Supports and Improves Digestion:
Our stomach need to be somewhat acidic to digest our food in the best manner, therefore, lemon water helps support the acidic environment required to metabolise. Let’s not forget to mention the fact that this helps prevent constipation and improves your bowel movements. In general, drinking lemon water helps kickstart your digestive system and get it moving. Not only does it get it moving, it also helps prevent from getting blocked by toxins. It tricks your liver to start to detoxify by producing more bile which helps move food through your body smoothly. Lemons are also considered an alkaline forming food which helps support your health and balances your body’s pH (power of hydrogen).
Supports Weight Loss and Control:
You don’t have to necessarily replace all your morning drinks with hot water and lemon but think of potentially removing one or all of them as a possibility. Reduce the amount of coffee you have a day by replacing your early morning cup of coffee with it. Possibly reduce the amount of sugar you are injecting into your body with juices or other drinks you might be enjoying. Not only can you drink this in the morning but you can also drink a glass before and/or after meals to consistently support the acidic environment required for your enzymes to work to digest. This in turns lead to better digestion and weight maintenance. Think about it, if you get bored of drinking water, lemon water is the next best thing. Studies have shown how drinking lemon water in a consistent manner supports weight loss and improves sugar levels.
Drinking more water (with or without lemon) automatically makes you feel more full and helps support smaller portions besides the major benefit of hydrating your body.
Hydration
Incorporating a glass of water, regardless of the lemon, supports your hydration levels and the required amount of water per day your body ideally needs to function well. This further supports the idea of creating a routine and applying healthy tricks along your daily routine. Simply having it in the morning once a day can prevent kidney stones too. The citrate found in citric acid in lemons potentially breaks down small stones and makes urine less acidic.
Vitamin C
Lemons contain Vitamin C and other beneficial nutrients our bodies need to function well, helping your immune system function and protect your health. We all know how Vitamin C fights colds. Did you know that Vitamin C also works wonders for your skin?
Antioxidant Properties
Lemons contain phytonutrients that have amazing antioxidant components that prevent cell damage and support immunity.
Fresh Breath
Why not help reduce bad breath by letting the lemon take effect in your mouth as soon as you wake up, after a meal, before you sleep? Lemon is said to stimulate saliva and water in your mouth in order to help prevent dry mouth and bad breath.
Mental and Physical Health
Supporting and improving your overall health, no matter how or what you are doing, directly has an effect on your mental health. I cannot forget to mention that drinking lemon water in a consistent manner also improves your athletic performance. Lemons are also high in potassium leading better nerve and brain function.
Boosts Immunity
From all perspectives, lemons and lemon water aid your overall health and have proven to be significant support to your immune system. They also have anti-inflammatory effects that complement your body’s daily functions.
So yalla, its Ramadan and it’s the time for that change, try breaking your fast with lemon water and waiting 15 minutes to start your meal?! Trust me, in the long run, you will be very happy! Have a great weekend.
* The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.
