Lemony Lemone

Lemons are usually subject to squishy-faced reactions and conjure thoughts of acidic sour tastes. While they do illicit those tangy taste buds, if you can get past common perceptions of lemons and learn to incorporate them tastefully into your diet, you'll receive a load of health benefits! Read up after the jump...





Most notably, lemons are great cleansers. They help cleanse problematic areas of the digestive tract by acting as a tonic aiding in bile production which helps digest food. This assuages issues such as: biliousness (inappropriate bile production--too much or too little), nausea, heartburn, constipation, and worm infestation (ew!), and gall stones. 


Continuing down the line, lemon juice has been known to cleanse and detoxify which helps purge the body of unhealthy carcinogens and free-radicals--it is great for people with arthritis or rheumatism. It is a diuretic and flushes out urinary tract infections (or wards them off).


Head region: Lemon juice mixed with coffee (this sounds odd tasting) can help relieve headaches. It helps with tonsillitis, sore throats and symptoms of asthma. Externally applied lemon juice helps stop nose bleeds (this may sting!) as well as gum bleeding, it prevents chapped lips and sunburns.


Mentally lemons are a mood lifter. Buy a little lemon extract at the market and apply it to your temples in the morning to feel refreshed (do it again in the afternoon for another extra lift =) Click here for a great essential oil resource.


How to get lemony goodness: squeeze it into your water, make lemon ice cubes, essential oil, face mask, squeeze it over your salad, squeeze it over fresh fruit, squeeze it into other fruit juice,. Try these dressing recipes: Broccoli with lemon dressing, Honey-lemon dressing, easy butter-lemon dressing.


For a lemon face mask try this: The natural whitening properties of lemon and yogurt help fade the marks that acne leaves behind, while the egg white protein boosts your skin's natural defenses against future wear and tear. The antibacterial benefits of honey soothe the skin - and linger as a relaxing, naturally sweet aroma.


Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons honey 
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
• 3 teaspoons plain or Greek yogurt
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup finely ground oatmeal

Instructions: 
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until mask thickens.
2. Apply to clean, dry face and let set for 15 minutes. Gently wash off with warm water. The solution will stay fresh for one week in the refrigerator.


Info from: http://health.learninginfo.org/health-benefits-lemons.htm