Oh the bitter lemon how sweet it is!
By Joan McDaniel March 22, 2014
Learning How to Detox Eating Natural Food, I Ran into the Lemon
Everyone knows the lemon but what exactly are Lemons Good For? Thoughts of sunshine and a refreshing drink on a hot summer day may come to mind. But I have learned that the lemon is one of the highest consumed and versatile fruit. It sells more than the any other citrus fruit including the Orange but it has one of the lowest fructose (sugar) count (1 medium .6 Grams of Fructose) and one of the highest Vitamin C counts available.
The Lemon is famous in the history of medicine for its juice was used to stop the devastating disease of Scurvy. In the 1800’s and into World War I, the British Royal Fleet which was almost wiped out. More Sailors died of Scurvy than from any battle. And now I find that the Lemon is one of the best detoxing foods money can buy.
Use Lemons to Detox Naturally
Learning how to detox slowly, and naturally by the food I eat, first came the craving for bitters, and as I researched the bitter taste I ran into the pH balance. I found bitter is better when it comes to ridding your body of built up toxins. But to my surprise I have now found the Lemon is really bitter once digested by the human body.
So exactly what is a Lemon?
Besides it being the Food of Life with its large amount of Vitamin C – Jog the memory, remember the song Lemon Tree? It may taste bitter but it has so many uses it makes life all sweetness and light.
Now this may be a tree you can hug.
Lemon Tree
Remember the folk-song Lemon Tree?
From the Peter, Paul and Mary Web-site
Peter, Paul and Mary are folk singers. Today the term “folk singer” almost translated to their group name. This type of music started with such avatars as Woody Guthrie, the Weavers and the late Pete Seeger, folk music identified with sociopolitical commentary. I remember them and their songs and when I happen to start my research on the Lemon their song title came up in a search engine. Their music was very popular and brought me back in time.
To quote the lyrics from the song Lemon Tree by the folksinger group Peter, Paul & Mary
“Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.”
What Makes a Summer Day a Little Brighter?
The juice from the cherry, sunshine filled yellow fruit called Lemonade! 
The Lemon is one of the most consumed whole citrus fruits
The Lemon is one of the highest selling fruits yet have you ever seen anyone ever take a bite from a lemon as they take a bite from an apple?
The lemon (Citrus × limon) is a small evergreen tree native to Asia. The tree’s fruit is a small yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, through the pulp and rind (or zest) is also used in cooking and baking. Lemons have a sour acid taste but once digested become very alkaline.
Although Lemons are not normally thought as the sunshine fruit since that place has been taken by the Florida Orange Juice advertising market but when it comes to sunshine there can’t be any better. It is loaded with Vitamin C and one of the best remedies for the Common Cold or Flu.
In fact, the lemon sells without even having an advertising budget. When is the last time you have seen an advertisement for a lemon?
I did a search and all I found was an old Volkswagen commercial
The Lemon today is mostly served as a garnish it provides a refreshing taste, kills the smell of fish, and adds a major dose of Vitamin C in the process.
What made me suddenly take notice of the Lemon?
I have regained strength and feel much better but now I have to rid my body of the years and years of toxins that have accumulated. I want to do to detox slowly and naturally without any major fasts or hard to understand diets.
In trying to learn how to detox naturally with the food I eat, my research into food and especially the taste of bitter I ran into several articles from the Health Ranger and others.
What the articles said about Lemons made me suddenly take notice.
Once Digested, Lemons are Alkaline.
The pH balance of Lemons are acid. Acids pH balanced foods cannot be used to help regain health and re-oxidize the body for acids hate oxygen yet the lemon once eaten changes and becomes one the best alkaline foods you can eat.
That now explains why Ancient Indian Ayurvedic practitioners referred to the lemon as ‘Golden Apple’. On the Indian subcontinent, Lemon is a universal remedy for many health disorders and is often called a panacea for its ability to heal the mind and body.
Ayurvedic Recipe is to drink the juice of one lemon and a glass of warm water first thing every morning to help wash away toxins that have gathered in the body during the day. It also helps digestion and the warm water opens the cells to allow more hydration
“Lemon juice creates an alkaline-forming environment to balance the body’s pH as well as restoring balance and high dosages of vitamin C. It reduces acidosis and helps relieve inflammation and other disease processes by allowing Oxygen to reach the cells.
