Lemons are one of the great unsung household heroes. They can usually be bought cheaply at any grocery store or market and their uses are virtually endless. For one thing, they are great kitchen staples for making everything from lemonade to lemon meringue pie to chicken piccata. For another, their uses as a household cleaner are virtually limitless: they can disinfect, clean glasses or other surfaces and lighten even stubborn stains.
To make it even better, there are plenty of ways that lemons can be used for health and beauty as well. Below are 14 suggestions for oral and topical lemon treatments for everything from a digestive aid to a skin toner!
Detox
Drink a glass of lemon water each morning and throughout the day to detox, stimulate the liver and remove harmful substances from the body.
Brighten Your Skin
Brighten dark spots or discoloration on the skin by applying a mix of lemon juice and water.
Whiten Teeth
Whiten teeth by brushed with a combination of juice from ½ a lemon, ½ cup coconut oil, 1 tablespoon baking soda and stevia to taste
Highlight Hair
Comb lemon juice through your hair then let it dry in the sunlight to lighten it.
Remove Blackheads
Get rid of stubborn blackheads by dabbing them with a cotton ball soaked in diluted lemon juice.
Lip Treatment
Treat chapped lips by rubbing them with a combination of lemon juice, honey and baking soda.
Get Rid of Dandruff
For a great scalp treatment, mix lemon juice and olive oil, apply to scalp and let set for 20 minutes before shampooing and conditioning as normal.
Cuticle Treatment
Mix lemon juice with jojoba oil and massage into cuticles for strong and beautiful nails.
Nip Viruses in the Bud
If a cold or flu imminent, make a tea by adding grated ginger, lemon juice and raw honey to boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes, then strain and drink.
Soothe Toothache
For temporary relief of a toothache, apply a slice of lemon directly to the affected tooth to soothe things down until you can get to the dentist.
Digestive Aid
A little warm water with lemon in it taken after a meal can aid digestion and prevent constipation issues.
Aromatherapy
Breathing in the scent of fresh lemons or lemon oil can boost energy levels and help shake off the blues!
Diffuse It
Being in a room where lemon oil is diffusing can help to stimulate lymph flow, which in turn can help to strengthen the immune system.
So pick up a few lemons on the next shopping trip – or even more than a few! Not only are they great for culinary purposes and household cleaning, they can improve your health and appearance in all the ways described above.
Sources: care2.com, doctoroz.com,trueactivist.com
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