The new year is just around the corner – a time where a lot of people make resolutions to get healthier and lose weight… The gyms get CRAZY, wellness books jump to the top of best seller lists, and people get radical with their diets. A lot of us start doing all sorts of things we don’t intend on doing for the rest of our lives. This is where the problem lies with new year’s resolutions.
Instead of doing something just because it’s the new year – why not take it a step further and develop a healthy habit for the rest of your life? This might seem crazy and idealistic considering the rate of people that fall off the wagon come March, but it’s really not. Especially since your health should be your number one priority for the rest of your life. Period.
For the next few days – I will share some habits that are really worth developing this year and strategies that will hopefully help you stick to them beyond this year’s resolutions.
Here’s the first one…
#1 Drink Warm Lemon Water and Cayenne Pepper first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
How does one successfully do this every single day?
Every night I fill my electric tea pot with filtered water, place one lemon on the counter from the fridge, along with the cayenne pepper bottle and a cup filled half way with water. As soon as I get up in the morning, I put on my robe on and walk into the kitchen to turn the electric kettle on. I then go into the bathroom and by the time I finish putting in my contact lenses and splash my face with water to wake up – the electric kettle has finished warming up my water. I then pour the water in the glass half full with room temperature water, squeeze one half of the lemon on top, sprinkle with cayenne and drink.
I usually drink this mixture with a straw, so my teeth aren’t exposed to the acid and I gulp down at least 15 ounces. Followed by another 8 ounces of water later before I eat or drink anything else. I’ve done this every morning for last 5 years. I even bring lemons with me when I am on vacation or when I am not sleeping in my own house. I just throw a few lemons right into my luggage – it’s too easy not to do…
Adopting this daily habit has amazing health benefits. Imagine getting sick less, feeling lighter, having regular eliminations, clearer skin, more energy and having a boost in your metabolism leading to weight loss over time…
Doing this ritual every morning provides a super stimulant to the liver, your main detoxing organ in the body. Your liver will release uric acid and create bile to safely eliminate environmental and lifestyle toxins that would otherwise be trapped in your digestive system longer. Remember keeping your liver and digestive system clean and in optimal condition will help your body prevent diseases like cancer in the future. Combining cayenne with lemon increases the detoxing effect and raises the temperature of your body increasing your metabolism.
Drinking this combination will cleanse your body every single day safely and naturally. I plan to do it for the rest of my life. Join me and watch your vitality increase!
A few more tips about lemons –
- Store your organic lemons in the fridge – they will last longer because they do not contain fungicide like conventional lemons. I take one lemon out of the fridge each night, because lemon at room temperature is easier to juice.
- Remember not to squeeze your lemon directly into boiling water, you will destroy the live enzymes in the lemon. This is why I use half of water at room temperature and half hot water.
- Using a stainless steel lemon juicer will allow you to get most of the juice from the lemon and is much easier on your hands too. You can get one off the Food Babe Shop here.
Want more motivation? Check out these articles on the additional benefits of drinking lemon water -
Who’s already adopted this habit? I’d love to know! Leave a comment here or visit my Facebook Fan Page and share your story!
When life gives you lemons, make lemon water with cayenne. Duh. 
Food Babe
P.S. Check out 4 other habits that will change your life!
I have been doing this for a few months now and I love it… It took me so long to get it into my regular routine, I would always forget and go for the cup of coffee. I stopped drinking coffee and now this is my coffee. I sometimes stir a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses (iron/b12 because I went vegan) in it or I brew dandelion root tea in my warm lemon water/ cayenne mason jar…what do you think?
I want to try this but want to start with organic lemon concentrate, and my culligan water cooler with a hot water dispenser. I think I will start tomorrow! I have a ton of cayenne pepper
I love all your post on facebook.
I have been drinking warm (almost hot) water for quite a while now – had to take a break from it for about a month after having surgery but am getting back into it again – have not tried the cayenne and after reading a comment about the joint pain I will not be doing it at all but will continue my lemon water everyday again
thank you for all your research you do to help those of us that choose to live healthier lives – love your posts!! 
Does it matter which HU the cayenne pepper is? What do you use?
This is a great. I also use cayenne tincture which can be purchased at most health food stores. Very important to use organic lemons!
Is this better then tea?
Hi Food Babe- I decided to try this out and tried for the first time today! I had lemon water with cayenne first thing, then came to work and had a cup of tea. Once I had the tea my stomach started to become really upset! Why do you think this is? Is it a bad idea to have tea on an empty stomach? I had an apple, and that didn’t help much either. Maybe I over did it on the cayenne?
