Lemon Tree Medicinal Uses

By Liliana Usvat Blog 317-365

The lemon is a small tree with irregular branches armed with thick spines, stiff and sharp.

Essential oil of complex composition: limonene, pinene, citral, citronellal, terpineol, camphene, phellandrene, coumarins, flavonoids, vitamin C, carotenoids, mucilages, calcium oxalate. Abundant pectin, sugar, citric acid, malic acid, flavonoids.  Essential oil of complex composition: limonene, pinene, citral, citronellal, terpineol, camphene, phellandrene, coumarins, flavonoids, vitamin C, carotenoids, mucilages, calcium oxalate. Abundant pectin, sugar, citric acid, malic acid, flavonoids. 

Medicinal Uses

Parts used: Fruit, leaves, seeds.

Since ancient times, citron is used as a herbal remedy for 

• seasickness, 
• pulmonary and 
• intestinal disorders, 
• dysentery and 
• halitosis.
•  It can be very useful herbal remedy for diarrhea. 
• It eliminates gastric acidity, 
• stimulates functioning of the liver. 
• It is also helpful in cases of flatulence and 
• vomiting. 
• Citron can be very useful in cases of headaches, especially migraines.  

Lemon juice is used in topical application for 

• healing wounds,
• herpes and other 
• skin conditions.

• The boiled lemonade is used against colds and as sweat increaser. 
• The lemon juice in water is used against dyspepsia alkaline and 
• pure juice against catarrhal angina.

• The compress of juice applied to the upper stomach stops the vomiting. 
• It´s also used against chronic obstructions of liver and 
• spleen.

Methods of preparation: Boil for 5 minutes 5-12 g of fresh lemon leaves or the bark of fruit. Drinking 300-500 ml per day divided in 2-3 doses. The same decoction is applied topically to the affected parts 2-3 times a day.

 

•  Lemon seeds boiled in cow milk have vermicide effect. 
• The fruit is used in cooking and soft drinks. 
• For stabilizing the blood pressure must be taken the juice of 2 lemons in a glass of water, 2 or 3 times a day. 

• Lemons leaves are used as an anti-inflammatory when applied as an essential oil onto your skin. Steep the leaves in hot water for a natural diuretic and to help reduce cramps or relieve soar throats. Also a powerful antibacterial, lemons can help to combat bacterial-related ailments.
• The citron may thus be one of the first citrus cultivars due to its health connections. In early Asia it may have also been known as protection against scurvy along with other related properties such as helping to retain teeth; although this wasn’t understood in the West until the past few centuries. Not only high in ascorbic acid, Vitamin C, citrus fruit is also rich in folate and potassium, among other beneficial compounds and minerals.

History of the Lemon

Earliest cultivation of citrus goes back at least 2500 years to Asia. Although quite late as a Ming Dynasty work, this Chinese “still life” painting on silk below at the Freer-Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Museum shows a pair of citrus fruits at the lower left of the blue bowl. 

The occurrence of citrus in Europe and Mideast were thought to have been natural occurring native trees and shrubs, but historians today believe that the ancestor of the citrus trees, Citrus medica L., was introduced by Alexander the Great from India into Greece, Turkey, and North Africa in the late 4th century BC. The most ancient citrus was called ‘citron.’

There are ancient clues from wall paintings in the Egyptian temple at Karnak that citrus trees had been growing there. There were other suggestions that citrus trees may have been familiar to the Jews during their exile and slavery by the Babylonians in the 6th century BC. Even though speculations suggest that citrus trees were known and grown by the Hebrews, there is no direct mention in the Bible of citrus. 

