glass of warm lemon or lime water first thing in the morning is surprisingly helpful in several ways. This Yogic or Ayurvedic ritual was primarily for stimulating digestion and eliminating ama, the Ayurvedic term for toxic slime that builds up in the gastro-intestinal or GI tract. This ritual has even more health benefits.
1) The warm lemon water helps purify and stimulate the liver. Lemon/lime water liquefies bile while inhibiting excess bile flow.
2) Warm lemon/lime water aids digestion. It’s atomic composition is similar to saliva and the hydrochloric acid of digestive juices.
3) The liver produces more enzymes from lemon/limewaterthan any other food, according to A.F.
Beddoe, author ofBiological Ionization as Applied to Human Nutrition.
4) The lemon/lime water helps bowels eliminate naturally and easily.
5) Lemons and limes are high inpotassium. Potassium is an important mineral that works with sodium for smooth electrical transmission in the brain and nervous system. Depression, anxiety, fogginess, and forgetfulness can often be traced to low potassium bloodl evels. That same nervous system needs potassium to assure steady signals to the heart. So your heart health is improved from the lemon water’s potassium.
6) Calcium and magnesium are plentiful in good ratio to each other in lemon/lime water. Magnesium is important for heart health and calcium prevents rickets.
7) Lemon/lime water can help lower blood pressure.
8) Lemon/lime water has an alkalizing effect in the body as it is buffered. Even if you drink it just before any meal, it will help your body maintain a higher pH than if you didn’t drink it. The higher or more alkaline your pH, the more your inner terrain is resistant to minor and major disease.
9) Helps dilute uric acid, which if it accumulates it creates arthritic pain or gout.
10) Helps reduce phlegm in the body.
At least a half of a lemon or lime should be thoroughly squeezed into a half glass of the warm water without any sweetener. It’s better to use a lemon/lime squeezer to get maximum juice with minimum seeds and effort. This should be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and don’t start eating breakfast right away. Some recommend an hour before eating for maximum results.
One technique to assure proper timing would be to heat up water and put it into a thermos before going to bed. Then mix that hot water with room temperature purified lemon or lime water upon arising. Drink it down quickly, then go about your other morning routines before eating breakfast.
The warm lemon/lime water daily habit is as cheap and easy as it gets to help you improve and maintain your health. Bottoms up!