Black Tea on an empty stomach has ALWAYS bothered me. I would recommend always eating before or with it.
I am just wondering how much cayenne I should use. I made this today, but think I over-cayenned. It was a little spicy and I really had to force it down. I have been drinking warm lemon water every morning for months so this would be an easy adjustment for me if I don’t hate drinking it (like I do apple cider vinegar).
Just start with a tiny amount of cayenne at first and gradually add more as you get used to it.
I’ve been doing this for the past few weeks and I’ve definitely noticed my skin cleaning up. I have more energy and have been going more regularly. A question though, is it OK to have coffee afterwards? How long would you recommend waiting before eating/drinking anything else?
Sure you can have coffee afterwards. Vani recommends eating breakfast at least 12 hrs after dinner. Read about fasting everyday here. http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/30/habits-for-the-new-year-and-beyond-3-fast-every-single-day/
I been drinking room temperature lemon water and cayenne for about a month now and feel so much better ,my pain in my leg is almost gone this drink has special effects on vains ,my age spot on my hand is almost gone as well. I also lost a few pounds. To new beginners ,weigh your self before you start I wish I had. Question should the water be room temp or warm water .I hear both is good what do you think.I will continue this until the end . Happy New and thanks so much .
Year
I was wondering your thoughts on this drink for those with acid issues.
I have battled erosive esohpigitis for a long time and I would love the benifits of the pepper but I wonder if in the long term, it ifs a bad idea for me.
Hi Christine -you should check with your doctor on that one…
I just started drinking lemon water and tried to sprinkle cayenne but it was too hot for me. So, I am taking two cayenne capsules right before drinking the lemon water. I just wrote about drinking lemon water with cayenne on my post about times of the day to drink water: http://ourholisticjourney.com/2013/02/20/the-best-times-of-the-day-to-drink-water/. I have a water ionizer and an drinking the clean water with lemon. Should I drink the clean or alkaline water? Also, is it ok to have the cayenne capsules vs sprinkling it into the water?
Thanks!
Question – do you have to use hot water at all? Can you do it with just 16 ounces of room temperature water? Does the hot water help “release” some enzymes? But not too hot to kill them? Is there a benefit to half hot/half room temp? I’m totally willing to do either, whichever is best. I don’t want to kill my lemon enzymes though, so if the hot part is for taste, then I am ok leaving it just room temp. Or sometimes hot water is better for morning digestion, and that may be why…your thoughts?
Did you ever find out if it’s okay to just use room/temp water? Thanks
Room temperature water is fine too.
Thank you!!!
Does anyone know if this would be bad if I’m nursing my 6 month old? I don’t want to create any problems for her by doing it and will wait until I’m done nursing, but wanted to check if anyone knew. Thanks!
I would definitely look into that a bit more. I know detoxes while nursing can be harmful. Ask a doctor you trust.
I am nursing a six month old as well… did you find any information if this would be ok?
We definitely recommend checking with your doctor on this one.
I am not a doctor but just a mother of two. I’ve exclusively breastfed both my children – the first until 16 months and the second is 15 months old and is still breastfed. My advice is to try a diluted dose of it for a couple of days and see if your baby as any reaction. If not, keep adding more cayenne and lemon until you get to the desired amount. Each baby is unique and will have different reactions to different foods. You will never know unless you try. Same goes for spicy ethnic food, dairy or anything else that may be considered risky. This is also the advice given to me by a RN and lactation specialist who was leading our mom’s group.
Would this works for limes as well as lemons?
Yes it will… but lemons work better.
Been doing this a month or so. I love lemon and hot stuff so it’s a natural for me. Certainly feels right and I intend to keep it up.
I have been taking the lemon/cayenne mix/tea 1-2 times a day, and my eliminations have never been more massive. I feel so great afterwards! I use about 1/3 cup of warm water, 2 tablespoons of lemon concentrate, and as much cayenne as I can stand, drinking my mix after breakfast and dinner, figuring, it will cut through my food after meals. I will definitely be keeping it up.
I love the way this drink makes me feel! However, recently, I just can’t seem to handle the cayenne in my mouth. No matter how little I use, it’s too much. Do you suppose it would work the same if I took a cayenne supplement with the warm lemon water instead of putting the cayenne in the drink?
That would probably work fine
Want to try this. Thanks for sharing. What if organic lemons are not always an option? Will conventional lemons do?
Sure! Just scrub them well…
Hi – What do you do with the other half of the lemon? Save it for the next day?
This is so amazing! I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now and Love it! Helps to deffinetly keep me regular in the mornings and i do feel “lighter” LOL
Thanks for sharing!