OMHC Public Service Announcement

Most people are aware that drinking water is essential to life here on

earth, and that doctors recommend an ideal eight glasses of water a

day. What is not often brought to mind is whether it matters if the

water is hot or cold. According to Tegan Jones in the article published

at lifehack.com, there are many health benefits that are exclusive to

drinking warm or hot water that cannot be obtained from drinking cold

water alone.

1. Weight loss – hot water helps to maintain a healthy metabolism and

helps aid in breaking down adipose tissue (fat) in your body.

2. Natural remedy – hot water is a natural remedy for colds, coughs and

sore throats. It provides relief by helping to clear nasal congestion

and dissolving phlegm while also removing it from your respiratory tract.

3. Menstrual cramps – the heat of hot water has a calming and soothing

effect on the abdominal muscles, which can aid in diminishing menstrual

cramps.

4. Body detoxification – drinking hot water helps your body temperature

to rise, which results in sweat, resulting in the release of toxins from

your body. For added cleansing benefits, add a lemon slice to the hot

water before drinking.

5. Prevention of premature aging – while clearing your body of toxins,

which make you age faster, hot water also helps aid in repairing skin

cells, increasing the elasticity and smoothness of your skin.

6. Prevention of acne and pimples – hot water cleanses your body and

eliminates the root causes of acne-related infections.

7. Hair health and vitality – drinking hot water is also good for

obtaining soft, shiny hair. It energizes nerve endings in your hair

roots making them active, helping the natural vitality of your hair and

keeping it healthy.

8. Promoting hair growth – not only does hot water make your hair soft

and shiny, it makes it grow! Hot water promotes regular activity of the

roots and accelerates the growth of your hair.

9. Dandruff prevention – hot water keeps your scalp hydrated and helps

in fighting against dry scalp or dandruff.

10. Promotes a healthy nervous system – another important benefit of

drinking hot water is the enhancement of blood circulation, important to

proper muscle and nerve activity. In addition, it helps to keep your

nervous system healthy by breaking down the fat deposits around it.

11. Digestion – hot water is particularly beneficial for digestion.

Studies have shown that drinking cold water during or after a meal can

harden the oil present in consumed foods. This can create a fat

deposit on the inner wall of your intestine, which can eventually result

in intestinal cancer. However, replacing the glass of cold water with

hot avoids this problem and is beneficial to digestion.

12. Bowel movements – hot water can help to keep you regular, as well as

make your bowel movements healthy and pain free. Dehydration can result

in chronic problems with constipation. As stool accumulates inside your

intestine, the movement of the bowel slows. It is always recommended

that you consume a glassful of hot or warm water every morning when your

stomach is empty. It decomposes any remnant foodstuffs and makes the

movement of the particles smooth and less painful through the intestine.

Warm or hot water, especially in the morning, can heal our bodies,

providing digestive power and reducing metabolic waste that may be

building up in our immune system. Stella Metsovas, clinical

nutritionist and media health expert in Food and Nutrition Sciences,

states, "Physicians recommend drinking warm water in the morning,

usually, with a polyphenol-rich lemon immersion, or with a tea shown to

decrease free radical activity in the body."