Detoxing
13 Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water
Lemon is a common, inexpensive, easily available and most widely used citrus fruit. Its characteristic flavour and refreshing smell make it a popular fruit for drinks. It is used in lemonade, soft drinks, cocktails and tea. It has a long list of benefits. In India, it is used as medicine for many health problems. Thus, lemon is a popular citrus fruit that can be used in various ways. It can be used with other beneficial ingredients like honey, salt, etc. toenhance its benefits.
Nutritional Properties of Lemon Water:As we all know, lemon is a good source of vitamins and minerals which are essential for healthy and proper functioning of the body. It has low calories (29 cal /100gm), low cholesterol and low saturated fat. Like most citrus fruits, it is a very rich source of vitamin C which is an amazing antioxidant. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin B1 (thiamine) in lesser amounts. Minerals present in lemon include copper, calcium and potassium. Copper possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Calcium is good for bones and teeth while potassium helps maintain PH and water balance.
It is this wide array of beneficial nutrients that makes lemon water and other lemon drinks extremely beneficial for health. So we are going to focus on the various benefits of drinking lemon water and lemon juice.
Benefits of Lemon Drink:Listed below are the amazing benefits of lemon water that you can consume in various forms.
Warm Lemon Water:Warm lemon water is an extremely beneficial drink with innumerable health benefits given below.
1. Digestion:Proper Digestion plays an important role in overall health. Poor digestion can lead to several health complications. Hence warm lemon water is a simple, quick and effective home remedy for digestive issues. Start your day by supping warm lemon water on empty stomacheveryday. It is the best and the healthiest morning drink. Daily consumption of lemon water treats indigestion issues like bloating, belching, heartburn, etc. It treats constipation by helping in waste elimination. Many digestive disorders take place because of poor pH level and lemon water helps restore pH level and helps in digestion.
2. Strengthens Immune System:Our immune system protects our body by combating illness. Weak immune system makes our body susceptible to illness and infections. Warm lemon water has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which fight harmful bacteria, fungus, and virus that cause diseases and infections. Its antioxidant property helps eliminate toxins from the body.
Lemon Water in the Morning:Your health and energy levels for the day depends upon what you eat in the morning. A glass of warm lemon water gives a healthy, energetic and refreshing start to your day. Daily intake of lemon water early in the morning works wonders for your health, providing you the following health benefits.
3. Oral Health:A cup of lemon water in the morning is good for oral health. Its anti-bacterial property eliminates mouth bacteria which is responsible for causing bad breath. It soothes toothaches and many oral diseases like gingivitis. It also helps in teeth whitening as lemon is a natural bleaching agent. Ensure to gargle with plain water after lemon water intake to avoid tooth enamel damage.
4. Good Mood:Bad mood spoils everything. Starting your morning with lemon water enhances your mood. This quality can be attributed to its revitalizing mood enhancing smell. It also minimizes anxiety and depression. Vitamin C in lemon is a natural stress reducer.
5. Natural Diuretic (promotes urine production):Lemon water prevents urinary tract infections. Being a natural diuretic, it increases urination and hence, eliminates bacteria which causes urinary tract infection. Lemon water is effective in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones as it contains citric acid, which does not allow stone formation by breaking it. In case of kidney stone, you can drink lemon water 3-4 times a day for better results.
Lemon Water With Honey:Lemon and honey helps in fighting many health issues because of their antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-oxidant properties. Thus, the combination of lemon water and honey gives you additional health benefits given below.
6. Aids Weight Loss:Honey and lemon water is a popular and effective remedy for weight loss. This drink has formed a part of several weight loss programs. Both are beneficial for health. To lose weight, take a glass of warm water, add 1 teaspoon honey, squeeze 1 lemon to it and drink it on an empty stomach daily in the morning. It increases the metabolism rate which burns calories fast. Stimulated metabolism uses fat as an energy source, causing you to lose weight. Lemon water with honey also boosts your energy level. Pectin fibre present in lemon reduces hunger cravings and makes you feel full. The combination of all these functions goes a long way in promoting healthy weight loss.
