A good friend of mine who is also a Chinese Medicine Herbalist told me that whenever her daughter brings a bottle of warm water to school, her friends would look as if she is weird or had done something wrong.
So why do many Chinese people insist on drinking warm-water rather than ice-cold water?
Let’s first review the pathogenic factor “Cold”.
“Cold” is a Yin pathogenic factor that prohibits Yang-Qi. “Cold” disrupts the normal flow of Qi, Blood and Body fluids. It causes contraction of the pores of the skin and causes pain and stiffness.
How Does Drinking Cold-Water Harm you?
1) Dampness
Since Cold disrupts the flow of Qi, Blood and Body Fluid, the water accumulates and results in “Dampness” in the body.
Dampness in the body can cause nausea, distention in the abdomen, poor appetite, loose stools, edema, etc.
2) Accumulation of Fat
Since the Qi is not flowing smoothly in the body due to the Cold, the metabolism is slow and fat can be easily accumulated.
3) Stomach
From a Chinese Medicine perspective, “The Stomach likes warm but dislikes cold”. Drinking cold-water harms the stomach.
The spleen and stomach are the “Source of Qi, Blood and Body Fluid” since they are responsible for the digestion, absorption and transportation of Nutrients and Water.
Therefore harming the stomach can lead to a deficiency in digestion and absorption.
4) Menstruation Abnormality
Drinking cold water may lead to coldness in the Uterus, leading to a menstruation cramp, blood cots, late or absent menstruation.
Recommendations
1) Drink Warm Water in the Morning
The level of our Yang-Qi and Yin-Qi in our bodies varies throughout the day. In the morning our Yang-Qi starts to rise, reaching a maximum at noon. Therefore at this period we have to protect the Yang-Qi.
The Cold-water harms the Yang-Qi as if we pour a bucket into the fire.
2) Discipline
I am not going to lie, I do occasionally eat ice-cream or drink a glass of cold beverage, since life is all about balance. You have to enjoy your life! However, discipline and control are important. At the end of the day, your health is still the most valuable.
In summary, prevention is better than cure. A healthy body is just a few habits away. Let’s start changing our daily routines to achieve a healthier body!
Registered Acupuncturist (R.Ac), Alex Hui created this blog to share with the world the treasures in Chinese Medicine (CM).