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 Osteoporosis Reversal 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 Osteoporosis Hydration Protocol which is included free in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program.
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
Lemon juice is not alkaline, it is acidic. Lemon juice is not negatively charged, it is neutral/mild positively charged because nearly all charges are paired.
What are acidic wastes? You mean lactic acid? Lactate is negatively charged. How does anything in lemon juice further the excretion of lactic acid?
I don’t understand how you can write these things and let people like my mother believe them. Please have a degree in human physiology before writing about it.
How many carbs in Lemonade? I am a Type 1 Diabetic!
Absolutely! Lemon juice has a pH of 2.0, which is way below the neutral 7.0. Anything below 7.0 is, by definition, acidic. For comparison, sulfuric acid (H2SO4) has a pH from 1-2.75, depending on strength.
Awesome! I love lemon juice and I’m great to know amazing facts of lemons Always. It is great to read with great tips and obliged with such great knowledge. ?Thank you! Happy Lemonade Day!
sesame seed milk is great for bones. Soak 1 cup of sesame seeds with hulls and 1/2cup unhulled sunflower seeds for 12 hours. Add 4 cups purified water and blend for 3 minutes. Add 1 tbs carob 2tbs honey. 1 tbs pure maple syrup and blend for 2 min.. Refrigerate for 2 hours and drink 1 cup daily. Delicious. No more tha 2 cups daily. Enjoy!!
Ds
Can anyone tell me about Chloramines, which are used in drinking water to disinfect the water. What are the effects of this substance on the body? I have a feeling it’s not good.
I want — and need — to follow the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, however I have an unusual problem: Without consuming high calorie foods, I cannot maintain my weight. I am very thin, very active, and completely healthy, except for osteoporosis. I require many more calories than most 60 ish women. Keeping the weight is a continual fight. If I followed the program correctly, I would lose weight every week. In fact, I did follow it for a couple of weeks, and sure enough, I lost weight. I need help. Does anyone share my problem?
Dear Vivian,
One of your newsletters mentioned stevia that had been improved. I just can’t get use to stevia and this product had taken the bitterness out! I would like to try it but can’t remember the web site.
I currently use xylitol, I have now for about 2 years. It has beneficial properties and I really like the taste. I only use it in my coffee in the morning. What is your opinion on xylitol? I would love to know.
Dear vivian,
Thanks very much for yourrecipe about the Lemon. I will give it a try,because I only drink lemon in my tea.Now I will try in my water.Lemonade water.
My huaband drink Lemonade every day.Hemixedit with Orange, pineapple lemon squash mix it with Diet lemonade. He isperfectly fine. No Cholesterol, not high blood Pressure, infact his Doctor have said to him you have a blood pressure of 20 years old and he said ,Can I have also a body of 20 years old.He is 73years old, he said he is fit as a feedle.
I hope this will help to all the members of our Community.
Thank you,
juvy
I just want to be part of the group. Please tell me more about reversing osteoporosis.
Thank you for every other excellent post. Where else could anyone get that type of information in such a perfect manner of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am at the search for such information.
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
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
Sherrill
I have never heard anyone say they have been able to get off medication for acid reflux. That is wonderful. I have tried to do so and had to go back on. Lemons and other citrus were on the “do not eat” list.
I will try some of your suggestions and see how I do. Thank you for sharing.
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
Lemons are NOT alkaline. Lemon juice is very acidic with pH of 1.8 to 2.3.
I’m with you Sally. I’d be inclined to get the Save Our Bones program, but I really have to wonder about it given the statement about lemon juice helping to alkalize the body.
The lower the pH, the higher the acidity. Recommending baking soda makes sense. That has a pH of 9. As Sally said, lemon juice has a pH of about 2. See the chart on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PH#Extremes_of_pH.
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.
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.
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.
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 (https://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.
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.
HI, Vivian,
I have low thyroid,and use syn-thyroid 50mg.can lemon or apple cyder make some problem in the absorption of syn thyroid?
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.
Take Organic calcium!!
I think homemade lemonade is delicious! Thank you for the recipe! And I think it is wonderful news that it will help my bones! 🙂
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
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