Bright, flavorful, and juicy; lemons are the most popular citrus fruit in the world. From Indian Ayurveda, to Italian cuisine (where lemons are practically a culture themselves), lemons are used all across the world to enhance the flavor of food, soothe a sore throat, and even cure certain diseases. Lemons are rich in many nutrients, such as Vitamin C, pectin, flavonoid antioxidants, B-vitamins, potassium and calcium. It’s no wonder these little yellow fruits have so many different uses! Below you’ll find several benefits of lemons you may not know about that can make you healthier, improve your appearance and simply make certain tasks easier.
According to the
Ayurveda philosophy, we should always start our day by aligning our body
with nature’s rhythms. This includes restoring the pH balance in our
bodies which often becomes acidic due to the stresses of modern life:
junk food, pollution, lack of exercise and other toxins. It is important
to keep the body slightly alkaline to prevent illnesses and chronic
diseases like as cancer. Although lemons are indeed acidic, the nutrient
content found in lemons is alkaline-forming. Lemons are one of the most
alkaline forming foods around, which is why they are great for
alleviating a number of health problems. Kick-start your day with a
morning ritual of drinking a cup of lukewarm water with half a lemon
squeezed in.
Lemons
are little antibacterial powerhouses. Their bacteria-fighting properties
destroy bad bacteria and allow good bacteria to flourish in the body,
which can relieve indigestion and constipation. Sipping a warm glass of
water mixed with the juice of one lemon can stimulate peristalsis, as
well as the production of saliva and stomach acids that start the
digestion process.
If
you’re on a diet, lemons can be your best ally. Several Hollywood
starlets swear by the Lemonade Diet when they need to lose weight fast.
Lemons aid with weight loss in several ways:
- Pectin, a type
of soluble fiber found in lemons, can help you feel fuller and eat less.
Drinking a cup of hot tea with half a lemon squeezed in before meals is
a great way to prevent the overeating.
- Pectin also
works double duty to slow the rate of glucose or sugar absorption in the
body, thus preventing blood sugar spikes that are common to Type 2
Diabetes.
- As an added bonus, lemon juice also happens
to be a natural diuretic! This means it helps the body flush out excess
water weight through increased urination. Less water weight means less
bloating and puffiness, so you look slimmer and fit into your jeans
better.
- If you want to quickly shed some pounds before a
big event, use this technique: In the mornings, you can make a diet
lemonade drink by mixing about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a pinch of
cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons of honey in a large glass of water. For
the remainder of the day, fill a large water bottle (about 500mL) with a
mixture of purified water and the juice of 2 to 3
freshly-squeezed lemons. Carry the bottle with you wherever you go and
take frequent sips throughout the day. You’ll feel fuller throughout the
day, experience less cravings, and gently flush out extra water weight
accumulating around your midsection. Just be prepared for frequent trips
to the bathroom!
If
you’ve ever suffered from parasites and intestinal worms, you know that
they can be difficult to get rid of. The key to destroying parasites
once and for all is creating an environment where they can’t survive.
Parasites love acidic environments, so the best way to kill them is to
make your digestive system alkaline. Eating a lemon or drinking the
juice from a lemon is one of the fastest ways to make your
intestines alkaline and kill off pesky parasites.
Whether
you suffer from bad breath or canker sores, lemons can alleviate a host
of oral health problems. Got a toothache? Applying fresh lemon juice to
the area can eliminate the pain. Can’t stop your gums from bleeding?
Massage freshly squeezed lemon juice into your gums to stop bleeding
and keep bacteria that causes gum disease at bay.
Lemon
balm essential oil, which gives off a gentle lemon scent, has been
scientifically proven to have a calming effect. One study revealed that
sniffing lemon essential oil had the ability to boost the mood of the
study’s participants. If you want to increase your concentration and
alertness at work, keep lemon balm essential oil handy.
The
vitamin C found in lemons is not only good for your health, it’s great
for your skin. Vitamin C is a key ingredient in many skincare products
because it neutralizes free radicals and stimulates cell renewal by
exfoliating your skin. Try slicing a lemon in half and using it as a
facial scrub at least once a week. This removes stubborn dirt and dead
skin cells that build up on the surface of your skin and reveals a
fresher layer of skin underneath. Your face will look healthier and
younger, and the best part is, you used something fresh from Mother
Nature!
According to
herbalists and naturopaths, the sourness of lemons signals the nerves
and hormones of the body to activate the liver and kidneys. The
antioxidants in lemons also help enhance your kidney and liver function,
enabling them to detoxify your body. As previously mentioned, lemon
juice is also a mild diuretic which encourages your body to let go of
stored water weight and flush out accumulated waste products. You will
feel cleaner, lighter and more energetic than ever before. Detoxify your
liver with a glass of lemon-water each morning. Simply add
freshly-squeezed lemon juice to the first glass of water you drink each
day.