According to some, the oldest attested reference to citrus (lemon and orange) occurs in Sanskrit in the sacred text Vajasineyi Samhita before 800 BCE, where it is named as jambhila [1] although not all agree this citrus reference is plausible. One of the earliest attested references to citrus, however, is from the Chinese poet Ch’u Yuan (Qu Yuan) in the 4th century BCE, who often mourned the loss of virtue in the state. He praised the orange tree as a possible allegory of ideal kingship rarely realized:
 
“Orange tree, nurtured by nature, born to be adaptable to the soil and water here…
Your leaves green and flowers clean,
so delightful is the riotous profusion.
even though between layers of leaves there are thorns,
the fruits are so beautiful and round…”

The first recording of citrus, Citrus medica L., in European history was done by Theophrastus, in 350 BC, following the introduction of the fruit by Alexander the Great. In early European history, writers wrote about Persian citrus, that it had a wonderful fragrance and was thought to be a remedy for poisoning, a breath sweetener, and a repellant to moths.

Citrus was well known by the ancient cultures of the Greeks and later the Romans. A beautiful ceramic tile was found in the ruins of Pompeii after the city was destroyed by a volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Another mosaic tile in the ruins of a Roman villa in Carthage, North Africa, in about the 2nd century AD, clearly showed the fruit of a citron and a lemon fruit growing on a tree branch.

Early Christian tile mosaics dating back to 300 AD of both oranges and lemon were shown in lemon-yellow and orange colors surrounded by bright green leaves and freshly cut tree branches; the relics can still be seen in Istanbul, Turkey at mosques that once were churches of Emperor Constantine. 

 A Jewish coin from the Maccabean Era about 136 BCE shows a citrus fruit. It became an important Succoth fruit in Jewish tabernacle and temple ritual.

Around 1178 A.D.  twenty-seven varieties of sweet, sour, and mandarin oranges are described in detail  in China by the medieval period attested by Han Yen-chih’s Chü lu.

 The lemon was also known to Rome from its plantings in Pompeii. Paleobotany has now proven this not only visually interpreted from wallpaintings like the House of the Fruit Orchard  and mosaics but also from carbonized wood from the Villa Poppaea at nearby Oplontis. 



Citrus was especially prized in the 17th century by Dutch botanists whose botanical gardens at Leiden and Amsterdam brought the exotic fruit to the attention of the wealthy. Orangeries – built with many windows to let sun in but keep frost out for protecting the trees from Northern winter damage – soon sprang up in nearly every royal palace and garden once the health virtues of citrus became better known.

Links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xjku2d97kk 

http://health-from-nature.net/Lemon,_Citron.html 

http://www.gardenguides.com/79195-ways-use-lemon-tree-leaves.html
http://www.electrummagazine.com/2012/10/exotic-history-of-citrus/

Bible Trees The Myrtle - Medicial Uses

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 316-365

Myrtle (myrtus communis), also known as true or Roman myrtle, is a hardy, evergreen, highly fragrant shrub with dark green oval shaped leaves and attractive white flowers followed by black berries, during blossoming season (June-July). 

The myrtle tree is an indigenous species common in many parts of southern Europe and North Africa.

Like most other native trees, it had nearly disappeared from the Maltese countryside but there is evidence that in a number of localities such as Wied Għajn Riħana it used to be common.

The myrtle does not grow high and at most reaches five metres but its special attributes are aromatic leaves and beautiful white flowers that are in bloom from late spring to late summer.

Later in the year the myrtle tree produces large numbers of blue-black berries. The berries contain several seeds and it is very easy to propagate the tree from them.
 
The berries attract many birds that feast on them and help the plant by carrying away the seeds in their gut. When they defecate, they deposit them away from the parent plant, helping to disperse the species far and wide.

The myrtle is also cultivated and can be found in gardens even outside its natural range. It is ideal for hedges and one can be found in the front garden of the Domus Romana museum in Rabat.

Medicinal Uses 

The leaves, chewed raw or used as a standard infusion, is used as a general tonic and restorative, of special value during bouts of sickness, depression, or strain. It quickly revives the spirit, quickens the mind and strengthens the nerves. 

