Give me Lemon Water And I will Give You a Happy Body
We all thought, at some point, that lemons were too acidic for our bodies. In fact, they are part of the alkaline food. Let's clarify, they are acidic yes, but as soon as they enter the body, they become alkaline. Obviously, we know how badly we need more alkaline foods in our body because it helps reduce the inflammation that we all carry.
As a holistic nutritionist and Ayurvedic practitioner, I recommend that my clients drink lukewarm water with the freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon daily, on an empty stomach. It does magic! Let me explain how and why...
Hot lemon water in an empty stomach helps to balance the pH in the body. It is rich in potassium and vitamin C. Lemon itself is a cleanser, purifier, rejuvenator and detoxifier, especially for the liver. Drinking lemon water helps stimulate stomach juices and aid digestion.
Ladies, do you want great skin? Here it is, the secret to radiant, clear skin. In addition, it helps reduce hunger, so it is a great tool for reducing weight.
Don't worry if more of the white lump and lemon pulp gets into your water. You will get extra calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, bonus!
Drinking water alone helps flush toxins from the body, adding lemon to the water can actually increase the rate of urination, which will help flush more toxins (Ama). For many clients, this helps them have a bowel movement in the morning. Goodbye, goodbye bacteria!
On a note from Bajan (residents of Barbados): For one with more access to limes than lemons, it is fine to use limes. I strongly prefer to use foods that grow locally instead of relying on imports for many environmental and health reasons.
Start now and see for yourself what it can do for you!
Recipes:
Fresh lemon
Filtered water
Boiling water
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a mixture of boiled water and regular filter water to warm it up. Make sure it is not too hot. Drink it all on an empty stomach, such as getting up every day after tearing your tongue (see my previous blog post).
Cheers, and enjoy!
- Josée Ishwari Marcoux