I know that it’s hard to be healthy in our modern, industrial world. Chronic illness is becoming more and more common because there are so many ways we get bombarded with toxins each day.

Even breast milk is shown to contain levels of PFAs (immune-suppressing chemicals found in non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing!) so imagine what our bodies are holding onto. The good news is, there are just as many simple changes we can make to shed those toxins!

One of the cheapest ways to do this? Sipping hot water throughout the day.

Sipping hot water is an ancient Ayurvedic purification technique that is excellent for improving digestion and eliminating toxins from the lymph. Be sure to check my last post to read up on symptoms of a sluggish lymphatic system!

Why it Works

Toxins (called “ama” in Ayurveda) that enter the body from external factors such as food, environment, stress, etc. are sticky and greasy by nature. Hot water can dissolve ama from your system just as it dissolves grease from dirty dishes – gradually & comfortably.

Just as you boil/cook food in hot water to make it easier to assimilate and to kill the food’s impurities, drinking hot water does the same in your body. It assists in the digestive process by further cooking food you are having trouble digesting in your gut, and dissolves ama to be easily eliminated.

Ayurveda recommends plain hot water for flushing the lymphatic system, softening hardened tissues, and hydrating deep tissues. It also heals and repairs the digestive system and flushes the GALT (lymph on the outside of the intestinal wall).

The frequency of sipping hot water is more important than the quantity of water you drink.

Aim for every 15 minutes, but every half hour to hour is fine too if that’s what you can manage. The easiest way to do this is to keep a thermos full of hot water at your desk. You only need one or two sips every 15 minutes, so you won’t have to run around refilling it all day.

Doing this consistently for 2 weeks is an excellent time frame for a ‘flush’ (but I still incorporate hot water every single day as soon as I wake up and throughout the day!) x