Water has been long hailed as a wonder liquid, from quenching your thirst to curing a headache, it has many benefits. There are even apps to remind us to drink on time!
But are there more benefits of this wonder cure?
Claim:
A message being shared on social media claims that if you wake up in the morning and drink four glasses of hot water you can get rid of many diseases.
The message goes into detail describing the time taken to eliminate certain diseases, for example, it claims that cancer can be cured in nine months while diabetes will disappear in 30 days.
True or False?
While it is true that drinking hot water early in the morning can keep you healthy and hydrated, FIT spoke to Dr Ashwini Setya, a gastroenterologist from Max Healthcare, to find out if it can be used as treatment for various diseases.
“So far there has been no such study that says that by drinking hot water all kinds of diseases can be cured forever.”
Furthermore this message claims that is has been “accredited by Japanese Doctors,” to which Dr Setya says that “There is no evidence that confirms this claims.”
He adds that if drinking hot water in the morning was the magic solution to all diseases, there would be no need to consult a doctor or medical expert ever.
“Ayurveda recommends the drinking of hot water in the morning for improving your general health. But as far as this method as a treatment for diseases, there is no such study which says that cancer, diabetes or any disease can be cured this way.”Dr Ashwini Setya
Besides, generally, we do already follow this as we take hot water in the form of tea or coffee in the morning, which is only 90 percent hot water.
Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, chief clinical dietitian at Apollo Hospital talks to FIT about the claim as well, saying, “Hot water is undoubtedly very beneficial, but it would be wrong to say that it is possible to treat diseases.”
She adds that health practitioners recommend drinking warm water as it is helpful in raising blood circulation and protecting the organs in our body.
Additionally, checking site HoaxorFact has clarified this myth, stating that while drinking hot water on an empty stomach in the morning is beneficial to curing many diseases, it alone is not enough treatment for any disease.
Problems with Drinking Cold Water?
The message also claims that drinking cold water, water with ice and having ice cream can be very harmful. To this Dr Setya says that while cold water or too much ice cream is not ideal, it cannot cause any major harm to our bodies.
The message also adds that drinking cold water can lead to fat accumulation in the liver. To this, Dr Setya says,
“Fat accumulation in the liver is caused by many diseases or metabolic problems, but it is unlikely that cold water causes the same.”
He adds that drinking cold water could even help cool down your body temperature quickly, especially in the summer heat.
The Viral Message is a Hoax
“Just as there is no harm in drinking cold water, drinking hot water also doesn’t harm us but instead has many health benefits. But only drinking hot water to cure diseases wont work.”Dr Ashwini Setya
According to Dr Setya, it’s better to not have so much faith in such viral messages and consult a doctor or medical practitioner for any health related queries.
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