Why I LOVE Lemons~!

Lemons are extraordinarily good for us~! There is a lot of talk about “SUPERFOODS” out there. Lemons are such a common fruit that many people take them for granted. Personally, I have always liked lemon; it is even my favorite smell~! But, until recently, I had no idea how amazing they are for our health. These days I am starting and ending each day with lemon water. At dinner time, I cut a WHOLE lemon (skin and all) into quarters, and throw it into the blender with 6 to 8 cups of water. Brook and I drink 6 cups between the two of us. The lemon peel is the MOST nutritious part of the lemon. “Lemon peels contain as much as 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself.”  If you aren’t blending whole lemon into your water, use the zest in your cooking~!  And, I just learned today that I don’t have to cut the seeds out of the lemons before blending them into water. They have benefits, too. Here is a nice long list of health benefits of lemons & the peel. OR… you can just take my word for it, stop reading now, and consume loads of lemon~!

Vitamins: Lemons are high in Vitamin C, which is great for our immune system. Lemon peels also contain Vitamin A, beta carotene, and folate with their corresponding benefits.

Minerals: Lemons are high in potassium, which is good for heart health, as well as brain and nerve function. Magnesium and calcium in the peel contribute to bone health, also fighting osteoporosis.

Detox: Lemon juice encourages healthy digestion by loosening toxins in your digestive tract; it also helps to relieve symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, burping, and bloating. Lemons also help flush out the toxins in your body by enhancing enzyme function, stimulating your liver. The peel can help fight cancer and eradicate toxins.

Skin: The antioxidants in lemon juice help to not only decrease skin blemishes, but wrinkles too! It can also be applied to scars and age spots to reduce their appearance, and because it’s detoxifying your blood, it will maintain your skin’s radiance.

Weight Loss: Lemons contain pectin fiber, which assists in calming hunger cravings, helping dieters to lose weight.

Inflammation: If you drink lemon water on a regular basis, it will decrease the acidity in your body. Acidic body conditions are the the roots of many diseases. Lemon removes acid in your joints, which is one of the main causes of inflammation.

Calm Energy: Lemon juice provides your body with energy when it enters your digestive tract. It also helps reduce anxiety and depression. Even the scent of lemon has a calming effect on your nervous system. I have replaced my morning coffee with lemon water, and I don’t even miss the coffee. I was sure I would.

Anti-viral: Warm lemon water is the most effective way to diminish viral infections and sore throats. Plus, with the immune system boost, you’re already fighting infections.

Heart & Cholesterol: Lemon peels also help lower bad cholesterol and keep blood clean (think heart health~!).

The print “Le repêcheur de pépins” is for sale CLICK HERE.  This artist has the little man (Jack of all trades) doing all sorts of bizarre tasks. This series is fun and collectable. This is a very fun ETSY shop~!

Resources:

11 Benefits of Lemon Water : http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-lemon-water-you-didnt-know-about.html

Lemon peel is the cheapest investment in your health:  http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-7511/lemon-peels-the-cheapest-investment-in-your-health.html

Eat the Seeds: http://www.liveandfeel.com/vegetables/lemon-seeds.html/lemon-seeds.html/lemon-seeds.html

 

Sprouts and Micro-Greens = Affordable Superfood Nutrition

I really would like to eat right, wouldn’t you?

I find that each year, I make small shifts and adjustments toward a healthier lifestyle with a focus on what I put into my body. I think that on some level we create our own health. Don’t get me wrong, I do understand that there are other variables, but I will always believe that we PARTICIPATE greatly in our physical, mental, and spiritual health. I have been reading about and incorporating “superfoods” into my diet. But, some of them are expensive…. and it seems like those expensive ones get a lot of press, while the ordinary ones often get a bit less attention. With that in mind, I would like to say a few things about sprouts, which can be easily grown in your closet or counter-top for pennies a day goodness~!

The basic idea is this:

Sprouts are baby plants and vegetables. It turns out that the nutritional profile of these babies prove them to be significantly more nutritious than their grown-up version. Who Knew? I didn’t~! They are chock full of protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and even chlorophyll. I was quite surprised to learn that there all all kinds of sprouts, and that the different kinds have different flavors. Like mustard~! Guess what…. they taste like a slightly spicy mustard, but without all the salt and preservatives. Then there are radish sprouts. Ok… guess again. Yup…. like radishes, but with twice the calcium, and 39 times the Vitamin A of a mature radish. Clover and alfalfa sprouts are mild, and can blend with anything. Beet spouts are RED~! I haven’t found a source of those yet, but totally want to grow some~! (Send me a link if you know where to get some, please~!) Broccoli sprouts are a great anti-inflammatory food. (One Source: SUPERFOOD KITCHEN, by Julie Morris, page 36).

Sprouts are so easy to grow that we should actually be embarrassed if we buy them~! I say that laughing, but in a way it is true. Look at that photo up top. I grew all of that from 2 big tablespoons of seeds. It took about 5 days. All I did was soak the seeds overnight, then rinse them twice a day,  let them sit on my kitchen counter near the sink, and let them get more light on the last day. Simple as that. Then I rinsed away the hulls. There are many youtube videos on this, too, if you like a more visual instruction. Now, in the photo below, I have grown micro-greens. I have these seeds planted in soil. They sit on a window sill. I have to water them every 2 or 3 days. But, they require little care, and then when the individual shapes of the leaves emerge, scissor them down, and sprinkle them over salad or… well…. anything. The baby leaves have so much flavor, you can tell they are abounding with healthy nutrition. We let these grow for 3 weeks. I think we could have harvested them sooner. Oh… this mix has 17 different kinds of seeds. Isn’t that crazy cool~! Wanna know where I got this mix?  Yes, of course you do~! Sprout People Website, the mix is Bruno’s Indoor Garden. I also go to Got Sprouts Website. I’m not the expert; I’m an enthusiast. These links can get you more information, and I’ll add more recipes over time.

Oh…. what do you do with sprouts? Do you have other good sprout resources? Please…. Add comments~! I love that.