Lemon and Diet Therapy
When you walk along the Perth streets, you can often see trees full of lemons with branches leaning over fences; some of the lemons you can reach. Lemon trees are one of the most popular trees in Perth. In perth, lemon trees are easily grown, therefore many people grow lemon trees in their front and backyards. Throughout most of the year you can see the lemons ripening from green to golden yellow, everywhere in Perth lemons are grown which makes the city beautiful. Perth residents know how to use lemons, from using them in cooking such as fish, in salads, in soft drinks to even using them in cleaning the house and kitchen stove – to remove the oils and make the kitchen shine. Lemons have a large amount of benefits.
Ancient traditional chinese medical practitioners recognize that lemons are extremely helpful in diet therapy. A book <Traditional Chinese Medicine for Diet Therapy for Nutrition> records that ”lemons taste sour and has neither cooling or heating characteristics.” So lemons are suitable for most people. Lemons mainly help lung and stomach organs and meridians.
It has the following effects;
1) Increasing the body moisture and hydration and helps in clearing the summer heat and stops thirst. In the summer cutting one lemon in 2 or 3 slices, and placing them in an icy cold water is a very effective drink for combating summer heat. If you dislike the sour taste of lemons add a teaspoon of sugar to sweeten the drink. If you like a cup of tea, add 2 slices of lemon as it makes the tea very tasty.
2) Lemons help in the reduction of cholesterol, this effect is very important. As many people are looking for a natural alternative in reducing cholesterol, lemons are a means of doing so. Lemons are very easy to eat and drink to help improve the tastiness of foods and beverages. It is also beneficial in loosing weight and the prevention of gall stones. Lemons are both useful in externally and internally as it help to emulsify lipids such as oil and cholesterol.
3) Lemons are beneficial in early stage of pregnancy. Many ancient diet therapy books, mention how lemons are beneficial in early stages of pregnancy, a book called <’ Shi Wu Kao’> records that some pregnant women should eat suitable amounts of lemons as they can help in calming the symptoms associated with early stage pregnancy and can reduce the occurrence of miscarriage. Also the book mentions lemons tasting sour, if you drink too much it can damage tendons and teeth. I suggest it is best to eat a suitable amount such as one slice of lemon in a drink every second day.
If you are unsure of your constitution or your condition, and whether you should eat lemon or not, please visit an experienced TCM practitioner.
Further reading: