August 20 is National Lemonade Day (there’s always a reason to celebrate) and with record-setting temperatures worldwide, a glass of lemonade sure sounds refreshing.
But before you break out the pitcher set, know that many store-bought lemonades aren’t really lemonade at all. Many contain artificial sweeteners, flavors and coloring. So save your money and skip the drinks and powders that are low on lemons and high on sugar.
Today, I’ll tell you everything you need to know to make your very own bone healthy beverage.
Not only will it taste better, but you’ll benefit from the powerful alkalizing antioxidant while you detoxify and stay hydrated. Of course, staying hydrated is especially important during the dog days of summer when heat and humidity cause accelerated water loss. Those headaches and feelings of fatigue you thought were associated with hot weather are more likely caused by dehydration.
When life gives you lemons… improve your bone health!
To support bone health, I suggest sipping distilled or reverse osmosis purified water with a few drops of lemon juice throughout the day.
Here’s why.
Hydration is essential for life. At the cellular level, water acts as a solvent and conductor in the body allowing cells to efficiently transport and combine elements while helping the body maintain it’s electro-chemical balance. And lemon juice has an alkaline pH, which of course is important to bone health.
If you read the Save Our Bones Program, you probably know that lemons are one of the Foundation Foods. In addition to being alkalizing, lemons contain vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and potassium?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body. It’s necessary for the production of collagen, which maintains bones and cartilage. Just a quarter cup of lemon juice has almost half of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. As a bonus, lemon juice also contains calcium and magnesium (important for the proper absorption of calcium), as well as potassium. Potassium supports bone health by neutralizing metabolic acids, thus conserving the body’s calcium stores. 1 It also reduces calcium loss through urine.
The nutrients in lemon and fresh lemon juice have a positive effect on the liver too. The vitamin C in lemon promotes the production of glutathione, a compound that fights toxins in the liver. The powerful antioxidant also destroys free radicals created by the liver’s metabolic process thereby acting as detoxifying agent in the liver. And it’s important to note here that a study conducted in May 2010 by Rheumatology International, shows a definitive link between poor liver function and osteoporosis. 2
Furthermore, lemons are especially unique in that their juice carries a negative charge which binds to acidic waste in the body and flushes it out through the urine.
What’s the best water to drink?
I recommend using distilled water, or water purified through reverse osmosis for drinking and cooking. Tap water is filled with toxic chemical additives, such as chloramines and fluoride, which can have devastating effects on your bone health. What’s more, there is recent evidence that municipalities across the United States are adding fluoride imported from China which contains harmful levels of lead and arsenic. 3
Distilled water, on the other hand, is the closest you can get to pure rain water, and is heavy-metal free.
And don’t worry , distilled water won’t drain minerals from your body – that’s a myth. Mineral and spring water contain inorganic minerals that offer no real benefit to your health (for more on inorganic minerals read: Calcium and Heart Attack Alert: My Take).
And for more information on water be sure to read The Missing Link which is included free in the Save Our Bones Program Power Package.
Your Summertime Treat
Drinking a glass of distilled water with fresh lemon juice drops is a healthy beverage I enjoy all year round.
And for a special summertime treat, you can add stevia to the mix for a simple and sweet lemonade that can be enjoyed guilt free. A cup has only 15 calories, is delicious on a hot day and supports your bone health naturally.
Pure and Simple Lemonade
Ingredients
6 medium lemons, preferably organic
3 1/2 cups distilled water
Stevia to taste (optional – sweetness varies between powder and liquid)
Directions
Juice lemons with a manual citrus juicer or squeeze by hand. Avoid getting seeds in the juice. If you don’t care for pulp, strain juice. Mix with distilled water and add stevia to taste. Add ice or chill and enjoy! For a twist, add a few sprigs of fresh mint. It’s a tasty way to use mint from your garden.
Tip: How to choose a lemon
August is prime season for lemons, so selection should be good. A fully ripe lemon offers the most sweetness and nutrition. Look for a lemon that feels heavy for its size, is all yellow and has a thin skin, evident by a fine grain on the peel.
So happy National Lemonade Day and here’s to your good health!
