Q. I have heard you say that you never drink ice water and I cannot imagine why not. What’s wrong with ice water? Plus, you drink warm water first thing every morning. Doesn’t that make you gag?

A. You are correct. I never drink ice-cold water or water that contains ice cubes. Ice cubes are often not as clean as one would wish, some having been found to contain bacteria and fungi in restaurants as well as in homes. Various reports connect drinking ice water with potential problems including:

• Increased risk of a headache (more common in females)
• A potential link with migraines
• Increased risk of a sore throat
• Increased expenditure of energy as the body’s core temperature needs to be raised to the average of 98.6 F. or 37 C. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11442559)

Each morning I drink two glasses of very warm-to-hot water containing a tablespoon or two of lemon juice (and often ¼ tsp of capsicum). Studies have shown many benefits:

• Boots up metabolism and increases the rate at which the body burns calories
• Dissolves phlegm and helps clear nasal congestion
• Soothes abdominal muscles
• Helps flush waste from the body
• Aids cellular repair that can improve skin elasticity
• Flushes toxins out through pores in the skin
• Activates receptors found in the stomach, esophagus, intestines and mouth that stimulate Brain Reward System
• Helps break down fat deposits in the body and blood stream, et cetera