Health Benefits of Warm Lemon Water

Morning rituals are important, and a great habit to get into especially when they include self care. The practice of Ayurveda often encourages several health promoting rituals to add into your day, and according to Ayurvedic philosophy the choices that you make in regards to your daily routine can either build up resistance to disease or, tear it down

Some recommended Ayurvedic morning rituals include oil pulling and dry brushing. Both of these can provide some amazing benefits for you, and at the very least taking some time to do something for yourself and honor your body is a great way to start the day.

If you feel like you absolutely don’t have time, there is a ritual that is fairly effortless and one you should be sure to include in your busy schedule; a mug of warm water with the juice of half a lemon, that’s it and it couldn’t be easier.

Why lemons?

Lemons are packed with nutrients, including: vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. (Fun fact: they contain more potassium than apples or grapes!)

Because of how hard lemon juice can be on the enamel of your teeth, it’s important to dilute it with water of any temperature (though lukewarm is recommended). Drink it first thing in the morning, and wait 15 to 30 minutes to have breakfast. This will help you fully receive the benefits of lemon water, which are listed below.

1. Gives your immune system a boost.

Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant and offers a wide range of support for the human body and lemon juice is full of it. If provides support for numerous physiological functions including vascular integrity and healthy blood flow, cellular respiration and nutrient metabolism, it is essential for the formation of inter-cellular ground substance and collagen (healthy aging and skin), as well as a immune function.

The level of vitamin C in your system is one of the first things to plummet when you’re stressed, which is why experts recommended supplementing with extra vitamin C during especially stressful days.

Vitamin C is also involved in maintaining your body’s supply of other antioxidants, such as vitamin E and glutathione. Antioxidants are nature’s antidote to oxidative stress and the accumulation of free radicals that underlie a vast number of diseases and the functional impairments associated with aging.

Glutathione and its related enzymes are the body’s premier antioxidant and detoxifying agents as in addition to directly scavenging free radicals, they also reactivate other antioxidants.

But that’s just one of the benefits of glutathione. It also plays crucial roles in the immune response, DNA repair, and the detoxification of drugs, chemicals, radiation, metabolic wastes, and other toxins and carcinogens.

Given this broad range of activities, it makes sense that glutathione depletion is associated with disease and aging—and that increasing glutathione levels is not only a smart move for maintaining and improving one’s health and wellness and overcoming disease and illness, but also an effective therapy for a host of serious diseases

2. Excellent source of potassium.

As already mentioned, lemons are high in potassium, which is good for heart health, as well as brain and nerve function. Depression and anxiety are also linked to potassium deficiencies and suffers can benefit from potassium supplementation and consumption of lemon water.

3. Cleanses your system.

It helps flush out the toxins in your body by enhancing enzyme function, stimulating your liver and bile flow, as well as hydrating your lymphatic system.

Your liver uses bile as a way to get rid of all kinds of waste products through the secretion of bile. Your body then eliminates both bile and waste products, helping your liver cleanse.

Your lymphatic system is responsible for removing toxins from your body, you want to keep this system hydrated and working properly. When you drink warm lemon water it hydrates the system and stimulates the elimination process. If too many toxins are accumulated, you may find that you are feeling pretty stressed.

4. Aids digestion.

The warm water stimulates the gastrointestinal tract and as mentioned above, bile flow. Bile acids that are essential for your digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as aiding your digestion of proteins and starches. Bile also regulates your intestines’ level of friendly bacteria and yeast, the good microflora play a significant role supporting digestive health and the overall integrity of the GI tract as well as regulation of the immune system. Bile also encourages peristaltic action in your intestines to help fecal matter move through and out of your body.

If your bile isn’t flowing properly, you could experience a host of symptoms, from mild to severe:

• Fatigue
• Acne and other skin problems
• Sinus problems
• Allergies
• Mood swings
• Migraines
• Constipation
• Acid reflux
• Gall bladder disease
• Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
• GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease)

When you focus on your bile flow, your liver, gall bladder and digestion will automatically improve. Chances are, you’ll experience better health in the rest of your body as well. Remember, your body is a finely tuned and complex system that needs every organ and function to work properly. Ginger can also be used to stimulate bile flow and to support digestive function.

It is important to drink this lemon water before ingesting anything else in the morning. The lemons assist in loosening up toxins and other material in the digestive tract.

5. Helps you lose weight.

Because of the high content of pectin fiber in lemons, drinking lemon water can actually help fight off hunger cravings. Pectin has also been shown to reduce the amount of cholesterol being absorbed from food or bile.

6. Keeps your skin blemish-free.

The antioxidants in lemon juice help to not only decrease blemishes, but the vitamin C aids in collagen production thereby reducing wrinkles! It can also be applied to scars and age spots to reduce their appearance, and because it’s detoxifying your blood, it will maintain your skin’s radiance.

7. Balancing pH Levels.

You may think of lemons as a highly acidic food, but inside our bodies they actually become alkaline, once it is metabolized by the body the citric acid does not create acidity within the body. Some people even swear by using lemon water for treatment of acid reflux and heartburn.

8. Reduces inflammation.

If you drink lemon water on a regular basis, it will decrease the acidity in your body, which is in part where disease states occur. It removes uric acid in your joints, which is one of the main causes of inflammation and gout pain.

9. Gives you an energy boost.

Lemon juice provides your body with energy when it enters your digestive tract, and it also helps reduce anxiety and depression. (Even the scent of lemons has a calming effect on your nervous system!)

10. Helps fight viral infections.

Warm lemon water is the most effective way to diminish viral infections and their subsequent sore throats. Plus, with the lemon juice also boosting your immune system, you’ll simultaneously fight off the infection completely.

With all these amazing benefits (and that’s not even close to all of them) that can be achieved from something so simple, maybe its time you give it a go and see the benefits for yourself? It is important to use organic lemons, and purified, fluoride free water to gain the most benefits. Remember, just one cup of warm water with lemon every day in the morning, how easy is that?