References
1 Sellmeyer DE, Schloetter DE, Schloetter M, et al.” Potassium citrate prevents urine calcium excretion and bone resorption induced by a high sodium chloride diet.” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol. 87, No.5
2 Wariaghli G, Mounach A, Achemlal L, Benbaghdadi I, Aouragh A, Bezza A, El Maghraoui A. “Osteoporosis in chronic liver disease: a case-control study.” Rheumatology International, Vol. 30, No. 7. May 2010
3 Bernard W. Miltenberger. “Chinese fluoride is a homeland security matter.” Cumberland Times News, February 27, 2010
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January 27, 2011
i have such heart burn can you give me anything that i can try for this i was taking omprazole for this but i want to get off of this but then i will get heart burn bad is this interfearing with my bone health? also i had two extra save our bones books and i have given them to two friends one of the ladies is in hes late 40 and the doctor told her she has bones of an 80 yr old so i gave her the book to read i hope you can tell me something to take for this heart burn thank you bea
February 21, 2011
Bea, I am so sorry to hear about your acid reflux. I started 5 years ago with acid reflux due to H-pylori and was put on Nexium and still suffering I was determined to find an alternative way to treat it. After reading and trying so many things that might would have way work there are definitly some things that work. The lemon water Vivian mentions is great for acid reflux. What people don’t realize is that lemon water is acidic in your mouth but oh so alkalizing in the stomach and can help. Also, read all you can on food combining. This is very important. Green smoothies are also a major part of taming acd reflux. So lemon water, food combining, green smoothie and digestive enzymes are all part of my everyday life with great success. I have not only been Nexium free for 3 years but I had a endoscopy last year and the doctor found no sign of any problems. Do you think he would ask me how I did it after he told me for the 1st couple of years that I would have to take Nexium forever, no way. As a matter of fact on my test results he stated continue maedication as prescribed. I told the nurse I wasn’t taken any medication and she just shrugged her shoulder. Good luck. There is a lot of good stuff on the internet about the things I mentioned.
Eating healthy is so important. Sherrill
January 27, 2011
Hi Vivian, I enjoy your emails and appreciate all the information contained therein.
I found the article on the benefits of lemon juice very interesting, but am not sure how to make distilled water from tap water, or perhaps that is not the way to go.
Can you please help,
Joyce
January 6, 2011
Lemons are NOT alkaline. Lemon juice is very acidic with pH of 1.8 to 2.3.
November 15, 2010
I love both lemon and lime juice.
In summer, a large glass of sparkling spring or mineral water with a dose of lemon juice or lime juice – mmm.
I hadn’t thought of anything like apple cider vinegar – need to give it a try.
I also love both elderberry cordial and nettle cordial – a very small amount in a good glass of water makes a pleasant change.
I used to keep freshly cut wedges of lime and of lemon in a container in the freezer, ready to pop into a glass of water – I think I’ll start that again.
Q Have you had any experience of magnetism for water? I’m wondering whether that would give “ordinary” water some of the help that you seem to ascribe to distilled and/or reverse osmosis waters.
October 25, 2010
I just received my copy of Save Our Bones today; I am so excited and can’t wait to start using all your bone-saving tips! I ordered the Scratch and Dent Special. How do I get the other materials in the packet? I understand that I need to download them, but I’m not seeing any instructions or site information in my packet.
Thanks so much for developing this program.
October 25, 2010
Hi Jocelyn,
I’m glad you’re excited about getting started! Right after you ordered, you should have received an email with a download link and instructions. If you didn’t get the email, please just click the Customer Support button at the top of any of our web pages and let us know. We’ll be happy to send you another link.
September 3, 2010
great news on lemons,though confusing about how an alkaline effect may be acheived from a strong acid. I found that weight training (body weight/ suspension training – TRX) and putting feet on leather cube after a long day (http://www.thefurnitureemporium.com/products/Red-Leather-Cube.html)and performing a few stretches also helps. Staying drug free for 4 years now, though supplement strontium with my diet.
September 1, 2010
Vivian, Thanks for the lemonade recipe. Regarding your comment
on the dangers of taking calcium supplements – I’ve been told by
a few nutrition experts that taking magnesium with calcium and
vitamin D3 (half as much magnesium as calcium), actually prevents
helps absorb calcium in the bones so it doesn’t find its way into the
bloodstream. Something to consider.
August 31, 2010
HI, Vivian,
August 29, 2010
I have low thyroid,and use syn-thyroid 50mg.can lemon or apple cyder make some problem in the absorption of syn thyroid?
