August 2010 Newsletter

Cucumber is a native plant of India and other tropical regions; it is used as a popular fresh vegetable in a variety of salads and sandwiches and is a mainstay of many of today's lunches. Whether it's cucumber wedges tossed in a garden salad, slices on a sandwich, or used as an appetizer for parties, the cucumber is a nutritious and healthful pick.

Cucumber is an important health food. It provides a very healthy juice beneficial for increasing the flow of urine. For rheumatic conditions, it complements the effects of celery and carrot juice. Its juice is a soothing skin lotion. In fact, it is the best skin lotion. The peel, like lemon peel, is good to be used on the hands most especially after it's been in a strong detergent or in a very hot water.

Wash cucumbers just before using. Unless the skin is waxed, the cucumber doesn't require peeling; for more flavor, score the skin with the tines of a fork before slicing. The seeds become bitter as the cucumber ages, so remove the seeds from larger cucumbers. Add cucumbers to any tossed salad, or combine cucumber slices with thinly sliced red onion, fat-free yogurt, and fresh dill. For a fresh pickle, slice and combine with water, vinegar, and a little salt.

Cucumber has cleaning properties that removes accumulated waste and toxins from our body. It may improve arthritis since it eliminates uric acid.

Cucumber juice is certainly beneficial the treatment of rheumatic conditions. It does not matter too much that the reason for this effect is not clear. What is important is that it helps many sufferers.

Cucumber is also good to reduce heat and inflammation. It is very useful to treat tired eyes and remove the eye bags under your eyes by placing a slice of cucumber over closed eyes. It also helps lung, stomach and chest problems, gout, and tapeworm. Fresh cucumber juice is good to reduce heartburn or sooth stomach acid, also for those suffering from gastritis or ulcer.

If your cucumbers are organic and unwaxed, you can eat them unpeeled. Just wash them thoroughly under running water. Serve them sliced or diced in a salad or by themselves with a vinaigrette, garlic, mint or sesame seeds.You can add a few slices in a sandwich or you can even juice it along with other vegetables. You can cook the cucumber like you would do for a squash: steaming, boiling, braising... but you would lose its vitamins and minerals.

If you want a happy skin, then cucumber is the answer. As cucumber and the skin share the same level of hydrogen, it becomes easier for cucumber to mask all the problem areas. It helps in soothing and softening your skin which can get you relaxed in no time.

With so many useful ingredients in cucumber it can help you in treating so many skin problems. It has become part of daily beauty product into face packs, facials, juice and many other things which can affect your skin. Due to its cooling effect it can be termed as a magic wand for all your skin problems.