The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you're a
mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what
you do first thing in the morning matters.
According
to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily
routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down.
Your
mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids
out the door, that you can't be late for work or that you just don't
have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.
But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this.....
Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.
It's so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:
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 pH
Lemons
are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are
acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric
acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you
wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.
3. Helps with weight loss
Lemons
are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also
has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight
faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it's
easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the 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 ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.
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 keep your urinary tract healthy.
6. Clears skin
The
vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges
toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.
7. Hydrates the lymph system
This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue.
When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it
can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic
buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals
happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along
with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones,
including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your
adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals,
like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are
also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom
line is that you really don't want to mess with a deep state of
dehydration!
Adopting just this one practice of
drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can
radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you
begin to view mornings in a new light.
Like I said, the recipe is really simple—a cup of warm (not hot) water and the juice from half a lemon.
