lemons for health

i think that most people have heard that you should start your day off with a mug of hot water with lemon.  i have made this morning ritual its always the first this that enters my body when i wake up and i feel heaps better for it.  sipping on hot lemon water first thing inthe morning helps the liver produce bile, which is a mild natural laxative.

but this isn’t the only thing that lemons are great for.  you can also use lemons to help with the following:

·         pimples – treat breakouts by applying lemon juice with a cotton pad several times a day.  the lemon juice may help because it kills acne bacteria, increases skins acidity, emulsifies skin oil and reduces inflammation.

·         low immunity – lemons contain vitamin c which boosts immunity, team this with a drizzle of manuka honey into a mug of hot water for a resiliant immune system.

·         muscle stiffness – had a huge training session and the next day everything is aching? add one teaspoon of lemon essentail oil to your bathwater and relax for half an hour.

when selecting a lemon it should feel firm, full and heavy but should have some give when you press it.  look for lemons that are well shaped and free from scabs, streaks, spots or other discolorations, which could be a sign of a fungal infection.  it should also have a bright, shiny yellow peel, which shows it is well –ripened and a coarsely pebbled rind, which indicates that it will keep well.

once you have your lemons at home you can store a lemon for three weeks in a sealed plastic bag or lidded jar in the fridge, or for one to two weeks at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.

lemons lemons lemons – the zest of health

NK