Let’s Awaken Our Water

During my childhood days I remember my grandmother storing water in a copper vessel overnight and asking us to drink from it first thing in the morning. She claimed the water stored in a copper vessel was extremely healthy for the mind and body. Now when I see these ancient customs reemerging & my own findings with the healing ideologies of Ayurveda, I look back and think that I should have taken my grandmother’s advice more seriously.

Copper is considered an essential mineral for our body. Ayurveda recommends storing water overnight in a copper jug and drinking it in the morning to maintain good health. The water stored in such a manner is called ‘Tamra Jal’ and helps to balance all three doshas (body humors - Kapha, Vata, and Pitta). Dosha is a Sanskrit word meaning 'mind-body constitution,' and all three doshas are present in every cell, tissue, and organ - for movement, metabolism, and fluidity - they are essential components of our life.

Copper has electromagnetic energy, which is called Prana Shakti. Drinking water that is stored for 8-10 hours in a copper vessel is very beneficial for a body to stay healthy. Copper makes the water ionic, which helps to maintain the body’s pH (acid-alkaline) balance.

• Copper’s Antimicrobial Power: According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition, storing bacterially contaminated water in copper for up to 16 hours at room temperature considerably reduces the presence of the harmful microbes so much that the researchers inferred that “copper holds promise as a point-of-use solution for microbial purification of drinking water.
• An additional study from the University of South Carolina had researchers explore the purifying power of copper and found that "antimicrobial copper surfaces in intensive care units (ICU) kill 97% of bacteria that can cause hospital-acquired infections," resulting in “a 40% reduction in the risk of acquiring an infection. The research was done in a hospital ICU. The research found that the rooms with copper-surfaced objects had less than half the infection incidence than those rooms without copper. Infection rates for MRSA and VRE in the copper rooms were also significantly lower in the copper-containing rooms as compared to rooms without copper.
• Brain stimulant: Our brain works by transmitting impulses (or orders) from one neuron to another through an area known as the synapses. These neurons are covered by a sheath called the myelin sheath that acts like a conductive agent - helping the flow of impulses. How does copper figure here, you ask? Well, copper actually helps in the synthesis of phospholipids that are essential for the formation of these myelin sheaths. Thereby making your brain work much faster and more efficiently. Apart from that, copper is also known to have anti-convulsive properties (prevents seizures).
• Aids in weight loss: If diet just doesn’t seem to be helping you lose weight, try drinking water stored in a copper vessel on a regular basis. Apart from fine-tuning your digestive system to perform better, copper also helps your body break down fat and eliminate it more efficiently.
• Slows down aging: If you are worried about the appearance of fine lines, copper is your natural remedy. Packed with very strong antioxidant and cell-forming properties, copper fights off free radicals - one of the main reasons for the formation of fine lines - and helps in the production of new and healthy skin cells that replace old, dying ones.
• Copper has anti-inflammatory properties and helps in arthritis and other inflammatory pains. This asset is especially great to relieve aches and pains caused due to inflamed joints. In addition to that, copper also has bone- and immune-system-strengthening properties, making it the perfect remedy for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Can fight off cancer: Cancer can be debilitating for both the patient and their family. How does copper help? Well, copper has very strong antioxidant properties that help fight off free radicals and negate their ill effects - one of the main reasons for the development of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the exact mechanism of how copper helps prevent the onset of cancer is still not known, but some studies have shown that copper complexes have a considerable anti-cancer effect.

Keeping a Copper Vessel

Copper oxidizes naturally and needs to be cleaned at regular intervals. Traditional methods of cleaning copper include rubbing the copper with a mixture of salt and tamarind paste or fresh lemon juice. If not lime, try salt or baking soda and vinegar to clean it. Allow your water to remain in the jug overnight or at least 8 hours for best effects. In the morning, enjoy a daily dosage of energized water.

No wonder our ancestors had copper vessels to hold their drinking water. Would you presume their lives were longer and healthier as opposed to the modern aqua-filtered counterparts? A debate may be on, but again, copper water is definitely good for us

Tags: Ayurveda