 Cases of poor memory and mental confusion in old age are successfully treated with Bog myrtle. The branch tea once was used as a diuretic for gonorrhea

In Sardegna and Corsica a liqueur known as Mirto is made from the berries. Myrtle has been used medicinally for at least 3,000 years and scientific studies show that the ancient medical uses of myrtle were based on real properties.

Myrtle oil is used, among other things, to treat respiratory problems by clearing the airways.

Myrtle and in particular myrtle berries contain many compounds that are thought could be beneficial to human health. 

 One group of flavonols known as myricetin, found in glycosides, are thought to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. 
 
Myricetin may alleviate the suffering of Alzheimer patients as it is known to inhibit beta-amyloid fibril formation. 

The flavonoids in myrtle, including myricetin, are heart healthy as they can help reduce the oxidization of LDL cholesterol, which leads to heart disease. 

Studies using myricetin on diabetic rats have demonstrated that the flavonol reduces glucose plasma levels and might be beneficial to diabetics. Healers in Middle Eastern countries have traditionally used myrtle as a treatment for diabetes.

Egyptians used the plant to treat nervous afflictions. 

French women drank tea made from crushed myrtle leaves, believing that it would help to preserve their youthful appearance and overall vigor. 

Myrtle has been conventionally used to treat coughs, bronchitis and other respiratory infections.  

There are two types of myrtle, and it's important that you do not confuse the two. Myrtus communis is known as "true" myrtle. The other variety, called "Madagascar Myrtle" (Eugenia jambolana), is a completely different plant and has entirely different effects on the body.  

Myrtle has been found to effectively clear up acne and other imperfections on the skin. It should topically be applied in its essential oil form, often in another carrier oil or in very limited concentrations. 

The organic compounds and powerful antioxidants in myrtle can help the cells heal quicker and improve the appearance of those affected areas. In its herb form, it can be consumed to see similar effects working from the inside out! 

One of the ancient applications of myrtle leaves was for the treatment of urinary tract or kidney issues. Myrtle can help to stimulate urination, thereby eliminating excess toxins, salts, fluids, and even fat, thereby helping to regulate the functions of your kidneys. 

Myrtle and its Culinary Uses
 
  Myrtle leaves are usually dried and used like bay leaf. They have a flavor similar to allspice, with a touch of menthol. The flowers are used as a garnish and myrtle berries are dried, ground and used like a spice, in a similar way to juniper berries. 

Myrtle leaves and berries are used to season lamb and pork dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine but are far less popular in the west, although they can be found in some western supermarkets. In Italy and on the island of Sardinia, where myrtle grows wild, the herb is a staple spice used in the kitchen and also for wood smoking to impart a distinctive flavor to barbecued food. 

 At the end of a meal Sardinians and also people on the island of Corsica often enjoy a glass of Mirto. Mirto is a liqueur produced from both myrtle berries, known as sweet, (rosso) and myrtle leaves, Mirto bianco.

Bible Reference
 
While the Israelites suffered in exile, God offered a vision of hope - all kinds of trees growing in the desert. “I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together...” -Isaiah 41:19

Symbolism

The ancient Greeks dedicated the myrtle to the gods Aphrodite and Demeter and in many parts of the Mediterranean the myrtle still symbolizes love and immortality.

Myrtle, Myrtus communis is associated with both Aphrodite and Venus — the Greek and Roman goddesses of beauty, love, laughter, protection and joy.


In fact, myrtle forms part of the wedding bouquet in some European countries and it is also used to make a crown for the bride
In Greek mythology, myrtle, with its small creamy-white fragrant blossoms, represented the goddess Aphrodite and adorned the Three Graces, her attendants who were symbolic of the “graces” of femininity. “Although many plants and flowers were dedicated to Venus in Roman antiquity, the myrtle was the most sacred.”

Prized by the Hebrews, myrtle was their symbol for marriage. The online resource, Alchemy Works, explains that the association with marriage in many ancient cultures is probably because myrtle “was originally connected with sex.” An ingredient in magic love potions, it was thought to be “helpful in creating and preserving love.”

