19 Balancing Benefits of This Two-Ingredient Morning Tonic

Many of us have morning routines that are wonderful health practices — a morning meditation, a few yoga poses, a brisk walk around the neighborhood, or a delicious fruit-infused smoothie. Daily routines are vital to health and happiness, and this is especially true at the start of the day.
How about a quick and simple glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt? This simple drink can boost your morning health and wellness regimen — and it’s so easy to make. There are a number of professional athletes and Olympians who start their morning with lemon and salt water, which may say something about its effectiveness.

A 10-ounce glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt in the morning can increase your immune function, decrease uric acid to fight inflammation, improve digestion, and balance your body. These benefits can be attributed to the vitamin C content of the lemon juice as well as the essential minerals contained in Himalayan salt. This simple morning drink promotes vitality, health, and overall wellness, and may even improve your sex drive!

Let’s take a closer look at 19 of the balancing benefits of water, lemon, and salt, all in one cup.

Lemons are excellent for fighting inflammation. Lemons can help dissolve the uric acid in your joints, and also have been found to help build and repair tendons, ligaments, and bone. This anti-inflammatory property may be especially beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, according to an American College of Physicians study on osteoarthritis, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (2000).

Aids in proper food and water absorption. A daily glass of lemon water with Himalayan salt may provide a better overall mineral balance, which promotes proper food and water absorption in your body, allowing essential nutrients to get where they need to be.

Balances your body’s acidity (pH). The alkalizing effects of lemon and natural salt are highly useful for managing your body’s delicate pH balance, which is crucial for optimal functioning of the body’s systems.

Boosts immune function. One lemon serves up 139 percent of your daily value (DV) for vitamin C. Squeezing one lemon into your morning is a natural alternative to that vitamin C supplement you may be taking.

It’s a detox for your cells. The all-natural Himalayan salt mixed with lemon juice and water helps to pull toxins from your cells, reducing cellular toxicity. This may reduce your risk for various chronic diseases, as well as make you feel generally awesome!

Reduces problematic cellulite. Natural salts like Himalayan salt have been used for centuries for skin care. Interestingly, most spa treatments for cellulitis contain some form of salt and/or citrus blend. A few daily gulps of lemon and salt water in the morning may firm up a few of those unsightly areas.

Clears up skin and adds a fresh glow. Using natural salt for skin problems, such as psoriasis and eczema, dates back to ancient Roman times. Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius’ doctor, Galen from Pergamum, used sea salt for skin diseases, according to Science Tribune (1999).

Useful for allergy season. It has been suggested that the combination of lemon and salt, specifically mixed into warm water, acts as a natural antihistamine for allergies. It may be the perfect alternative to those pink pills that leave you feeling drowsy.

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Paves the way for better sleep. The natural hormone-balancing properties of lemon and Himalayan salt can be more than useful when it comes to bedtime. Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential for physical health, mental health, productivity, and much more. This hormone-balancing beverage can make an effective nightcap.

Helps controls blood sugar. The fiber content of lemons helps to balance blood glucose levels, which is useful for type 2 diabetes patients and prediabetics alike, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2000).

Lemons may help detoxify your liver. Vitamin C is essential for producing glutathione, which plays a foundational role in detoxifying the liver. It also has antiseptic properties that are useful for liver function, as well.

Freshens breath! Lemon and Himalayan salt may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of fresh breath. However, the lemon and salt in this simple morning drink help kill the bad breath bacteria that build up while you’re sleeping.

May help you chill out. When you get stressed out, do not be so quick to reach for those prescription pills. You may be able to chill out and return to that state of Zen by boosting your vitamin C levels first thing in the morning.

Useful for reducing blood pressure. Lemons are not all about vitamin C and fiber. They also boast potassium, which is vital for flushing excessive sodium from the body.

Boost your libido! The vitamin C content and hormone-balancing properties of this morning beverage can help lift your mood. This might be all it takes to boost your libido, without the need for that little blue pill.

