posted
So yesterday I went to BevMo to get some kirschwasser for a recipe, and while I was there saw a small bottle of Limoncello, the Italian lemon liquor. When I'd gone to Italy a couple of years ago, I never tasted it, so feeling deprived of the experience, I bought it, chilled it, and while watching TV, had a taste.
I didn't have much, definitely not more than an ounce, on top of a lot of crushed ice, and man! I had a huge herx! Very quickly my eyes started drooping and closing up (my classic herx), and then this morning, I just couldn't wake up. When I did wake up, my throat was hoarse, and even now, 3 hrs after getting up, my eyes still feel really heavy.
Now I know this isn't just a reaction to alcohol, because I have allowed myself a glass of wine or other spirit from time to time, and have never had any such kind of reaction.
The degree of herx made me think that it must have been having an effect on cysts or biofilms, or maybe it's just really deadly to Babesia (thus causing the hoarse throat).
Any thoughts? It's made by instilling alcohol with the rinds (not the juice) of Sfusato amalfitano lemons, which apparently have very thick rinds.
Anyway, I'm going to try it again tonight, only when I'm ready to go to bed.
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
So I've been doing some research on compounds found in lemon rind, and it's very interesting. Here's some of what I found:
LEMON OIL
Organically grown lemons are stripped of their skins and the rinds are cold-pressed to extract lemon oil. A kilo of lemon oil is extracted from about three thousand lemon rinds. Some principal chemical compounds found in the lemon rind are the compound limonene, as well as gamma-terpinene, the compound called beta-pinene, the compound called alpha-pinene and the sabinene compound.
The meningococcus bacteria is killed off within fifteen minutes by the vaporized lemon essence, the typhoid bacilli takes just an hour to be eliminated in this treatment, in two hours the Staphylococcus aureus strain can be defeated using the essence, while the Pneumococcus bacterial strain will die off within three hours of use. As little as a 0.2 percent solution made of the lemon oil will result in the elimination of the diphtheria bacterial strain in twenty minutes. This same dilute solution also acts to permanently inactivate the tuberculosis bacterial strain.
The strong anti-septic like properties of the lemon oil is one well researched effect. Lemon also contains classes of compounds that are being investigated for their immune function in the laboratory.
Various types of digestive problems, soreness in the throat, persistent anxiety, blood pressure problems, digestive and different types of respiratory infections may also be beneficially treated using the remedies made from the lemon. The lemon based remedy aids the formation and development of leukocytes in the blood, it helps improve and boost the memory, it actively strengthens nails, and also induces a sense of well being in the person, while having a cleansing effect on the skin. At the same time, anti-depressant effects induced by the lemon oil have also been observed in human trials under clinical test conditions.
The therapeutic grade essential oil of lemon has a great potency, and there are no known virus or bacterial agent which can live in the presence of this oil for any length of time - not a single strain or viral particle capable of resisting this oil has been found to date. Viruses often mutate and develop immunity to any class of antibiotics; however, no virus has been able to breach the potency of the essential oils present in the lemon. Hospitals in Europe and England made extensive use of the lemon oil and it is still diffused these days as well. One very unique blend of the essential oils was placed under clinical trials at Weber State University, in order to gauge the potency of the antimicrobial actions; the results astounded the researchers as the kill rate of the oil was 99.96 percent against common airborne bacterial pathogens.
I think I may be on to something here... It doesn't require a prescription, only that the purchaser be over the age of 21. Be prepared should you try it, however. It packs a really powerful punch.
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Please don't interpret this as a herx, it's the reaction of alcohol on the liver and the brain cells, maybe stress on the kidneys, too.
Although you've had some other kinds of alcohol this may have just clobbered your liver in ways that are more apparent. Please don't confuse the horrible reaction as meaning this is good for you. It could be that your liver is in a much more delicate state than when other alcohol had been previously tried.
Alcohol is not allowed during lyme treatment. Adding to the already toxic load of the body, alcohol can cause severe reactions.
Alcohol also can trigger porphyria reactions and that can cause cell death, especially in liver and brain cells.
Please take care of yourself. Make real lemonade from real lemons and stevia if you are craving lemon. Add in the zest from the rind. Alcohol, even one ounce, can destroy your chances of recovery. It'd be a shame to have that happen.
posted
So are you going to totally discount the effect of lemon essential oils?