Women of both ancient Roman and Greek cultures bathed in healing and soothing myrtle-scented water; these baths became sacred rituals for brides in preparing for their wedding.  

Uses of Myrtle

Although the myrtle flower and tree are known for their many uses – from spicing up a meat dish, to adding a bit of sweetness to perfume – they are best known for their place in mythology and magic. The two best known tales tell of Adonis and Aphrodite. Adonis’s story states that his mother, Myrrha – daughter of the king Theias of Assyria – tried to escape from the clutches of her tyrannical parentage, and so the goddess Aphrodite turned her into a myrtle tree. 

Theias, still quite angry with his daughter, shot an arrow into the trunk of the tree, which shattered the bark. From the newly made hole, Adonis sprang forth. The story of Aphrodite is connected with that of Adonis. Finding the infant, she fell in love with it; when he grew older, she became smitten with him. Knowing his origins, she named the myrtle tree as one of her sacred plants. 

The myrtle flower has several other, looser, connections with Greek myth. For instance, Erato – the muse of marriage and love – wore a crown of roses and myrtle, while Phaedra – an enchantress – became a minor goddess that was associated with myrtle, as well as barley, the moon and rain. In magic, these flowers are commonly used as a sign of respect to the goddess of love, Venus. They are also frequently made into love charms, and placed in love spells.

links
http://fairhavenucc.org/Pages/PlantList6.html 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXcnr9jEKao
http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/BogMyrtle1.html
http://www.raysahelian.com/myrtle.html

Bible Trees The Almond Tree - Medicinal Uses

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 315-365

The almond tree is the first tree to sprout and the last one to lose its leaves. 

The almond, Amygdalus communis, is a medium sized tree with narrow, light green leaves. Unlike the fig and olive, the almond does not live to a great age. The almond is a well-known symbol of resurrection because it is the first tree to flower. 
 
The white, five-parted flowers are up to two inches across and come in the late winter before the leaves of the tree develop. Because they may flower as early as late January or early February, it is sometimes possible to find almond flowers with snow.  

The Bible contains several references to the almond, often because of its early blossoming as a sign of awakening. The six-branched candlestick of the biblical Tabernacle, the meeting place of God with Moses and his people, is modelled on an almond tree. Later, in Christianity, the almond was seen as a symbol of the immaculate conception. 
 
"Christ was conceived in Maria as the almond kernel is formed in the still untouched almond" (Konrad von Würzburg, 13th century). The almond is probably best known in the form of marzipan, which came originally from the orient and was traditionally made of almonds, sugar and rose water. Baghlaba is the Persian variety.

Medicinal Uses

• Almonds form an ideal tonic for your growing child. Soak 3-6 shelled almonds in warm water and than remove the skin. Grind them into paste, and mix it with milk. Add a teaspoon of honey. Feed your child daily. It can also be useful in adolescent girls with delayed puberty; crushed almonds, egg yolk, gingelly (til) powder, and a teaspoon of honey in milk will ensure good overall development during adolescence.

 

 

• An excellent food supplement in case of general debility and convalescence. Soak 12-15 shelled almonds in hot water and remove outer covering. Grind them into fine paste, and mix it with the buttermilk and mash a ripe banana in it. Strain it through a muslin cloth, add 4 teaspoons honey, and drink twice daily. Almond forms an ideal food for diabetics also as it contains little carbohydrates.
• Almonds are a good for constipation. Grind separately 5 teaspoons almonds and 5 teaspoons dried dates. Combine them and add 10 teaspoons honey.  Take 3 teaspoons of this mixture twice daily.
• In the case of head lice, grind 7-8 kernels with 1-2 teaspoons lime juice and apply on the scalp. Apply a little almond oil on the scalp regularly and massage.

• In the case of tooth ache and gum diseases, burn the shells of almonds, powder, and use as tooth powder.
• To get relief from psoriasis and allied skin troubles, powder a few almonds, boil and apply on affected areas and let it remain overnight.
• To improve skin complexion, mix equal quantities of almond oil and honey and apply to face. To protect from sunburn, apply the paste of almonds and milk cream along with coconut oil on exposed skin.
• In the case of insomnia, grind blanched almonds (8-10) along with khuskhus grass powder (1 teaspoon) and milk (half teacup) and smear the paste on palms and soles.
• To get relief from muscle sprains, mix equal parts of almond oil and garlic oil and massage over affected areas.

 

Other Uses

The almond tree gives off a resin which can be collected in the form of tears. In Ancient Greece these resin tears were burnt as incense to ward off disease and evil spirits. The fine fragrance disinfects, purifies and clarifies.

The almond is probably best known in the form of marzipan, which came originally from the orient and was traditionally made of almonds, sugar and rose water. Baghlaba is the Persian variety additionally flavoured with cardamom and traditionally eaten there during the four-week festivities in celebration of the New Year. 

In 16th century Germany the production of marzipan was the province of the pharmacists whose "confectiones" were only prepared with sugar to make the bitter medicine more pleasant-tasting. Marzipan was also known as "heart sugar".
 

Almond Tree in History

Almonds already grew in the stone age and their cultivation is thought to go back to the Bronze age. The almond is probably the oldest cultivated fruit of the Old World with a success story that continues right up to the present day. In the 17th to 16th century before the birth of Christ the almond tree made its way from its native Asia via Persia to Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt. In the 5th century it then travelled further to Greece and to the Roman Empire.  

Legends about Almond Tree

Ancient Greece in particular is the source of many legends in which the almond tree plays a role. According to one of these legends the almond is said to have developed from a drop of blood of the Greek goddess Kybele, the mother of the gods, who was originally the goddess of the mountains and of fertility in Asia Minor. 

In other accounts the almond tree is said to have developed from the male half of a hermaphroditic being created by Zeus.


There is an almond tree fairy tale from Morocco. In this fairy tale the beautiful princess Hatim had such a kind heart that she took money from her father's coffers and gave it to the poorest of her country. The king had no understanding for his daughter's behaviour, accused her of theft and had her executed. Allah understood Hatim's action and transformed the dead princess into an almond tree which gave the country's people almonds year after year.

Bible Remarks regarding Almond Tree 

Almonds are mentioned six times in the Scriptures and only in the Old Testament. The first reference is in Genesis 43:11 where Jacob, in an apparent attempt to curry favor with the ruler of Egypt, orders his sons to take some of the "best products of the land" including almonds.

 The best-known reference to the almond is Aaron's rod that budded (Numbers 17). This is miraculous because the flowering, budding, and fruiting of the almond in nature are always separated in time. 

Its flowers symbolize the cups that crown the seven branches of the Jewish candelabra (Ex. 25:33-36; 37:19-20). 

In the biblical books, the almond tree is mentioned several times (e.g., Gen. 30:37-39; 43:11; Qo.12.1-5). 

The prophet, Jeremiah, mentions it in a vision: The word of Yahweh was addressed to me asking, "Jeremiah, what to you see?" "I see a branch of the watchful tree," I answered. 

Then Yahweh said, "Well seen! I too watch over My Word to see it fulfilled" (Jer. 1:11-12). In this text there is a word game between the Hebrew words shaqed, a/mond tree, and shoqed, I watch. 

 Also, the image of the almond tree, the first tree to bloom, reminds us of the watchful eye of God, that watches over His word to set it to practice.

The last reference to the almond is in Jeremiah 1:11. "The word of the Lord came to me: 'What do you see, Jeremiah?' 'I see the branch of an almond tree', I replied." The Hebrew word for almond sounds similar to that for watchful. 

Links

http://www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/mag/HolyLnA2.html 
http://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/bible/allbibleplantslist.php 
http://blog.tattvasherbs.com/tag/medicinal-uses-of-almonds/ 
http://www.dr.hauschka.com/en_DE/knowledge-base/medicinal-plant-facts/almond-tree/#5