Recent studies have emerged showing that some elements in lemons can help alleviate the effects of cancer and the side effects of medical cancer treatment. They can also help in the prevention of cancer and possibly the movement or growth of cancer cells.
Whether it is taken in the form of lemon juice, as lemon essential oil, or as the lemon itself to flavor another type of food or drink, you can access the cancer prevention and treatment qualities of the wonderful fruit that is the lemon.
Here is a list of some ways that lemon can help a person with cancer:
1. Lemons have phytochemicals. The limonene found in the peel of lemons is a powerful phytochemical. Take note: phytochemicals are not nutrients. They are plant chemicals produced by the lemon plant as a means of self-protection. In this way, it could be equated with the body’s immune system.
New research shows that phytochemicals can also help protect humans against disease. Limonene’s anti-cancer qualities work by increasing the amount of enzymes in our body that detoxify carcinogens. We refer here to glutathione S-transferase, or GST, in particular. Limonene promotes GST levels in our small intestines and in the liver. With more GST in our bodies, more carcinogens are destroyed.
There have also been animal studies showing that limonene helps reduce the growth of breast tumors. This has raised hopes that the limonene in lemon peels may help in the treatment of human breast cancer. The terpenes in lemons can stimulate the enzymes that make estrogens less effective and it is believed that in this way, it may perhaps reduce the risk of breast cancer in humans.
Limonene also works by inhibiting the effects of free radicals that can sometimes lead to cancer. Because limonene acts as an antioxidant, free radicals are destroyed.
To get the most out of your lemon, don’t throw away the peel. Simply wash the rind very well, then peel it (do not include the bitter white pith). Add this to baked goods, hot tea, yogurt, and soups and you can reap all the health and cancer-prevention benefits of limonene.
two. Lemons highlight the anticancer ingredients in green tea. We are referring in particular to the catechins in green tea. Catechins are unique antioxidants that help reduce the risk of cancer by inhibiting the activity of cancer cells and strengthening immunity. Unfortunately, after digestion, only 20 percent of the total catechins in green tea remain in the body. This is because catechins are volatile and unstable in non-acidic environments like the intestines.
However, a study from Purdue University showed that citrus juice (like lemon juice) can increase catechin levels in our bodies by more than five times, and lemon juice had the best results of all. citrus fruits, causing up to 80 percent of the catechins in green tea to remain. .
When you drink tea with lemon juice, the catechins interact and the stabilizing power of the lemon allows the highest percentage of capacity to resist the degradation caused in the intestines.
Lemon essential oil when used with aromatherapy is an acceptable form of supportive care, says the National Cancer Institute.. Supportive care is defined as care provided to improve the quality of life of cancer patients. The goal of supportive care is not to cure, but to prevent cancer symptoms or treat symptoms when they occur. Lemon essential oil supportive care in aromatherapy can also be used to treat side effects that occur with medical treatment for cancer. Some of these side effects can be social, spiritual, or psychological in nature. The anxiety and stress, for example, that a cancer patient may feel, could be reduced with an aromatherapy massage with lemon essential oils. Simply put, supportive care is more about symptom management and comfort care than cure.
Lemon essential oil is highly concentrated. It occurs in special cells in the lemon plant that are usually found under the leaves of the plant or on its rind. It must be distilled with steam or water; or pressed. If chemicals are used in its production, it cannot be considered an essential oil.
How does aromatherapy with lemon essential oil work? There are several theories, but the most widely held belief is that the smell receptors in our nose react to the aroma of lemon essential oil and transmit a message through nerve endings to the limbic system of our brain. This is the part of our brain that is the center of our emotions and feelings. Imaging studies have supported the effects of smell on the limbic system.
Aromatherapy is administered in many ways, including inhalation, either indirectly through the use of a room diffuser or directly through the use of an individual inhaler; or through an aromatherapy massage. Taking lemon essential oil by mouth is not recommended.
A lemon essential oil massage has the added benefits of helping the person relax, relieve pain and stress, improve circulation, and lower blood pressure. Studies are also being done to see how it can help other cancer symptoms, such as lack of energy, bloating, and depression.
Studies have shown the benefits of aromatherapy in cancer patients, and many have said that aromatherapy treatment with lemon and other essential oils improved their sense of well-being, the National Cancer Institute said.
Aromatherapy is not regulated by law in the United States. However, there are two organizations that have national educational standards for aromatherapists. These are the Alliance of International Aromatherapists and the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.
There was a time when anything that was deficient was called ‘lemon’. There was also the saying, “when life gives you a lemon, make lemonade,” which was another way of saying, make the most of everything you get underneath. But today we know that lemons are among the most precious gifts that nature gives us.
When life gives us a lemon, we must use each of its parts.
For your good health!