7. Treatment of Cold and Flu:Honey and lemon is an age-old home remedy for treatment of cold and flu. Just add two teaspoons each of honey and lemon juice in a cup of warm water. Its consumption eases discomfort. Cold and flu are also caused due to virus. Both lemon and honey have anti-viral property which fights infectious bacteria. Lemon has lots of vitamin C in it which boosts the immune system. Honey soothes sore throat and treats cough. This combination of honey and lemon also treats nasal congestion by eliminating unwanted mucus.
Lemon Water and Salt:Lemon water when taken with salt can be beneficial for your health in the following ways.
8. Great Detoxifier:Lemon diet or the master cleanse diet is a popular weight loss program that involves both lemon juice and salt water. The name itself suggests that having lemon water with salt helps cleanse your system by removing those unwanted toxins accumulated in your body. The result is, of course, visible in the form of reduced weight, glowing skin and better digestion.
9. Maintains pH Balance:Lemon water with salt is an effective way to restore your body’s pH levels. A pH level above 7.0 is alkaline and below 7.0 is acidic. Lemon is acidic, but when it goes inside our body, it turns alkaline and salt is alkaline in nature. Your body should be more alkaline than acidic. Maintenance of pH balance is important as poor pH balance can cause health issues like digestive problems, skin diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis etc. Proper pH balance helps in nutrient absorption, digestion, toxin elimination, etc. Thus, if you are suffering from these problems, consider taking lemon water with salt as these may be caused due to improper pH balance.
10. Improves Mineral Absorption:Our body needs minerals for overall health. It cannot produce these minerals on its own sothese have to be supplied to our body through food. Proper absorption of minerals is necessary for performing important functions like maintenance of pH balance and healthy nervous system, acting as a co-factor for enzyme reactions, formation of bones and teeth, metabolic stimulation etc. Intake of lemon water with a pinch of salt 2-3 times a day improves the absorption of minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium etc. Thus, it helps prevent health issues like osteoporosis (calcium deficiency), anaemia (iron deficiency), muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythm (magnesium deficiency).
Lemon Juice:Lemon juice is also not far behind as a refreshing and healthy drink. In fact, it is one of the most widely used ingredients. Apart from direct consumption, lemon juice is used as a preservative as well as an ingredient in recipes to impart its sour flavour. But what makes it more valuable is its health promoting qualities as given below:
11. Heart Health:Heart is a vital organ and so its health and care is extremely important. Lemon juice consumption has been found beneficial for healthy health. Potassium present in it controls high blood pressure while vitamin C lowers cholesterol level and prevents blood clotting within vessels. Lemon has antioxidant property which eliminates harmful toxins and keeps blood purified. It also prevents strokes, heart attacks and other serious heart problems.
Sweet Lemon Water/ Lemonade:Lemonade or sweet lemon water is lemon water with sugar sweetness. It is a great option to satisfy your sweet tooth in comparison to other sugary foods and beverages which are nil in the nutrient – quotient. Besides being a tasty and refreshing drink, it is beneficial for your health.
12. Beneficial for Skin:Lemonade is a wonderful drink for your hair and skin health. Having a glass of lemonade daily helps treat hair and skin issues. The high amount of vitamin C in lemonade eliminates free radicals which are responsible for causing wrinkles and ageing. Vitamin C also heals damaged tissues, lightens dark spots, prevents acne and blemishes and helps in reducing sun damage. Lemonade intake provides you with a glowing flawless skin.
13. Beneficial for Hair:Apart from maintaining skin health, vitamin C in lemonade also helps in treating and preventing hair problems like split ends, dry hair and dandruff etc. Its antibacterial property fights bacteria, thus preventing several scalp issues.
Hence, lemon water and lemon juice are more than just refreshing drinks. So give up all those sugary and canned beverages and switch to simple homemade lemon drinks for a boost in your health and energy!
