By Chioma Umeha
A study has brought out the numerous benefits that
one could get from the use of lime for a healthy living.
According to the medical experts, who conducted
the research on how to maximize lime in the cure of diseases, the health
benefits of lime include weight loss, skin care, and improved digestion, relief
from constipation, eye care, and treatment of scurvy, piles, peptic ulcer,
respiratory disorders, gout, gums, and urinary disorders, among others.
The first fruit that comes to mind in terms of
medicinal uses is the reliable lime. This sour citrus fruit can do what many
advanced medicines cannot. Lime, bearing the scientific name Citrus
Aurantifolia, has been used for ages in the treatment of various ailments.
Lime is consumed throughout the world in the form
of sorbet, beverages, refreshing cocktails, pickles, jams, jellies, snacks,
candies, sugar boiled confections and in cooking. The oil extracted from its peel or skin is extensively used
in soft drink concentrates, body oils, cosmetic products, hair oils,
toothpastes, toilet and beauty soaps, disinfectants, mouth washes, deodorants
and innumerable other products. There are many varieties of lime found all over
the world, particularly in the tropical and the Mediterranean climates.
Benefits and medicinal uses of lime
Scurvy
Lime is very well-known as a cure for scurvy, the
disease which is caused from a deficiency of vitamin-C. It is characterized by
frequent infections that show as normal cold symptoms, cracked lips and lip
corners, ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth. You can also spot scurvy from
spongy, swollen and bleeding gums. Since its cause is a deficiency of
vitamin-C, its remedy is none other than vitamin-C, and lime is full of this
essential vitamin.
In the past, soldiers and sailors were given lime
to keep them safe from scurvy, which was a horrible and potentially fatal
disease back then. Even now, it is distributed among the workers working in
polluted environments like furnaces, painting shops, heat treatments, cement
factories, mines, and other dangerous work environments to protect them from
scurvy.
Skin Care
Lime juice and its natural oils are very
beneficial for skin when consumed orally or applied externally. It rejuvenates
the skin, keeps it shining, protects it from infections and reduces body odour
due to the presence of a large amount of vitamin-C and Flavonoids. Those are
both class-1 anti oxidants, and have antibiotic and disinfectant properties.
When applied externally on skin, its acids scrub out the dead cells, cures
dandruff, rashes, and bruises. It can also be used to create a refreshing
bathing experience if its juice or oil is mixed into your bathing water.
Digestion:
Lime has an irresistible scent which causes your
mouth to water and this actually aids primarydigestion (the digestive saliva
floods your mouth even before you taste it). The natural acidity in lime does
the rest. While they break down the macro molecules of the food, the
Flavonoids, the compounds found in the fragrant oils extracted from lime,
stimulate the digestive system and increase secretion of digestive juices, bile
and acids. This flood of flavonoids also stimulates the peristaltic motion.
This is the reason behind lemon pickle with lunch and dinner being a
traditional practice in India and various neighbouring countries in that
region.
Constipation
Primarily, the ample amount of acids present in
lime helps clear the excretory system by washing and cleaning off the tracts,
just as some acids are used to clean floors and toilets. The roughage in lime
is also helpful in easing constipation, but the most beneficial element is the
high acidity. An overdose of lime juice with salt also acts as an excellent
purgative without any side effects, thereby providing relief from constipation.
Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association,
limes and other citrus fruits are considered a diabetes super food for a number
of reasons. Mainly, the high levels of soluble fiber found in limes make it an
ideal dietary aid to help regulate the body’s absorption of sugar into the
bloodstream, reducing the occurrence of blood sugar spikes that are a serious
risk to diabetic patients. Also, limes and other citrus fruits have a low
glycemic index, which means that they will not cause unexpected spikes in
glucose levels, in addition to the benefits of soluble fiber’s effect.
Heart Disease
That same soluble fiber which can help diabetics
maintain their blood sugar levels can also lower blood pressure and eliminate
the presence of LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol). Furthermore, soluble fiber
can cut down on inflammation of the blood vessels, which is a known
preventative measure against heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
Peptic Ulcer
In addition to vitamin-C, lime contains special
compounds called Flavonoids (Limonoids such as LimoninGlucoside) which have
antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, antibiotic and detoxifying properties that
stimulate the healing process of peptic and oral ulcers.
Respiratory Disorders
The flavonoid-rich oil that is extracted from
limes is extensively used in anti-congestive medicines such as balms,
vaporizers, and inhalers due to the presence of Kaempferol. Just scratching the
peel of a lime and inhaling it gives immediate relief for congestion and
nausea.
Eye Care
Vitamin-C again! Its anti-oxidant properties
protect eyes from aging and macular degeneration. On top of that, flavonoids
help protect them from infections.
Arthritis
One of the many causes of arthritis is an excess
of uric acid that builds up in the body. Uric acid is one of the waste products
that normal urination will clear out of the body, but unfortunately, when too
much builds up, it can make the pain and inflammation from arthritis even
worse. The citric acid found in citrus fruits like limes is a solvent in which
uric acid can dissolve, increasing the amounts that are eliminated in the urine.
Citrus fruits in general have anti-inflammatory properties, and can be used for
a number of inflammation issues.
