By Ashlea Hartz, NC, RYT
Lemon has long been used for it’s therapeutic benefits that include immune support, protection from infection, blood purification, pH balance and its fabulous antiseptic properties. Today we will look the best ways you can use lemon in your daily routine to improve your health and cleanse the home.
Drink It
Why? Giving the body an adequate amount of water when you first rise in the morning is a great way to wake up the body and mind. And is actually more effective than coffee. Starting your day with a little lemon water can help detoxify the body, aid digestion, improve your skin and balance your pH.
Eat It
When biting into a fresh peace of lemon you might pucker up and make “that face”, but adding a little lemon juice and zest is a great way to freshen up a recipe. When using the lemon peel, or rind, it is important to choose organic lemons and wash the skin well before zesting.
Clean With It
Lemons have long been a part of a good house cleaning solution. In some circles it is known as a natural, mild disinfectant that fits in the palm of your hand. Because they are so acidic, lemons make a great de-greaser and can be used with a little dish soap to clean pots and pans. Lemon essential oils are found in the outer layer of the peel, called the zest. Adding these oils to a cleaning solution will not only give it a fresh lemony smell, it will help you disinfect those grimy areas in your kitchen and bathroom.
Color With It
Lemon is also a great alternative to dangerous hair colors that are filled with chemicals. The natural essential oil and acid from lemon juice can help add natural blond highlights to your strands when you spend some time in the sun. The juice will only work with sunshine, so get out and make sure your hair gets some sun this summer. The longer your hair is in the sun, the lighter it will get, although 20 minutes is more than enough to see a bit of difference.
Heal With It
Lemon juice is also a natural immune booster since lemon is the most potent and concentrated sources of vitamin C. In fact, lemons and limes where found to cure Scurvy in the 1890’s and helped saved the lives of many sailors trying to cross the Atlantic Ocean to find the New World. Lemons are also a natural antioxidant that enhances the immune system and have antiviral and antibacterial properties. This makes them an excellent home remedy for cold and flu season.
Try this:
Lemon juice and honey mixed together in a small bowl provides a simple and quick cough and sore throat treatment during the flu.
Cheer Up With It!
The smell of lemon is knows to be uplifting, cheerful and invigorating. By stimulating brain regions that influence emotion, for instance, essential oils may help calm your mind and boost your mood. One of nature’s cheeriest scents, lemon essential oil “reliably enhances positive mood,” according to a 2008 study of 56 healthy men and women.
Treating your home with lemon essential oils can be a great way to keep you smiling all day.
Do you use lemon in your home? Let us know your favorite way to make life more lemony 🙂
Reference: http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/cheers-to-drinking-warm-lemon-water