Did you know you can boost your energy, immunity, gut health, and decrease belly fat with one straightforward morning habit?
You can, and it’s this:
Drink a glass of filtered water mixed with fresh lime (or lemon) juice and sea salt as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Yup, that’s it.
This one change to your morning ritual is such an easy way to enhance your health. That’s why it’s a non-negotiable deal with all my clients to make this part of their daily health regime.
Now I know you may have heard the rap about the dangers of salt, leading to health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease.
But the truth is your body needs salt.
Salt comprises of sodium and chloride, two essential minerals your body requires. Moreover, popular thinking today is that most of us do not need to restrict salt and “there could be benefits from higher salt intake”, according to Dr James DiNicolantonio, author of The Salt Fix. 1
How much salt should you have?
I usually recommend 6 -10g of salt throughout the day. Start with ¼ teaspoon sea salt or a good pinch in your fresh lime juice and water each morning, then add to your drinking water and cooked meals throughout the day. Some good dietary sources of sodium include sea vegetables (Nori – dried seaweed), fish, shellfish, beets and carrots, but you would have to eat a lot of these foods to get what your body needs.
Why not white table salt?
White is not a colour. White salt is primary refined salt that contains about 99% sodium chloride. Regular table salt is processed, bleached, and stripped of its beneficial minerals. Natural sea salt is between 80% and 96% sodium chloride with the remaining being mineral content like potassium and magnesium.
What type of salt do I recommend?
Natural unrefined salt comes from the sea and is an excellent source of minerals and trace minerals. The colour variations in natural sea salt depend on the minerals in it. For example, Himalayan salt is pink based on its high iron content. Choose a coloured salt for a greater spectrum and balance of minerals.
Pink Himalayan salt is easily accessible these days in grocery stores in the UK and Europe. If you’re in Canada and the USA, I recommend Redmond Real Salt, which comes from an underground inland deposit in Utah, USA. This salt is free from microplastics and other contaminants common in traditional sea salt.
Did you know The Latin word for “health” — “Salus” — comes from “sal” (salt). Ancient healers used salt to boost health and to treat various health conditions.
Health benefits of salt and lime water
Here are 4 ways the combination of salt, lime and water salt, lime and water can improve your health and wellbeing.
1. Salt and lime water supports adrenal health
Your adrenals are two walnut-shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys. These glands help regulate various bodily functions ranging from metabolism and energy levels, immune system, hydration, blood pressure, heart rate, and other essential functions.
The adrenals rely heavily on sodium to function properly. Salt is crucial to stress management and energy levels because it nourishes and supports the adrenals. Also, the combination of salt, lime and water have alkalising and hydrating effects, which are vital for the optimal functioning of many of your body systems.
Lack of energy is often due to “‘hypo adrenal function”. The reason the adrenal glands go “hypo” is by constant stress. Human physiology is not designed for continuous high levels of stress. Stress factors today also include the use of lights and mobile phones, being continually connected to the internet, ongoing deadlines, and so on.
If you’re tired in the morning and struggle to get up without an alarm clock, you might suffer from low morning cortisol. According to my good friend and world-renowned strength coach Wolfgang Unsold, “cortisol should be the highest between 6-8 am decreasing gradually throughout the day”. (3)
Wolfgang suggests one of the most effective ways to get more energy in the morning is to reset your biorhythm by drinking a glass of water with lime and salt in the morning. Easy!
Did you know Testosterone, the male sex hormone called androgens reaches its biorhythm peak in the early morning between 6-8 am too. Just saying…
2. Salt and lime water improves digestion and gut health
Lime improves acidity levels in the stomach and stimulates the release of bile. Sea salt provides the chloride your body needs to produce stomach acid. The complementary combination of lime water and salt help your body digest food, absorb nutrients, and contribute to natural weight loss.
If you’re following a low-carb diet, adding a fibre supplement like Fibre + can help promote your continued journey to further fat loss and better detox support.