Fever
If someone is suffering from a fever, limes and
lime juice can be of great importance. Citrus fruits in general have
fever-reducing qualities, and if the fever is very high, the patient’s diet
should be restricted to lemon juice and water. However, if the fever is mild to
moderate, other fruit juices, particularly citrus juices like lime juice, can
be administered in order to bring the fever back to a manageable level.
Vitamin-C, found in high concentrations in citrus fruits, naturally lowers the
temperature of the body.
Gout
There are two main causes of gout. The first
source is the accumulation of free radicals in the body, and the second is
accumulation of toxins in the body, primarily uric acid. Limes can help prevent
both of these causes. It is a
wonderful source of antioxidants & detoxifiers (vitamin-C & Flavonoids)
which reduce the number of free radicals as well as detoxifying the body.
Gums
The root cause of gum problems is a deficiency of
vitamin-C (Scurvy, which gives bleeding and spongy gums) and microbial growth.
Sometimes, the ulcers come from physical trauma. In all of these situations,
limes can help. Its vitamin-C cures scurvy, Flavonoids inhibit microbial growth
and potassium and Flavonoids help heal ulcers and wounds.
Piles
Since lime helps heal ulcers and wounds in the
digestive system and excretory system while providing relief from constipation,
it eradicates all the root causes of piles. Piles are a different term for
hemorrhoids, an uncomfortable condition that occurs in the anal region and can
result in bleeding and discomfort both during excretion and general activity.
It can also lead to certain forms of cancer, and limes can help prevent their
formation or recurrence.
Cholera
Although it has disappeared in many parts of the
world, cholera is still a dangerous and deadly disease in some places on the
planet, and luckily, limes and other citrus fruits can help defend against this
often fatal condition. The lime juice, when added to potentially infected
water, proved to be a very effective disinfectant, and even when it was
consumed regularly after someone had been exposed to cholera-infected water,
fatalities were reduced. Numerous studies were done on this application of lime
juice, particularly following the horrible outbreak of cholera in Guinea-Bissau
in 1994.
Weight Loss
A glass of warm water with a full lime’s worth of
juice in it is an excellent weight reducer as well as a brilliant refresher and
antioxidant drink. The citric acid present in lime is an excellent fat burner.
You can consume two glasses a day and see legitimate and remarkable results
within a week.
Urinary Disorders
The high potassium content of limes is very
effective in removal of the toxic substances and the precipitates which get
deposited in kidneys and the urinary bladder. The disinfectant properties of
limes also help cure infections in the urinary system. Furthermore, it stops
prostrate growth (very common in males above 40) and clears blockage of urine
that can come from calcium deposits in the urinary tract.
Other Benefits
It is a good appetizer and digestive. It can help
to cure rheumatism, prostate and colon cancer, cholera, arteriosclerosis,
fatigue and even high fevers (contrary to popular belief). The best part of it
is that it has no negative side effects!
Where You Live And Type 2 Diabetes
Can where you live cause you to be infected with
type 2 diabetes?
A report by Jodi Knapp in Blue Heron Health news
noted that it was a well known fact that poor diet and lack of exercise could
contribute to type 2 diabetes. But he wondered if the location where we live
could even be more important.
He said it was possible according to a new study.
“Definitely yes, according to a new study!
Where you live can be the root cause of your type
2 diabetes. But you don’t have to move. Actually, just make a small change and
you’ll have a slam dunk against the disease.
In 2014, Cities Changing Diabetes was formed as a
partnership project to identify and address the root cause of so-called urban
diabetes. Its aim was to identify how dense population in major cities may
contribute to type 2 diabetes.
The project comprises of five cities working
together to create a global call to action against urban diabetes and aims to
explore the hypothesis that where a person lives impacts their lifestyle. This,
according to the theory, ultimately determines their risk for type 2 diabetes.
Researchers plan to use this data to create an
agenda for change by identifying key factors that create vulnerability to type
2 diabetes by looking at what’s working, what’s not working, and where the
challenges and priorities for the future lie.
It is believed that connecting the dots between
cities will help to create solutions that can be shared throughout the world.
The five cities involved in the project are:
Tianjin; Shanghai; Mexico City; Houston, and Copenhagen.
So far, researchers have found striking
similarities showing fast-growing urban areas have higher incidents of type 2
diabetes than more stable, slow-growing areas.
While it was expected that type 2 diabetes would
be closely linked to education and income, one of the surprising findings was
that many young professionals increased their risk because they were too busy
to focus on diet and exercise.
Another hypothesis is the “thrifty gene,” which
suggests that populations from areas that commonly experienced famine and food
shortages have more efficient fat storage in order to improve survival chances.
While this idea remains under debate, it could
explain why certain populations are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes when
they migrate from poorer countries to the affluence of Western countries due to
the change in lifestyle.
Cultural differences also need to be taken into
account since obesity, body image, and excess weight are traits that are often
tolerated (even celebrated) in some cultures, and may lessen social pressure to
lose weight.
The main thing to take from this study, however,
is that once again, lifestyle has been proven to cause type 2 diabetes and
therefore it can easily be cured naturally.