Pectin
found in lemons can help lower cholesterol which causes high blood
pressure. Flavonoids in lemons as well as vitamin P help strengthen the
blood vessels. Lemons are also rich in potassium which helps prevent
high blood pressure.
If
you want a simple do-it-yourself treatment for dandruff, you can
combine lemon juice with other natural ingredients like coconut oil to
make a hair mask that heals and moisturizes your dry scalp, leaving you
dandruff-free. Just don’t overdo this treatment because lemon juice also
has the ability to lighten your hair.
Do
you have rough, scaly or calloused feet? The solution might be right
within your own kitchen. Lemons contain citric acid or vitamin C which
acts as a natural exfoliant to slough off dead skin cells, enhance skin
renewal, and brighten dark areas. To harness the power of lemons to make
your feet pretty and sandal-worthy, there are two things you can do:
- Make
a lemon foot soak by combining the juice of 2 to 3 lemons with about 2
tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ cup of milk. Add this mixture to a basin
full of warm water. Soak your feet for about 20 minutes,then use a foot
file to file off any dead skin from your feet, especially on areas like
your heels and the balls of your feet.
- You can also
create a lemon and sugar scrub to exfoliate your toes. Combine two cups
of brown sugar with about ¼ cup of olive oil. Make sure the mixture is
soft but not too oily. Then add several drops of lemon essential oil.
Use this as a scrub after soaking your feet, and top off the homemade
foot spa with some lemon-scented lotion! Not only will you have
amazingly soft feet, but they’ll smell like summer as well.
Lemon
juice can help break fever and chills by naturally increasing the rate
of perspiration. To help alleviate a fever, add lemon juice to a cup of
hot water or tea with honey. Drink the concoction once every 2 hours or
until the fever subsides. If symptoms persist, consult your physician.
The
Vitamin C found in lemons are one of the gentlest and most natural ways
to lighten dark spots and even out your skin tone. Vitamin C is also a
key component when your body produces collagen and elastin, the
tissues responsible for giving your skin a plump and youthful
appearance. Without adequate vitamin C, your skin can’t repair these
connective tissues, which results in fine lines and wrinkles.
If
you suffer from acne, lemon juice makes a great natural antibacterial
treatment for acne. Simply wet a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it
to your face once at night on areas with acne, blackheads and eczema as
an alternative to topical acne treatments. Wash the solution off with
water the following morning, and follow your regular skincare routine.
There’s
no need to turn to commercial insect repellents and bug sprays with
harmful chemicals if you have lemons on hand. To make a simple yet
effective bug spray, simply combine 1 part of lemon essential oil to
10 parts of carrier oil like olive or sunflower oil or ethyl alcohol.
You must use a carrier oil to formulate this concoction because water
simply won’t mix with the essential oil.
Lemon
essential oils create an aroma that relaxes blood vessels and reduces
inflammation, which are key factors in pain relief. If you’re suffering
from sore joints due to arthritis, rheuma or other inflammatory
diseases, drinking a glass of lemon water each day could help ease your
symptoms. Lemon extract can also help alleviate pain associated with
sunburn if applied to the skin with water. Got PMS or premenstrual
syndrome? Believe it or not, drinking the juice of a few lemons each day
could help relieve your symptoms.
Tired
of unsightly varicose veins and spider veins? Use the blood-vessel
strengthening properties of lemon to make your legs look younger and
more beautiful. Mix several drops of lemon essential oil with a
moisturizing oil of your choice, such as jojoba or avocado oil. Massage
the mixture into the affected area on a regular basis and watch your
unsightly varicose veins slowly disappear.
Store-bought
teeth whitening treatments are expensive and contain plenty of strong
chemicals that could leave your teeth painfully sensitive. Save money
and go natural route with a homemade lemon juice and baking soda formula
to whiten your teeth. Simply combine the two ingredients in equal
proportions to create a bubbly concoction that you can rub onto your
teeth using a Q-tip. Leave on for 45 seconds, but no more: the acids in
the lemon juice and baking soda can weaken your tooth enamel, then
gently scrub off with a toothbrush and clean water.
As you can
see, lemons pack a lot of benefits in such a tiny package. Refreshing,
invigorating,cleansing and detoxifying, lemons can make a great addition
to your home life.
Interestingly, Lemon is one of the 174 natural Ingredients contained in TREVO FOOD
SUPPLEMENT. If your diet includes TREVO, that is a general healthy
lifestyle.
Andy Ochumba (Life and Health Coach with Trevo)
08020394888
www.trevocorporate.com/coach/greenhope
www.facebook.com/trevobenefits
