The citrus fruit contains a large number of useful microparticles and vitamins. The product contains potassium, fluorine, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, vitamin A, D, P, group B (B1, B2, B5, B6, B9), C, which the fruit is rich in. It contains from 40 to 70 mg of vitamin C per 100 g.
Lemons have many beneficial properties. Their advantages:
- It is a strong antioxidant that helps lower blood pressure.
- It is a preventative against colds.
- Helps strengthen the immune system; its fruits are used during periods of vitamin deficiency.
- Reduces the concentration of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
- Reduces blood viscosity.
- Creates an obstacle to the formation of blood clots.
- Helps wounds heal quickly.
- The fruit helps strengthen the vascular walls, adding more elasticity to them.
Due to its unique composition, lemon is used during cardiovascular diseases and to improve the functioning of the immune system. It is an effective remedy for high blood pressure.
Useful qualities of citrus
Lemon has found wide use in the preparation of traditional medicine. This fact is associated with a large number of positive properties of this fruit on the human body.
Lemon juice contains various substances that have beneficial properties:
- ascorbic acid, vitamins A, P, K, B and others;
- nutrients and microelements;
- acids of organic origin.
Many people adore this fruit for its taste.
Moreover, one of the most important advantages of citrus fruits is a slight decrease in their usefulness during long-term storage.
This means that lemon is an effective remedy that can be used to increase blood pressure (BP) regardless of the time of year.
Citrus fruits help with various pathological conditions. Experts identify the following most important effects from consuming lemon, explaining its benefits:
- strengthening the immune system;
- reduce the concentration of cholesterol in blood fluid;
- natural regeneration of the body during colds and other diseases;
- reducing the risk of inflammation;
- rapid healing of wounds;
- Prevention of thrombosis;
- normalization of blood clotting.
This information once again shows that lemon is not only a preventive remedy, but also a healing agent with many beneficial properties. However, it is not recommended to use it in large quantities, since the acid it contains negatively affects tooth enamel.
Beneficial properties of lemon
Lemon is a citrus fruit with amazing healing properties. It is used all over the world for preparing delicious dishes, brewing aromatic tea, making cosmetics and, of course, improving the health of the entire body. Everything in a lemon is useful - the pulp, the peel (zest), and even the seeds.
Lemon contains a large amount of nutritional and healing microelements: vitamins A, B, C, D, potassium, citrine, pectin, magnesium, iron, calcium.
Thanks to this composition, the health properties of the fruit are limitless:
- strengthens and supports the immune system;
- protects against colds;
- accelerates recovery from diseases of the ENT organs;
- stimulates the gastrointestinal tract;
- relieves fatigue and tension;
- helps fight bacteria and harmful microorganisms;
It is a mistake to believe that fruits lower or increase blood pressure.
- strengthens the cardiovascular system;
- improves the condition of skin, nails, hair;
- accelerates the healing of wounds and injuries;
- stops minor bleeding from the nose and gums;
- removes excess liquid;
- tones and strengthens the entire body.
The benefits of the fruit are actively used in folk medicine to treat diseases of the stomach, liver, joints, skin, and central nervous system. Lemon is used as an additional remedy for many pathologies and is indispensable for preventive and general strengthening purposes. In any form, it is useful to everyone, but we should not forget about moderate use and possible individual contraindications.
The effect of lemon on blood pressure
Many people are interested in whether lemon increases or decreases blood pressure.
Hypotension is a pathological process in which blood pressure drops below 100/60. A decrease in vascular tone with their paralyzing expansion can provoke the development of hypoxia (oxygen starvation of the brain), which slows down the vital functions of the human body.
This process is accompanied by:
- weakness;
- deterioration of general condition;
- fainting.
Hypertension is a disease that occurs when blood pressure rises above 150/90 mmHg.
When lemon juice enters the stomach, it begins to break down and be digested. At high blood pressure, it is diluted with water, which makes its composition similar to gastric juice.
As a result, it has a positive effect on the digestive tract, eliminating nausea, flatulence and heartburn. Penetrating into the blood fluid, it affects the walls of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity.
Under the influence of these processes, blood pressure is normalized.
To eliminate hypotension, products that help increase the indicator are added to lemon. To lower blood pressure, ingredients that help lower blood pressure are used along with citrus fruits.
It is worth noting that consuming lemon in its pure form does not affect these indicators.
What's in a Lemon?
The fruits of the lemon tree are rich in vitamins, minerals and organic acids. Analysis of the composition allows us to understand how this fruit affects blood pressure. Beneficial substances are present in significant quantities:
- B vitamins;
- Vitamins A, E and C;
- Lemon acid;
- Macroelements Ca, K, Mg, P.
The high content of magnesium, calcium and potassium helps lemon lower blood pressure. These elements have a beneficial effect on the vascular system.
Citrus fruits are a source of elements necessary for the normal functioning of the body; lemon juice contains:
- Sodium;
- Iron;
- Sulfur;
- Chlorine;
- Copper;
- Boron;
- Fluorine;
- Molybdenum;
- Zinc;
- Manganese;
- Molybdenum.
The calorie content of a medium-sized fruit is approximately 15 kcal; it contains, according to a rough estimate:
- 2 g dietary fiber;
- 3 g carbohydrates;
- 1 g protein;
- 0.1 g fat.
The bulk of biologically active substances are contained in the upper layer of the peel, the zest. The pulp and juice are no less useful.
Tea and lemon
Black tea is usually drunk with the addition of lemon. To preserve the beneficial properties of the fruit, do not add it to the drink immediately, but only after it has had a slight cold.
If prepared correctly, black tea with lemon helps to slightly increase blood pressure.
Green tea is no less popular, because thanks to the substances it contains, it is more beneficial for the human body than traditional tea, and has a positive effect on blood pressure. If you add lemon to it, you get a powerful antioxidant that helps cleanse the body of radicals and toxins.
It is worth noting that you should not add citrus fruits to red tea, because this drink already lowers blood pressure, and in combination with this fruit it lowers it even more.
Lemon tinctures
Tinctures are prepared with alcohol or water and are taken for heart failure, hypertension, and nervous disorders:
- Water infusion. Grind 2 lemons in a blender, add 500 ml of warm water and leave overnight. Drink 1 glass three times a day between meals.
- Alcohol infusion. Finely chop 3 lemons, pour in 0.5 liters of vodka. Keep warm for 7-10 days. The tincture should turn light yellow. Strain, take 30 drops in the morning after meals, in the evening 1 hour before bedtime.
- Tincture of leaves and flowers. Essential oils and bactericidal substances relieve vascular inflammation, slow down atherosclerosis, and lower blood pressure. To prepare the infusion, crush 5 lemon leaves, 1 tablespoon of inflorescences. If there are no flowers, you can use only leaves, but then their quantity is doubled. Pour 100 ml of alcohol into the raw material. Leave for 10 days. Take 30 drops 3 times a day.
To avoid oversaturation of the body with vitamins and organic acids based on lemon, it is recommended to use the product for two weeks, then take a week break and repeat the course of treatment.
Lemon water
The following recipe helps with high blood pressure:
- Fruits in the amount of 1 piece, wash well and cut into slices with grated skin;
- Place the resulting mugs in a glass container;
- Add 1 liter of clean chilled water and let steep for 60 minutes.
It is recommended to store the resulting infusion in a cool place. It should be consumed in an amount of 200 milliliters in the morning, at lunch and in the evening before meals. Blood pressure is also lowered by the diuretic effect of lemon water.
It should be remembered that it is not recommended to add sugar to this lemonade, as it increases blood pressure. If you don't want a sour drink, you can add a little honey to it.
How to lower blood pressure without pills?
The chief freelance cardiologist of the Ulyanovsk region, Pavel Alekseevich Barov, talks about first aid when the blood pressure rises.
If you are prone to hypertension, you should always have medications prescribed by your doctor with you. If you don’t have them with you for some reason, or pressure mobility is not typical for you and the rise occurred suddenly, first of all, you need to measure your blood pressure. Below is a table with average values of normal blood pressure, but each person should know their individual working pressure.
If the pressure surge exceeds 40 units, you should immediately call a local doctor or emergency medical help, lie down with your head raised on a pillow and put cold on your feet and heat on your forehead. This will help reduce headaches, as well as avoid pre-infarction and pre-stroke conditions. If the jump exceeds 80 units, you should call an ambulance and lie down, putting heat on your head and cold on your feet.
If your blood pressure has not risen too much, but feels unwell, you can lower it yourself and without medication.
