Long known for its benefits for sailors of long ago; lime can provide many healthful benefits. Because sailors of old would be on the ships for such long periods without the benefit of fresh food, they would become deficient in vitamin-C. This condition was called scurvy. British sailors found that they could cure this by eating limes. Hence, they acquired the nickname 'limeys'.
Limes can be good for your digestive system. To start the process, the smell of a lime can start the juices flowing in your mouth. This is needed to digest food. The acids in the lime also help breakdown food. It also stimulates the digestive system and the secretion of bile, digestive acids and other digestive juices is increased. Then it stimulates the peristaltic motion. This helps the digested food to move through your system.
Just like cleaning the pipes of your drains, limes provide the acid needed to help cleanse and purge the excretory system by flushing and cleansing the tracts. The roughage will also help ease constipation. For a purgative effect, you can drink a lot of lime juice with a dash of salt added in.
Limes contain what are called flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants, anticarcinogenics, antibiotics, and detoxifiers. These can provide healing properties for peptic and oral ulcers. The detoxifiers can help relieve the symptoms of gout. Due to the presence of Kaempferol, lime oil is used in anticongestive medicines. These include balms, vaporizers, inhalers, etc. You can even inhale the freshly scratched scent of a lime to aide in relieving nausea and congestion.
The vitamin-C in limes can help with bleeding gums and sores in the mouth. It also helps with slowing down the aging process and macular degeneration of the eyes. It's a natural antibiotic. When used internally, limes can rejuvenate your skin. It makes it shiny and protects your skin from infections; it even can help prevent body odor. When used externally, lime oil can be used to help scrub off dead skin cells, cure dandruff, rashes, and help heal bruises. You can take a refreshing lime juice or lime oil bath to make your skin glow.
Your kidneys build up toxic substances and precipitates deposits; lime juice has high potassium content that helps remove all these toxins. You can drink a glass of warm water that has been infused with the juice of a full lime. It is excellent for reducing weight. It refreshes and provides antioxidants. The citric acid can be a great fat burner if you drink at least two glasses on a daily basis. Lime juice is also great for arthritis, rheumatism, prostrate and colon cancer, cholera, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, fatigue, heart disease and very high fevers.
answered by G M