The Lemon Book - Natural Recipes and Preparations (2 page)

A course of detoxifying treatment using lemons

It should be emphasised that in order to obtain maximum results, the lemons should be well ripened, cut and rapidly consumed in the morning on an empty stomach. Drink the juice unsweetened and diluted in a little water which is not too cold, and always wait at least 15 minutes before eating or drinking anything else.

The first morning, drink the juice of half a lemon diluted in a glass of lukewarm water.

On the following days, increase the dose by half a lemon a day, until reaching 3-4 lemons, according to individual needs.

Once the maximum dose has been reached, the quantity of juice is reduced by half a lemon a day until reaching one lemon a day.

For at least one month, continue the dose of one lemon a day. During the detoxification, keep your diet light, made up mainly of vegetables, fruit and cereals.

The acids present in lemons have an
alkalising action
on the body; the citric acid oxidises during metabolism. The resulting salts form carbonates and bicarbonates of calcium and potassium, which contribute to the alkalinity of the blood.

A treatment of 200g of lemon juice a day can help to resolve serious states of
acidosis
. A few soup-spoonfuls of juice diluted in a glass of water relieve attacks of acid reflux. (Caution: the ingestion of lemon juice while taking antacid medication should be avoided as it can increase absorption of the aluminium contained in this kind of product.)

In aromatherapy, lemon essence acts directly on the nervous and endocrine systems. According to the experts, the aromatic molecules enter the cortex, bringing about an agreeable feeling of harmony and well-being which
relieves stress and anxiety.

Several scientific studies have shown that the consumption of citrus fruits could
prevent the formation of certain cancers
and slow down the proliferation of metastasis (see
References
at the end of the book).

To summarise their properties, lemons are:

disinfectant

antiseptic

antitoxic

white blood cell activators in the immune system

refreshing

stimulating for the sympathetic and nervous system

stimulating for the heart

alkalising

diuretic

antirheumatic

anti gout

antiarthritic

calming

antacid

anti-sclerotic

antiscorbutic

stimulating for the veins

blood-thinning

antihypertensive

depurative

remineralising

antianaemic

stimulating for gastrohepatic and pancreatic secretion

hemostatic

carminative

vermifugal

antivenin

healing for wounds

soothing for insect bites

protective for the skin

Lemons are beneficial in the case of:

infections

infectious diseases

malaria and fevers

preventing epidemics

asthenia

loss of appetite

rheumatism

arthritis

gout

stones

heartburn and gastric ulcers

dyspepsia

aerophagia

scurvy

arteriosclerosis

varicose veins

phlebitis

capillary fragility

obesity

hypertension

demineralisation

growth and convalescence

anaemia

jaundice

vomiting

liver failure and pancreatitis

haemophilia

haemorrhages

meteorism

diarrhoea

intestinal parasites

asthma

bronchitis

headaches

influenza

common colds

sinusitis

otitis

nosebleeds

mouth ulcers

rashes

dermatitis

boils

migraines

warts

herpes

insect bites

scabies

Medical advice should always be sought before any recourse to self-medication.

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LEMONS AS AN “ALL-PURPOSE REMEDY”

To relieve symptoms of
flu, colds, headaches and nausea
: thoroughly rinse an organic lemon, cut it in half, squeeze the juice into a small saucepan with half a glass of water, add the two squeezed halves of the fruit and bring to the boil for a few minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey (or even better, with malt) and drink the hot liquid in small sips before going to bed.

To disinfect mouth ulcers
: rinse with lemon juice.

In cases of diarrhoea
, drink fresh lemon juice for its astringent and regulatory effect on the bowels.

To tone and improve the
appearance of the skin
, eat fresh lemons and reap the benefits of their high vitamin A content.

To stimulate the immune defences
and
purge the liver
, drink the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water on an empty stomach every morning for 1-2 months.

To treat
warts
: soak a folded piece of sterile gauze or a cotton ball in freshly-squeezed lemon juice, apply it to the wart and hold it in place with the help of a plaster. Repeat twice a day for 2-3 weeks.

