If you believe the legend, the fragrant bright yellow fruit of the lemon was presented to Hera for the wedding when she married Zeus, so that she would always remain young and beautiful. In Scandinavian legends you can find references to "golden apples of immortality", and in Russian folk tales - about "rejuvenating apples". In fact, they are lemons.
The first mention of lemons was found in Theophrastus 300 years BC. However, then lemon was not eaten at all, but was used as a remedy for moths - fragrant slices were placed in the folds of clothes. The sun fruit itself is native to India, but its name comes from the Chinese "limung", which means "good for mothers."
However, lemons are useful not only for mothers. Yogis at all times have called lemon a universal means of maintaining health. Avicenna used lemons to relieve toxicosis in pregnant women and even made a recipe for the treatment of gonorrhea. This method has survived to this day and has been improved over time to a vaccine.
Lemons are rich in vitamins - B1, B2, D, P. They contain sugar and organic acids, a lot of potassium and the largest amount of citrine among all known foods. Essential oils give them a unique aroma. But the main vitamin is ascorbic acid. Vitamin C plays an important role in metabolism and helps nourish all body tissues. Lemons strengthen, make the walls of small blood vessels elastic.
Undiluted lemon juice should be used to gargle with sore throat, diluted is a good antipyretic agent. And rinsing the mouth with it relieves inflammation of the mucous membrane. Lemon juice is recommended to drink for gout and salt deposition, violation of cholesterol metabolism in the body, with a decrease in appetite, low acidity of gastric juice.
Also lemon is used in the treatment of urolithiasis. Due to its mild diuretic action, it normalizes the metabolism in the renal tubules. Even with sciatica, lemon juice can help - its use gradually returns the sensitivity of the affected area. Many sclerosis treatment recipes include lemon.
It is better, of course, to drink lemon juice not in pure form, but by diluting the juice of one lemon with a glass of moderately hot water, you can add a little sugar. It should also be remembered that any citrus fruits can cause allergies. Therefore, this drink should be consumed 2-3 times a week.
From the East came a recipe for treatment with lemon amenorrhea, prolapse of the uterus, postpartum cleansing. The recipe is as follows: grind the shell of 5 raw eggs, mix with 2-3 finely chopped unpeeled lemons (the amount depends on the size of the fruit). Insist one day. Then add half a liter of vodka. Take 50 ml 3 times a day 20 minutes after meals. Drink for 3-6 months. It will also help with gastric emptying.
Lemon is also a loyal assistant to female beauty. It is used, for example, in face masks.
For dry skin. Mix 1 tbsp. l. sour cream and 1 tsp. honey, lemon juice and castor oil. Apply the mask to your face for 7-10 minutes before washing your face in the morning, and can also be applied to cleansed skin in the evening. The result will not be long in coming, the skin will be significantly smoothed.
For oily skin. Beat the egg white until bubbles, add a teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply several times on face at intervals of 5-7 minutes. Remove the mask with a cotton swab dipped in tea. To get rid of freckles and age spots, rub your skin with a slice of lemon daily.
Strengthening nails. Are your nails soft, brittle and have lost their luster? Wipe them with a swab dipped in lemon juice, and their condition will noticeably improve. For colored hair: rinse hair after washing with water and lemon juice - 1 liter of water 1 tbsp. the spoon. This tool will perfectly strengthen them, make them healthy and shiny.
Dandruff: 3 tbsp. l. burdock or olive oil must be mixed with 2 tbsp. l.lemon juice, rub the resulting mixture into the scalp, wrap with cellophane and keep for 15-20 minutes, then rinse your head with shampoo. Lemons have the best shelf life of any citrus fruit and retain vitamins throughout the winter.
By the way, when choosing lemons, you should not chase after large thick-baked fruits - they may turn out to be old. The fact is that lemon fruits do not fall off themselves in the first year of fruiting. If they are not cut in the fall, in the spring they turn green again, over the summer they seem to ripen a second time, becoming larger. But the content of nutrients in them is less than in young ones.
You should not take overripe fruits that are soft to the touch - they will deteriorate very quickly even in the refrigerator. Better, on the contrary, to choose slightly unripe, matte and harder. By the way, the rich yellow color of lemon is not always a guarantee of ripeness. And it is better to store lemons in the lowest compartment of the refrigerator.
