"It's a Slow Process Don't Make it Slower by Quitting."Every "body" will respond differently to lemon water, which is why we recommend adding this to your diet without any other major changes to isolate the effects. This will allow you to better attribute any changes you experience and not be confused if it was the new multivitamin you started taking. While additional research is needed regarding the weight loss benefits of lemon water, positive benefits are achieved by replacing sugary drinks for lemon water. We recommend replacing your morning coffee with lemon water for at least 2 weeks. Keep a journal of your mood, energy, and cravings for the 2 weeks to see what positive benefits you experience. 5. Reduced Wrinkles and Improved Skin This claim states benefits from both drinking lemon water and applying topically. Lemons have been found to be high in antioxidants (16) which are linked to anti-aging properties. The primary cause of aging comes from free radicals that cause the breakdown of various tissues in the body, namely skin. Research showed that plant derived antioxidants were able to reverse the breakdown of collagen fibers in the skin (17). Collagen gives skin it's strength, structure, and plumpness while protecting the skin from absorbing toxins (18). Now the next time you see your friend with great skin you can tell her you're jealous of her collagen. Free radicals in small amounts are not damaging to the body, but you should be aware of practices that increase your exposure to free radicals. The most common and most dangerous forms of exposure can come from drugs, radiation, pesticides, air pollutants, solvents, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pollution, and even foods we eat (19). Most healthy people who do not smoke should not be overly concerned with too much free radicals in their system. If you are concerned or curious you can take a urine test to get an idea of where you're at (20). If you want to apply lemon juice topically there are various ways depending on preference. The simplest way is to dilute in water and pat on the face with a damp cloth avoiding the eyes. Other methods range from creating sugar scrubs to combining with Greek yogurt. In all cases the antioxidants in the lemon will be the active ingredient. 6. Benefits of Essential Oils in Lemons Essential oils as a whole is a topic we will cover in greater detail since there is a lot of debate on their effectiveness, especially when you look at the claims. There are however plenty of benefits that come from essential oil use, but we'll stick to those that have been researched and tested. At the time of this writing we found 14000+ articles that had essential oils being studied and researched (25), and lemon oil had over 500 alone. If you're looking to get the oils into your lemon water simply take the peel and squeeze or twist the outer zest portion. If you watch closely you'll be able to see the lemon oils coming out of the zest. One of the most interesting benefits that has been linked to lemon oil is its moderate antimicrobial activities against bad bacteria, yeast and fungi such as Candida albicans more commonly known to cause yeast infection (26). These antimicrobial effects have a range of benefits when ingested and used topically, and are the core of where the benefits are derived. A study was published took a look at how lemon oil would affect pregnant women dealing with vomiting and nausea. Around 100 women participated and after just 2 days reports of dramatically decreased symptoms were reported as compared to the placebo group. After 4 days a decrease of nausea and vomiting was seen on average of 33% (27). While this study was specific to pregnant women, it may suggest that those dealing with similar issues who are not pregnant would see similar benefits. In another study performed by the Central Food Technological Research Institute looked at how geraniol, a phytonutriant found in lemon, aided in reversing diabetic neuropathy. The study showed that sciatic nerve damage was reduced through lemon oil (geraniol) use. In the full 8 week study cellular function was restored, suggesting that the use of lemon oil regularly can assist in regulating energy stores, and as previously mentioned help preventing disease (28). Lemon oil is perhaps the most researched part of the lemon and also the part no one seems to include when making their lemon water. Consider using the zest of the lemon in your drink or extracting the oils to include in your drink for maximum benefit. Lemon Water Safety Measures Safety measures for lemon water?!? I know what you're thinking but there are a few things to keep in mind: First off you really shouldn't be eating the seeds of the lemon. A few here and there aren't going to be terrible for you, but if you plan to drink lemon water regularly then make sure you're avoiding the seeds. They contain small amounts of salicylic acid which is the main ingredient in asprin, along with the bitter/astringent coating on the outside of the seed which gives it the bitter taste. The easiest way I've found to get rid of them is to use a small strainer or a lemon press. If you're used to sweetening your tea or coffee then your taste buds are going to want a spike of sugar in your lemon water. Try and avoid adding sweeteners other than raw honey as it will negate many of the benefits I mentioned. If you can start to cut more and more sugar out of your diet, you will find your taste buds resetting and your cravings for sugar drop dramatically. I had never experienced this until I cut out most of the sugars in my diet, but I can honestly say my cravings for sugary foods dropped dramatically. Another common concern is what effects lemon juice has the enamel of your teeth. As long as you're not using it like mouthwash your teeth will be safe. With the amount of soda that people drink in our time, substituting lemon water will actually save your teeth. If you're super concerned about it then try using a straw Drinking lemon water is one of these little things that we can do on a regular basis that can have long term benefits. The people who will the most dramatic effects in the beginning will be those who can replace a morning coffee or soda with lemon water. As with any new addition to your diet, I recommend giving it a minimum of 2 weeks to see what positive benefits you're getting. We're so used to instant gratification in almost everything we do, so when it comes to healthy diet and exercise it can be easy to get discouraged if we don't see results in a few days. Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff. Read more at: GreenMedInfo.com
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