Lemon : First thing in the morning, drink it with water

Ever wonder what you should be eating when you wake up in the morning? How about a glass of milk? Or maybe a bowl of cereal? A sandwich with orange juice perhaps? A muffin or bread? I mean there are countless recommendations of breakfast meals what to eat in the morning by medias all over the place, including newspapers, fitness and nutrition magazines and radio channels too. Which one is ideal and which one is healthy? Of course some of the recommendations are just absurdly ridiculous (that is one of the reasons why so many of us are fat).  

Now, I'm not going to discuss about fat loss or weight gain in this topic, but I will explain why it is so important for having lemon with water when your butt is off the bed. Let's just ponder for a moment here. How many of you wakes up preparing your own breakfast? Let's be honest here. How many of you skip your breakfast? Best of all, how many of you, does daily detoxification in the morning before any foods or drinks pass your mouth and stomach? In my experience and encounters with people, it is about 1 in 50 people. Statistically, it is perhaps around 2% of people is aware of having regular detoxification in the morning before having actual breakfast (in my experience). Most people I know, especially the ones rushing off to work, will have a 'grab-and-go' foods or drinks for their breakfast. There is totally no connection and concern at all between the foods, drinks and body, right at that moment. Most of these people, are often not aware of how these foods impact their digestion, assimiliation, elimination, and metabolism, energy levels and of course tons other important stuff such as stress levels and blood sugars. 

Before I discuss why lemon water is important in the morning, let me list down the most common foods or drinks people consume for breakfast.

1) Coffee

2) Cereals

3) Breads / Sandwiches

3) Nasi Lemak (Malaysians)

4) Fried Noodles (Malaysians)

5) Pizza

6) Doughnuts

7) Fast foods breakfast meals

8) Waffles

9) Pancakes

10) Eggs

11) Dim Sum (Hong Kong & Malaysians)

12) Roti Canai, Chapati, Thosai (Malaysians)

13) Commercial pasteurized milk

As you noticed, most of the foods above is acidic, especially coffee and fast foods. In fact there are alot of highly acidic foods which are commonly consumed by most of us. Those highly acidic foods are generally tasty and addictive primarily coated with sugars. 

We have to start change the way we think about breakfast or how to start off with what to consume in the morning. Stop thinking only about getting your belly full and fulfil those cravings and hunger in the morning. Most people just drive through (fast foods restaurants) or eat anything they like or think it is 'healthy' when they are awake or before heading to work in the morning. We have to start think about flushing off the acids in our body accumulated at night or the day before. Setting up an alkaline base for our digestive system is very important before introducing any acidic foods. Foods such as lemon or lime will be an ideal choice. 

Apart from consuming fat gaining acidic foods in the morning (most people), let's glance through why lemon water is so beneficial first thing in the morning. 

Benefit #1

Check this out. When you sleep at night, the first 4 hours of the sleep cycle, your body is pulling acids out from your joints and store them in the holding tank behind the heart chamber. It is part of the repair process by the body during the circadian rhythm  cycle (if you sleep by 10 or before 11pm). When you squeeze a fresh lemon into a filtered clean water (room temperature), an 8 oz lemon water will flush the digestive systems from the stomach to the large intestines. 16 oz of lemon water will wakes up every organ in the body and kicks start your metabolism. Even better, if you add fresh lemon into warm water, it will flush out the lymphatic systems as well. So, the acids kept in the holding tank behind the heart, it will all be flushed out when the bowel movement happens in the morning after your lemon water introduction. Remember, it MUST be only freshly squeezed, not from bottled lemon drinks. Meanwhile, you can add either half or one full lemon into water, it depends on how well you can handle it. Especially for coffee addicts, do this before you hit your first cup of pesticides loaded acidic coffee. 

Benefit #2

Help aid digestion and flush off toxins. Digestive properties in lemon helps relive symptoms of indigestion, heartburn and also bloating. Anyone with constipation or poor bowel movement, it will help with fresh lemon water first thing in the morning. 

Benefit #3

It triggers liver to produce bile, getting ready to help fats digestion during day time and especially if you are eating a breakfast which contains significant amount of fats. By the way, for whoever had your gallbladder removed, your body just lose the ability to produce bile, which is so critical to digest fats. 

Benefit #4

Vitamin C in lemons will boost your immune system and act as anti-oxidant too. It has anti-inflammatory properties, and saponins found in lemons could help in preventing flu and cold. Apart from that, it also cuts the phlegm and reduces the amount produced, thus easing recovery. 

Benefit #5

Apart from being one of the most alkalizing foods on the planet, it helps to regulates the body's pH level. Not only it helps to alkalize the blood and remove acids and toxins, it reduces the risk of acidic-based diseases such as cancer.

Benefit #6

Vitamin C in lemons also helps with skin condition such as reducing wrinkles and provide a clearer skin. Reasons? Anti-oxidant in lemons fights off free radical damage while it's alkaline base may kill some of the bacteria which causes acne or other skin conditions. 

Benefit #7

With a cleansed digestive system and removal of toxins and unwanted waste product from the body, your body energy levels will increase. Everyone wants more energy daily, don't you? Most people look like a walking zombie by the end of the working day. Most people look like their adrenals are fried and they could hardly expand any more calories or do any physical movement (exercise) by the end of the day. A stressful lifestyle and poor diet lead to an acidic body and exhausted adrenals resulting in low energy levels and poor vitality. Perhaps lemon water may help? 

Benefit #8

Can't live without caffeine? If you are a coffee addict, this will really help. Try drink 16 oz of fresh lemon warm water in the morning, and you may notice your craving for caffeine reduces tremendously. Try it starting tomorrow, see yourself if it works. 

Benefit #9

Want to lose weight? Ensure you drink 500 ml of fresh lemon warm water first thing in the morning. The pectin fiber in lemons will help reduce hunger, thus helping you to eat less. With a cleansed digestive and detoxification systems, weight lost may well be improved by the first thing you do for your own body in the morning, fresh lemon water. 

Of course there are other benefits of lemon water and lime could also be used as substitute. My recommendation is half or one full lemon squeezed into 8/16 oz of water, with a pinch of rock or sea salt. Then, ensure your bowel movement is done in the morning before your breakfast meal is introduced to your body. But, if you are having constipation regularly, there is something seriously wrong with your gut and you would want to either consult a naturopathic doctor or clinical nutritionist.