I have found Lemons to be as important to my getting well, as they did in 1800 when the British sailors teeth began to fall out due to scurvy and the lack of Vitamin C on long ocean voyages. Sucking on a Lemon saved the sailors lives. Even during the American Civil War, Scurvy had a very high death toll.
So Who Found That Lemons Become Alkaline?
Bernard Jensen, a holistic food scientist who first discovered which foods are alkaline and which are considered acid. In fact the alkaline action from the lemon not only helps rid the body of toxins by returning oxygen to the cells, it provides plenty of Vitamin C.
Dr. Jensen
Only true holistic food enthusiast would know of Dr. Jensen. His significant influence was on the advancement of the science of iridology.
Iridology – Still practiced today, it is an alternative medicine technique whose proponents claim that colors, and other characteristics of the iris can be examined to determine information about a patient’s systemic health. Practitioners use iris charts, which divide the iris into zones that correspond to specific parts of the human body. Iridologists see the eyes as “windows” into the body’s state of health.
The iris – is part of the human eye. It is responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupil and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. The color of the iris is known as “eye color’
The link shows a typical Iridology chart
Dr. Jensen – not that I want to know anything about the science Dr. Jensen contributed a great deal of influence in holistic medicine. He was versed in a wide variety of holistic health care disciplines including acupuncture, bowel care, crainiopathy, diets, fasting, glandular balancing, herbiology, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, Personology, polarity, reflexology, and sanitarium work.
Dr. Jensen received awards, degrees, honorariums and was even knighted. He did not seek fame, recognition or glory – his sole purpose was to help relieve human suffering by first learning then teaching “right” living. He did major research into natural food. He found the basic keys to long and healthy life were not in vitamin bottles or on the shelves in pharmacies, but in whole, natural foods.
He did major work on linking pH balance and the autoimmune disease of arthritis with a long list of successfully cured clients. See link below
So What is Detoxing? 
Detoxification (detox for short) is the removal of toxic substances from a living organism. It is a term used to refer to a period of withdrawal and returning to homeostasis after a long-term use of an addictive substance. In alternative medicine detoxing is very important for it promotes ridding the body of stored toxins normally through eating natural raw diets. Modern medicine only concentrates on detoxing for major addictions like with drugs or alcohol, not with removal of toxins from the body.
There are many forms of detoxification available and a large group of available products on the market to help you detox but I have found a normal diet eating healthy natural food is the best way to slowly detox my body of its years of stored up toxins. As I have said I do not support any one product or method.
There are many forms of detoxing some with extreme fasting and other with a slower approach. Your body detoxes on its own, but for years of built up toxins It may of slowed down. Everyone’s body has its own mechanisms responsible for toxin elimination. You just need to try different things until something feels good. I think it is better to detox slowly as I built up the toxins in the first place.
Some detox plans take an extreme form of fasting (not eating for a period of time) and only juicing. I do not fast, I eat three or more meals a day but I do concentrate on what kind of foods I eat, I eat food as raw as possible grown in the earth that is as close as possible to me.
I do eat animal protein but limited. I have found following the taste of bitter has driven me onto different types of food that reduce the acid no oxygen environment with the alkalizing environment of oxygen rich. This has helped me return my energy, health and strength. My body takes time to adjust and I am take a nice slow time of detoxing.
Lemons have become very Important to Me
Detoxing using the juice of one lemon every morning helps me form an alkaline environment where O2 can now reach the cells and muscles.
I currently am using the juice of one lemon then mixing it with warm water; I also take the juice of Aloe Vera with the pulp or gel. If I cannot find the premade juice, I cut up and eat the actual leaf white meat gel slime and all. You need the slimy mucus part of the plant. No sugar added of course. I also add a few drops of silver and I am having wonderful results. This is my method, I don’t recommend it or any others.
Colloidal Silver 
Lemon and some of its health history
Lemons are thought to have originated at the base of the Himalayan Mountains and cultivation spread. The Lemon was introduced to the Americas when Columbus made his second voyage in 1943.
