Life Tips: 10 New Uses for Lemon
“Lemon juice is the strongest food acid in our kitchens, strong enough to make life unbearable for most bacteria,” says Robert Wolke, professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and the author of “What Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel, Further Adventures in Kitchen Science”
Use Lemon to:
1. Sanitize a chopping block. Run a slice of lemon over the surface to disinfect.
2. Eliminate the browning that occurs when food sits out too long. Sprinkle apple or pear slices with lemon juice before serving, or squeeze a bit into guacamole and give it a stir.
3. Remove tough food stains from plastic and light-colored wooden cutting boards. Slice a lemon in half, squeeze the juice onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with water.
4. Fade tea stains on cloth. Dilute lemon juice with an equal amount of water. Use an eyedropper or a Q-tip to make sure the juice targets the stain. Thoroughly flush with cool water.
5. Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.
6. Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.
7. Whiten fingernails. Rub a wedge on the surface of your nails.
8. Shine the interior of copper cookware. Sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
9. Brighten laundry whites. Add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the wash cycle of a normal-size load.
10. Remove soft cheese or other sticky foods from a grater. Rub both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon.
This is the first step in preventing disease and meeting your later years with vitality and good health and it almost goes without saying - almost. The health toll of destructive behaviors such as smoking and excess drinking do not necessarily manifest for many years, thus discouraging motivation to stop. It’s natural to forgo making changes when the results are seemingly intangible or minimal at best. Smokers, of course, often report almost immediate improvements in breathing, sleep, and general health, but even so, indulgent habits are difficult to break. Do it now anyway. Whether it’s nicotine or sugar or drugs, don’t let your “vice” become your master. In time it will not only rule your life; it will destroy your body.
I frequently say that 70% of health is about what you put in your body (exercise and stress comprise the rest of the equation). Though it’s an estimate, of course, there is absolutely no debating that the food with which you choose to fuel your body is the single most powerful choice you can make for your health now and as you age. In particular, the stress of free radicals and insulin resistance (i.e. oxidation and “syndrome X”) will wreak havoc on your health. As we age, our cells are more vulnerable. It’s that much more important to stimulate the metabolism, control stress hormones, safeguard immunity, and prevent atrophy. There is no reason anyone needs to be hobbling around at 65 or 75. You can enjoy the energy, vigor and looks of someone much younger if you simply take the extra steps to ensure your body has the arsenal of tools it needs. It’s not rocket science; in fact, the answers are right there in our cells (okay, so it is science). The best thing you can do is fuel your body appropriately with whole, fresh, nutritionally-dense food. Eat the right fats, plenty of quality, clean protein, and copious vegetables. Absolutely avoid anything processed, fried, packaged, reconstituted, refined, or high in worthless carbohydrates.
Much of “aging” is essentially tissue wasting (atrophy). The phrase “use it or lose it” is cliche but true. The human body is designed to conserve precious energy. If you are sedentary, you are sending a clear message to your cells (e.g. your muscles, bones, and brain) that they aren’t necessary. Your muscles weaken, your bones shed their valuable osseous material - thereby even further compromising your immunity - and your mental capacity begins to slowly deteriorate. Exercise isn’t really about being ripped or sexy, though we all want that. It’s simply a necessary component of functioning as a human being. So many of our health conditions are diseases of sloth. If you are tired or lacking in energy, barring a specific condition or hormonal imbalance, it’s likely you aren’t active enough.
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