Water for Health: An overview of principles & practices of Water consumption in Ayurveda

Water is the most essential element of human life next to air. Ayurveda considers water as the elixir of life. Modern day lifestyle undermines the importance of water with various inappropriate practices prevailing among individuals. People are confronted with a flood of advice regarding drinking of water. Present day research data indicating effect of water consumption on health is very minimal & basic. Ayurveda has elucidated in detail about the principles of water consumption for maintenance of Health, Prevention of illness and alleviation of disease. At the moment resurfacing of such Ayurvedic principles are very important. In this study, Ayurveda Classics were reviewed in terms of various aspects of water viz. importance of water, relation of water intake to food, water consumption according to season, therapeutic uses of water and indications-contraindications of water. The electronic databases Google Scholar and PubMed were searched for relevant contemporary literature. Classical Ayurveda methods of water purification can be economical, green and environment friendly. Ayurveda advocates the optimal & judicious use of water for the maintenance of health. Due to the ritu (season) specific state of dosha, specific water is indicated in different season. Medicated water, administered as per the disease condition, helps in balancing the vitiated doshas. This review has attempted to compile and analyse the significance of water in maintenance of health and alleviation of disease of an individual. Scope: This exploratory work may be considered as a potential source for generating newer hypothesis in the field of ‘Water and Health research’.