The Healing Powers of Lime

There is no denying that parts of the world are suffering. The ongoing spread of diseases like malaria continue to ravage and ruin entire communities in some countries.

It’s easy to think we are doing our part by dumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into medical and pharmaceutical research in an effort to find an affordable remedy, but the shocking truth is a potentially powerful antidote could be right under our noses.

Limes have been around for centuries and used medicinally for just as long.

The term “limey” actually derives from the medical use of limes by British sailors to stave off scurvy. By adding lime juice to nearly impalpable drinking water, these men were able to survive the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

This citrus contains natural antioxidants which help clear the body of harmful free radicals. It also effectively balances pH levels in the body which boosts energy levels and strengthens immune power.

What else can limes do?

According to emerging research, limes contain properties proven to mitigate and even cure diseases which lead to thousands of deaths worldwide each year.

Limes can effectively accelerate the healing (and in some cases cure) these 5 life threatening infections and diseases:

Malaria

The World Health Organization estimates that this mosquito borne and spread parasite causes nearly 700,000 deaths every year. Developed countries have little trouble fighting the infection with costly pharmaceuticals, but many are unable to buy their health and this is where the power of lime can help. A recent study showed lime juice can greatly improve the effectiveness of malarial clearance when combined with minimal drug therapy.

Cancer

Of special interest is the content of flavonoids in limes which have been shown to stop cell division in many cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer, one of the most notoriously difficult cancers to treat, showed signs of programmed cell death when induced with lime juice.

Sickle Cell Anemia

SCA is a hereditary blood disorder afflicting 95,000 Americans and is characterized by an abnormality in the oxygen carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells. With no widely available cure, it can cause chronic pain and fatigue, and lead to serious organ damage or failure. Research using lime juice has found it can reduce pain, febrile illness and hospital admission in children by up to 50%.

Cholera and E-coli

Cholera and e-coli are infections in the small intestine which occur from drinking water contaminated with fecal matter or eating food with remnants of the e-coli bacteria. It is estimated to be responsible for nearly 130,000 deaths since 2010 and is primarily a symptom of larger societal failings.

Developing countries are often unable to clean their drinking water, leaving people no choice but to chance their health with whatever water or food they can get. Lime has been found effective in treating water and food by killing both the cholera pathogen and the e-coli virus, proving as a viably affordable cleaning agent for many under developed countries.