Licking Lemons For Health, Wealth and Happiness

Lemons are a fruit that has super bright yellow skin which immediately causes me to think of bright sunshine on a beautiful summer day. When slicing through the fragrant outer skin, a very sour and juicy inner flesh is revealed.

Who would have guessed that such a twangy, sour pulp grew within the vibrant yellow skin?

I cook with lemons all the time not only because I love the flavor (Lemon Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Lemon Drizzle or Blueberry Sour Cream Muffin with Lemon Surprise), but also because they are extremely good for my health (Unprepared For Chicken and Herbal Tea Recipes).

What health benefits do lemons offer?

I’m sure there will be a few health benefits that the average lemon offers that you’ve never heard of before:

• antibacterial
• checks the excessive flow of bile
• helps in digestion
• removes constipation
• keeps acne in check
• astringent
• expels wind from the digestive tract
• beneficial to the heart to aid with high blood pressure
• freshens breath
• cleanses the mouth
• soothes a sore throat
• calms a cough
• reduces phlegm
• reduces canker sores
• balances acidity
• prevents vomiting
• good for vision
• strengthens the blood vessels and prevents internal hemorrhage
• immune-boosting
• a diuretic
• fight infection
• liver cleanser
• helps people with asthma
• reduces inflammation caused by rheumatism and gout
• produces calmness and alleviates nervousness, anxiety and tension
• increases concentration and alertness
• fights colds and flu
• promotes weight loss
• removes/heals corns and calluses
• repels bugs
• mixed with water it quenches a diabetic thirst
• assists in calcium metabolism

Phew!

Be honest…Did you know there were that many health benefits from that little sour fruit?

How can a lemon bring you happiness?

A famous quote says, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” and I’m sure you’ve thought about the meaning before. With the new “health” benefits of lemons, does it put a new light on making the lemonade?

Another point that the saying is trying to get across is that if you have “sour” experiences that cause you grief, frustration, anger and unhappiness, turn it into something “sweet and beneficial” to you.

I have a personal example of the life, lemons and lemonade thing. Two and half years ago during December I got very sick. Because I was making almost all the Christmas presents for my family, I refused to slow down.

I worked long hours into the morning making or tweaking one gift after the next. Finally, when I almost couldn’t take another breath and everyone had opened their presents, I went to the doctor on Christmas night.

“I’m going to put you in the hospital,” he said, “because you have pneumonia and your asthma is stressing your lungs.”

“No!” I shrieked through half a voice of panic. “Please don’t send me to the hospital. Isn’t there any other way for me to get well?”

“You are very, very sick. Do you understand? If you stay in the hospital for a week, you will get the care you need.”

I was ready to cry. The thought of staying in the hospital was petrifying.

He stared at me with pity and said, “If you promise to lay down for three weeks and only get up to use the bathroom and brush your teeth, I won’t put you in the hospital.”

I was too sick to be excited, but I promised not to move from the horizontal position.

It was boring.

After just a day, I couldn’t stand staring at the ceiling any longer. Alyssa brought me her laptop and I began to surf the web. I read about all kinds of things that I could make as gifts for my family the following year.

Then I happened upon a site with beautiful fabric from a designer. I loved it because not only did she tell all about her fabric, but she was talking about personal things. It was my introduction to the world of blogging. Portabellopixie was the first blog I ever read and it was written by fabric designer extraordinaire, Sandi Henderson.

Needless to say, the three weeks flew by and I was glued to my daughter’s laptop. I couldn’t stop reading blog after blog after blog. It took me seven months after that before I started blogging, but I had been bitten by the blogging bug and there was no cure for blogitis.

As you can tell, I took lemons (pneumonia and flat on my back for three weeks) and turned them into lemonade (voraciously read blogs and surfed the internet to learn about blogging so that I could eventually start my own blog).

How can a lemon bring you wealth?

Lemons can bring you wealth if you open a lemonade store, everyone in the city buys a glass at breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day of the year.

Okay, that was a stretch, but I just wanted to see if you are paying attention.

Lemons, loosely put can represent hard times, trials and struggles in life. If we learn how to conquer the sour experiences and come out of them with a sweet attitude, good fortune is bound to come into our life in one way or the other.

Haven’t you ever noticed that when you “beat the odds,” the reward is always wonderful?

We all know of people that never give up no matter how awful the situation and end up successful. I always refer back to the life of Benjamin Franklin which I shared with you during a rather low point in my own life. I don’t think anyone would say that Benjamin failed. I believe we all find him to have been quite a success and are quite thankful for his perseverance.

In a round about way, lemons, also known as hard experiences in life, can bring you wealth.

All in all, there are great benefits in incorporating lemons into your healthy practices or conquering the lemons of your life.

My favorite way to use lemons hasn’t been mentioned yet…

Cut a lemon in half.

Sprinkle it with salt.

Squeeze the juice and lick.

Taste the tangy, sour lemon tempered only by the salt.

Yeah, now that is truly licking a lemon.