August 24, 2010
Hi Vivian, I read your article about drinking lemonade and all the benefits it has for the body. I appreciate your info, I will drink more lemon juice in my water. I don’t usually buy distilled water, but a glass of distilled lemon water will be a treat once in awhile. I wasn’t aware lemon juice was so healthy for the body. Extra calcium is a must for my diet and since I am eating more collard greens, spinach and broccoli daily, I am trying to preserve my bone structure without the consumption of calcium w vitamin-D supplements. I have stopped the intake of calcium supplements since the tv broadcast on the negative effects it has on the body. It is good to know lemon juice is good for dehydration as well as good for the liver. Thank you Vivian this article was most benefical to me, my son drinks plenty of lemonade during the summer, I told him it didn’t have any nutrience in it. I shall tell him he was doing the body good, he must have known something that I didn’t. He also drink lemonade year-round. Keep me informed, always.
Janet Talley.
August 23, 2010
I think homemade lemonade is delicious! Thank you for the recipe! And I think it is wonderful news that it will help my bones!
August 21, 2010
Vivian,
thanks for all of your information. I have never been a lover of lemonade, but will give it a try now. Sounds so good for me.
again thankyou,
madeline
August 20, 2010
Hello, I have a question about the distilled water. When I test clients for dehydration, usually people drinking distilled water or RO show dehydration although they drink a lot of water. It is as if the body does not absorb it well. When minerals are added to the water the testing for water improves tremendously. I think water is supposed to have minerals and be able to conduct electricity.
Blashka
August 20, 2010
Vivian,
I love your great news tips. I just emailed the lemonade and calcium one to my neighbor just diagnosed with full-blown osteo. She is 57. I am trying to hook her up with your thoughts.
Thank You, Joan
August 20, 2010
Hi Vivian, One of the best things I did was to follow your advice and purchase a reverse osmosis water filter – the water tastes so much better. I will add a few drops of lemon to it for good measure now. Thanks for info.
Best wishes Monica
August 21, 2010
Thanks for this great info. We have a reverse osmosis water filter, but to add some drops of lemon juice sounds like such an easy plan to add Vitamin C to our systerms.
August 18, 2010
Iam an Osteo girl for the last 5yrs. Started samE time as my Mother and same area of pain.
Between scapulas T4-6.Ofcoase at the time I ignored treatment 2nd yr t-score alittle higher so strated Boniva however not every mnth every other for 8mnths and then stopped .
Was feeling worse all over. Be can Other alternatives.”the Bone Building Solution”by Sam Graci,Dr.Calolyn DEMarco & Dr. Leticia Rao.
Lots of similar great info. + so Much more . a Great plus to work with! However some years have passed and my last visit w/my GYN she sugested that someone likeme w/no apparent sighns of osteo and given my age 49 I should consider “Reclast” I wouldn’t be harming my digestive System and would get my desity up to par.I looked it to it & found “Vivian”.
August 17, 2010
Hi Vivian,
I too made lemonade but with honey, just enough to get the lemon to go down. I make distilled H2O also. What are your thoughts on honey as a sweetner? I have a stevia plant and enjoy chewing on the leaves.
August 17, 2010
Ladies, this lemonade recipe is all natural.
I found this in one of the juicer book.
JUICE 4 APPLES & 1/4 LEMON ( skin & all ) NO NEED TO ADD WATER OR SUGAR- THE APPLE ACTS AS A NATURAL SWEETENER. WHEN YOU MAKE THIS ON A HOT SCORCHING DAY, PUT SOME CRUSHED ICE IN THE TUMBLER. YOU’LL LOVE THIS THIRST QUENCHER!
August 17, 2010
Hi Vivian,
I appreciated all that you are doing to help us. What is your experience with agave? I have hypoglycemia and do not use sugar or artificial sweetners.
August 17, 2010
I have been following your programme for a while now, however I cannot understand your comment about lemon juice having an alkaline pH. As a science teacher I know that the pH of lemon juice can range from pH 3 – 4 which is definitley acidic!! Are you in fact saying that acidic foods confer an alkaline effect once in the body itself?
August 17, 2010
Hi! Vivian,
Thank you very much for sharing the new article. I like the lemon juice, but I don’t know what’s the drilled water? where I can get it.
August 17, 2010
Hi Vivian
Thanks for all the helpful updates I was surprised to see distilled water I thought
that only went in Car batteries I have seen it
in the supermarket my husband tells me he keeps
a plactic container in the garage and I can
use that if I want however I prefer to buy a new container and keep it in the kitchen.
I do add apple cider vinegar to a glass of water though.
Joan
August 16, 2010
Appreciated the info on lemons. This was new to me. How much calcium do you get from a single lemon? “What about grapefruit and limes?
