Lemons, Radiant Skin, Improved Health

Lemons have so many health benefits that it is wonderful to hear of their use in ways other than as lemonade or added to a cup of tea. More often, restaurants are even offering a wedge of lemon for glasses of water.

The juice of a fresh squeezed lemon in water has many medicinal values. Stimulating to the liver, digestion and elimination are improved, which has a cleansing effect on the entire body. Drinking lemon water helps to remove metabolic and acidic wastes from the system. By decreasing underlying causes of inflammation, the body becomes more alkaline which is ideal to help with chronic conditions. For example, if uric acid is reduced, the pain of gout resulting from urate crystals irritating the joint lining can be relieved. It may be confusing to understand since lemons on their own are acidic. Lemons contain both citric acid and ascorbic acid, which once metabolize in the body, actually alkalize the blood. Disease, or dis-ease, occurs when the body pH is acidic for too long.

With so many people trying to lose weight, using lemon water as a digestive aid and liver cleanse can be a wonderful start to using lifestyle rather than fad diets to lose the weight and keep it off. By just tweaking our daily rituals and routines to better focus on aligning the body with nature's rhythm, we can achieve our goals without the usual yo-yo of dieting. One more perk is that lemons are high in pectin fiber which help fight hunger cravings. 

Reoccurring bladder infections can be remedied with lemons! By increasing the rate of urination, toxins are flushed out at a faster rate, which helps maintain a healthy urinary tract.

Proper hydration is so important for a healthy body. When your body is not getting enough fluids you'll feel the effects. Always feeling tired, sluggish, brain fog, constipation, trouble sleeping, and inability to handle stress could all be signs that your body needs more water. Daily lemon water helps the lymph system by replacing lost fluids  from normal body functioning.

Warm lemon water stimulates the bowels, which can be a godsend for people struggling with constipation. Heartburn, belching and feeling bloated can all be helped as the digestive system becomes regulated and a balance in digestive flora is achieved.

  Promote immunity and fight infection with such good things as bioflavonoids, magnesium, limonene, calcium, vitamin C, pectin and citric acid. Many people take vitamin C to help prevent a cold, and vitamin C also enhances iron absorption which is very important in immune function. Potassium stimulates brain and nerve function, as well as control blood pressure. Lemons reduce the amount of phlegm produced by the body which is very necessary for people with respiratory or lung conditions.

 Ever wonder why citrus is considered such a "happy" aroma? It all has to do with atoms. The energy received by food in the body comes from atoms and molecules. When food enters the digestive tract, a reaction occurs when positive charged ions interact with negative charged enzymes. Lemons contain more negative charged ions, which provides the body with more energy. The scent of lemon energizes the mind, mood and body. 

Lemons are a great home remedy for beautiful skin from the inside out, as well as topically to treat blemishes. By adding lemon water to your daily routine you will be getting this important antioxidant so vital for a healthy and glowing complexion.

All the rage right now is the use of vitamin C serums in skin care to fight wrinkles. As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps to combat free radical damage which is the cause of aged skin. Vitamin C is great in treating and preventing acne, as it kills certain types of bacteria. Applied directly to age spots, vitamin C serums can help reduce hyperpigmentation. As a healing agent, it can even help with the appearance of scars.

Note to remember about ascorbic acid: If you plan on making your own vitamin C serum from purchased powdered ascorbic acid, remember that vitamin C oxidizes fairly quickly. Once ascorbic acid is added to water it is no longer stable. If the serum turns yellow, don't use it. You certainly don't want to be adding free radicals to your face. Make a fresh batch of homemade serum on a weekly basis and only make small amounts at a time.  Here is a recipe for a homemade serum:

 (1/4 tsp.  ascorbic acid powder, 4 tsp. distilled water,  3/4 tsp. glycerin)

 

According to Nancy Hearn, CNC from Water Benefits Health there is a method to how much lemon water to drink and how often.

"If you weigh less than 150 pounds and are in good health, squeeze half a fresh lemon (about one ounce) in 8 to 12 ounces of filtered water and drink it first thing in the morning for the best cleansing benefits. If this is too strong, dilute it to taste.
If you weigh over 150 pounds, you could drink the same amount of lemon water twice a day.  Or you could squeeze a whole lemon (two ounces) into 24 to 32 ounces of clean water and drink this throughout the morning.
Our bodies can only metabolize about 12 ounces of water at a time. Thus, if you are drinking more than 12 ounces of lemon water, you would want to spread it out over a period of a few hours. You will still get most of the enzymatic properties of the lemon water if it is stored in a sealed container, preferably glass or stainless steel, and kept cold.
If you drink more than the recommended amount above, it is best to add it gradually over time since the lemon juice will accelerate body detoxification.
Too much lemon water too quickly can cause uncomfortable detoxification symptoms such as headaches, bowel changes, or fatigue.
It is also best to drink lemon water about 30 minutes before a meal to help your body get the most energy and nutrients from the food you eat.

We do not recommend children under 12 years old drink lemon water on a daily basis. In most cases, healthy children simply do not need it.  However, if a child is having issues with constipation or has cold or flu symptoms, you could add fresh-squeezed lemon juice (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon) to about 8 to 12 ounces of water, which the child could sip on throughout the day. Adding sugar would defeat the purpose, but a small amount of honey would be ok as needed for taste."

 Below are a few other ways to incorporate the wonder of lemons in your lives

Once you try homemade lemonade you will not want to go back to the artificially flavored powder mix found at the grocery store. The following is the original recipe but we stretch it by using  five lemons which make about one cup juice to 2 cups sugar and 4 quarts or one gallon water.

 

Enough lemons to made 1 cup juice (about five large)

1 cup sugar

2 quarts water

The amount of water or sugar can be adjusted to your liking

Did you know that the lemon peels contain 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the juice?

Below is a great tip to using the whole lemon without any waste.

Use organic lemons if possible to avoid ingesting pesticides which may be in the peel.

Place the lemons in the freezer. When you have a need for lemon, get your grater and shred the whole lemon, peel and all. Use these shreds to top your food or drinks. You'll discover a new taste for lemon, as well as increase the nutritional value of your food or drink. Are you aware that lemon peels help to eliminate toxic elements from the body in addition to the boost in Vitamin C?

  

Honey & Lemon Syrup/Tea
Lemon slices to fill a pint size mason jar
Grated 1 inch piece of ginger root
Enough honey to fill the jar
This is an Asian remedy to combat a cold, cough, or sore throat. High in vitamin C and an immune system booster. Honey is a natural preservative, therefore this mix can be kept in the refrigerator and used as needed. Add extra lemon slices and top with additional honey as needed. The lemons sort of dissolve into the honey to form a marmalade like mixture. Just add a dollop to a cup and add boiling water, stir to mix. Don't offer honey to children under one year of age.

This recipe is another form of a nourishing hot tea to use when ill

 Lemon n' Honey Grog
1 cup water
1 whole clove
pinch of cinnamon
juice of one lemon
honey to taste
Put the water, clove, and cinnamon in a pot.  Bring to a boil and keep boiling for one full minute.  Turn of the heat and allow to steep for twenty minutes.  Strain, reheat it, and add the juice of the lemon and honey to taste.  Drink while hot.