Warm Water With Lemon

A Glass Every Morning

We come across several elaborate diet programmes and routines that promise better health and fitness, slimmer waistlines and many such promises. At first glance they seem easy to follow. However, food cravings and time management demotivates one from following the strict schedule. In such a scenario, there is one healthy habit which proves to be a very simple solution. Drinking a glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon every day.

Lemons are a popular citrus fruit due to their versatility. They have a refreshing flavour, because of which they are used in a variety of drinks, including coolers, ales, teas and even cocktails. Apart from drinks, they are also a popular flavouring ingredient in a number of sauces and even desserts. While the popularity of the fruit in cooking is wide-spread, not many may know about their medicinal value.

Lemons are rich in vitamin C, due to which they have antibacterial and antiviral properties. They are also known to be immunity boosters, by helping the body get stronger to fight against antibodies and prevent infections and diseases. They also have digestive properties and act as a detoxifying agent. The best way to extract these benefits is by juicing the lemon and consuming it daily.

Fitness enthusiasts vouch for the benefits of drinking a warm glass of water with lemon every day, first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. One visible result of this habit is noticeable weight loss. It helps clean the liver, ensuring a regular digestive process thus eliminating all waste from your body effectively. It has also proven to improve the metabolic rate, due to which the body breaks down food more efficiently, reducing the amount of fat stored in the body.

Ancient Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda, also recognises several benefits of consuming lemon juice with warm water. While the sharp, sour taste of lemon may not be palatable for all, it helps stimulate agni in your body. This, as a result, jump-starts the digestive system helping your body prevent a build-up of toxins.

The citric acid content in the lemons also helps people suffering from kidney stones. Drinking lemon water not only helps you get more citric acid, which helps dissolve the calcium deposits that occur as kidney stones, but also plays a significant role in preventing them. Having lemon juice in warm water gives you the same amount of the required citric acid as found in many medical treatments and prescriptions for kidney stones. Why take the medical route when such a convenient, natural and healthy habit proves effective!

If the taste is much of a problem, don't let that deter you from following this healthy habit. You can add a spoonful of honey to this to reap the same benefits. However, ensure that you do not add too much honey and that the drink is still essentially sour to taste.

Lemons have alkalising properties when it is inside the body, which help with getting rid of the acid waste from your body. This will help you prevent digestive problems like acidity and burning sensation in the stomach after eating a heavy meal. It reduces the inflammation of a fatty liver and protects it due to its vitamin C content.

Vitamin C content in the lemon juice also helps with joint problems. Some people suffer from a deficiency called Hypoascorbemia, which causes low levels of vitamin C in the body. The medical condition requires them to have additional vitamin C intake either through food or through supplements. Freshly-squeezed juice of lemon with warm water comes to rescue for this condition too.

In winters, when the weather gets nippy, it is warming to consume this early in the morning, however in a more sultry weather, one might want to avoid the warm water and prefer cold or room-temperature water instead. It must be noted that on an empty stomach, cold water can shut down the liver and not let it get stimulated. You won't be able to reap the benefits of consuming the lemon water unless it is a bit warm. In fact, it may even be harmful, as the digestive tract will suffer.

Benefits of drinking warm water with lemon are numerous, being a rich source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and other minerals. What may not be commonly known is that it can even help prevent and cure certain ailments. It is proven that lemon water can reduce the risk of catching common cold, and can even shorten the duration of the disease. On a more severe level, consuming lemon water can also help with fighting infections of the respiratory tract and can help with throat-related concerns as well as inflammation of tonsils.

Lemons are often used to remove strong odour, be it from your hands after a meal in the typical finger bowl in many Indian restaurants, or even from some utensils if soap still leaves behind a pungent smell, such as garlic or fish. Lemon juice is as effective in dealing with bad breath caused by eating pungent food. Moreover, drinking lemon water first thing in the morning maintains a much sweeter taste in the mouth as it stimulates saliva, preventing dryness in the mouth. This in turn prevents bacterial growth. As a result, it improves dental hygiene and helps prevent several dental problems including toothache and gingivitis.

Other benefits that people who consume warm water with lemon notice are that it remedies many skin problems ranging from acne, rashes and wrinkles to dark spots. This, however, is not a proven fact and a consultation with a professional is a must before you try it as a home remedy. People with joint and muscle pain also reportedly experience relief while consuming warm water with lemon juice daily.

Since lemon is reactive with other elements, caution must be maintained while consuming it too close to other meals, especially that which includes dairy.

Ensuring adequate hydration, this drink even helps those who work out to maintain their energy levels.

Just one healthy habit of drinking a glass of warm water with lemon on an empty stomach first thing in the morning has numerous benefits and gives a fresh start to your day, keeping you hydrated all day, helping you with your weight-loss goals and giving a kick-start to healthy life hereafter.