Nutritional Properties of Lemon Water:As we all know, lemon is a good source of vitamins and minerals which are essential for healthy and proper functioning of the body. It has low calories (29 cal /100gm), low cholesterol and low saturated fat. Like most citrus fruits, it is a very rich source of vitamin C which is an amazing antioxidant. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin B1 (thiamine) in lesser amounts. Minerals present in lemon include copper, calcium and potassium. Copper possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Calcium is good for bones and teeth while potassium helps maintain PH and water balance.
It is this wide array of beneficial nutrients that makes lemon water and other lemon drinks extremely beneficial for health. So we are going to focus on the various benefits of drinking lemon water and lemon juice.
Benefits of Lemon Drink:Listed below are the amazing benefits of lemon water that you can consume in various forms.
Warm Lemon Water:Warm lemon water is an extremely beneficial drink with innumerable health benefits given below.
1. Digestion:Proper Digestion plays an important role in overall health. Poor digestion can lead to several health complications. Hence warm lemon water is a simple, quick and effective home remedy for digestive issues. Start your day by supping warm lemon water on empty stomacheveryday. It is the best and the healthiest morning drink. Daily consumption of lemon water treats indigestion issues like bloating, belching, heartburn, etc. It treats constipation by helping in waste elimination. Many digestive disorders take place because of poor pH level and lemon water helps restore pH level and helps in digestion.
2. Strengthens Immune System:Our immune system protects our body by combating illness. Weak immune system makes our body susceptible to illness and infections. Warm lemon water has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties which fight harmful bacteria, fungus, and virus that cause diseases and infections. Its antioxidant property helps eliminate toxins from the body.
Lemon Water in the Morning:Your health and energy levels for the day depends upon what you eat in the morning. A glass of warm lemon water gives a healthy, energetic and refreshing start to your day. Daily intake of lemon water early in the morning works wonders for your health, providing you the following health benefits.
3. Oral Health:A cup of lemon water in the morning is good for oral health. Its anti-bacterial property eliminates mouth bacteria which is responsible for causing bad breath. It soothes toothaches and many oral diseases like gingivitis. It also helps in teeth whitening as lemon is a natural bleaching agent. Ensure to gargle with plain water after lemon water intake to avoid tooth enamel damage.
4. Good Mood:Bad mood spoils everything. Starting your morning with lemon water enhances your mood. This quality can be attributed to its revitalizing mood enhancing smell. It also minimizes anxiety and depression. Vitamin C in lemon is a natural stress reducer.
5. Natural Diuretic (promotes urine production):Lemon water prevents urinary tract infections. Being a natural diuretic, it increases urination and hence, eliminates bacteria which causes urinary tract infection. Lemon water is effective in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones as it contains citric acid, which does not allow stone formation by breaking it. In case of kidney stone, you can drink lemon water 3-4 times a day for better results.
Lemon Water With Honey:Lemon and honey helps in fighting many health issues because of their antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-oxidant properties. Thus, the combination of lemon water and honey gives you additional health benefits given below.
6. Aids Weight Loss:Honey and lemon water is a popular and effective remedy for weight loss. This drink has formed a part of several weight loss programs. Both are beneficial for health. To lose weight, take a glass of warm water, add 1 teaspoon honey, squeeze 1 lemon to it and drink it on an empty stomach daily in the morning. It increases the metabolism rate which burns calories fast. Stimulated metabolism uses fat as an energy source, causing you to lose weight. Lemon water with honey also boosts your energy level. Pectin fibre present in lemon reduces hunger cravings and makes you feel full. The combination of all these functions goes a long way in promoting healthy weight loss.
7. Treatment of Cold and Flu:Honey and lemon is an age-old home remedy for treatment of cold and flu. Just add two teaspoons each of honey and lemon juice in a cup of warm water. Its consumption eases discomfort. Cold and flu are also caused due to virus. Both lemon and honey have anti-viral property which fights infectious bacteria. Lemon has lots of vitamin C in it which boosts the immune system. Honey soothes sore throat and treats cough. This combination of honey and lemon also treats nasal congestion by eliminating unwanted mucus.
