Drinking warm water mixed with lemon juice offers some healthy benefits. It provides a sweeter, yet sugar-free, alternative for hydration -- important for the body's healthy functioning -- to plain water, and it can also help treat some cold, flu or allergy symptoms, boost your mood and stimulate digestion. If you are under the weather, feeling down or having a difficult time with an upset stomach or constipation, sipping on warm lemon water daily may provide you with some relief.
Relieves Cold Symptoms
Drinking warm lemon water can help you feel better if you are suffering from a cold, according to MayoClinic.com. Keeping your body hydrated while you are sick can help reduce congestion and keep you from getting dehydrated. Sipping on warm lemon water mixed with honey can also help soothe a sore throat.
Promotes Hydration
Drinking warm lemon water keeps your body hydrated, helping to flush away toxins and promote health and healing. If you become dehydrated, you could suffer from muscle cramps, a drop in blood pressure or fatigue. Adding lemon to warm water helps purify and nourish your body as you hydrate, according to Miriam Kasin Hospodar in "Yoga Journal."
Boosts Your Mood
In an article in "Fitness" magazine, Melissa Roth states that the scent of lemon has natural mood-enhancing properties. The smell of lemon juice can brighten your mood and help clear your mind. Lemon can also help reduce anxiety and depression. By mixing fresh lemon juice into a cup of warm water, you not only nourish your body, but also your spirits by relaxing and enjoying the lemony scent.
Stimulates Digestion
The American Cancer Society recommends offering warm lemon water to cancer sufferers to help stimulate bowel movements. Even if you aren't undergoing cancer treatment, sipping on a cup of warm lemon water can promote healthy digestion and get your bowels moving when you are constipated.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Cold Remedies
- "Yoga Journal"; Ayurvedic Healing Foods; Miriam Kasin Hospodar
- Center for Young Women's Health: Nutrition
- Pub Med Health; Dehydration; August 2009
- "Fitness" Magazine; 48-Hour Rejuvenation: The At-Home Spa Getaway; Melissa Roth
- The American Cancer Society: Caring for the Patient With Cancer at Home
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