Lemon water

Drink more water. Even more. Not that much. Don't drink it cold. Don't drink after 7pm (because it's time to move on to a glass of wine. Or two...).

I know I don't drink enough water. If I drank more, my skin would look younger and I'd probably get fewer headaches. The thing is, unless I'm really thirsty, I don't love the taste of water. It's okay, better than soda but not as good as coffee. But it's not good enough on its own for me to consume sixty four ounces a day. And, to be honest, it doesn't completely quench my thirst anyway.

Still, I know I need to drink more water. My solution? A squeeze of fresh lemon juice. What a difference! It tastes so good, I can easily drink a lot during the day and it totally quenches my thirst. Really. So, what's behind this miraculous fruit? Here's what I've found out...

Raw lemons are great for you. Unless you're allergic to citrus fruits, like my Aunt Kathy. In that case, skip this post.

Apparently everyone knows that lemons have antioxidant properties. I didn't. Here are some other benefits:

• good for digestion (without getting too specific, it's made me quite regular)
• high in vitamin C, which is good for the skin
• can help you lose weight
• good for fighting stress
• cleanses the liver and kidneys
• contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
• a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning kick starts your metabolism
• helps fight a nauseous stomach 

Just writing down all this stuff makes me want to get a big tall glass of water with lemon.

I go to this incredible massage therapist who's been helping me with my migraines. One afternoon she asked me if I'd been drinking a lot (of wine) lately. Uh, yes. She suggested I try drinking water with lemon because of the alkaline content. I had no idea what she was talking about, but if she recommends something, I do it.  Even though the lemon itself is acidic, when it's in your body it becomes alkaline. Um, ok.

Of course, if it's not easy, I won't do it. So to simplify, every morning after dropping the kids at school, I fill a Tiffany pitcher with water (I'm finally using something from my wedding registry) and squeeze 2 or 3 lemon wedges into it. The pitcher holds about 56 ounces of water, so my goal is to drink it all over the course of the day.

I'm thinking of buying one of those meyer lemon trees. I hear they are easy to grow indoors.

source: brighterblooms.com

How much should you drink?

Well, according to Lyn-Genet Recitas book, The Plan, you should drink half your body weight in ounces. So, let's say I weigh 100 pounds. Just say it. Then I should drink 50 ounces of water per day. She also recommends that you don't drink more than that, and drink it all before 7:30pm.
 

source:  lyngenet.com

Btw, the other reason why I like Lyn-Genet Recitas is because she believes that too much exercise is bad for you. Can't argue with that.

p.s. sorry Aunt Kathy, I promise the next post won't be about citrus fruit.  Or strawberries.  Or carrots...


For more detailed information on the health benefits of lemons and lemon water:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4769/Why-You-Should-Drink-Warm-Water-Lemon.html
http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/Physical-Health/Hidden-Health-Secrets-of-Lemons.aspx
http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/2006/02/10/lemon-water-alkalising-superstar/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/16-health-benefits-of-lemons.html