Lemon Water and Salt:Lemon water when taken with salt can be beneficial for your health in the following ways.
8. Great Detoxifier:Lemon diet or the master cleanse diet is a popular weight loss program that involves both lemon juice and salt water. The name itself suggests that having lemon water with salt helps cleanse your system by removing those unwanted toxins accumulated in your body. The result is, of course, visible in the form of reduced weight, glowing skin and better digestion.
9. Maintains pH Balance:Lemon water with salt is an effective way to restore your body’s pH levels. A pH level above 7.0 is alkaline and below 7.0 is acidic. Lemon is acidic, but when it goes inside our body, it turns alkaline and salt is alkaline in nature. Your body should be more alkaline than acidic. Maintenance of pH balance is important as poor pH balance can cause health issues like digestive problems, skin diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis etc. Proper pH balance helps in nutrient absorption, digestion, toxin elimination, etc. Thus, if you are suffering from these problems, consider taking lemon water with salt as these may be caused due to improper pH balance.
10. Improves Mineral Absorption:Our body needs minerals for overall health. It cannot produce these minerals on its own sothese have to be supplied to our body through food. Proper absorption of minerals is necessary for performing important functions like maintenance of pH balance and healthy nervous system, acting as a co-factor for enzyme reactions, formation of bones and teeth, metabolic stimulation etc. Intake of lemon water with a pinch of salt 2-3 times a day improves the absorption of minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium etc. Thus, it helps prevent health issues like osteoporosis (calcium deficiency), anaemia (iron deficiency), muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythm (magnesium deficiency).
Lemon Juice:Lemon juice is also not far behind as a refreshing and healthy drink. In fact, it is one of the most widely used ingredients. Apart from direct consumption, lemon juice is used as a preservative as well as an ingredient in recipes to impart its sour flavour. But what makes it more valuable is its health promoting qualities as given below:
11. Heart Health:Heart is a vital organ and so its health and care is extremely important. Lemon juice consumption has been found beneficial for healthy health. Potassium present in it controls high blood pressure while vitamin C lowers cholesterol level and prevents blood clotting within vessels. Lemon has antioxidant property which eliminates harmful toxins and keeps blood purified. It also prevents strokes, heart attacks and other serious heart problems.
Sweet Lemon Water/ Lemonade:Lemonade or sweet lemon water is lemon water with sugar sweetness. It is a great option to satisfy your sweet tooth in comparison to other sugary foods and beverages which are nil in the nutrient – quotient. Besides being a tasty and refreshing drink, it is beneficial for your health.
12. Beneficial for Skin:Lemonade is a wonderful drink for your hair and skin health. Having a glass of lemonade daily helps treat hair and skin issues. The high amount of vitamin C in lemonade eliminates free radicals which are responsible for causing wrinkles and ageing. Vitamin C also heals damaged tissues, lightens dark spots, prevents acne and blemishes and helps in reducing sun damage. Lemonade intake provides you with a glowing flawless skin.
13. Beneficial for Hair:Apart from maintaining skin health, vitamin C in lemonade also helps in treating and preventing hair problems like split ends, dry hair and dandruff etc. Its antibacterial property fights bacteria, thus preventing several scalp issues.
Hence, lemon water and lemon juice are more than just refreshing drinks. So give up all those sugary and canned beverages and switch to simple homemade lemon drinks for a boost in your health and energy!
Is It Time To Detox?
Maybe you’ve been feeling a little under the weather lately but can’t quite put your finger on why. Well and Good thinks that if you have the following symptoms, then it might be time for a detox this fall. Read on to discover if you need to flush those toxins out of your body.
Sneezing everywhere, sugar cravings, and can’t get a good night’s sleep?