August 17, 2010
Hi Marilyn,
Lemons and other citrus fruits don’t have a lot of calcium (about 4 mg. in a lemon), but the calcium they do have is highly absorbable. The real power of lemons comes from their antioxidant properties and other nutrients, including potassium, which reduces calcium loss through urine.
In addition, lemons have a detoxifying effect on the liver. And, as I said in the article, a definitive link has been shown between poor liver function and osteoporosis.
August 16, 2010
Thank you vivian for all the useful information you pass on to us. much appreciated.
georgina
August 16, 2010
Hi! Vivian,
I’ve Always Loved Lemons In My Water. That’s The Only Way I Can Drink It. And If I Buy Bottled Water I Get The Distilled. But I’d Rather Make My Own Distilled Water, And I Put It In A Glass Container, And Let It Cool Down Before Putting It In The Refrigerator To Cool.
And Thank You VERY MUCH For The Recipe. I Use Stevia Also. I Just Started Using It. I Used To Use Splenda. But I Read That Stevia Is Healthier For You. Thanks Again. LOVE, MS. L.
August 17, 2010
You’re right, Ms. L. Stevia is MUCH better for you since it’s plant-derived, alkalizing, and completely natural.
August 16, 2010
Vivian, I am in agreement with one of your other readers; you can’t beat Kangen water! I have personally experienced some wonderful things with this water. It will also help absorption tremendously! Thanks for the lemonade info. Find out more about this life-changing water at:
http://www.health2-o.com
Thanks, John
August 17, 2010
Hi John,
See my response to Jan below. Kangen water is a great product, but you can get the same results from distilled water with a few drops of lemon juice.
August 16, 2010
It is available on the internet. Just type Stevia into your browser!!
August 16, 2010
Thank you for this useful lemon-info; I wonder if oranges act in the same way.
Shula
August 16, 2010
Vivian, have you heard of kangen water? I am trying it now and i have had some good results, weight loss, lower blood pressure and am looking forward to other things too. here is a site that tells about it.http://www.myh2ofacts.com/
thank you for all the info you send. it is so helpful to me. I have been in a wheelchair since 1948 from polio, so I am always interested in things to help osteoporosis, which I have pretty bad.
Keep up the good work.
Jan Mulcahy
August 17, 2010
Hi Jan,
Yes I have heard of kangen water, and it’s a fine product. But you can achieve the same results by drinking steam distilled water with a few drops of lemon juice. While the pH of distilled water is acid (5.4), it’s negatively charged and thus cleanses the body of acidic residue. The lemon juice is alkalizing and anionic, (negatively charged), and thus helps drag the positively charged acidic residue molecules out of your body.
August 16, 2010
Last year my husband was hospitalized with a kidney stone. I had heard somewhere that lemon juice was helpful in dissolving kidney stones, so I started making lemonade using stevia to sweeten it (hubby is also a diabetic)I would make one gallon of this a day, and make sure that he’d emptied the container each day, and either the stone was dissolved, or so greatly reduced, that he never knew when it passed.
August 17, 2010
That’s a great testament to the power of lemons (and water), Jacqueline!
August 16, 2010
Lemon juice also stimulates the stomach production of hydrochloric acid, the good acid needed to digest foods. When out at a restaurant, try to get RO water and ask for several lemon slices.
August 16, 2010
Great article. I’ll try it!
August 16, 2010
I so appreciate the time you take to research for me. I love lemonade.
August 16, 2010
Thank you very much, Vivian!!!!
Veronica
August 16, 2010
Dear Vivian, Thank you so much for all the excellent material I have received. I keep my “Save Our Bones” handy to use at my discretion. I will enjoy your Lemonade recipe now as well. Thank you. Joan
August 16, 2010
Does this also apply to LIMES? I enjoy limeades all summer, and buy them in large numbers.
August 16, 2010
Hi Vivian,
I requested your free handbook on SaVE yOUR bONES.
I ordered it a while ago and was jusr wondering how long it usually takes since I live in New Jersey?
Ann Schell
August 16, 2010
We have artesian well water and I wonder if that is just as good as distilled water. It probabbly has some minerals in it too.
I also buy calcium with vitamin D plus minerals.
Thanks Marge
August 16, 2010
Where do you suggest purchasing distilled water? Is there a type you prefer?
Thank you!
August 17, 2010
Hi Betsy,
Any distilled water is fine. You should be able to get it at any supermarket.
August 16, 2010
I have tried to keep an 80/20 ratio of alkaline and acidic foods in my diet, but most of the time I can only do a 50/50 ratio of those foods. I do have osteoporosis, and I have made a significant change in my diet this past year to reflect your recommended balances between alkaline and acidic foods. Should I still see some improvement in the my next dexa scan in Jan.?
