Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

Did you know that the very first thing you eat or drink in the morning can make a huge impact on your digestive system for the rest of the day?

When we sleep during the evening our body goes into a fasting state. Once we wake up it is essential that we eat or drink something high in vitamins that will jump start our digestive system. The ideal substance is actually a warm glass of lemon water. It's super simple but has major benefits.

Isn't this nesting teapot and cup the cutest ever?! 'Twas a Christmas present from the hubby :)

1. Hydration - A glass of warm lemon water is full of vitamins that aid in hydration. When our bodies are dehydrated we can feel tired or sluggish, experience constipation, lack of energy and high/low blood pressure, and it decreases our immune system just to name a few side effects.

2. Morning detox - Lemon juice is a diuretic so it helps to flush unwanted toxins out of our system. When you drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach it pretty much goes through and cleans your digestive system for you. Lemon juice is high in citric acid which actually helps stimulate enzyme function in the body and will in turn stimulate your liver which also helps with detoxification.

3.  Energy - Warm lemon water is nature's energy drink. Lemon juice is full of negatively charged ions and when these ions react with the positively charged ions in your digestive tract it provides a boost of energy.

4. Immunity boost - The vitamin C found in lemon juice aids in healing wounds, and is an anti-inflammatory, helping to maintain your bones, cartilage and connective tissues. Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of iron in our body which has an important role in immune function. Lemon juice is high in potassium as well which helps stimulate brain function, nerve function and control blood pressure. And to top it all off, lemon juice is known for reducing phlegm production in the body.

So, how do you make this magical elixir you ask? Easy! Just squeeze the juice from half a lemon in a glass of warm water (or cold if you can't stand warm water) and drink the whole glass about 30 minutes prior to eating breakfast. If you want to add an extra detox punch just shake in a little cayenne pepper. That's it! Something I sometimes do later in the day is drink another glass using the other half of the lemon. I find it helps to fight the afternoon slumps.

Try it out! Let me know what you think in the comments section below :)