Why I Drink Warm Lemon Water Every Morning

I started drinking warm lemon water in 2010 when my acupuncturist noted that my qi was cold. Qi is the vital energy that sustains life. He commented that I needed to add some warm water to my daily habits and suggested lemon water with some cayenne to give me a boost. In our conversation, I told him that I was a regular tea drinker and loved drinking water but often didn’t drink it as much because I don’t like cold water or bottled water and before I could make any more excuses he made me promise to start my day with warm lemon water and report back next week. I tried it first with a splash of lemon and didn’t love it. I then tried it with half a lemon and a dash of cayenne and fell in love. The heat my body was craving was instantly satisfied in this morning ritual. At the follow-up visit, he looked at my eyes, skin, and tongue and said, “you’ve been following my recommendation” to which I replied with a smile and said, “yes, of course.”

It turns out drinking warm drinks is advice that has been suggested in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. He explained in my visits that my body needed some assistance in detoxing my liver. The liver regulates qi and stores blood, which carries qi around the body and supports the functioning of our organs, limbs, and tissues. While you’re awake, the liver supplies blood to the muscles. During sleep, blood returns to the liver to be cleansed. When you wake up your body is ready to eliminate the toxins from the repairs done while you slept. In addition, sleeping in itself is a very dehydrating act because your body uses the water you took in the day before to sustain the eight hours of work in does at night. When you drink water on an empty stomach as soon as you wake up, it naturally stimulates your organs, replenishes the water missing from your body after slumber, and creates movement in your bowels. Regular morning bowel movements make for a healthy body. There’s also ayurvedic wisdom I’ve uncovered about drinking warm water with lemon that I share below in the benefits I’ve uncovered and experienced myself.

Benefits:

Evidence strongly suggests that lemon water supports weight loss. Research has shown that polyphenol antioxidants found in lemons significantly reduced weight gain in mice that are overfed in order to induce obesity. In addition to suppressing body fat accumulation, another study found that lemons increase metabolism. Plus when you add in cayenne you’re adding in the number one weight loss booster nature invented. Capsaicin — the ingredient that makes peppers spicy is a fat burner and boy does it burn.
Lemons are a powerful antioxidant due to their high concentration of vitamin C, a primary antioxidant that helps protect cells from damaging free radicals. Antioxidants are nature’s anti-aging heroes. A 2016 study showed that a citrus-based drink helped prevent the development of wrinkles in hairless mice.
Boost your morning detoxification and digestive system. Ayurvedic medicine notes that sour taste helps stimulate your “agni.” A strong agni jumpstarts the digestive system, allowing you to digest food more easily and helping to prevent the buildup of toxins.
A healthy liver = a healthy life. According to TCM, sour foods tend to nourish the liver. A refreshing glass of warm lemon water has a diuretic effect, which can help you flush toxins from your body.
Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning will boost energy. Water can stimulate faster growth of red blood cells in your system and generates more oxygen in your blood. The combination of these two factors will give you a good burst of energy.

Creator: I Am Zuri

Prep Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 2 minute

Serving: 1 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 organic lemon

dash of organic cayenne powder

Instructions:

Heat 16 ounces of water to 150 degrees and place warm water in a medium-sized mug. Slice a lemon in half and squeeze the lemon in the warm water. Dash of cayenne to taste.

I was never a coffee drinker but in recent years I started having a small cup of coffee in the morning about 30-minutes after my lemon water. I went many years not wanting it and I have never “needed” coffee or caffeine but I enjoy a little bulletproof coffee as another warm beverage that is a vehicle to some superfoods. Get the full recipe and background on why I upgraded my coffee habit here.