Warm Water

[Travel2003]

Something I noticed when I started to travel to Asia, was the so called health benefits drinking warm water is supposed to have.

When friends, girlfriends, and later also my wife, are feeling sick or not too well, they insists that a glass of warm water (nothing in the water) will help them to get well.

Noticed this in the Philippines as well.

Have tried to look for this on internet, but can not really find anything written about it by anyone who practice medicine.

Is this just a myth, or has it some truth in it?

PS.

A female friend was not feeling well the other day, and went to a hospital in BKK. The doctor could not determine what it was, but issued her prescriptions for 3 different drugs, and of course drink plenty warm water.

[meadish_sweetball]

I think part of this could be due to Chinese beliefs about 'qi', 'the life force'. According to that belief, cold water depletes 'qi'.

I've also noticed the Thais keep saying you should not drink cold water when you have a cold - even the doctors.

[Sheryl]

Yes, myth and yes, related to the Chinese "hot/cold" concepts.

The only effect water temperature has is on the membranes of your mouth and throat and -- very briefly - the lining of the stomach (e.g. the pain one sometimes gets eating ice cream).

Otherwise the temperature of anything you eat or drink, including water, very quickly gets brought in line with body temperature, certainly well before it is absorbed.

Warm liquids are indeed soothing to a sore throat or someone with mouth sores. And sipping hot liquids seems to help stimulate peristalsis (intestinal motility) in some people especially first thing in the morning. That's about it for its health benefits.

[Travel2003]

Back home, we always used to put something in the water, like honey, cocoa, or some sort of tea, etc.

The other day, my friend just had to have hot water.

Nothing else than hot water.

Luke warm or room temperature water was simply not good enough.

[tropo]

There's an advantage with room temperature water (around 30C here) if you're really thirsty or dehydrated as you can get it down faster and easier than ice cold water from the fridge.

[Travel2003]

There's an advantage with room temperature water (around 30C here) if you're really thirsty or dehydrated as you can get it down faster and easier than ice cold water from the fridge.

True, but the cooling effect or sensation in the throat when drinking ice water is very nice.

The locals always want to drink iced liquids, except when they feel sick, then it MUST be hot water.

I have come to the conclusion (arrogant maybe, sorry) that the hot water theory is just a myth.

[doggie888888]

Used to think acupuncture was a myth too. Until I got cured of a back injury that western medicine could not cure. I don't understand it, and do retain some scepticism. Although I now avoid cold Water as suggested by the acupuncturist too. It upsets the balance in the body when we introduce a very cold liquid. Hey, I am just the messenger but I reckon it makes some sense on a very simplistic level, and after the pleasant acupuncture outcome, I see no harm in trying to avoid cold water these days. it's alien to me, but perhaps absence of proof is not proof of absence in relation to the merits of traditional Chinese medicine. No, I don't eat sharks fin or rhino horns. I am just doing what I am comfortable with.

Just my personal experience. No, I am not gullible or religious or stupid..just a sceptic who had experienced an outcome enough to waver in my scepticism.

[tropo]

Used to think acupuncture was a myth too. Until I got cured of a back injury that western medicine could not cure. I don't understand it, and do retain some scepticism. Although I now avoid cold Water as suggested by the acupuncturist too. It upsets the balance in the body when we introduce a very cold liquid. Hey, I am just the messenger but I reckon it makes some sense on a very simplistic level, and after the pleasant acupuncture outcome, I see no harm in trying to avoid cold water these days. it's alien to me, but perhaps absence of proof is not proof of absence in relation to the merits of traditional Chinese medicine. No, I don't eat sharks fin or rhino horns. I am just doing what I am comfortable with.

Just my personal experience. No, I am not gullible or religious or stupid..just a sceptic who had experienced an outcome enough to waver in my scepticism.

Cold water upsets my wife's stomach. She always drinks it at room temperature.

I find Asians tend to be more in touch with their bodies than Westerners, especially if they come from poor backgrounds where they can't rely on medication or doctors to "fix" things.

[barefoot1988]

im nt sure the science behind it but i have some nasty chronic hearburn. it helps alot by drinking warm water, on the other hand it worsen and im bound get to wet burps if i ever drink cold water

[Jingthing]

Cold water burns SLIGHTLY more calories:

A 2006 study in "The Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism" calculated
that, in theory, it takes about 17 extra calories to heat 16 oz. of
cold water to body temperature. But when the authors tested the theory,
participants actually burned only an extra 3.5 calories in 90 minutes.
Therefore, drinking the recommended eight glasses of water helps you
burn an unimpressive 14 extra calories in a day.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/412750-cold-water-weight-loss/#ixzz2RBhlMCOE