Benefits of lemon water: supercharge your day with this simple drink
Mornings are my absolute nemesis! I'm always running late and it has a knock on effect on my whole day. I'm 3 days into creating new habits (though given it's been the long bank holiday weekend... let's see how I go tomorrow!)
My new morning ritual:
1. Lemon water (see more below)
2. Short meditation using Insights Timer
3. Set my intentions for the day or my "MIT" - most important thing to get done 4. Breakfast and get ready.
Lemon water before breakfast is pretty much a staple at most yoga retreats – but what’s so good about this super simple (and purse friendly) drink?
Since I've been recently adding it to my morning ritual and I decided to do some more digging on the benefits.
(please note to go for a straw and rinse after to keep your pearly whites healthy too though).
Top 10 benefits of drinking lemon water
1. Gives your immune system a boost. It's full of vitamin C (waaay more than oranges) which is one of the first things in our systems to plummet when we’re feeling stressed
2. Reduces caffeine intake – swapping your morning coffee or tea for a lemon water is a great way to start the day in a calm, focused and decaffeinate state. If you're prone to feeling wired, adding caffeine on top will only increase those feelings of fight or flight, so see if you can switch to an alternative warm drink
3. Detoxes and cleanses your system. It helps flush out the toxins in your body by enhancing enzyme function, stimulating your liver. Because it’s a mild diuretic, you might find yourself using the bathroom more often, helping the urinary tract get rid of any unwanted elements. Plus you’re getting your h20 hit too!
4. Reduces inflammation. Surprisingly lemons are actually alkaline rather than acidic to our bodies! I’ve read a few varying views on this…but apparently drinking lemon water on a regular basis will decrease the acidity in your body, which is where disease states occur. It removes uric acid in your joints, which is one of the main causes of inflammation
5. Helps fight viral infections – as getting enough vitamin C helps the immune system keep those pesky colds and flu at bay
6. Excellent source of potassium – good for a healthy heart as well as brain and nerve function
7. Freshens your breath – no more morning
coffee breath! (but reach for the straw to protect your teeth)
8. Keeps your skin blemish-free with it’s antioxidant properties keeping your skin looking clear and fresh
9. Improves mood – apparently even the scent of a lemon has been found to reduce stress levels and improve moods
10. Stay hydrated - I like to take a refillable bottle to work and throw in a pinch of salt too.
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