The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind (zest) are also used in cooking and baking. The juice of the lemon is about 5% to 6% citric acid, which gives lemons a sour taste. The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as lemonade..
Lemons are oval in shape and feature a yellow, textured outer peel. Like other citrus fruits, their inner flesh is encased in segments, with the average lemon having eight to ten.
Lemons are best when bright yellow and thin-skinned. Famous as a refreshing drink bearing its name, lemon slices or wedges are often added to cold and hot tea for an extra punch of vitamin C. They make a great garnish for salads and can be squeezed over other raw fruits to add flavor while preventing them from turning brown.
Lemon juice was used in ancient Egypt to undo the effects of food poisoning; and in India, Ayurvedic practitioners prescribed lemon peel to treat liver ailments. The Sicilians used lemon peel to make pickling brine and multiple cultures used it to prevent scurvy. Both the peel and juice of lemons are still widely used today to cleanse and detoxify.
Scurvy Disease
Picture of British Sailor or “Limey”
Does this picture remind anyone of Popeye? Oh that’s right he had spinach which has its own Vitamin C. In this picture the sailor is toothless due to scurvy.
Scurvy was rampant among British mariners. Scurvy resulted from a lack of Vitamin C. The first sign of scurvy was bleeding gums and loss of teeth. Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. Collagen sort of holds the body together. As the disease advanced the body became weaker, the gums bleed and in many cases teeth would fall out. The disease could advance to death if Vitamin C was not provided in the diet.
More deaths were from scurvy than by any enemy or naval battle. Both passengers and crew were affected. Many a ship became what was called “Ghost Ships” with a staff hardly alive.
Lemon or Lyme
For out purposes there isn’t any real difference between a lime and a lemon. The Lime is a little sweeter and has a higher vitamin C count but both are considered citrus fruits. In order to prevent scurvy, the British Royal Navy, issued a decree that lemon or lime juice had to be part of the sailors daily ration earned them the nickname “Limey”. As time passed, the nickname began to stand for British people, and British immigrants rather than just the Royal Navy.
James Lind – (October 4, 1716 Edinburgh to July 13, 1794 Gosport) was a Scottish physician. He was a pioneer of naval hygiene in the Royal Navy. By conducting experiments, he developed the theory that citrus fruits cured scurvy. In 1747 he found seamen suffering from scurvy were greatly helped when given lemon juice to their diets. Vitamin C was not yet known.
Lemons were used during the California Gold Rush in the mid-19th century to protect against scurvy. Lemons were in such high demand they could cost $1 per lemon.
Benefits of Lemons
DNA cell protection, inflammation relief, Low in fructose, As for the vitamins and minerals, lemons come with infection-fighting vitamin C, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, iron, and magnesium, fiber, lots of B vitamins, calcium, potassium, copper, folate, and potassium. Whew! Just think – the antioxidants and flavonoids you get in the lemons
Free Radical Fighter
High in Vitamin C is the most important antioxidant found in nature. This vitamin neutralizes free radicals both inside and outside of cells.
Balances pH – Lemons are considered one of the most alkalizing foods you can eat. They may have an acid pH balance and may taste sour but once metabolized lemons become a very powerful alkaline food. Lemons help alkalize the blood, helps remove uric acid from the joints and reduces the pain of inflammation another acid condition
Boost the Immune System – When cold and flu season arrives, it is always a good idea to keep a bag of fresh lemons handy. The citric acid, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, calcium, pectin and limonene do a great job of boosting your immune system and keeping infections at bay.
Helps fight Cancer Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds including limonene – an oil that has been shown to halt the growth of cancer tumors in animals. In addition they also contain flavonol glycosides, which stop the division of cancer cells.
Helps Oxygen Uptake – According to Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owners Manual for the Brain; Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research. The lemon helps bring the needed oxygen to the brain and muscles which causes inflammation and pain.
.” The first man to reach the top of Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, said that he attributed much of his success to lemons!
