When life gives you lemons, make lemonades. I was sitting by the kitchen table, drumming my fingers on the table top while staring blank and pondering on my daily activities when my eye caught this trayful of lemons right in front of me. They were fresh harvests from my front yard lemon tree, still crispy and dewy after my son brought it in from the pick. It was seven in the morning, too early and cold to make lemonades so I grabbed one and squished half of it into my lemongrass tea. Cool. It got me up and about while I attacked the morning cleaning chores and the mountain of dishes piled on the sink.

       Lemons are understated fruits for one. We usually just regard them as garnishes, or marinading ingredients, or tequila whizzes and we often forget it can be used for a lot more things other than lemonade and yes, very beneficial for the health and other home remedies too.

       HISTORY OF LEMONS. The exact origin of the lemon has remained a mystery to now, as does the origins of other plants. Historians have been tracing it and came up with the most assertive and most believable fact, though other presumptions still persist. It is said that lemons before journeying the world and spreading, was first grown in parts of India, in China and in Burma, generally in Asia Minor or the Indus Valley. For one, archeological evidence shows artifacts, specifically lemon-shaped earrings in these parts dating to 2500BC. As early as the first century AD, these citrus were introduced and then cultivated in parts of Europe then in Palestine and even Greece then Libya who  exported it to Ancient Rome. A mosaic In Pompeii created in those times shows a lemon in the art. Around AD 700, it was introduced in Persia (Modern day Iran) as well as the neighboring Iraq and in Egypt. By the 8^th and 9^th century , the lemon started cropping up in the Sahara, Andalusia and in Sicily.By the middle of the 15^th century, the first real lemon cultivation started in Genoa in Europe and succeedingly to the Americas in 1493 with Christopher Columbus spreading the seeds, thus the knowledge of the new world of this fruit called lemon.

       LEMONS AND THEIR CULINARY USES. So what’s the fuss with lemons? In these cold, dreary, rainy days we often associate lemons with warm lemonades, something to beat the flus and the diseases borne with the change of weather, something to help us rid of the dreaded colds. Extracting the fruit for juice purposes is just one of the handy lemon uses. More and more these days, chefs and homeowners are finding new culinary uses that the list seem to extend the papers.

       Primarily in kitchens, the juice is the most important part of the fruit, though the pulp and the rind (for zest) also find extra uses especially in baking. Tarts and pies, cakes, drinks, marinades, sauces for the juice; pickles, marmalades, spirits (such as wines and liqueur) and candies for the rind, or zest and pulp. The juice also acts as a preservative on certain foods that have tendencies to turn brown when oxidized while the rinds or lemon slices are used to garnish both food and drink.

       LEMONS AND OTHER NON-CULINARY USES. Aside from the usual and primary culinary uses, lemons are also very beneficial in more than the small ways we knew them to be. The ancient Egyptians believed strongly that lemons are very effective cures or antidotes for a variety of poisons. Lately there is a confirmation that this is true. This is for the reason that the fruit have chemical contents which are very effective as antibacterials and antivirals and that they also boost the immune system. And believe it or not lemons are also very good aids to losing weight all because lemon juice acts as a digestive aid and liver cleanser too. Mix the juice with hot water fro digestive troubles, drink it to ease nausea and heartburn, constipation as well as worm infestation for kids. For those with urinary tracts infections and with high uric acid problems, make it a habit to drink a glass or two daily as it flushes out the body toxins. Lemon juice is a diuretic.

       Acne care. Lemon contains citric acid which is an effective acne cure.  It does not hurt to try this, or maybe hurts a bit but it would be worth it all to have that clear face. Apply fresh lemon juice on acne and leave it overnight, making sure not to be applying pressure on the sores. The stinging will subside in a few seconds. Wash it with warm water in the morning. Right after mix some lemon juice with honey and apply on affected area leaving it for less than half an hour while doing your other daily chores. The good thing with this is the fact that this is a natural cure and safe at that. Just avoid the open sores.

       Halitosis and gum sores. While going with the lemon juice, squeeze the last drops of juice from the pulp, mix with a little salt and warm water for a regular mouthwash treatment. This is also proven to minimize the buildup of bacteria in the mouth that creates the odor and at the same time curing the gum sores.

       Fever, colds and flu remedy. With the great infusion of Vitamin C in lemons, there is no better remedy than to take in a regular dose of lemon juice to keep the fever, colds and flus away. If infected already, lemon juice can be taken in between slurps of warm chicken soups.

       Fatigue quencher. Try this sometimes. Suck on a lemon as a quick acting medicine when fatigued, it will give you the instant perk. It is a great way to quench thirst more effectively many times than water. Lemon oils or balms as well stimulates the brains for alertness when tired. These are just a few of the healing properties of lemons.

       In other aspects lemons are very good kitchen deodorizers, grease-busters, stain-removers and disinfectants.. Lemon oils serves as insecticides too as well as wood cleaner and polishers.

       In personal aesthetics, lemon could be used as hair-lighteners, make-up removers, skin-tighteners as well as mixed with other ingredients to make shampoos, perfumes and other cosmetics.