Lemons: One of my favorite healthy pantry (okay, refrigerator) staples. Well, I tried to keep them out on the counter ‘cuz, hey, they’re so darn pretty, but rock hard lemons got a little aggravating so back in the fridge they went.

My main use of lemons is in my water. A squeeze of fresh lemon works wonders in water. Makes it crisp and flavorful and … most importantly, provides a crazy health boost for your body.

Below are some of the ways that using lemon helps you be well. Mother Nature gave us medicine. Why don’t we use it? I don’t think we believe it. Because we aren’t sold it in both obvious and subtle ways. Last I checked, there is no National Lemon Marketers Association. Probably not any lemon lobbyists. And that’s why you don’t get sold in your brain that a lemon is a damn fine medical aid. Be wiser — read, experiment, choose to believe differently. It’ll do a body good.

Lemons:

• Help protect you from cancer. Citrus liminoids are compounds that protect your cells from damage that can lead to the formation of cancer cells.
• Help lower blood pressure.
• Can relieve symptoms of allergies and asthma.
• Help prevent disease and help cleanse your system overall.
• Are effective in dissolving uric acid, which can cause joint pain and inflammation.
• Stimulate your liver and kidneys, which help filter toxins from your body. If either of these organs stopped functioning, you wouldn’t live long.
• Assist in the process of digestion, helping to relieve symptoms like bloating, heartburn and belching.
• Increase your body’s alkalinity. Bacteria and viruses thrive in an acidic environment, which can be caused in your body by stress and unhealthy food choices. No, lemons aren’t acidic; they create a better balance between acidity and alkalinity in your body. Most of us have too acidic systems, which creates an environment where illness and bacteria thrive. Also, an acidic body removes minerals from organs and bones to neutralize the acid, leaving your needed mineral reserves too low.
• Can help dissolve gallstones, kidney stones and calcium deposits.

One caution: A lot of lemon in your water can be hard on your tooth enamel. So, make sure you take a drink of plain water here and there to rinse off your teeth. Or drink your lemon-enhanced water through a straw. I imagine it would take a lot of lemon juice in a glass of water — not just a slice or two — to cause this, but it never hurts to be a bit cautious.

In addition, there is some debate that, for health benefits, fresh lemon offers more beneficial enzymes than lemon juice in a bottle. That seems logical to me, but do what works for you. Better you get some benefits than you get too hung up about fresh lemons.