Lemon Livens Up Your Life

It is easy to take the humble fruit of lemon for granted. Think about it. How many times have you heard someone proclaim lemon as their favorite fruit? As a kid, I know I used to love eating lemons raw. But then again, I’m just an unusual person all around…so I’m told. As an adult, I have come to appreciate lemon in all its capacities. But my love for lemon did not truly flourish until I became an herbalist. Through my studies and practical uses and applications on lemon, I kept finding more and more to love about lemon.

Basic Lemon Facts

Lemon (Citrus limon) is both food and medicine. This vibrant yellow fruit is native to Asia. Lemons pack twice as much vitamin C as oranges. The fruit comes from a small evergreen tree that grows to about 22 feet tall. The parts of the lemon used are the fruit, pith and peel.

Uses and Benefits of Lemon: Medicinal

Lemon is one of the most versatile natural medicines for home use. For example, it can be used for everything from bleeding gums to promoting overall good health. It acts as an antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, antibacterial, antioxidant, tonic, and fever reducer. Lemon helps prevent stomach infections, circulatory problems, scurvy and irritation from bite and stings. The fruit and peel help improve circulation and stave off colds by improving resistance to infection. Lemons also help to build good blood and eliminate gas. Their high content of vitamin C helps with iron absorption.

Lemon juice, and I mean the fresh kind (not the liquid in the yellow plastic lemon container), is good for sore throats. Combine equal amounts of lemon juice and hot water then gargle. And it is a great idea to start your day with warm lemon water. It prepares your body for the rest of the day. Just skip the gargling this time around! This will improve weak digestion and get your engine revving for the day.

Uses and Benefits of Lemon: Beauty and Beyond

Beauty starts from the inside out. And lemon has a direct contribution to this. Even though lemon is acidic, once digested, it leaves an alkaline ash. Having a more alkaline body means less chance of illness. This is why it is good for cold and flu, chest and upper respiratory conditions, infections, liver detoxification, improving appetite, easing stomach acidity, ulcers, arthritis, gout, rheumatism, and gingivitis. It is also the reason I make this one of the first changes in diet for my clients. The whole fruit—especially the pith—is good for strengthening vein walls. This is a huge benefit for those suffering from arteriosclerosis (thickening of arterial walls), weak capillaries, and varicose veins. Starting your day with a cup of warm water with fresh lemon will literally help clean up your intestines and promote glowing skin.

Over the centuries, women have used lemon juice to help lighten and tone their skin. I remember growing up my mother would slice a lemon in half, use the main juice for lemonade, and then would ream the halves on her elbows and knee caps to help reduce dark spots. In ancient time, Egyptian women would use lemon juice as a form of birth control. They would squeeze fresh lemon juice on harvested sea sponges to create our modern day version of the sponge and spermicide.

Lemon Essential Oil

The essential oil can be used for canker sores when mixed with a carrier oil, like olive oil or grape seed oil. A good base model to follow is five drops of essential oil to one teaspoon of carrier oil. The juice and essential oil can be applied directly to acne, athlete’s foot, chilblains (inflammation of small blood vessels), stings, ringworm, sunburn, and warts.

Lemon essential oil is so potent that it is used in many commercial cleaners. Be sure to read the label, though. Originally pure lemon essential oil or juice was used for many products. However, with commercialization and price competition, real lemon is often swapped out for just the fragrance (synthetic) or some other artificial form of lemon.

Do not take lemon essential oil internally, unless under the supervision of a medical professional or professional herbalist. And while the essential can be applied “neat”, meaning directly to the skin without a carrier oil, too much can easily irritate the skin or burn. Also be aware that lemon-based products can cause photosensitivity (your skin reacts to too much sunlight and heat).

Lemon Recipes

Time for my favorite topic: food. Just as lemon is super versatile for beauty and health, it is just as much as a showstopper in the culinary world. Lemon is used for everything from garnish to desserts. But before indulging our sweet tooth, let’s talk numbers and nutrition. Lemon is a low fat, low sodium fruit with 6% of your daily value of dietary fiber. One lemon has 17 calories; a smidgen of protein (0.6g), calcium (1%), iron (1%) and magnesium (1%); and a healthy dose of vitamin C (51%). Now that’s a number I can pucker up for!

Lemon Drink Recipe for Colds

Combine 20mL (1 tablespoon) of lemon juice with 50mL (2 ounces) of hot water. Add a crushed clove of garlic and a pinch of cinnamon. Drink up to three times a day. Consult a medical professional before trying this recipe.

Homemade Lemonade Recipe

I've conveniently already wrote a whole article about how to make lemonade by the glass or w whole container. You can see the recipe, my steps and healthy substitutions here.

There is so much lemon is good for, I could go on and on. But, simply put: I love lemon. Lemon is versatile and useful in so many ways. Lemons provide a superb way to promote overall good health and wellness.

This information is intended for personal edification and should not be used in place of professional medical advice. Information is adapted from Andrew Chevallier’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine and my personal herbal training and practice as an herbalist and naturopath.

About The Author

Stephanie works as an herbalist, naturopath and energy healer. She helps her clients find natural alternatives for their unique health, wellness and beauty needs.

To learn more, please visit stephaniebradberry.com