Lemon water has been getting quite a bit of attention these days by people looking to be the healthiest they can. A glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning is becoming the new coffee (okay maybe we’re pushing it here), which has many people rethinking the way they start their day and what they drink throughout the day.
Rather than saturate their systems with sweet sodas and drinks that are laden with sugar and other harmful ingredients, many people have turned towards more natural ways to get the refreshment they need throughout their busy days. Sugary sodas and pre-made iced teas are becoming secondary to more healthy options for many and the people who are ditching these old ways are becoming more and more common.
It turns out; all these people are on to something. Lemon water has got a bunch of benefits and drinking it every day has the possibility to seriously revolutionize your health. Lemon water is full of what you need to flush your system, improve your digestion, and get glowing skin. A few glasses of lemon water every day will increase your energy levels and keep you going strong no matter what your day may bring.
If you haven’t already incorporated lemon water into part of your daily dietary routine, here are a few good reasons to start. Lemon water is one of the most beneficial things you can give your body and the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see why.
9 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water
- Balance the pH Levels in Your Body
We’re beginning to hear more and more about how important it is to balance the pH levels in the body for optimal health and wellness. While this is all well and good, many of us don’t even understand what this really means. Potential of hydrogen is literally what pH means and basically has to do with hydrogen ions and their relation to the acidity in our body. The pH of our blood is around 7.35, yet can become unbalanced through excess acidity introduced to our body.
What exactly introduces excess acidity to the body and disrupts our natural pH balance? As you might have guessed, diet has a lot to do with it. Our modern diets are often based out of convenience rather than nutrition and it is precisely these foods that are destroying our pH levels. Refined carbs, processed foods, refined sugars, alcohol, soda, coffee, meats, and dairy products all do a number on our pH levels and have a way of seriously disrupting our systems.
If the pH levels in your body have become too acidic, you run the risk of depleting your body and leaving it more prone to sickness and disease. It is important, therefore, to find ways to properly restore your pH balance so you can live your healthiest.
Lemon water is extremely beneficial in restoring your pH levels to their normal, healthy state. While it may seem contrary due to the acidity of lemons on their own, they actually have an incredible alkaline function that will help restore your pH balance, leaving you healthy and less prone to any sickness and disease.
- Improves Digestive Function
Having healthy digestive function is vital to good health. If your digestive tract could use a little kick-start (which everyone’s can), lemon water does an excellent job of helping to move things right along.
The acids present in lemon are actually quite similar to the natural juices that are produced by your stomach. These are the juices that aid in digestive function and can become disturbed due to poor diet, food allergies, and other factors. If you’re someone who suffers from heartburn, indigestion, or bloating you know all too well the discomfort of poor digestive function.
Fortunately, adding lemon water to your diet can dramatically improve your digestive function and help keep your digestive system in proper working order. Because the acidity in the lemon juice is so close to the digestive juices in our stomach, not only does it help food to be digested more easily, but it also helps speed things along. This is one of the reasons many people will drink lemon water when they are trying to lose weight.
- Cleanses the Urinary Tract
As a natural diuretic, lemon water is going to make you urinate more frequently and in much larger quantities than you might be used to now. When you drink lemon water daily, it helps to flush out any toxins that have gotten trapped in the urinary tract. Not only does this offer a cleaner urinary tract, but also improves its function. Lemon water is excellent for making this elimination process run a lot smoother.
Drinking lemon water daily will, over time, reduce the amount of bacteria that may otherwise become stuck in your urinary tract. More elimination means a cleaner flush of all those toxins that can accumulate and keep you clear of any urinary tract infections or other painful conditions associated with your urinary tract.
- Encourages Quicker Healing
Vitamin C is the best nutrient for supporting faster healing of the body. It is amazing for the regeneration of our cells and a healthy daily dose of vitamin C is recommended for everyone. Just as their orange cousins, lemons are packed full of vitamin C, and drinking a glass or two of lemon water each day will make sure you’re getting the vitamin C you need so your body can repair itself quickly.
- Amazing for Skin
Lemon juice is an age-old remedy that actually helps to fight the signs of aging. There are a plethora of antioxidants present in the acids of the lemon juice, which just like other antioxidants, help to flush free radicals and toxins right out of your body. These free radicals and nasty toxins are what are responsible for speeding up the aging process and leaving your skin looking less than lustrous.
