Lemons have long been recognized for their use as food, medicine, and natural cleaning agents, but our love affair with chemicals and pharmaceuticals pushed them to the side. Here are just a few uses for the humble lemon that are natural, easy and save you some money as well.
- Alleviate constipation – use a glass of hot water with lemon juice to get things moving in the morning, and skip the chemical stool softeners. The pectin and Vitamin C in the juice make it happen.
- Clear your head – citrus oils have been proven to increase clarity and concentration, so a few drops of lemon oil on a cotton ball may improve your day, and remove mental fog.
- Banish that blemish – the antibacterial action of fresh lemon juice can help clear that pimple faster. Dab it on with a cotton ball.
- Eat that garnish – noshing on that lemon wedge helps minimize powerful smells of garlic, cigarettes, post-nasal drip…and the fish you just ate. Plus, lemons are loaded with good nutrition.
- Repel mosquitos – a light spray of 10 to 15 drops of lemon essential oil in a cup of water helps repel those winged demons. Just be careful if you’ll be in the sun – citrus oils can make your skin photosensitive and sunburn more easily.
- Freshen the air naturally – 22 drops of lemon essential oil to 1 cup of water makes a lovely and light air freshener.
- Leave the bleach, use the lemon – straight lemon juice will often work as well as bleach without damaging the fabric. Let the stain soak for 30 minutes before washing as usual, or add 1 cup of lemon juice to your final rinse cycle for brighter whites.
- Spiff up the woodwork – before there was lemon-scented furniture polish, folks used actual lemon oil, which replaced the lost oils in the wood as it aged. Sometimes the old methods are the best.
- Save your gallbladder – although modern science has not proved or disproved the ability of lemon juice and olive oil to flush out gallstones, people that have tried this traditional folk remedy swear by it. Before bed, mix 3 ounces each of virgin olive oil and lemon juice, drink, and lay down on your right side. In a few hours your bile duct will enlarge to pass more bile to break down the oil, and pass the stones. The lemon juice supposedly helps dissolve them, which may be why researchers are studying their use for fighting cancer and high cholesterol.
- Clean your cutting boards – throw some salt on your wood (or plastic) cutting boards and scrub with half of a lemon (cut side down, of course), and then rinse off. Not only will the juice kill pathogens, it will remove stains and smells that may have settled in the wood.
These are just some of the many properties the humble lemon has to offer, but the list is almost endless. Don’t just relegate lemons to bobbing in your water glass or garnishing your meals, because you’ll be missing out on a great resource for a healthier and more natural life.