This fun little set of issues might mean a detox is in the cards for you this fall, says Jeffrey Morrison, MD, an integrative physician in New York City and author of Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind, who can spot someone who needs a detox from a mile away.
It’s his favorite kind of reset for post-summer stress, whether you’re experiencing just one of these symptoms (fingers crossed) or the whole gamut (so sorry!).
Allergies
If it feels like every year your seasonal allergies are getting worse, especially going into fall, it’s not just because the pollen is getting worse, says Dr. Morrison. It’s possible you’re run down. “We find when people do a detox, their allergy symptoms get much better.”
Short-term remedy: Dr. Morrison suggests local bee pollen to help alleviate allergies. “People who have what appear to be severe seasonal allergies should start with a small amount—one to two granules of bee pollen—in the morning before breakfast and slowly work up to about half a teaspoon, two times a day,” he says. “The oral ingestion of bee pollen is a natural way of desensitizing to local flowers from the inside out.”
Difficulty staying asleep
Pop awake almost every night? It’s a sign that your liver is under stress, says Dr. Morrison.
“The liver is the main organ in the body for detoxifying chemicals, prescription medications, and alcohol, and all of these can cause you to wake up at night. Even if you’re not drinking and still waking up, it could be because the liver is working harder than it should,” he explains.
Short-term remedy: A supplement called glycine helps the body make extra GABA (a calming neurotransmitter). Take one, in water, at bedtime, he says.
Sugar cravings
A detox is not just about eliminating toxins, it’s also about eliminating unhealthy behaviors, Dr. Morrison says, and sugar can be addicting and habit forming. The best way to get rid of the cravings is to ditch sugar flat out. And according to Dr. Morrison, a juice cleanse won’t help you do that.
Short-term remedy: Three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water. “It completely eliminates the craving,” he finds.
Sneezing everywhere, sugar cravings, and can’t get a good night’s sleep?
This fun little set of issues might mean a detox is in the cards for you this fall, says Jeffrey Morrison, MD, an integrative physician in New York City and author of Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind, who can spot someone who needs a detox from a mile away.
It’s his favorite kind of reset for post-summer stress, whether you’re experiencing just one of these symptoms (fingers crossed) or the whole gamut (so sorry!).
Allergies
If it feels like every year your seasonal allergies are getting worse, especially going into fall, it’s not just because the pollen is getting worse, says Dr. Morrison. It’s possible you’re run down. “We find when people do a detox, their allergy symptoms get much better.”
Short-term remedy: Dr. Morrison suggests local bee pollen to help alleviate allergies. “People who have what appear to be severe seasonal allergies should start with a small amount—one to two granules of bee pollen—in the morning before breakfast and slowly work up to about half a teaspoon, two times a day,” he says. “The oral ingestion of bee pollen is a natural way of desensitizing to local flowers from the inside out.”
Difficulty staying asleep
Pop awake almost every night? It’s a sign that your liver is under stress, says Dr. Morrison.
“The liver is the main organ in the body for detoxifying chemicals, prescription medications, and alcohol, and all of these can cause you to wake up at night. Even if you’re not drinking and still waking up, it could be because the liver is working harder than it should,” he explains.
Short-term remedy: A supplement called glycine helps the body make extra GABA (a calming neurotransmitter). Take one, in water, at bedtime, he says.
Sugar cravings
A detox is not just about eliminating toxins, it’s also about eliminating unhealthy behaviors, Dr. Morrison says, and sugar can be addicting and habit forming. The best way to get rid of the cravings is to ditch sugar flat out. And according to Dr. Morrison, a juice cleanse won’t help you do that.
Short-term remedy: Three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water. “It completely eliminates the craving,” he finds.
The Lemonade Detox
The Lemon Diet, also known as the master cleanse, is a diet resulting in rapid weight loss over a period of several days to about a week. Lemons being rich in antioxidants and vitamins, helps to detox the body. Thus, it is very important to introduce citrus fruits like lemon, grapefruit, oranges and kiwi in your daily diet.
