Now more than ever, it is a time to stay home, stay safe and support immune health—and
citrus fruits are a great way to strengthen the immune system. Hey, everyone, my name is Megan
Roosevelt, and I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist, the founder of Healthy Grocery Girl and
spokesperson for Limoneira’s Take a Healthy Stand campaign. Citrus fruits
contain the antioxidant vitamin C, which plays a crucial role in helping support the immune
system. A vitamin C deficiency can increase the risk of infections; in fact, adding vitamin C to
the diet both protects and helps the body heal and repair. Vitamin C also supports collagen
production and proper collagen production is important for gut health. This is important
because seventy percent of the immune system resides in the gut. In addition, vitamin C helps
iron absorption. About seventy percent of your body’s iron is found in red blood cells called
hemoglobin. Hemoglobin plays an important role in transferring oxygen in your blood from the
lungs to the tissues. As a registered dietitian, I always recommend meeting your nutritional needs
through real, whole foods first, with supplementation as an aid to fill in the gaps. Although our
bodies only need small amounts of vitamins and minerals, they’re vital for our health. However
a Western diet high in processed foods and low in whole foods like fresh produce can result in a
vitamin and mineral deficiency. Nutritional deficiencies can increase our risk of certain diseases.
Limoneira lemons and citrus fruits are incredibly versatile and a great way to support your
immune health and health overall. From adding fresh lemon juice to water, using whole lemons
including the peel and zest in recipes, to using lemons for natural beauty and cleaning solutions,
we have dozens of free recipes, beauty and lifestyle videos on the Limoneira Youtube channel,
sharing how to enjoy more lemons and citrus every day. Lemon juice in its natural state is acidic;
however, once metabolized, it becomes alkaline. Why does this matter? Believers in holistic
health attribute many body ailments to the body’s PH being too low or too acidic. Increasing
your body’s PH is called alkalizing. Drinking lemon juice, usually diluted in a glass of water
or added to a cup of tea, is a simple, healthy way to support a more alkaline, anti-inflammatory
environment within your body. Potential additional benefits include lowering cholesterol, lower
inflammation within the body and increased metabolism and energy. Instead of cleaning with
harmful chemicals, you can use equal parts lemon juice and water to clean most household
items. Be cautious not to clean natural stone or anything brass plated with citrus. Here is a
simple homemade disinfectant recipe which was inspired by our DIY citrus all-purpose cleaner;
however we are using rubbing alcohol in place of vinegar so that this solution disinfects and
kills bacteria and viruses. You will need orange peels from Limoneira oranges, rubbing alcohol
with at least seventy percent alcohol, Castile soap and essential oils. I’m using frankincense. Find
a small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and add the orange peel. Fill to the top with rubbing
alcohol. Add lid and let sit for two weeks. Strain the orange infused alcohol and add twothirds
cup to a spray bottle with one-thirds cup filtered water. Next, add a fourth of a teaspoon
of unscented Castile soap and four to five drops of essential oil. Add on a lid and shake
together. Use on floors, doorknobs, the bathroom or in the kitchen. If you’re keen on natural
solutions to boost immunity, look no further than Limoneira lemons. Lemons contain vitamin C,
zinc and key antioxidants. Lemons also play a vital role in helping the immune system adapt to
new threats and conditions. Thank you so much for watching. Don’t forget to subscribe to the
Limoneira Youtube channel, follow Limoneira on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and look
for sustainably grown Limoneira citrus next time you head to the grocery store. Thanks for
watching and I’ll see you in the next video. Bye.
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