For the last few months, I’ve been treating my body to a mug of warm lemon water every morning. It was recommended to me by an Ayurvedic massage therapist, who explained that within the Ayurvedic tradition, the first thing that you ingest in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day: the warm water stimulates the gastrointestinal tract and the lemon is high in minerals and vitamins that help loosen toxins in the digestive tract.
And so I squeeze half a lemon into half a cup of boiling water and then add cold water to taste. It’s that simple. I got into a discussion over the weekend as to whether using warm water from the tap was OK, but somehow the feeling was that warm water sits in pipes and boilers and is not as fresh as cold water or boiled water. I guess it depends how long the water has been sitting in the kettle before use. Anyway, it’s best drunk warm. I have to remind myself of that because I get so absorbed in my writing I easily forget to drink it.
And does it work? I don’t know. I know I haven’t had any of the coughs and colds and sore throats going around, but how can I be sure that’s down to the lemon water in my life? I can’t. Obviously. But it’s become part of my regular practice and I see no good reason to stop now.
As well as as the digestive reasons given above, warm lemon water is supposed to be antibacterial and to boost immunity. It’s thought to clear the skin and help fight hunger cravings.
I guess what really works for me is starting the day off with intention. I drink lemon water because I believe it’s good for my body and that is important to me. I intend to make good choices throughout the day – good choices for my body – and this is the first of those good choices. I aim to nurture my body and look after it. If I start the day off as I mean to go on, then making the best choices throughout the day is easier.
When I intentionally look after my body, I immediately feel better about myself. It’s as if taking care of myself reminds me that I am worth taking care of.
Drinking warm lemon water in the mornings is the first thing I do each day to show that I love my body.
