Lemon, which PH value is around 2.5, has sour taste that helps to ease tiredness and promotes body absorption of minerals. Apart from Vitamin C, lemon has calcium, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin P, and natural dietary fiber. In fact, lemon can be used to treat diseases such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, influenza, anemia, and osteoporosis.
Diabetes
The number of diabetic patient has increased recently. For those above 40 years old, there is one diabetic patient in every 10 patients. About 95% of the diabetic patients are of type 2 diabetes. Apart from genetic factor, dietary and exercise habits are closely related.
Lemon has Vitamin C and antioxidant that help to strengthen blood vessels via collagen formation and lessen the tendency of rising blood glucose level due to stress.
Cancer
Lemon has substance that can help to suppress cancerous cell growth. Usually, the development of cancerous cell is often caused by presence of substance that acts as an initiator and Vitamin C is known to suppress this type of initiator. Taking in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and B-Carotene concurrently will give very promising result in fighting cancer.
Other precautions to take note in the attempt of preventing cancer are taking plenty of vegetables and balanced diet, avoiding preserved food or food with high salt and fat content, and cutting down alcohol intake.
Obesity
Collagen accounts to about 30% of body protein. Vitamin C is one of the building blocks of collagen. Thus, lemon helps muscles to be firmer and this is needed to burn off more calories via higher metabolism rate. When glucose is turned to energy, it gives out lactic acid as by-product. Lactic acid is one of the substances that causes tiredness. Lemon can disintegrate lactic acid and help to recuperate body from tiredness and make it ready for more exercise.
High blood pressure
If left untreated, high blood pressure will create complications such as stroke and atherosclerosis. Lemon is known to suppress blood pressure, strengthen blood vessels, and prevent high blood pressure as well as atherosclerosis. Even for those that having existing high blood pressure concern, lemon can be used to manage blood pressure. Apart from Vitamin C, Potassium content in lemon helps to suppress blood pressure from going up.
Anemia
Patients with anemia are often associated with tiredness, broken nails, asthma, loss of appetite, and dizziness. Lemon promotes the absorption of iron to make good quality blood and improves blood circulation, which are needed for patient with anemia.
Influenza
More than 90% of the flu incidents are caused by virus via air entering from our nose and mouth. Influenza virus likes cold, dry places. The reason why we get flu is mostly from catching cold in cold places, then the condition worsens when we stay in dry places as virus enters our body via nose and mouth. Thus, to prevent flu, we should keep our body warm.
Lemon is particularly useful in treating early phase of influenza. Vitamin C in lemon is part of the building blocks for collagen that is needed to strengthen blood vessel and mucosa. In every 100 gram of lemon, there is about 90 milligram of Vitamin C as compared to 35 milligram from every 100 gram of orange. The antibacterial effect of lemon can destroy core structure of virus and kill it.
Osteoporosis
Bones grow with age and reach maximum mass at the age of 20 to 30, which will then start to descend. Female hormone helps to energize Vitamin D that helps in calcium absorption, thus prevents bones from being fragile. After menopause, the amount of female hormone reduced and bone mass will reduce rapidly. Vitamin C helps to build collagen that is needed in forming strong and flexible bones. The absorption of calcium is easier with the presence of Vitamin C. One important note to remember, the calcium absorption from food can only be used by bones with sufficient exercise. Without exercise, calcium will be passed out from body via urine and sweat.
