spending energy getting your internal body temperature back up. This energy is now not being spent on digestion, which can then lead to digestive problems down the road. Experts also say that if you drink chilled water during or just after your meal, the chilled temperature would solidify the fats from the foods you have just consumed, making it tough for your body to break down the unwanted fats in your body. So, eating fatty foods and drinking ice cold water together is a really bad idea.

Now obviously there are times when this ability to regulate your internal temperature can come in useful, for example if you are outside in the sun all day and you are basically overheating, or you are working out, playing soccer, etc. and you need to actually cool down your body temperature. Day to day, however, this is not the case and we could be doing ourselves more harm than good.

I know from experience that the opposite of this is certainly true. When I was in the Territorial Army (the UK version of the National Guard) we would be required to drink a hot drink first thing in the morning when out on expeditions, to warm up our internal temperatures as it was so cold outside. And it worked! As I’m sure you all know; on those cold wintry days what feels better than a hot chocolate or coffee. You can feel the warmth running through your body, because your body is getting too cold! Basically, we are giving it a helping hand.

That’s what our bodies strive for 24/7 – homeostasis! “The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.” Our bodies are constantly striving to maintain our internal body temperature of 98.6F So why don’t we help it out a little more often, instead of making it fight so hard all the time?