My love knows no bounds for lemons. I drink lemon in the morning every day, or at least try to, traveling can make it hard, but when I travel, I take my handy dandy lemon essential oil to add to my water. Lemon in water is the first thing that enters my body every morning, whether it is in water (people recommend warm water, as your body has an easier job absorbing because it does not have to be warmed by your body, but most of the times I give a squeeze to room temperature water). Sometimes, I also put it in my morning green tea. Another morning essential for me. NO morning is complete without green tea. )
Lemons are seriously nature’s clorox. That sounds crazy, but hear me out. Lemons are a super powerhouse for cleaning. Let’s talk about all the benefits that the little ol’ lemon has.
1. Aids in digestion. Drinking any water, or especially warm water, first thing in the morning can help flush the digestive system and rehydrate the body. Why? Think about it? Do you drink in the middle of the night (unless you ate something too salty for you, you probably are not drinking in the middle of the night)? Usually you go without water for 7-9 hours. Drinking a few glasses upon waking is an ideal way to get your bod and brain going.
2. Detox. The liver is a busy bee during your sleep cycle, as it is your body’s time to restore, replenish and regenerate. Sleep does the bod good. We all know that. There is even some evidence that lemon juice can help stimulate proper stomach acid production and bile production.
3. Weight Management. There is evidence that drinking water, especially lemon water, first thing in the morning can help maintain a healthy weight. Researchers in Germany found that drinking enough water increased metabolism:
After drinking approximately 17 ounces of water, the subjects’ metabolic rates — or the rate at which calories are burned — increased by 30% for both men and women. The increases occurred within 10 minutes of water consumption and reached a maximum after about 30 to 40 minutes.(source)
4. Healthy Skin. We know the importance of a daily Vitamin C serum (you do know about this right?!? If not, get on it ASAP.) Vitamin C which is needed for collagen production. Hello smooth, plump and healthy skin.
5. Major Vitamin C boost. Who doesn’t want a little extra oomph to their immune system? Lemons contain Vitamin C, we know this. They also contain potassium.Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning gives the body a chance to absorb these vitamins effectively without anything buffering or having o be broken down first. Vitamin C has also been noted to be good for the adrenals and can potentially help reduce the affects of stress (we will get more into adrenals later).