Gets you hydrated right out of the gate. Many people forget how important hydration is, especially after a seven or eight-hour sleep period with no water. Start your morning off right and get hydrated. The water, salt and zesty lemon will get your day off to the perfect start.

An antioxidant powerhouse vital for, well, everything! Lemon offers up a wealth of vitamins and minerals, while Himalayan salt boosts your mineral and trace mineral levels even more. The antioxidant and detoxifying properties of lemon saltwater pack a powerful, free radical knockout punch.

May improve your heart health. Lemons and real salt are both exceptional for increasing heart health on their own. However, when you combine the two into one vibrant morning drink, you get even more vital heart-thumping health benefits.

Natural salt supports electrochemical reactions in the body, while negative ions assist in healthy heart rhythm. Lemons are rich in vitamin C, which is, “associated with lower endothelial dysfunction in men with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes,” according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006).

Promotes digestive health. A glass of warm lemon water with Himalayan salt before breakfast, or any meal, helps signal your liver to produce the essential bile needed to clean out harmful gut bacteria. The fibre content and natural salt will also promote digestion.

Are you ready to commit to this simple and health-promoting morning drink? I have been drinking warm lemon water with Himalayan salt every morning for months, and I absolutely love it. My energy levels are up, and I feel as cool as a cucumber throughout the day.

Want to join me? Combine 10 ounces of filtered water with one whole lemon, squeezed, and half a teaspoon of Himalayan salt.

What other diet and fitness routines get your morning off to the perfect start?

-Stephen Seifert

http://www.thealternativedaily.com/benefits-of-lemon-water-and-salt/

Alkaline Drink: What Is It And Does It Work?

Alkaline water has become all the rage–and it’s easy to understand why. Proponents say that alkalized water can boost your metabolism, reduce acid in your bloodstream, and help your body absorb nutrients more quickly, among other benefits. Follow these tips to start alkalizing your own water at home today!

Rich in potassium, folate, Vitamin B6 and thiamin, lemons also contain bankable amounts of magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and vitamins A and E.

Vitamin C is one of the quickest and easiest ways to boost your immune system. It helps neutralize free radicals associated with aging and disease and it’s also excellent for the skin.(S1)

What is it?

he Honestly Healthy Alkaline Programme, set up by nutritional therapist Vicki Edgson and organic chef Natasha Corrett (she’s also the step-sister of Sienna Miller), involves eating mainly alkaline foods in order to keep the body’s pH between 7.35 and 7.45. The ultimate aim is to eat 80 per cent alkaline foods and 20 per cent acidic foods.

Make Lemon Water

While it is a really simple process with few ingredients, it is still worth giving you my process so you can see how I do it.

In reality you’ll find your own way/combo that you like, but here’s how I do it:

• 400ml of room temperature filtered (I use ionized) water
• 100ml of boiled water
• 1/3 medium sized lemon

(S2)

Immune Boosting: Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies.

Fights Aging & Free Radical Formation: the high levels of Vitamin C from lemons travel through the body neutralizing any free radicals with which it comes into contact. Free radicals can destroy healthy cells and also cause a lot of inflammation, or painful swelling, in the body. This is one of the reasons that vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis: vitamin C-rich foods, such as lemons and limes, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

Anti-Biotic: flavonoids in lemons and limes called flavonol glycosides have antibiotic effects – helping prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases.

Anti-Cancer: Lemons and limes contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. In fact, research has shown that compounds in citrus fruits, including lemons and limes, called limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon.

Detoxifying: Warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins built up and processed for removal during your sleep. If you stay dehydrated your body has no way of expelling these toxins and they can get stored in fat, to protect your vital organs. Help your body get them out by hydrating with lemon water!

Anti-Inflammatory: lemons help with reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid – also making it very helpful for gout.

Liver Health: Lemon water helps to strengthen the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too diluted.