The vitamin C present in lemons will actually help boost your production of collagen, which is what makes skin keep its elasticity. Our collagen production naturally declines with age and drinking lemon water daily will ensure that your body is producing the collagen it can to keep your skin looking its best. If you’re someone who hasn’t taken the best care of their skin throughout their life, drinking lemon water every day can help to repair the damage that’s been done and give your skin the look you desire.
- Strengthens the Immune System
Not only does lemon water contain the healthy amounts of vitamin C your body needs to repair itself and maintain healthy skin, but will also do wonders to strengthen your immune system. You’ll protect yourself from those common conditions like the cold and flu while continuing to build immune strength. Lemon juice also works to help the body absorb more iron, which is something vital for keeping the immune system in top shape.
- Freshens the Breath
I don’t care who you are, no one wants stinky breath. It can make things super embarrassing and is a condition that affects numerous people, even if they would care not to admit it. The vitamin C present in lemons works as a powerful disinfectant that will work to kill the bacteria responsible for bad breath. Drinking it regularly (like every morning) will work over time to eliminate the cause of bad breath instead of just masking the symptoms.
- Reduces Appetite
One of the biggest reasons lemon water has become so popular in detox diets is its ability to reduce your appetite and curb hunger pains. If you’re dieting or have dieted in the past, you’re all too familiar with those annoying cravings that come on and just don’t seem to go away. Isn’t this the reason so many diets fail?
Introducing lemon water to your daily routine will seriously help stave off these cravings and keep your hunger pains at bay. If you’re trying to lose weight, lemon water is the perfect addition to your weight loss goals and is much healthier than any “diet pill” you could ever take. Lemon water helps you lose weight naturally and, instead of side effects, just comes with a host of amazing benefits.
- Detoxifies the Liver
A healthy functioning liver is the cornerstone of good health. The liver is the body’s main filter and works hard to keep the body free of any damaging toxins. When people take good care of themselves and ensure that they’re eating a healthy diet, the liver really has no problem doing its job.
For those with less than a healthy lifestyle, it’s a completely different story. Processed foods, alcohol, refined sugars and carbs, and other not-so-healthy lifestyle choices can seriously disrupt liver function over time. It’s important that the liver gets its own personal detox from time to time to keep the body running its best.
Drinking a daily dose of lemon water is excellent in helping to keep these toxins out of the liver. It increases bile, which dramatically aids in digestion and liver function. Drinking a glass of warm lemon water every day is like giving your liver a daily cleanse, something that everyone can benefit from no matter how healthy they may be.
Lemon Water Detox
While adding a daily dose of lemon water to your diet is highly recommended, you may be looking for a deep detox that quickly eliminates toxins and restores your natural balance of health.
The many ways you can use lemon water for a dietary detox go on and on, and you’ll enjoy endless ways of cleaning out your system with any of the numerous lemon water based detox drinks.
While there are many different types of detox programs that include lemon water, perhaps none are more popular and well-known as the Master Cleanse. What is the Master Cleanse exactly and how does it benefit your health and well-being?
The Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse has been around for almost 50 years and although its methodology has varied a bit throughout these decades, one thing remains the same. The Master Cleanse works and works well.
The Master Cleanse combines four simple ingredients that help you to break up toxins that have built up in the system, flush them out of your body, and see short-term weight loss. Other health benefits include: better sleep, clarity of mind, a postive outlook, and an overall sense of increased well-being. The Master Cleanse works with the idea that in order for the body to properly heal from any disease or toxic build-up that it must be cleansed. A negative outlook, poor diet, and lack of exercise are all factors that will make toxins build up in the system over a period of time. In order to live as your healthiest self, it is important to cleanse the body from time to time so these toxins can be eliminated.
Preparing for the Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse isn’t just something you decide to do one day and start the next. This minimum ten day cleanse must be prepared for in order for your body to properly adjust.
If you’re accustom to a diet that is full of processed and artificial foods, it is wise to try and eliminate them from your diet for at least a week prior to starting. Many people that undertake this cleanse switch to a vegetarian diet in order for their bodies to more easily adapt to the changes it will experience. Reducing caffeine and sugar intake is also highly recommended in order to lessen the withdrawals (such as headaches) that are common when eliminating these items.
Doing the Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse consists of drinking a mixture of water, lemon, honey, and cayenne pepper for a minimum of ten days. Some people prefer up to 14 days, while some go up to as many as 21 days, but this extended length of time is not necessary for positive results. For those new to the Master Cleanse, 10 days is sufficient and, although it will more than likely prove to be challenging, the results you experience will be amazing.