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Proper use of a drop of Lemon essential oil is not the same as consuming high content alcohol, loaded with additional simple sugars.
I'm not against enjoying culinary delights and intense flavor - but there are far safer ways to do so. But, it's not just me. One of the most well respected lyme researchers has expressed that alcohol will derail healing. Most LLMDs concur with that.
Also, with lyme comes increased risk for developing diabetes. Alcohol at any time but, especially before bed, is nearly an invitation for that to hurry along. Blood sugar levels can reach dangerous highs and dangerous lows from alcohol.
Please keep yourself from harm. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
OK, I don't have a problem with that. Can someone post on the proper use of lemon essential oil? I don't recall really seeing the topic, specific to lemon oil, and if it really has the antimicrobial qualities stated in the information in the 2nd post, it sounds like it has great potential.
That lemon oil had such powerful antimicrobial effects was not something I was aware of until I had the limocello last night. And if that accidental "discovery" leads me or anyone else to a therapy that helps us get over this infection, then I'll be grateful that I tried it and shared the information with others.
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- The reaction you had last night could be toxicity reaction to alcohol and glucose reactions to the sugar. Those can cancel out any possible healing effects of lemon oil.
Essential oils can burn internally and must be diluted with a carrier oil (or put into a strong gel cap that will not dissolve until far down the intestinal tract. They are usually used in aroma therapy.
I would not rely on lemon oil as a lyme cyst treatment. Without the link to the article above it's hard to know for sure but my guess is they are talking about in vitro (test tube - or maybe in a petri dish), not in vivo (in the body).
We'd need to know how this would travel through the blood stream and into tissues - could it even reach the cysts?
It would take a long time to further study this. I am not aware of any safe method for taking lemon oil internally in a dose that would have much of an effect throughout the body. there may be but I'm just can't put the time in to look.
Smelling the lemon essential oil can be nice and does have an effect, just not as deep and specific as we need.
Already on the market, I'd look instead to oregano oil gel capsules (Gaia Herbs). Do not bite open or serious burns can result in the mouth, throat, etc.
I cannot comment on Oregano's effect on cysts but you can search that out. You can read about Oregano oil's properties at PubMed.
There are also liquid drops with oregano oil in a prepared mixture with a carrier oil to dilute it - and it's to be taken in a good amount of water. That can still burn for those who have tender tissue in the mouth and esophagus, etc. But it can be an effective mouth rinse. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
On a related note, d-Limonene is used to reduce heartburn and reflux.
d-Limonene is the major constituent of several citrus essential oils (orange, lemon and lime), and naturally occurs in citrus juices. d-limonene stimulates both Phase I and Phase II detoxifying enzyme systems.
Carol
Posts: 6949 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Voila ! Thanks so much, Carol. In gel-caps and at such a nice price. Nice to see this.
" . . . d-Limonene is a volatile oil steam-distilled from orange peel. . . ."
"No wheat, no gluten, no soybeans, no dairy, no egg, no fish/shellfish, no peanuts/tree nuts." -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
That odd about the reaction.
There are studies about grapefruit seed extract as a cyst buster.
The limoncello seems like strong stuff for whatever reason. I'd be careful. Going through bad herxes is not always positive.
Lemon oil can be very strong & burn the skin. I think I put a drop or 2 into the bath once & it really burned. It may have been lemongrass...? I don't remember exactly. It's just good to be cautious with concentrated oils & anything that causes an extreme reaction.
I read that citrus pectin may be helpful to absorb toxins. There may be benefits but we have to be careful & not overdo anything.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I appreciate everyone's concern, but what I experienced was a classic herx for me. And hard herxes for me now last less than 24 hours, whereas when I was first diagnosed I couldn't tell what a herx was, because I constantly felt bad.
I have labs drawn regularly and in 5 years of treatment, my liver has been fine. The only issue has been my kidney function, which we believe was damaged a little due to dehydration. I don't drink enough water, and really have to make myself drink more.
I know we're not supposed to have alcohol, but during the course of a year, I've probably had an average of one drink every 2 months at MOST. Moderation in everything.
And remember, limoncello is not straight essential oil. It's been steeped in and well diluted with water, alcohol and <sugar> another no no.
I'm still improving, so I don't think the little amount of alcohol that I've had has been so detrimental to me.
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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