Basic techniques:
1. Heat + cold. This is the main and most effective technique described above. You need to lie down, remove tight clothing, put a warm compress on your forehead, and a heating pad with ice on your feet.
2. Massage. Using rubbing movements, you need to massage the collar area (neck, shoulders, base of the head), then the chest and abdomen. After the massage you need to lie down.
3. Contrasting foot baths. The feet are immersed alternately in cold and hot water for 2–3 minutes. The procedure ends after 20 minutes with cold water.
4. Hot bath for hands. Brushes should be immersed in moderately hot water for 10–15 minutes.
5. Walk. If the weather is not hot and the rise in pressure is small, you can go out into the fresh air and sit on a bench. In any case, an influx of fresh air is necessary - remove tight clothes, open a window, etc.
6. Holding your breath. This technique is used for sudden but small jumps in blood pressure. Breathing is held for 8–10 counts, for 2–3 minutes. The procedure should be stopped if dizziness begins. After this, you need to lie down and remain at rest for 10–15 minutes.
7. Low flow of hot water. The method is also used for mild pressure surges. If there is a strong rise in blood pressure, you should never bend over. A gentle stream of hot water is directed to the back of the head for 5–7 minutes.
8. Compress with apple cider vinegar. Gauze or other natural fabric is moistened with apple cider vinegar and applied to the feet for 10–15 minutes.
9. Diuretic. Among non-medicinal products, linden and lingonberry tea, tea from rose hips and bearberry leaves, and parsley decoction have a good diuretic effect.
10. Drink with lemon and honey. 200–250 ml of mineral water is mixed with 1/2 lemon and a spoon of honey.
Use of fruit for hypertension
There are also other healthy recipes that can help lower your blood pressure. Some of the most popular include the following:
Eating lemon along with rose hips and cranberries is also considered effective. To prepare the medicinal composition, you need to mix 50 grams of berry fruits and one fruit along with the peel. Everything is thoroughly ground in a meat grinder. Add honey to the resulting mass.
The recommended daily dose is one tablespoon in the morning, during lunch and in the evening.
With honey and rose hips
One of the popular folk remedies with antihypertensive properties is the combination of lemon with honey and rose hips. This product not only has a good effect, but is also distinguished by its taste.
You need to take the following components:
- lemons – 4 jokes;
- rosehip – 150 grams;
- honey – 2 tablespoons.
We wash the fruits and rose hips. Remove the zest, clean the rose hips, pass through a food processor or meat grinder to obtain a paste-like mass. Transfer to a glass container with a lid, add honey. Mix well, cover with a lid, and place in the refrigerator to brew. Infuse the mixture for 3 days. The product is taken twice a day, 2 tablespoons with tea and ginger.
Taking this composition for a month for arterial hypertension in the early stages can bring blood pressure to optimal levels.
Contraindications
Despite the beneficial properties of lemon, there are a number of significant contraindications in which the use of this fruit is undesirable.
The main ones:
- peptic ulcer and gastritis in the acute stage;
- increased acidity;
- predisposition to the development of an allergic reaction to the fetus;
- Individual intolerance to citrus fruits.
During the period of remission of certain pathological conditions, consult a medical specialist before taking lemon to increase or decrease blood pressure. You can eat no more than two small citrus fruits per day.
However, you should not abuse this product, since its excessive amount negatively affects not only the organs of the digestive system, but also tooth enamel.
Garlic-lemon mixture is prohibited:
- renal failure;
- Epileptic seizures;
- stroke or heart attack;
- inflammation of the pancreas;
- anemia;
- arterial hypertension of the second or third stage;
- Breastfeeding and pregnancy;
- Severe obesity;
- bronchial asthma;
- acute hemorrhoids.
You should also remember that self-medication of hypertension or hypotension with lemon is not recommended. To prevent negative consequences, consult a specialist before using citrus fruits for medicinal purposes.
Impact on the body
A fruit that contains many useful substances has a beneficial effect on all organs and improves the functioning of internal systems:
- nicotinic acid lowers high blood pressure;
- retinol restores cell elasticity and promotes their growth;
- thiamine protects nerve cells from destruction;
- riboflavin saturates cells with oxygen, increases hemoglobin;
- ascorbic acid reduces blood clotting, helps against atherosclerosis and thrombosis;
- Folic acid takes part in all biochemical processes of the body.
