Lemons are growing in abundance all over the world. People from countries such as Mexico, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India and West Indies are in fact growing lemons right from their own backyard. Over the years, people have realized how important lemons can be – it has been used for cooking, for cleaning, for personal hygiene and more. If you watch cooking shows on the television, you will immediately notice that most chefs use lemons when cooking because of its distinctive sweet-sour taste. Lemons, therefore, are a favorite in the kitchen.

The lemon has been subjected to false perceptions over the years. For one, people think that it aggravates problems related to hyperacidity. Truth of the matter is, although lemon is acidic when you taste it, it has an alkaline effect to the body. This explains why conditions related to acidosis are best treated with lemons.

When life gives you lemons, it is natural that you make lemonade. I think for some people, it is instinctive – especially during hot summer day. After all, lemonades are refreshing, healthy and relatively easy to make. It can quench your thirst with one big gulp. But there are other uses to the simple lemon too. And you are about to find out what those other uses are.

• Lemons Help Freshen Breath

  Bad breath, or medically known as halitosis, can be caused by a lot of factors – poor dental hygiene, foods that we eat, bacterial growth and an underlying medical condition. We may not have a direct hand in controlling serious medical conditions but we surely can influence dental hygiene and bacterial growth. Lemon juice contains powerful substances that help inhibit bacterial growth. This might explain why some mouthwash-producing companies use lemons in their products, but still, nothing will be able to beat the real thing. To use as a mouthwash, squeeze a lemon and dilute it with water and then gargle.

• Lemons Soothe Sore Throat and Cough

  Lemon’s acidic compounds not only kill bacteria present inside your mouth, it also kills bacteria that have lodged in your throats. Sore throats can cause discomfort, especially when communication is very important nowadays. People who earn a living by talking – teachers, radio and TV announcers, sales persons, singers – could not afford the disadvantages brought about sore throats and cough. As a natural remedy, cut a lemon in half, squeeze and incorporate into hot tea. For added healing and soothing power, add one tablespoon of honey into your tea with lemon. Lemons have been a favorite ingredient in lozenges too.

• Lemons Help Ease a Nasty Hangover

  You might have partied too hard last night in celebration of your promotion. Your friends had to bring you home at 3 o’clock in the morning because you were too drunk. You woke up at 6am because it is a weekday and you need to go to work today. The problem is, you have a splitting headache and you can barely stand up. You are nursing a very nasty hangover. To help you, add a squeeze of lemon juice into one cup of water and drink it. This will help restore your normal pH levels, replenish your body’s water stores and replace the vitamin C which you so obviously need.

• Lemons Lighten Age Spots

  Are you conscious of the age spots and freckles on your face? Do you constantly hide in the shadows, afraid that the heat of the sun can worsen the freckles and the spots? If you answered yes to both questions, then fret no more. You can buy a lemon while you are during your grocery shopping. When you get home, cut the lemon, squeeze it and dilute it with water. Sometimes, pure lemon juice can be too strong for other people so it is better to play safe. Apply lemon juice into your face twice a day if you want to lighten your freckles and age spots. The juice acts as a bleach, giving you brighter, softer skin. You may also apply the juice into other areas such as your elbows and knees.

• Lemons Whiten Fingernails

  Some tasks can leave the fingernails grimy, dirty and yellowish. Working in your garden, plowing soil, can also cause discolored and dirty fingernails. The easy solution? Get a lemon wedge, rub it on your fingernail’s surface and see the lemon work its wonders. It will whiten your fingernails while leaving it fresh and clean smelling too.

• Lemons Prevent Pests

  Pests are called as such because they tend to wreak havoc into wherever they choose to live. Fleas, spiders, ants and termites are only some pests found in the home and their presence is not at all welcome. In order for you to shoo them away, rub lemon juice, or leave peels of lemon in areas where they usually pass – in windowsill cracks, along baseboards, door frames, etc. Pests such as this abhor the strong odors brought about by lemons and it acts as a signal that they are not wanted there. Soon enough, you will be living in a house free from pests.

• Lemons Preserve Foods

  Some foods automatically turn brown once cut and exposed to air. Apples and potatoes are only two examples of such kind of foods. Putting brown apples or brown potatoes in a salad is not very visually appealing, that is why it is important to preserve them while you are still dealing with the rest of the ingredients of your salad. To do so, squeeze a lemon into a bowl of cold water and then place your cut apples and potatoes in it. You may also do the same if you want to revive your wilted lettuce.

• Lemons may be used as a Cleaning Agent

  Lemons help remove stubborn stains that won’t just come off – especially those found on your countertops. What you can do is to cut a lemon in half, rub it on the stained area and then leave it as it is for a few minutes and then proceed to wipe it clean. Aside from this, the scent of lemon is also helpful when you want your home to feel clean and fresh. This would be a very excellent idea when you have unexpected guests coming and your house smells like fish.

Sources
naturalhomeandgarden.com
earthincommon.com
ehow.com