WAKE UP PEOPLE
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When life gives you lemons...
make lemonade!
A great way to start each morning is with a hot cup of lemonade - either the folk remedy for detoxification called "Master Cleanse," made from hot water, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and the juice of organic lemons, OR your own herbal version.
Lemons are a super source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, and an anti-inflammatory agent.
You can buy organic lemons at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. After washing the lemons, cut three slices and put into each mug. After pouring in hot water, add a spoonful of honey. You can flavor the tea further by adding fresh herbs - lemon mint, lemon thyme, sage, chamomile, or even pansies.
HIDDEN CLUES
VIZUAL
In nature, we find clues of God’s provision, and we benefit most by eating foods as close to the way nature made them as possible. What clues are found in a lemon?
clue #1 – Visually, a slice of lemon, like a slice of sunshine, radiates energy and power. How much energy and power? Did you know that you can replace the battery power in a digital clock with a lemon, using galvanized nails and copper wire? (pg. 67 of The Daring Book for Girls by Miriam Peskowitz)
Long distance walkers will pull out a lemon when they become tired, pierce it with a straw, and suck out the juice, which serves as a quick-acting medicine, and a refreshingly energizing drink. (“The Lemon Juice Diet” by Theresa Cheung, 2008)
clue #2 – Hold a lemon in the palm of your hand, close your eyes, and imagine that you are holding a hand grenade – filled with lemon juice. Lemons do battle against disease with two special compounds: limonin and limonene. Limonin seems to lower cholesterol, which causes heart disease. Limonene, derived from the peel, is found to help prevent cancer of the breast, liver, lungs, and skin. (The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Dr. Jonny Bowden is an entertaining reference for such nutritional information.)
clue #3 - Have you ever noticed that a whole lemon resembles a breast? This observation is in keeping with the “Doctrine of Signatures”. This doctrine is an identification system that states God has provided plants with signs or qualities as to each one’s usage. A simple example is a carrot; eating carrots promotes good eye health, and a slice of carrot looks like the iris of an eye. The shapes of pecans and walnuts provide the clue that nuts are super brain food. The shape of a lemon suggests breast health.
These clues inform us of two benefits of eating lemons: “provides energy” and “prevents disease”. Next time you are surfing on the internet, google “Doctrine of Signatures” for fun, and see what other clues natural foods provide regarding their nutritional values.
My main source for nutritional information is a fabulous book titled The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. C.N.S. This is the perfect reference to complement your cookbook collection.
be the Fountain of Youth?
Read about it at PioneerThinking.
Then come back here and check out Gram Nad's recipe for Lemon Bars.
Tart and sweet and delectable!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
6 level Tablespoons flour
6 level Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Grate rind from 1 lemon
Mix butter, powdered sugar, salt and flour together and pat into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown.
Mix remaining ingredients and spread on top of baked dough. Return pan to oven and bake for 25 minutes. Cool before sprinkling top with powdered sugar. ENJOY!
LEMON AND OLIVE OIL
SALAD DRESSING
Try using lemon juice instead of vinegar to blend with olive oil for salad dressing. Add crushed garlic, basil (or other herbs), and salt and fresh pepper for additional flavor. Shake well before pouring.
FRESH CITRUS JUICE
Fresh-squeezed fruit juice tastes much better than juice from a carton. Fresh juice is also higher in nutritional value, partly because the process of pasteurization reduces the effectiveness of the natural nutrients.
Flavor - In squeezing your own blend of oranges, grape fruits, lemons, and limes, you could flavor the juice to your liking. Use more lemons for a taste that tends to be slightly sour. Use more oranges for a sweeter drink.
Oranges are known for vitamin C, a premier antioxidant that helps protect your cells from destructive free radicals, which are linked to cancer and aging. Did you realize, however, that oranges also have over 170 cancer fighting phytochemicals?
Grapefruit are popular as a weight loss food. Metabolic research from Scripps Clinic demonstrated that “fresh grapefruit” had a significant effect on weight loss and insulin resistance. Red and pink varieties have succeeded in treatments where cholesterol-lowering drugs have not. Grapefruits contain substances called liminoids, which have been shown to inhibit cancer development in breast cancer cells and also shown to reduce cholesterol.
Red and pink grapefruit also contain a carotenoid, which is linked with a reduced incidence of prostate cancer.
In combination, lemons, oranges, and grape fruit pack a powerful punch to the negative influences that overtime have found their way into our bodies. Learn more about nutrition with Sandi Andersenat DharmaNutritionRI com.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Avoid taking meds with grapefruit juice, as the juice causes the medicine to stay in the bloodstream longer, which can cause complications.
