With flu season well underway, everyone should be thinking about taking extra measures to boost their immune system.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu season has hit the United States five weeks earlier this year than last. The flu is already widespread in 41 states, and the CDC is expecting a big jump in those numbers.
There are some simple things everyone can do to help their body fight off viruses like influenza. One of them is drinking lemon water.
Immune system
Your immune system enables the body to defend itself from microorganisms and germs daily, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. It consists of organs, tissues, cells, and proteins that create an army of internal warriors ready to attack any invading germs and prevent them from causing disease. Leukocytes or white blood cells are stored in the lymph nodes throughout the body. They are continually circulating throughout the body to battle unwanted trespassers. Unfortunately, the body provides an ideal environment for many microbes, and it’s the immune system’s jobs to keep those microbes out or seek and destroy them should they make their way inside.
Benefits of Lemon Water
Lemons are inexpensive and accessible, making them a great option for everyone when it comes to boosting your immune system. Here’s how they can help:
- Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium, making them a great natural source for boosting your immunity. Vitamin C may help fight off colds while potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure. The juice from a lemon contains about 30.7 milligrams of vitamin C, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A lemon wedge provides about 2.3 milligrams, according to livestrong.com.
- Lemon water is easy on an upset stomach, unlike carbonated beverages or other fluids with high sugar content.
- Drinking warm lemon water is also beneficial to drink when you’re sick because it replaces the fluids your body loses when you have a fever and through the production of mucus. If you have a chill warm lemon water can help ease your symptoms.
- Warm Lemon water is an excellent addition to healthy teas. It’s low in calories and has a refreshing taste. The fact that it helps boost your immune system is an excellent addition to teas that have other health benefits.
- Drinking warm lemon water first thing in the morning also helps stimulate your digestive system. By increasing the acidity in your digestive system, lemon juice also helps your body better absorb calcium.
- Lemons are a natural diuretic. This means you’ll make a few extra trips to the bathroom to rid yourself of water weight, which is good for weight loss.
- Lemons also help promote your body’s production of digestive enzymes by the liver. The benefits include less heartburn, bloating, and burping. Drinking lemon water with a meal helps stimulate the production of gastric juices that will get your body a jump start on digesting your food.
- Lemon water cleanses your palate on the way down, and it helps flush your kidneys and liver of waste and toxins. It can also help cleanse your lymphatic system. This is another system that eliminates toxins in the body.
