For optimal health, the very first thing to consume in the morning is a glass of lemon water. This is an ancient tradition that is renowned for many benefits. It sounds simple enough, but here are some important tips to make sure you are maximizing the impact:
1. Use warm water. Do NOT use hot water. You should be able to put your finger in the water. If the water is too hot, it will kill beneficial enzymes from the lemon (and apple cider vinegar).
2. Add apple cider vinegar (ACV). Just a tablespoon or a splash. This is similar in benefits to the lemon. ACV is recommended in almost all health protocols, being used in many different ways. It is important that you get a good raw ACV that contains the ‘mother.’ Bragg is the most famous brand, available almost anywhere. ACV is also very cheap, so it is an inexpensive way to aid our health.
3. Add half a lemon, and squeeze the juice out of it. I squeeze it and leave the lemon peel in the cup. I use half a lemon, even if my lemons are small. Most guidance recommends a full lemon, but I find this to be an unnecessary hassle and cost. Make sure your lemons are organic. If they are truly organic, you don’t have to worry about cleaning them so much. I just rinse mine, but you can use some baking soda in water if you want to clean them better. If we have truly organic food, we do not want to clean it, because we actually want to get the natural microbes from the soil and plants.
4. Add some Himalayan pink salt. Add as much as you can take without making it taste horrible. For me, I actually enjoy the taste more.
5. Add a dash of ceylon cinnamon. Cinnamon is a healthy spice, but it should be ceylon, as the other types of cinnamon contain some unhealthy compounds.
6. Sip the lemon water like tea. Do not guzzle it. If you don’t mind the taste, swish it around and/or hold it in your mouth a bit. It is great for oral health too. Allow yourself at least 5 or 10 minutes to drink it. I usually take about 15 or 20 minutes (but it doesn’t taste as good once it gets cold).
7. After you finish drinking your lemon water, rinse your mouth out well with water. Anytime you eat fruit or other acidic foods, you should rinse well to protect your teeth. The lemon water cleans them, but it also softens the enamel, so you do NOT want to brush after that. Give your mouth a good rinse.
8. Wait 5 minutes before eating anything else. If you took your time drinking it, then it doesn’t really matter. But you want your body to have some time to absorb the lemon water and get your digestive system in high gear. I do my exercise after drinking it. Then I eat breakfast (bone tea, kefir, etc.).
I often say ‘hot’ water, but this is not the right way to do it. It is much more beneficial to use warm water. There are over a dozen benefits to drinking this, if it is done correctly.
Enjoy!