The classic recipe for the Master Cleanse includes the following ingredients:
- 10 ounces hot or cold water
- 2 tablespoons lemon
- 2 tablespoon pure organic maple syrup
- 1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper
This is all you need and also all you will put in your body for at least ten days. This mixture should be taken throughout the day and especially any time you feel any hunger pains come on. Always drink this mixture fresh and drink as much of it as you need. By the third or fourth day, your body should be accustom to the changes it is experiencing and things from here on out tend to get easier.
The preparation to come out of the Master Cleanse and break your fast is just as important as the preparation that you went into before you started. On the first day your cleanse is broken, orange juice should be the only thing you take in. You may also continue to drink your lemon juice mixture. Light teas such as green or chamomile can also be slowly introduced on the first day.
On the second day, you can start with vegetable broth and move into some light vegetable soup. The third day off your cleanse can see fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Lightly sautéed or steamed vegetables are an excellent choice. For the first week, be sure not to overeat and make sure to drink plenty of water.
Completing the Master Cleanse should be something to celebrate! Be sure to pay special attention to your body and, after it’s over, only eat foods that are healthy and full of the nutrients your body needs. The Master Cleanse is an excellent way to build a solid foundation of healthy habits and will truly revolutionize your health and your eating habits.
Fruit Infused Lemon Water Detox
Not everyone is looking to undertake a ten-day fast, which is something completely understandable. There are other ways to use lemon water to detox without undertaking something as grandiose as the Master Cleanse. A fruit-infused lemon water detox has become something wildly popular in recent years and for good reason. Benefits of a fruit infused lemon water detox include:
- Flushing toxins from your system.
- Naturally helps the body to release fat cells.
- Improves mood.
- Increases energy.
- Fills you up so you don’t eat as much.
- Reduces muscle fatigue during workouts.
There is no shortage of variety when it comes to the different kinds of infused waters you can make. The most popular fruit ingredients include: lemon, lime, oranges, strawberry, and apple, while the most popular herbs to add are mint and basil. Cucumber is also an admired addition to infused waters.
With any detox, it is vital that you remove all processed foods and things like coffee, soda, and refined sugars from your diet. Replacing these foods with wholesome whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins such as fish and organic eggs is optimal for best results.
Doing a detox is all about eliminating toxins from your body and flushing out your system, so adhering to an unhealthy diet while trying to detox simply won’t work and completely defeats the whole purpose of your detox in the first place. Adding these fruit infused lemon water drinks to a healthy diet will quickly help to get rid of the bad and bring on only good, wholesome health.
3 Delicious Lemon Water Detox Drinks
- Mint-Infused Lemon Water
While lemon water on its own is an excellent detox aid, adding fresh mint will only increase its benefits. Mint is excellent for digestion and combined with the acidity of the lemon juice makes a powerful statement to your digestive tract. This refreshing beverage is a great addition to drinking regular lemon water. Simply muddle fresh mint leaves in a glass, add the juice from a half a lemon and top with water. Stir and enjoy the lasting benefits of this twist on traditional lemon water.
- Lemon Cucumber Water
The combination of lemon and cucumber in this popular drink which is found in spas across the world is a very beneficial detox drink that will quickly help to flush toxins right out of your system. If you’re looking to lose weight, this is the ultimate lemon detox water. Cucumber helps to flush toxins, keeps you hydrated, aids in weight loss, and helps to fight cancer. Combined with the already numerous benefits of lemon water, this is a detox drink that can’t be beat.
- Strawberry Lemon Water
With some of the most antioxidants found in any other berry, strawberries added to lemon water makes for a powerful detox drink that is perfect for a spring cleanse. Strawberries are full of vitamin C, manganese, phytonutrients, and more. Added to lemon water, they make for a superb detox tonic that is refreshing, sweet, and full of what your body needs. To make this delicious detoxifier, crush strawberries in a glass, add the juice of half a lemon, add 8-10 ounces of fresh water, stir, and enjoy as many glasses of this drink you want every day for serious detoxifying advantages.
Adding lemon water to your daily routine or undertaking a lemon water detox is highly recommended for optimal health. With the numerous benefits contained in lemon water, it doesn’t make any sense not to have it be part of something you put in your body every single day. Starting and ending your day with a warm cup of lemon water could be one of the best things you’ve ever done to take care of your health and inspire a lasting change. Plus, it is something that won’t break the bank.
Lemon water is quickly becoming the go-to drink for those who are looking to lose weight and flush their system of toxic build-up. As an excellent source of vitamin C that is responsible for flushing your system and improving digestive function, lemon water is an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their health and feel their best.