Lemon shots are a great way to start your day.
Lemon juice, mixed with water, helps in relieving the symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn and bloating.
Once you understand the science behind how a lemon shot at the start of the day helps with your metabolism you will be a convert for sure.
Why you need a low pH in your stomach
Food that enters the stomach is mixed with HCl and creates a mixture that is referred to as chyme.
The stomach lining secretes HCl (hydrochloric acid) which creates the ideal environment for protein digesting enzymes (proteases) to work.
The body will keep the chyme in the stomach until it reaches the proper pH level. Once it reaches this level, the chyme is released into the small intestine.
If stomach acid production is low the following occurs:
- proteins will not be sufficiently broken down
- the chyme will stay in the stomach longer than it should which creates other problems
- the chyme at some point will be passed into the small intestine but with a higher than optimal pH due to low HCl levels available
- the higher pH of the chyme decreases the amount of pancreatic enzymes being released into the small intestine
In a nutshell, less foods are being broken down. Therefore you may not be receiving all the nutrients from the food you are eating. This causes you to be hungry despite eating a healthy meal. You may also feel bloated and uncomfortable, particularly after a high protein meal.
By starting your day with a lemon shot you are kick starting the digestion process in a massive way.
How to create your own Lemon Shot.
There are many ways to create your own morning Lemon Juice Shot.
1. Simple Slices
Place 2 slices of lemon into a glass and half fill with warm water. Sip over 5 minutes.
2. Juicing in Bulk
If you have a juicer, you can juice lemons to create your Lemon Shot,
To save time (lets face it, no one is going to get the juicer out for one lemon shot), here is a tip on how to make your Lemon Shots in bulk and have one on hand every day.
Juice 5-6 lemons (with the peel still intact if they are wax free). Add approximately 100ml water and stir.
Pour the lemon juice/water mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Once the juice has frozen, place the cubes into a container and place a lid on and return to the freezer. You need to place the cubes into a airtight container otherwise they will dehydrate in the freezer.
Every morning, simply remove one frozen lemon ice cube from the freezer, add a small amount of boiling water, stir and drink.
Alternatively, you can remove the lemon ice cube from the freezer in the evening and place into a cup. In the morning the cube will be melted and ready for immediate consumption, either straight or mixed with a little water.
3. The Old Fashioned Lemon Squeeze
Cut a lemon in half. Juice half a lemon and add warm water to make up a mixture of around 100mls. Sip over 5 minutes.
Other tips to maximize your Lemon Shots
It is best to drink the Lemon Shot on an empty stomach.
Do not be tempted to add some sweetness as the benefits of this juice work better with the tartiness taste of the lemons.
If you find yourself bloated after a heavy meal in the evening, you may find relief in drinking a Lemon Shot. This will help breakdown the meal if you have overindulged.
Julie Dargan has been in the wellness industry for over 30 years. Julie is a Trained Nurse, Naturopath (BHSc) who works with busy women find balance in their lives, particularly menopausal women. Julie offers a FREE program to help you discover tasty, delicious ways to lose weight and feel great. For more information you can visit www.menopausewhisperer.com
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