by Miza
(London)
Hello, I am in my first trimester and having a constipation problem. Is it safe to drink whole lemon in hot water every morning and does it help with constipation?
Which one is better, natural lemon or lemon juice in bottle? Thank you.
ANSWER: First, it is always better to drink fresh-squeezed lemon juice in water rather than bottled juice.
You can read more here about bottled lemon juice vs fresh-squeezed.
Second, unless someone has a citrus allergy or an ulcer, drinking lemon water in moderation during pregnancy should be beneficial and safe for the unborn child.
The key word here is "moderation" because too much lemon in water can cause the body to detoxify too fast.
Thus a strong concentration of lemon juice is not recommended. Drinking the juice of one full lemon in a glass of water might be too much for some women.
For pregnant women in general good health, I recommend starting with one-fourth of a lemon in a 12 to 16 ounce glass of water once a day. She can gradually increase that to two or three glasses of lemon water a day, depending on how she feels.
Potential Benefits of Lemon Water During Pregnancy
Two significant potential benefits of drinking lemon water regularly during pregnancy include improved digestion and elimination, as well as cold and flu prevention.
Jethro Kloss, author of Back to Eden, also said that drinking lemon water can help build strong bones and teeth in the child.
I believe this statement primarily comes from the premise that drinking lemon water can help to alkalize the body. The “normal” pH range for blood is between 7.30 and 7.45, which is slightly alkaline.
The body must keep the blood at that slightly alkaline level. If the body is too acidic, it will pull alkaline minerals from bones and teeth in order to buffer the acidity.
In other words, drinking lemon water can help to preserve the mineral balance in the pregnant mother so that these minerals are available to the unborn child during the developing weeks and months.
In addition to mineral balance, the blood pH is a good indication of how much oxygen is available to the cells. Obviously, well oxygenated cells are important for the growing fetus.
Additional Recommendations for Constipation
If drinking two to three glasses of lemon water daily does not improve the pregnant mother's problems with constipation, increase your water intake until you are drinking half your body weight in ounces of water.
Read more here on drinking enough water daily.
If you are drinking enough water daily, along with lemon water, and the constipation problem still persists, it is important to get help from a natural health or nutrition consultant.
Constipation most often comes from dehydration but improper food combining or other dietary factors may be the cause. Medications can also cause constipation.
Read more here on proper food combining.
Key supplements that can help with constipation issues include probiotics and digestive enzymes. Here are a few digestive aid products that I often recommend to my clients:
Dr.Ohhira's Probiotics
Latero-Flora Probiotic at Global Healing Center
Enzymedica Digest Gold
Source Naturals Daily Essential Enzymes
Read more about the Health Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water here.
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