On insect bites
: immediately apply a slice of lemon to the bite. Alternatively, put a drop of lemon essential oil in a soup-spoonful of water, soak a piece of sterile gauze in the liquid and apply to the bite.

Medical advice should always be sought before any recourse to self-medication
.

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KITCHEN & HOME

Squeeze a lemon and pour its juice over fresh fruit and vegetables to prevent them from turning brown as they are being prepared in the kitchen. The
antioxidant properties
of lemon juice preserve the original colour and flavour of foodstuffs. This effect can be seen in cut apples, pears and artichokes, and also with certain condiments like pistou, which will thereby retain its nice, green colour.

To flavour tarts and cakes
, add grated lemon zest to the pastry or mix.

To flavour fish cooked
en papillote
, place two slices of lemon on top of the preparation before folding closed and placing in the oven.

To decorate cocktails
, prepare lemon ice-cubes in advance: cut the fruit into slices, and then into quarters (with the skin) and place one or two in each square of your ice-cube tray before filling it with water.

To eliminate any possible bacteria
in oysters and sea-food, sprinkle with lemon juice and wait for 15 minutes before eating them raw.

To keep ants away
: place slices of lemon close to the places they can get in (cracks, the edges of windows, etc.) and leave them there, even if they start to go mouldy; the smell will be that much stronger and more effective!

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HOME CARE WITH LEMONS

In the laundry
: half a lemon, de-seeded and placed in the drum of the washing-machine, will prevent felting and have a bleaching effect.

In the dishwasher
: lemon juice poured into the compartment for water softener will make your cutlery shine while respecting the environment.

In cupboards
: dried lemon zest, enclosed in fabric bags with a few cloves, protects your linen from moths and gives it a lemony smell.

Cleaning the kitchen and bathroom
: to remove ingrained stains, apply a few drops of lemon juice, let it sit for two minutes, then wipe with a sponge.

To make an effective limescale remover
: mix lemon juice and table salt together and rub onto dishes, toilets and ceramic surfaces.

To make a scouring cream
for bathrooms and kitchens, mix the juice of two lemons with one soup-spoonful of bicarbonate of soda.

To clean windows and woodwork
: mix equal parts of lemon juice and vinegar to make a disinfectant cleaning product which works just as well for the rest of the house.

To clean chopping boards and wooden utensils
: because wood is porous, washing them with soap is not advised as it can penetrate into the wood. Instead, scrub them with lemon and bicarbonate of soda to remove odours as well.

Cleaning the oven
: wipe half a lemon over the dirty surfaces, leave to dry then wipe with a damp sponge to remove traces of lemon and dirt.

To get rid of the smell of mothballs
in old drawers: make a mixture of methylated spirits and lemon juice and use it to wipe out the inside of the drawers using a cloth; then wipe over with a dry cloth and leave to dry for half an hour before putting your clothes away.

To remove rust or wine stains
: mix together lemon juice and table salt, apply to the stain and leave for a few minutes. Wash with detergent.

To clean floor tiles with a mop
: fill a bucket with 5l of hot water and add 5 drops of essential oil of lemon, 3 drops of essential oil of grapefruit and 3 drops of essential oil of eucalyptus.

To clean brass objects
you will need:

some nice, big, juicy lemons

vinegar

a bowl of table salt

wax for polishing the brass

cotton rags

Dust the object. Cut the lemons lengthways and separate the segments so as to better use the juice. Rub the segments energetically over the object so as to cover it with juice and pulp.

If the patina of dirt is very thick, dip the pieces of lemon in hot vinegar and then in the bowl of salt before rubbing.

Leave the lemon to act for a few minutes and then, again energetically, rub the object with a dry rag.

If the patina persists in places, repeat the process.

When you are satisfied with the result, apply a thin coat of wax and polish the object to make it shine and to protect it for as long as possible.

Avoid using lemon juice on aluminium as it can turn it black.

A tip for extracting just a few drops
of juice without cutting the fruit: pierce the lemon with a tooth-pick and squeeze it gently between your hands.

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