Lemon and Its Health Benefits

Lemon is essential in flushing out toxins and bad bacteria from the body. Most of our work and household needs require that we spend more time outdoors. Due to our busy lifestyle, we tend to resort to fast food and easy to cook preparations which has lots of preservatives. In fastfoods and restaurants where we dine, we don’t know if proper sanitation was observed, thus, we may accumulate toxins and bad bacteria in our body through unhealthy food preparation. Pollution and harmful chemicals at home, at work and outdoors also add up to the toxins and bad bacteria in our body. Lemon has this capability to flush out toxins and bad bacteria, it is also best for people with urinary tract infection and those with high uric acid problems like arthritis or rheumatism.

There are times when we accidentally cut ourselves or some parts of our body become infected, our usual resort is to take antibiotic. Antibiotics do destroy harmful bacterias in our body, however, for long term use, it may also destroy the good ones. This has a negative effect to our body. Using lemon juice will also destroy harmful bacterias found in these cuts and other areas of infection. It is a natural agent and has no known side-effects. Lemon is good to treat skin infections and is also very effective in lightening the skin and other discolored areas. It contains flavonoid which is a compound that contains antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. It is also a good health drink because of its high vitamin C content.

Lemon juice helps in preventing the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The Reader’s Digest Medical Question and Answer Book describes atherosclerosis as the build-up of fatty and cholesterol deposits in the inner walls of the arteries, resulting in partial or total blockage of blood flow. This condition can interfere with or block the blood supply or the cardiac muscle, which may cause angina or a heart attack. Drinking lemon juice regularly will help prevent its progression. However, it is not advisable for people who are hyperacidic.

Many people have gingivitis. Their gums bleed easily which maybe due to lack of proper nutrition, friction when brushing and lack of vitamin C. To stop gum bleeding, it is believed that lemon juice when massaged gently into gums, may stop gum bleeding.

For people who are very particular with good grooming, lemon juice is a very useful agent. Lemon juice helps treat acne and eczema when applied directly to the skin and allowed to dry. It has to be rinsed after with a mixture of water and a few drops of olive oil. For blemishes, I usually apply lemon juice directly and it works wonders to my skin. The following day, I can notice the area applied with it lighter and with lesser noticeable blemishes. The juice is also good for the removal of blackheads, freckles and wrinkles.

Lemon’s high Vitamin C content is good to ward off scurvy. It’s pulp is also great for the skin and soothes insect bites and stings.