The Hemp Connection:
lemons

In my part of the world, winter is citrus time. The trees in my neighborhood are loaded down with grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, limes, and lemons…to the point where people give them away because they simply cannot use them all.

Family and friends have filled an entire shelf of my refrigerator with lemons, which of all of the above, is the hardest to use in large quantities.

So I started Googling to see what I could do with lemon juice. Turns out, it is really great for skin! It is especially helpful for acne scars and helping to fade discolored skin. It's high in glycolic acid, which is a key ingredient in many facial peel products.

I've simply been putting the lemon juice on my skin for about an hour in the morning…a few times, after reading more, I've even gone to sleep with it still on my face. You'll feel a tingle at first, and it's best to keep it away from your eyes.

I've been doing this for about two weeks and am noticing a healthier glow to my skin and even a little bit of reduction of fine lines. I'm not promising miracles, and I don't think it's going to completely erase the marks of time, but I do feel it's doing something invigorating on several different levels.

For those of you whose PCOS has affected your skin's appearance, it's another inexpensive and simple tool for you to have to help you feel and look better.

My Facebook friends already know most of this story, but my kitchen experimenting turned out so well I wanted to share it.

I got an email from Whole Foods Market with a recipe for watermelon lemonade. I had just bought a watermelon so I decided to try it. However, rather than using lemon juice, I used 3 lemons that I threw in the food processor. I also added no sugar or sweetener. I did have some dried mint which I crumbled in, and I think that enhanced the sweetness of the fruits. Some of you probably have sweeter teeth than I do, so you may need to add something. I'm betting you could use the artificial sweetener of your choice.

After I let the finished product sit for a day (and it was perfectly tasty that way), I decided to take the fun one step further. I brewed a cup of organic decaf green tea, put it in the refrigerator to cool, and made an Arnold Palmer (a mix of tea and lemonade). My ratio was 3 parts tea, with 2 parts lemonade, but mix it up in whatever ratios suit your taste.

I got natural fruits, with natural sweetness, all of the fiber from the lemons and the watermelons, the benefits of the green tea…with none of the added sugar. And it quenched my thirst!

If you have a few minutes and a few simple ingredients, and you're looking for something other than a soft drink to quench your thirst, give this recipe a whirl!

I live primarily in Arizona, which means if I'm going to eat locally, I have to learn how to use watermelon a gazillion different ways. It's been a fun adventure to take on…if you look online you can find recipes for grilled watermelon, chicken stir fry with watermelon, watermelon feta salad…happy experimenting!