So what if I said to ditch the morning coffee and switch it up with a full glass of water or a warm cup of fresh squeezed lemon water? Ok, I’m sensing some hesitation! Hold on! If you and coffee are best friends I’m not saying you need to break off the friendship cold turkey forever I’m just suggesting we get some hydration into you first!! Let’s undress the reasons why.
Hydration, Hydration, Hydration!
I can’t emphasize enough just how important pure, clean, filtered WATER is to your entire body!
Let’s start from the outside in: Our SKIN! We all want that healthy, hydrated look right? We don’t want our faces to shrink up like raisins? So even if you just drank more water for your own vanity, you’re doing something great for your entire body. Now, your eyes, nails, and hair. Its refreshing and hydrating to all of these important parts. Tears, sweat, blood, and all bodily fluids rely on water.
Water is SO important for elimination by moving everything through the body efficiently, improves optimal digestion, increases healthy circulation, boosts immunity, maintains proper nerve and brain function, and as you can see the list goes on! This is why hydrating is so important!
We’ve all been hearing the buzz of drinking warm lemon water. So, what’s all this fuss about anyways? I’ve listed and explained the benefits of drinking a mug of warm water with half of a REAL fresh lemon squeezed into it so that you can decide for yourself if you think its worth a try!
The Top 8 Benefits of Stay Hydrated with Lemon Water:
1. Boosts your immune system
Lemons are high in Vitamin C and Potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.
2. Balances your pH
Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they would seem acidic, but inside our bodies they’re alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). I will explain in a future article why an alkaline body is what we want to strive towards for overall good health.
3. Helps with weight loss
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. By starting the day out healthy you are most likely to continue to want to eat and feel healthy and make good choices throughout your day.
4. Aids digestion
The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen unwanted toxins in the digestive tract. Lemon encourages the liver to produce bile which is an acid required for digestion. Efficient digestion decreases heartburn, constipation, bloating, weight gain, and food sensitivities.
5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic
Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps purify your urinary tract.
6. Clears skin
The vitamin C in lemons help decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear.
7. Freshens breath
Lemon freshens your breath and can remove tooth pain and gingivitis. Just go easy on the lemon as the acid can erode tooth enamel. So, stick to lemon water 15 minutes before meals.
8. Relieves respiratory problems
Warm lemon water is soothing and also helps rid the body of chest infections and coughs. The vitamin C is helpful for this and helps with asthma and allergies too.
A Challenge For You: WATER , WATER, and MORE WATER!!!
Starting your day with warm lemon water is a GREAT start but most importantly my message to you is to keep hydrating throughout your day. Never leave home without your glass or stainless steel water jug and always have a glass of water beside you. Take one to bed with you and make sure you don’t get out of bed until it is completely finished.
Make sure you are never thirsty! This is your first sign of dehydration! If you don’t like the taste of regular water add some citrus fruit slices, a caffeine free herbal tea bag, or cucumber slices to make you feel like you’re at the spa!!… or if none of these ideas appeal to you start gradually by mixing in 1 part your favorite fruit juice, the rest water.
Drink between meals (not during meals). The water dilutes your digestive enzymes so best to drink as much water as possible in between meals. If this is the only time you think to drink water be mindful of this and try to take breaks just for water throughout the day.
Up your water intake
Increase 1 litre of water for every hour of exercise. Exercising uses up a lot of your body’s supply of water through sweat so we have to replenish what we are using!
Increasing your water consumption to 1-2 liters per day will significantly improve your health in SO MANY WAYS! You don’t believe me? Take the challenge and let me know how it works for you!!
This article was created by Laura Harvey at Fresh Senses. We at The Naked Label love to follow Laura because she’s not only a tell-it-like-it-is Registered Holistic Nutritionist, but she’s also super passionate about healthy cooking and fresh, real food. We are ALL about that! Be sure to check out Laura Harvey’s website for more great health tips, upcoming workshops and recipes: Fresh Senses.
Please feel free to ask questions, offer your own struggles or challenges, and comment on your progress. We couldn’t be more excited to hear from you! Also, invite friends and family to read and learn this info and let’s Be Healthy and Feel Fabulous together!
Photographs by Laura Harvey.