The lemon detox diet was popularized by singer Beyonce Knowles who announced at the Oprah Winfrey Show that she lived on a lemon diet with cayenne pepper and maple syrup for 15 days and lost 20 pounds (9 kgs) in two weeks1.
Nevertheless, the lemonade diet has been around for 50 years. Originally developed by Stanley Burroughs, this is designed to cleanse your body of toxins, the major benefit being rapid weight loss. The main reason for this weight loss is that this diet limits your caloric intake by a tremendous amount. This dramatic cut in calories results in a loss of considerable amount of weight in a very short period of time. This diet can be resorted to by someone who has to attend a social function in a couple of weeks and need to lose a lot of weight to look their best for the event.
How to follow the lemon diet?Things needed:
2. Mix 12-14 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper and 12-14 tablespoons of maple sy1rup in 2 litres of water. This mixture is enough to last for the whole day.
3. Keep sipping small amounts of this mixture during the day whenever you feel hunger pangs. The mixture can be followed with plain water, if necessary.
4. Make a salt water flush by mixing 1 tablespoon sea salt in 1 litre of water and drink it all at once. It might seem difficult but it yields better results. The major reason for following this diet at home is because within an hour of drinking the salt water flush, one will experience a bowel movement lasting for about 30 to 60 minutes. It is more preferable to prepare the salt water flush in the evening.
5. This diet should be followed for 3 to10 days by drinking the same amount of lemon mixture and salt water flush each day.
Food Combination with the Lemon Diet
While following this diet, no solid food is allowed. It calls for 6 or more servings of the specialized lemonade mixture everyday. In addition to this, the salt water flush helps to cleanse the body. Different people incorporate this diet for varying amounts of time, mostly lasting for 2 days. Combining food throughout the entire process would, therefore, defeat its main purpose. However, food can be combined in the beginning and at the end of the lemon diet to ease your body into and off the diet.
Things needed:
2. Drink 3 litres of orange juice with 2 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup in it during the second day. Decide the period of detox. Most people detox for 2 days during which they can only consume 2 litres of lemonade per day when they feel hunger pains.
3. Drink a mixture of 3 litres of orange juice and 2 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup during the first day after you have finished detoxing.
4. Fruits and vegetables (preferably raw) should be consumed on the second day after completion of detox.
5. Fruits, vegetables and non- processed foods can be eaten during the third day after stopping of detox. This should be followed by grains such as brown rice and oats to ease you back into your regular diet.
Points to be kept in mind
Benefits Of Lemonade Diet:1. The benefit of this diet is often explained in the form of rapid weight loss. To put it in a better way, this program enables the body to regain its balance of elements and maintain its optimum weight. Those who are not over weight lose between 2-3 kgs and those who are underweight re-establish the balance of the body’s metabolism. The process would have taken much longer if the body had to burn off all the excess fat.
2. The loss of weight is only a secondary effect, the principal effect being detoxification of the organs of the body. Moreover, the body gets rid of fat deposits. It is in the course of this purification that the skin and hair get embellished.
3. Detoxification will allegedly rid the body of warts, arthritis, asthma, stomach troubles etc. Besides, lemon juice and cayenne pepper will flush out excess fat from your body leading to rapid weight loss during the diet and cleanse the lymphatic system, of toxins. The maple syrup contains all the nutrients your body needs to function during this time.
Side effects of Lemon Diet:As it is a master cleanse, the lemon diet will release toxins into your body causing symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea or a general feeling of being tired and possibly other symptoms. The magnitude and occurrence of these symptoms depend on how many toxins you have in your body.
To conclude, just like any other diet, in case of a lemon diet also, it is appropriate to consult your physician before starting it.
The lemon detox diet was popularized by singer Beyonce Knowles who announced at the Oprah Winfrey Show that she lived on a lemon diet with cayenne pepper and maple syrup for 15 days and lost 20 pounds (9 kgs) in two weeks1.