August 18, 2010
Thanks, Vivian, for your encouragement. Since, I’ve been following your food recommendations, I have not felt the pain in my hips at night like I did before, so I definitely will keep eating the fruits and veggies which I love.
August 17, 2010
Hi Evelyn,
I can’t make any particular guarantees about your dexa scores, but you are definitely improving your bone health.
You don’t have to do everything that’s in the Program to improve your bone health. We all lead hectic, complicated lives, and it can be difficult to adhere strictly to any program.
Even if you add a few elements of the Program to your diet, you should see improvement. Just do the best you can!
August 16, 2010
Iwas told that using limes was more beneficial than lemon, could you please expound on this, as i like limes better
August 16, 2010
My dentist told me that sipping on anything with citric acid (both lemon and lime juice are in this group) in it will be extremely harmful to the enamel of my teeth. Does using a straw prevent this I wonder?
August 17, 2010
Yes, Colleen, using a straw will help, as will rinsing your mouth with plain water after drinking lemon water or eating citrus fruits.
August 16, 2010
I do not agree that it is a myth that distilled water will eventually start to take minerals from your body. Where did you get your information around your statement that it is a myth?
I agree with you that water is a conductor and one of the things it conducts is electricity – including the electrical impulses within the body that are part and parcel of its functioning. I also agree that tap water needs to be filtered to remove the many toxins that it contains. However both RO and Distilled water are dead water, less conductive and less hydrating than water that has not been stripped.
Have you ever muscle-tested someone for their body’s response to either of these waters?
August 16, 2010
I’m with Marcia on this – i had a distiller for a while and was only too glad to get rid of it.
August 16, 2010
Vivian, thank you for your suggestions about lemons. When we go to the restaurant and the server gives you water with a slice of lemon, guess what I eat the lemon slice and also the one my husband’s. Very good and I know is it good for my health.
Also when I was a child my father had a lemon tree in the back yard you should see me I would climb the three and take one lemon and eat the the whole lemon.
August 16, 2010
That’s terrific, Italia! Sounds like you were the original lemonade kid!
August 16, 2010
Is the water that comes out of a humidifier distilled water? Is it ok to drink if you filter it? I get about 2 gallons a day from mine in the summer.
August 16, 2010
Una persona amiga me recomendo que para aprovechar la temporada en que los mercados ofertan limones de buena calidad y a buen precio, hacer jugo de limon, puro, y ponerlo en una bandeja en el congelador, haciendo cubitos de limon, que despues se depositan en una bolsa plastica y se almacenan en el congelador, para su posterior consumo. Mi pregunta es, se mantienen las propiedades del limon con este procedimiento ?
August 16, 2010
thanks, sounds interesting, will try.
August 16, 2010
Thank you for all the interesting tips, I am taking advantage of the tips, I am a great lover of lemonade.
constance
August 16, 2010
Thanks, Constance! If you already love lemonade, this tip is a natural for you!
August 16, 2010
I have a question about the lemon juice. Good lemons are not as easy to get here as in Florida. Would it work to simply use bottled lemon juice? What are the pros and cons?
August 16, 2010
I live in Kansas, and am wondering the same thing about lemons versus lemon juice, pros & cons? I have to lemon in my water & tea when I eat out, but usually use bottled lemon juice at home.
August 16, 2010
Hi Lynne & Deb,
If lemons aren’t available, lemon juice is an acceptable substitute. Just make sure it’s pure lemon juice with nothing added, and as fresh as possible. And organic, if at all possible.
Another option is to add a few drops of apple cider vinegar to your water instead of lemon juice. I know that sounds like it might taste weird, but it’s just a few drops, and it really won’t change the flavor of your water too much.
August 16, 2010
Dear Vivian,
I just read your book and am enlightened. I need your help though – can you recommend a multivitamin that contains everything you say we need for bone health that includes calcium and vitamin D?? I went to the drug store yesterday and was overwhelmed with the amount of vitamins on the market.
Thank you!
Brenda
August 16, 2010
Hi Brenda,
Isn’t enlightenment wonderful?
But yes, the multitude of supplement choices can be confusing. Your best bet might be to find a reputable local health food store where you’ll be able to get some personal assistance.
Also, it might be difficult to find one multi-vitamin that contains everything you need; you may need to get a separate calcium/vitamin D supplement. Just remember to look for organic, plant-derived calcium.
I hope this helps!