Health Benefits of Lemons
It’s probably no surprise that lemons provide a lot of vitamin C, but the amount per serving is pretty impressive at 187% of the daily value, making it a super infection fighter. Teamed with flavonoid glycosides called esperetin and naringenin (found in most citrus fruits), the combination provides radical free-radical zapping activity. Free radicals can do serious damage to blood vessels and can contribute to cholesterol build up in artery walls, atherosclerosis, and even heart disease.
If you’ve ever wondered about the difference in raw lemons compared to bottled lemon juice, the vitamin C goes from 139% to about 100% of the daily value per serving, with the calcium from 7% diminished to 3%. In addition, bottled lemon juice and other processed fruit juices are not as healthy as they seem, and contain very high amounts of fructose and potentially dangerous additives.
In the days of James Lind’s research, he found he could not seperate the lemon juice the sailors had to actually have the lemon or lime and suck on it for it to provide enough real Vitamin C. I suggest you do the same. Get the real thing not from the factory.
Now before you throw that lemon, lime or orange peel away save it and re-use it
Use Lemons and save money.
Use all parts of the lemon, Peel, meat and juice around the house and stop buying high budget advertised cleaning products that do nothing but bring toxins into the house. Madison Avenue will have to use their high-priced catchy ad phrases on something else like Obama Care or something like not needed operations or toxic medication.
This is just a list I put together, I bet you have plenty of your own or will find future uses of the very versatile fruit.
Bleaching
Lemon juice acts as a natural bleaching agent. Put lemon juice onto white linens and clothing and allow them to dry in the sun. Stains will be bleached away. On clothes or counter tops.
Fresh Lemon Juice can be used around the house
- Remove coffee and tea stains from pots and cups.
- Gets glass and glass wear sparkling clean
- Clean windows.
- deodorizer and disinfect areas like the counter tops, cutting boards, garbage pails, and disposals
- Deodorize you bathroom and toilet
- Remove grease and grime by using lemon juice and salt around the kitchen
- Remove grease stains from clothing (but don’t use on silks or other delicate fabrics)
- Lemon juice can power through grease and grime throughout the home. I use a mixture of lemon juice and salt to scrub away grease build-up in the kitchen or other work areas.
- Lemon juice can also help remove grease stains from clothing (but don’t use on silks or other delicate fabrics).
- Polish mirrors and help polish furniture.
- Add a lemon to rinse your hair and increase its shine.
- Help soften the skin and remove age spots and blemishes.
- Help relieve eczema
- Help sooth a bug bite
- Repeal insects
- Remove smells like wet dog
Lemon use for Home Remedies
- To help with acid reflux and GERD since the lemon is naturally alkaline-forming it can be used to help relief an acid balance.
- Mix lemon juice and water to help a sore throat or canker sores. Can also add sea-salt to mixture. Adding Raw Honey also helps
- Help with common cold, fight the flu, relieve nausea, and lessen a chill.
- Stop a nose bleed with lemon juice and a cotton swabs.
- Fight gall stones when mixed with olive oil
- Help fight fatigue after a long workout
- As a mouth wash it helps strengthen gums and teeth.
In fact, now when I wash dishes I cut up the left over lemon, lime or orange rind and throw it in the dish water. Glassware comes out sparking like it was high-priced crystal. The dish soap I use if any is a natural oil soap like coconut and I only use a few sprays.
Freeze the entire lemon
And guess what, you can also freeze the entire lemon. So place your lemon in your freezer, and then grate it on your meal every day. It is a key to make your foods tastier and you get to live healthier and longer!
Sources for this article include:
http://www.naturalnews.com/036663_home_remedies_lemons_health.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/036059_home_remedies_baking_soda_natural_cures.html
http://krizzyla.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-10-health-benefits-of-lemon-juice.html
http://www.cancertruth.net/2013-september-newsletter/
http://www.naturalnews.com/035614_lemon_juice_toxic_chemicals_home.html
www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2009/10/welcome.html
http://housekeeping.about.com/od/environment/a/lemonscleaning.htm
http://thealkalinefoods.com/alkaline-foods/lemon
http://www.ehow.com/info_12125844_serve-lemon-seafood.html#ixzz2wMg9LoNO
