Do you Drink Water when you eat?
Does eating ever leave you feeling bloated, sluggish, or with heartburn after a meal? These uncomfortable symptoms could be signs that you are are not hydrating properly.
When we don't drink enough water, it disrupts the delicate balance of many of our bodily functions, especially our digestive system. The Ayurvedic understanding of hydration emphasises the importance of drinking water at the right time and the right temperature to support optimal digestion and therefore the most efficient functioning of all the bodily functions and transformations that follow.
The Ayurvedic understanding of digestion centres around the concept of Agni, the digestive fire. As always, Context Matters; Fire here, is not a literal fire like in the English language, but rather a 7000 year old word first spoken, then written, in Sanskrit and translated to English only in recent history. Fire refers to transformative power, or as modern science call it, digestion and metabolism. And just as a fire needs fuel and the right temperature to burn efficiently, Agni needs proper nourishment and hydration to function optimally.
So how does this affect our meals? Water acts with digestive enzymes to create solvents that break down complex molecules into simpler ones that the body can more readily absorb. Water also helps to maintain the proper pH balance in the digestive system, which allows for the most efficient nutrient absorption.
When we hydrate well we experience more energy, decreased or no post-meal symptoms, elimination is easy, our weight stabilises, and our skin looks great! So, how do we hydrate properly? Read on!
Do's:
Drink a 12oz glass of water 30 minutes before meals
Sip room-temperature, warm, or hot water during meals
Sip on warm and hot water, and herbal teas throughout the day.
Practice mindfulness. Our busy lives can leave us so distracted or so focused that we do not listen to our body’s needs and suppress urges like thirst. Practicing mindfulness by regularly taking breaks from activity to bring your awareness back into your body and notice, listen and act on what it is asking of you.
Don'ts:
Drink copious amounts of water during meals, this dilutes stomach acids and hinders digestion.
Drink cold water, which cools digestive Fire and therefore hinders digestion
So go out, hydrate and enhance your overall health and well-being.
For personalised custom support, book in for a consultation online or at one of our Clinics in Whistler or Pemberton.
Nicki is a Hiking Guide, Ayurvedic Pracitioner and Yoga teacher living in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia.
Her programs prioritise playfulness, community, authenticity, and a deep curiosity for self-discovery, connection with others, and exploration the awe-inspiring landscapes surrounding Whistler to craft transformative nature-immersed experiences.
