How and Why to Add Lemon Water to Your Daily Routine

By Cathi Stack, N.D.

For some reason, I am a regular participant in the practice of drinking lemon water from about November through Spring and then I fall off the wagon. I am not sure why because I always feel better when I do this, and I feel my metabolism benefits from it – an area most people would agree they could use a little boost!

Adding this “therapy” to your routine is actually very easy and has many benefits. The medicinal value of the lemon (organic is always best) is described as anti-bacterial and anti-scorbutic, meaning it’s a remedy that will prevent disease and assist in cleaning the body of impurities. Also, people who suffer from heartburn, bloating and belching will feel much better after incorporating lemon water, and when drinking it regularly, can help with both constipation and diarrhea.

In a popular book “Back to Eden,” written by Jethro Kloss, the author describes the lemon as a very effective liver stimulant and dissolvent of uric acid, as it helps to liquefy bile making digestive juices flow much more freely.

Lemons are also useful in treating asthma, colds, coughs, sore throat, influenza, heartburn, liver complaint issues, scurvy, kidney stones, fevers and rheumatism.  Drinking lemon water on a regular basis may even help women with heavy periods.

Fresh lemon juice provides the body with calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as vitamin C, and lemons are the most alkaline of all fruits – and an alkaline body can resist illness and disease far better than an acidic one!

It is very rare for one to have a lemon allergy so there is no excuse for you not to try this. For those with stomach ulcers, you are not likely to desire swallowing lemon water, but I assure you that it will actually benefit you. Start with very diluted juice and work your way up to a half or whole lemon twice daily.  You will feel an overall improvement in your digestive health.

Here are some other lemon remedies for you to try:

• Treat a sore throat with a half lemon in six to eight ounces of water. Gargle and swallow. Repeat frequently through out the day.
• One tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (undiluted) one hour before each meal has been helpful in those with asthma.
• One teaspoon of lemon juice in a half glass of water will help relieve heartburn.
• For those with liver issues, squeeze the juice of one lemon into hot water and drink.
• A slice of lemon bound over a corn overnight will greatly relieve the pain.

It’s important to note that organic lemons are the better choice and can be purchased by the bag, and pasteurized and packaged lemon juice has NO benefit to your health. For the average person of 150 pounds or less, drinking a half squeezed lemon in an 8- to 12-ounce glass of room temperature or warm water twice daily is optimal. Those weighing over 150 would also benefit, but you may want to consider one lemon twice daily.

There is rarely a person who does not benefit from this simple addition to your daily routine. I’d love to hear from you once you have put this into practice and let me know how things have improved. You can always email me at journeyiihealth@gmail.com.

I am borrowing a quote here whose author is unknown: “When life gives you a lemon … squeeze it, mix it with eight ounces of purified or filtered water and drink twice daily.”

ABOUT CATHI STACK
Catherine (Cathi) Stack is owner, facilitator and Doctor of Naturopathy at Journey II Health LLC, established in 2007 in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Along with her naturopathic practice at Journey II Health, Stack continues to work at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital as a Certified Nurse Midwife. She loves sharing her knowledge with her patients, co-workers, friends and readers. She currently writes for a variety of publications, which include her Sunday column in the Niagara Gazette. She can be reached via her Web site, www.journeyiihealth.com.