Eye Health: the vitamins and cartenoids in lemons helps prevent macular degeneration – i.e. it maintains the health of the eyes and your eyesight! (S3)

Also Read:

Kidney Health: 16 Home Remedy And Natural Cures For Kidney Pain and Infection

How Cherry juice Helps You To Sleep More? 6 Reason To Drink Cherry Juice

Feeling Low Energy And Tired Mostly? 7 Food That Boost Energy And Lift Mood

By Phyllis

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/alkaline-drink-work/

5 Invigorating Essential Oils + How To Use Them

As a yoga teacher, I love aromatherapy. My favorite way to use essential oils as a yoga teacher is to place a few drops on the top of my feet before class. That way, the warmth of my feet acts like a diffuser for the chosen scent! As I walk around the room teaching and assisting students, the aroma gradually infuses through the room in a subtle and non-offensive way.

I find this works much better than letting the oil permeate the room with a candle or essential oil diffuser. This also helps avoid any possible issues of applying oils to students directly, who may have sensitive skin and/or allergies.

But you don't have to be a yoga teacher to use and appreciate aromatherapy.

Here's a breakdown of my five favorite essential oils and a few great ways to use them.

When applying oils to skin, be sure the particular oil you've chosen is safe for topical application. Also, many oils need to be diluted with water or a carrier oil, so always read the labels.

1. Lavender

The calming and soothing qualities of lavender are so well known — it is one of the most widely used essential oils and is easily available at any health food store.

Here are my favorite ways to use lavender:

• As a scent on eye pillows for Restorative Yoga and/or Savasana
• Place a 1-3 drops on cotton ball and place in closet for a natural moth repellent
• Place a drop on the underside of your pillow at night, to help encourage a peaceful sleep

2. Lemon

I'm sure by now you've heard of the whole lemon water craze — drinking warm water with lemon each morning as a way to cleanse the system. But let's face it, whether we're yogis or not we're likely pretty busy, and we don't always have a fresh lemon on hand.

That's where a food-grade essential oil can come in handy! I use lemon essential oil in a pinch, or when I'm traveling and don't have access to a kitchen or fresh lemons. Using 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil in 8-10 ounces of water can be a great substitute for fresh lemon water.

My favorite uses for lemon essential oils:

• As lemon water (make sure it's food grade!)
• Diffuse in the home to freshen and uplift
• Create natural cleaning solutions for the home
• Place 1-3 drops in trash cans and toilets as a natural deodorizer

3. Peppermint

Peppermint is another great all-around oil with many uses. Please note, this oil always needs to be diluted if used topically on skin.

I've fallen in love with peppermint and use it in the following ways:

• Place a single drop in your tea to energize (please make sure it's food grade!)
• Dilute a single drop in a carrier oil and apply to temples to relieve stress
• Dilute a single drop in a carrier oil and apply to belly to ease stomach discomfort
• Open up the bottle, take an inhale, and enjoy a natural pick-me-up

4. Sandalwood

Sandalwood can be a bit pricey, especially if you find a responsibly sourced oil. But, it's so worth it! I buy the tiniest amount I can, because it lasts a long time.

Here are some great ways a yogi can use sandalwood:

• Dilute a single drop in a carrier oil and apply to your neck for an uplifting mood
• Dilute a single drop in carrier oil and apply to nape of neck before teaching, to preserve and "protect" your energy
• Place 1-3 drops into your warm bath
• Natural skincare products
• Natural haircare products

5. Tea Tree or Melaleuca

Tea Tree oil has a nice medicinal scent, which gives you a hint to it's various uses.

Here are just a few of my favorite ways to use it:

• Create natural cleaning solutions for the home
• Natural skincare remedies
• As a yoga mat cleaner

And as a bonus, here is my go-to mat cleaner recipe. It's best to use an aluminum or glass bottle for storage, because a plastic bottle will break-down over time.

• 1 cup distilled water
• 1/3 cup witch hazel
• 12 drops tea tree essential oil
• 6 drops lavender

Photos courtesy of the author

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17207/5-invigorating-essential-oils-how-to-use-them.html