Nevertheless, the lemonade diet has been around for 50 years. Originally developed by Stanley Burroughs, this is designed to cleanse your body of toxins, the major benefit being rapid weight loss. The main reason for this weight loss is that this diet limits your caloric intake by a tremendous amount. This dramatic cut in calories results in a loss of considerable amount of weight in a very short period of time. This diet can be resorted to by someone who has to attend a social function in a couple of weeks and need to lose a lot of weight to look their best for the event.
How to follow the lemon diet?Things needed:
- Spring water
- Grade B maple syrup
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper sea salt
2. Mix 12-14 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper and 12-14 tablespoons of maple sy1rup in 2 litres of water. This mixture is enough to last for the whole day.
3. Keep sipping small amounts of this mixture during the day whenever you feel hunger pangs. The mixture can be followed with plain water, if necessary.
4. Make a salt water flush by mixing 1 tablespoon sea salt in 1 litre of water and drink it all at once. It might seem difficult but it yields better results. The major reason for following this diet at home is because within an hour of drinking the salt water flush, one will experience a bowel movement lasting for about 30 to 60 minutes. It is more preferable to prepare the salt water flush in the evening.
5. This diet should be followed for 3 to10 days by drinking the same amount of lemon mixture and salt water flush each day.
Food Combination with the Lemon Diet
While following this diet, no solid food is allowed. It calls for 6 or more servings of the specialized lemonade mixture everyday. In addition to this, the salt water flush helps to cleanse the body. Different people incorporate this diet for varying amounts of time, mostly lasting for 2 days. Combining food throughout the entire process would, therefore, defeat its main purpose. However, food can be combined in the beginning and at the end of the lemon diet to ease your body into and off the diet.
Things needed:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Orange juice
- Grade B syrup,
- Lemon juice
- Cayenne pepper
- Unrefined sea salt
- Non processed foods
2. Drink 3 litres of orange juice with 2 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup in it during the second day. Decide the period of detox. Most people detox for 2 days during which they can only consume 2 litres of lemonade per day when they feel hunger pains.
3. Drink a mixture of 3 litres of orange juice and 2 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup during the first day after you have finished detoxing.
4. Fruits and vegetables (preferably raw) should be consumed on the second day after completion of detox.
5. Fruits, vegetables and non- processed foods can be eaten during the third day after stopping of detox. This should be followed by grains such as brown rice and oats to ease you back into your regular diet.
Points to be kept in mind
- Lemon diet is basically a detoxification diet, not a weight loss plan. Therefore, one is likely to regain at least half of the weight lost in the course of diet once the diet is over.
- It is absolutely essential to wean yourself off of caffeine before beginning the diet to avoid unpleasant withdrawal effects.
- This diet should not be followed for a period of more than 2 weeks (10 days being the maximum). In case of health issues, consult the doctor before following the diet.
Benefits Of Lemonade Diet:1. The benefit of this diet is often explained in the form of rapid weight loss. To put it in a better way, this program enables the body to regain its balance of elements and maintain its optimum weight. Those who are not over weight lose between 2-3 kgs and those who are underweight re-establish the balance of the body’s metabolism. The process would have taken much longer if the body had to burn off all the excess fat.
2. The loss of weight is only a secondary effect, the principal effect being detoxification of the organs of the body. Moreover, the body gets rid of fat deposits. It is in the course of this purification that the skin and hair get embellished.
3. Detoxification will allegedly rid the body of warts, arthritis, asthma, stomach troubles etc. Besides, lemon juice and cayenne pepper will flush out excess fat from your body leading to rapid weight loss during the diet and cleanse the lymphatic system, of toxins. The maple syrup contains all the nutrients your body needs to function during this time.
Side effects of Lemon Diet:As it is a master cleanse, the lemon diet will release toxins into your body causing symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea or a general feeling of being tired and possibly other symptoms. The magnitude and occurrence of these symptoms depend on how many toxins you have in your body.
To conclude, just like any other diet, in case of a lemon diet also, it is appropriate to consult your physician before starting it.