I recommend starting with mixing in one scoop (5g) and building to three scoops (15g), depending on how your body feels and responds.
3. Salt and lime water fights dehydration
A lime, filtered water and salt drink contain electrolytes, making it an excellent way to fight dehydration, especially after sleeping. That’s because your body uses and loses salt and minerals when you sleep. Drinks with electrolytes replenish sodium and nutrients and hydrate the body to prevent dehydration effects like muscle cramps and fatigue.
Why filtered water?
I recommend filtered or purified water because it’s free from larger and smaller particles, such as chlorine limescale aluminium and medication residue. The filtering improves flavour, and many of these particles and residues propose a risk to performance and energy levels.
4. Salt and lime water strengthens the immune system
The antioxidants and vitamin C in limes strengthen your immune system to help fight off infections, such as colds and viruses. The alkalising effect of lime juice aids detoxification processes, and the combination of salt mixed with lime and water helps pull toxins from your cells.
The vitamin C from lime juice also supports the production of the amino acid glutathione. Glutathione is crucial for healthy immune function, detoxification in the liver, and antioxidant defences against free radicals.
Another benefit to consuming salt early in the morning is to facilitate bowel movement and flush toxins. “A sluggish transit allows toxins to recirculate in the body, adding to the already heavy toxic burden of the body”, according to Charles R Poliquin. (2)
Tips for additional benefits
Here are some tips for additional investment and benefits to the salt, lime and water drink.
- Upgrade your salt, lime and water drink by adding a shot of fresh ginger juice on top. Ginger is known for its benefits in boosting the immune system, helping digestion, as well as improving inflammation and, therefore, aiding training. Drinking ginger tea is also great for a natural immunity boost.
- Supplement with L-Glutamine to increase glutathione production, and further protect your gut lining, build muscle tissue, and increase immune function. One of the most effective ways of boosting your immune system and avoiding colds and flu, and therefore breaks from training, is to drink a heaped teaspoon of our L-Glutamine powder dissolved in water four to six times a day. L-Glutamine nourishes the walls of the small intestine, which contains 2/3 of the immune system. The stronger the small intestine, the stronger the immune system.
- Supplement with our Vitamin C Complex Drink to further reduce cell damage, recycle other antioxidants, and boost your immune system.
Takeaway
I hope I’ve convinced you that before reaching for your cup of java first thing in the morning, you’ll get more health benefits by switching it up with this simple recipe.
- A glass of (preferably filtered) water, as much as you need, 200ml being the minimum
- Juice of one fresh lime or lemon
- ¼ teaspoon of unrefined natural coloured salt
Mix all ingredients and drink as soon as you wake up for an optimal start to the day and more energy during your workouts.
And for an additional investment boost with complimentary benefits, consider these supplements:
- L-Glutamine to support and help health in the gut
- Vitamin C Complex Drink to help support and fight off infections and virus
- Fibre + to add support to your body’s fat loss and detox
Consultations
We’re always here to help. If you have any questions or would like advice about supplements, nutrition, or training, please book in for a consultation.
Disclaimer
Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professionals before making any nutritional & lifestyle changes or before taking any nutritional supplement. For more information, please view our terms & conditions.
Further reading
Salt – Sodium:
- Effects of low sodium diet versus high sodium diet on blood pressure, renin, aldosterone, catecholamines, cholesterols, and triglyceride. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(1):CD004022. Jürgens G1, Graudal NA. Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology Q 107, Copenhagen University Hospital
- Low-salt diet increases insulin resistance in healthy subjects. Garg R., Williams G.H., Hurwitz S., Brown N.J., Hopkins P.N., Adler G.K. (2011)
- Urinary Sodium and Potassium Excretion and Risk of Cardiovascular Events. Martin J. O’Donnell, MB, PhD; Salim Yusuf, DPhil, FRCPC, FRSC; Andrew Mente, PhD; et al JAMA. 2011;306(20):2229-2238. doi:10.1001/jama.2011.1729. November 23/30, 2011
