Is Lemon Juice Really a Superfood?

Oranges may not be the only fruit after all!  Lemon’s are a true super food and pack a pretty powerful punch, adding not only flavour to your cooking, but a ton of health benefits too.

Like many fruits and vegetables, lemons are packed full of fabulous flavonoids which contain vital antioxidants, for combating free-radical damage.  Here are some reasons why lemons are so useful in treating so many ailments and conditions.

1. You can help prevent kidney stones by drinking one half-cup of lemon juice every day you can raise citrate levels in the urine. Studies have shown that this can even protect against calcium stones in the kidney.
2. Lemon juice contains pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown to aid in weight-loss struggles.
3. Forget coffee in the morning and start your day off with hot water and fresh lemon juice to stimulate your digestive tract and add vitamin C.
4. Got a sore throat?  Try mixing lemon juice with honey you can help sooth the discomfort that comes from a nasty sore throat.
5. Got an itch you can scratch?  Poison ivy or insect bites can be relieved with a combination of lemon juice and cornstarch.
6. In addition to vitamin C, lemons offer 80 milligrams of potassium that helps your body stay strong and nimble.
7. The days of starving a fever are gone!  When you’ve got a temperature, try drinking a lemon juice mixture to help bring your fever down faster.
8. Although they seem acidic, lemons are in fact a surprisingly good source of an alkaline food that can help balance your body's pH.
9. And finally, studies have shown lemons possessing anticancer fruit liminoids, compounds that protect your cells from damage that can lead to the formation of cancer cells.
10. Ancient Egyptians believed that eating lemons and drinking lemon juice was an effective protection against a variety of poisons.

What can Aloe Vera do for me?

Aloe Vera’s first recorded use was over 5000 years ago in early Egyptian times  but this amazing plant now is used to treat hundreds of different ailments ranging from sun burn to constipation and is growing in popularity and an amazing pace.

The aloe vera plant is constructed with the basic building blocks of life, including essential vitamins and minerals, proteins, polysaccharides, enzymes, and amino acids. (Some people drink aloe vera for physical endurance and stamina, instead of energy drinks!) The bulk of the aloe vera leaf is filled with gel, which is approximately 99% water. The other 1% contains over at least 75 known nutrients including 20 minerals, 12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, 200 active plan compounds called phytonutrients, enzymes and of course, water.

So what can it do for me?

Currently there is an ever grown body of evidence suggesting Aloe Vera can help diabetics by helping to control blood sugar levels. Another is its ability to lower cholesterol although data is still insufficient to support these claims

What we do know?

Anti-fungal / Anti –inflammatory

It’s these properties that make Aloe Vera the ideal choice for minor burns and skin conditions as well as fungal infection such as athlete’s foot.

Use as a moisturizer

Aloe Vera is an Emollient they work by binding on the surface of the skin helping to prevent loss of moisture.

Internal uses

• Available source of several vitamins and minerals that are vital to healthy cell growth.
• Contains several antioxidants that protect the body against free radical damage.
• Contains multiple enzymes to aid the process of digestion.
• Helps stop Candida overgrowth in the body.
• Helps the body’s natural wound healing process function properly.
• Aids in detoxification and helps keep the colon clean and regular.

How to take it?

There are no official guidelines as to use of Aloe Vera but here are some guidelines to help you get the most from your supplements.

Creams and gels with aloe vera vary in dosage. Some creams for minor burns have just 0.5% aloe vera. Others used for psoriasis may contain as much as 70% aloe vera. As an oral supplement, aloe has no set dose. For constipation, some use 100-200 milligrams of aloe juice — or 50 milligrams of aloe extract — daily as needed. For diabetes, 1 tablespoon of the gel has been used daily. High oral doses of aloe or aloe latex are dangerous. Ask your doctor for advice on how to use aloe.daily. High oral doses of aloe or aloe latex are dangerous. Ask your doctor for advice on how to use aloe.

Source:

bobby's healthy blog