Why I Start My Day off by Drinking Lemon Water

The way you begin your morning sets the tone for the remainder of your day. So, why not start it off on a bright, juicy note?

I’m talking about lemons.

Lemon water more specifically. 

These bright, flavorful, and juicy citrus fruit are popular around the world. From Indian Ayurveda to Italian cuisine, lemons are used all across the world to enhance the flavor of food, soothe a sore throat, and even cure certain diseases. 

About a year ago I started drinking lemon water first thing in the morning. There are many reasons why pouring yourself a warm glass of lemon water first thing in the morning.

Drinking lemon water won’t cost you more than a few pennies per glass, but the payoff is huge. So, starting tomorrow morning, squeeze ½ a lemon into a glass of warm water and sip away. 

Here’s what happens when you do:

Improve Your Digestion with Lemon Water
Even if you don’t have specific digestion issues, a warm glass of lemon water can certainly get things pumping along. The citric acid in lemons helps stimulate the production of gastric acid that helps your body digest the foods you eat. Drinking the lemon water first thing primes your body for the foods you plan to eat over the course of the day. 

Lemon Water Can Clear Your Skin
Due to the vitamin C content in lemons helps purge toxins from our blood to keep skin clear of blemishes and decrease fine lines and wrinkles. Because vitamin C is an antioxidant, it fights free radical damage and helps keep your skin clear and flawless. Free radicals contribute to wrinkles and other signs of aging so keeping them away is a recipe for perfect skin. You might be surprised at how your skin glows after a few weeks on a lemon water regimen.

It’s Like a Daily, Mini-Cleanse
Lemon water acts as a gentle, natural diuretic – there’s that word again! However, unlike the negative diuretic effect of coffee, with lemon water, you’re adding more water to your system and thus it keeping hydrated. Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted toxins that are in your body at a faster rate, keeping your urinary tract healthy.

Balances pH Levels
Most of us tend to consume an over-abundance of acidic foods, which lowers our body’s pH level. Lemon water can help the body maintain a balanced pH state, alkalizing the blood and reversing the negative effects of highly acidic foods.

It’ll Give Your Metabolism a Boost
Our metabolism is essentially the rate at which your body burns calories. The more muscle mass you have, the faster it is. It turns out that lemon water can also rev your metabolism. When this happens, your body burns more calories, even at rest, which is a sure fire way to lose or control your weight. It’s not a magic cure but combined with other healthy choices; it sure can’t hurt.

It’ll Boost Your Immune System
When your immune system is functioning properly your body can ward off viruses and such that can make you sick. Drinking warm lemon water can help because lemons are loaded with vitamin C, a nutrient that is vital to proper immunity. Vitamin C helps your immune system by fighting off colds and flus, and also helps with the absorption of iron into your blood stream. Ascorbic acid (a form of vitamin C), helps in wound healing and fighting inflammation by removing uric acid from your joints.

It also helps your body absorb iron, which can fight off fatigue. A daily glass of lemon water can even help keep the common cold at bay as well as control phlegm production.

Boost Your Energy Levels for the Day 
It’s no secret that getting up and getting going in the mornings isn’t always the easiest thing. Experts say that sipping lemon water can give you the energy you need to face the day and help you feel awake and refreshed before you even have to leave the house. Also, some studies link the scent and flavor of lemon with reduced anxiety and depression. Cool, right?

Start the Day with Fresh Breath
No, you shouldn’t give up brushing and flossing your teeth in the morning, but a glass of lemon water can give you an extra hit of freshness when it comes to your breath. The lemon will help eliminate bacteria that can cause odor, and the water helps flush it out. 


REFERENCES

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Acceleration of hepatobiliary excretion by lemon juice on 99mTc-tetrofosmin cardiac SPECT.

Nucl Med Commun. 2006 Nov;27(11):859-64.

Lv X1, Zhao S1, Ning Z1, Zeng H1, Shu Y1, Tao O1, Xiao C2, Lu C3, Liu Y1.

Citrus fruits as a treasure trove of active natural metabolites that potentially provide benefits for human health.

Chem Cent J. 2015 Dec 24;9:68. doi: 10.1186/s13065-015-0145-9. eCollection 2015.

Prezioso D

Dietary treatment of urinary risk factors for renal stone formation. A review of CLU Working Group.


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Let’s Regale and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material on Lets Regale is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program. 

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