Life Can Hand Me Lemons Anytime!

Forever Friday

My love for LEMONS probably began because, quite simply, they’re my favorite color, which is YELLOW!

Did you know that the Crayola crayon color ‘Lemon’ was added in 1949? I would also like to say that one of my favorite pies is homemade LEMON. And one of my favorite cakes is LEMON pudding bundt cake served with warm LEMON sauce made with real butter and topped with whipped cream. And one of my favorite candies is LEMON hard candy drops. But, sad to say, none of the above is healthy – except maybe the LEMON Crayolas L. 

True Confession: I had a sugar addiction that was totally out of control. Thus the birth of my journey to wellness, that has taken me to a healthier place and time… J

The Benefits of Lemon: Until recently, I was unaware of the many health benefits that are power packed into this gorgeous, little yellow fruit! When I was forced to eliminate soda, caffeine and sugar from my diet, plus most other foods (and I do mean forced), I began to check out the alternatives for beverages. As I noted in my last blog, I wasn't too thrilled about drinking water all the time! I ran across a product called True Lemon that came in one-serving packets. They worked great to carry in my purse to use in restaurants, when I was hankering for a substitute for my beloved soda. I also loved to nurse a cup of hot lemon water every morning and afternoon while sitting at my desk.  It was a sweet, tangy and tasty drink and, I must admit that at the time, I had no idea how healthy it was for me. What I did know was that I wanted some sort of 'sweet' fix to replace my beloved sugar. I began purchasing the large bottles of lemon juice and using it in my hot and cold drinks and adding it to my salad dressing. It was becoming my dearest and best friend ♥.

Some of the great health benefits of drinking lemon water are:

v  Lemon juice boosts your immune system

v  Acts as an anti-aging remedy

v  Aids in digestion when mixed with hot water (heartburn, bloating, nausea)

v  Cleanses your system while detoxifying and flushing out bacteria

v  Helps with constipation

v  Enhances the appearance of your skin, giving you a healthy glow

v  Aids in weight loss (really BIG plus!)

v  Helps control high blood pressure, because of the potassium content

v  Reduces mental stress and depression

v  Helps breathing problems and aids the respiratory system

v  Acts as an anti-bacterial property (good for sour throats)
v  AND it will help your finances by saving you $'s spent on expensive beverages!

Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C (one lemon=40% of your daily requirement) and also contain vitamin B and riboflavin. Lemons also contain minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.

Helpful Lemon Hints:

v  Choose a lemon with firm, thin, smooth skin that is heavy for its size. This will ensure the sweetest lemon with the most mineral content.

v  Lemon drinks are especially healthy when consumed in the morning.

v  If you weigh under 150 lbs., use the juice of ½ lemon twice a day.

v  If you weigh over 150 lbs., use the juice of a whole lemon twice a day.

v  Add a smidgeon of organic honey for a unique twist to your hot lemon drink

v  Use with olive oil and Stevia on your salad. It enhances the flavor of the veggies instead of drowning the flavor out with a heavy salad dressing! Much better for you, too, and very yummy!
v  Drink lukewarm lemon water with honey, when you need to quickly lose some water weight

...and you thought life handing you lemons was a bad thing!