I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about what you should eat or drink when you first get up in the morning. As we all know it’s important to eat breakfast because it gets your metabolism going, which helps you to efficiently burn off your food throughout the day. But what about before breakfast?
I’ve been reading an interesting book called “Eating Alive” for my course and the author Dr. John Matsen (a naturopathic doctor) suggests lemon water first thing in the morning. Why? Because it is a natural detoxifier; cleaning out the debris in our blood.
When we eat something, digestive juices are produced in our mouth & stomach to break down our food. When we drink lemon water, we trick our body into thinking it’s eating, which produces digestive juices. But, because there isn’t any food to break down, the juices flow out into our blood and start to clean out the “debris” (a build-up of toxins from poor digestion, an overburdened liver, poor diet, etc). Because our digestive system is at it’s strongest between 7am – 11am everyday; drinking lemon water in the morning is the best time for detoxing.
Ginger, cayenne pepper or maple syrup are also great options to add to water, which will get the juices flowing. Fresh fruit or vegetable juices are good options as well.
One of the most important aspects of staying healthy is good digestion. Starting your day with lemon water will not only help keep your blood clean, but will get your digestive juices flowing; helping you better digest your meals throughout the day.
Another important topic for optimal digestion is food combining: which foods to eat together for optimal digestion. Stay tuned!
Hey Lauren!
Does it matter whether you use fresh lemon or lemon juice from a bottle in your water in the AM?
Thanks!
Hey Chels,
I just bought lemon juice in the bottle because I thought it was just juice from real lemons, but I noticed that it includes sulphites, which is a chemical preservative (the same ingredient that gives you a hangover in red wine). So I would recommend using the juice of a fresh lemon. We just buy a big bag of organic lemons, put them in the fridge and I always have a cut lemon in a tupperware on the go. Good question!
Hi love, What is the recommended amount of lemon juice per glass? xoxo
Hi mama,
I would recommend 2 tbsp of lemon juice in about 8 oz of water. I have a little citris juicer, so I cut my lemons in half, and just use the juice. I find you get the most juice out of the lemon that way. xoxo
It’s best to rinse out the mouth with plain water after drinking lemon water. Lemons (as well as citrus fruits) are acidic and can cause enamel erosion. Wait for approx. 30-60 minutes before brushing the teeth-the teeth are in a softened state at this point. Let the minerals in the saliva remineralize the tooth surfaces. Consider drinking with a straw so that the lemon water can bypass the teeth altogether.
Cheers!!
Great suggestions Molly! It’s also important to de-tox with lemon water only for a few weeks at a time, than stop for a few weeks, and start again if necessary. Your body won’t react that same way if you drink lemon water daily. Thanks for the comment!