Tea and Lemon Juice CAN be very BAD for you if...

[Mario]

Sometime around 1982 the Doctor called my brother and I (he was staying in the NYC apartment) and said "come in, sit down, I have something very important to tell you both"

We sat down and listened attentively.

The Doctor then said

"Never, ever, place a piece or lemon juice in your tea if you are drinking it in a white plastic cup."

I asked him if we could do so if drinking out of a ceramic or paper cup, to which he said "that's OK, but not if using a white plastic cup."

Now, he didn't specifically say "styrofoam cup" but, from his explanation, it was clear he was particularly concerned about us using tea and lemon juice in styrofoam cups.

Sometime later that same year, and while at The Pratt Institute, I was purchasing something to eat from the tiny restaurant we had right inside the Architecture department, when another student came back and showed the owner of the establishment what happened to his styrofoam cup which contained hot tea and a lemon wedge. There were both puzzled.

I, of course, thought immediately of what The Doctor had told my brother and I. Still, I've never seen anything like it before in my life: There was a dark brown burn mark, running perpendicularly (top to bottom) on the outside of the cup!

The lemon had evidently reacted with the Tea and whatever chemical reaction took place, literally ate through the styrofoam!

Maybe, by now, this is a well known fact. If not, please be advised of what my brother and I were told by Doctor Dahesh and proceed at your own discretion.

[Sandrine]

Thank you Mario for sharing this important advice!

Would you please tell "us" if there is any other warning pertaining other food ?

Sandrine

[Mario]

Sometime in the summer of 1979, I stayed at the Doctor's house in Beirut. I remember climbing the wooden stairs that lead to the (guest) shower located on the roof (this was an old building...). Access to that stair was through the kitchen where Doctor Dahesh was sitting and Dr. Fareed was commenting about food... or perhaps responding to someone's question or concern about eggs... not sure... not sure... but what I will never forget is Dahesh, saying "Waahad Yaakul Kull Shi" which means "one should eat everything" (which I understood as being "everything in moderation).

I've seen him eat Bic Macs and French Fries... In fact, I've done a couple of burger runs for him and his guests... In particular CHEESEBURGERS. Years later, I saw on the news (TV) a medical study (Harvard?) that showed (oddly enough) that red meat (such as a hamburger) cooked with cheese can be good for the heart/arteries. Of course, the report cautioned about having TOO many cheeseburgers.

He once sent to get a selection of Sardines and he was specific about my getting a variety of cans. I'll never forget (also) when he and I ate Kibbeh for breakfast.

In terms of warnings... Once he cautioned me against storing hard boiled eggs without their shells (yes, even in the refrigerator).

I've HEARD stories about him cautioning against drinking water stored in plastic. Now, that was back in the day when "Spring water" TASTED like plastic. Since then, we've seen the introduction of clear plastic. I cannot confirm the stories however, but it would make sense that any material that we can taste is not one we should be using...

One hot drink I used to prepare for him daily (or often) consisted of pouring hot water in a cup, adding a table spoon of honey, then some lemon juice.

[Johnson]

I've seen him eat Bic Macs and French Fries... In fact, I've done a couple of burger runs for him and his guests... In particular CHEESEBURGERS. Years later, I saw on the news (TV) a medical study (Harvard?) that showed (oddly enough) that red meat (such as a hamburger) cooked with cheese can be good for the heart/arteries. Of course, the report cautioned about having TOO many cheeseburgers.

Yay! And we thought this was going to be difficult!

He once sent to get a selection of Sardines and he was specific about my getting a variety of cans. I'll never forget (also) when he and I ate Kibbeh for breakfast.

And now we know, thanks to homeopathic medicine the importance of fish oils and omega 3s and fatty acids...helping to reduce inflammation throughout the body and helping to regulate cholesteral. The preferred method of ingestion is by eating the body of the fish, not the liver.

One hot drink I used to prepare for him daily (or often) consisted of pouring hot water in a cup, adding a table spoon of honey, then some lemon juice.

Lemon juice for vitamin C... very important for cell regeneration; the synthesis of collagen, a structural component of blood vessels, ligaments, tendons and bone. Vitamin C is now also being shown to help in the bodies metabolism of cholesteral. Honey contains polyphenols, which can act as antioxidants. As a nutritional element, antioxidants prevent oxidative stress to cells throughout the body.

The beauty of what nature can, and wants to do for us. The Qur'an mentions rivers of honey in paradise

[Johnson]

One hot drink I used to prepare for him daily (or often) consisted of pouring hot water in a cup, adding a table spoon of honey, then some lemon juice.

I have been reading about (and have begun using) "Royal Jelly"... it is essentially a high potency 'super honey' that the worker bees prepare especially for the queen bee. It is best prepared and stored when mixed with natural raw honey (3:1 ratio) and be taken in very small doses on an empty stomach (early morning and end of day).

As I deal with various arthritic ailments (I KNEW I should have gotten the extended warranty!!! ) I have been trying to find more natural solutions to augment or hopefully replace the more physically invasive chemical (medicinal) solutions. I firmly believe that nature has ALL the solutions that our bodies need... it also has so many of the things our body DOESN'T need... We need to find the balances that keep our systems in check...less chemicals, less additives, less genetic engineering, less artificial sweeteners... then our health and ailments (our 'medicine' is our naturally pure eating lifestyle) is all we need... as opposed to having to rely upon chemicals (medicines) as the only way to counter the effects upon our bodies that the introduction of these chemicals create.

[Sandrine]

I have been reading about (and have begun using) "Royal Jelly"... it is essentially a high potency 'super honey' that the worker bees prepare especially for the queen bee. It is best prepared and stored when mixed with natural raw honey (3:1 ratio) and be taken in very small doses on an empty stomach (early morning and end of day).

There is also "bee pollen" that can be really powerful ... I personally take a spoon of it each day at breakfast ... I like the taste although some may find it quite "special" !

Those of you who may be interested will easily find more information about this wonderful and natural product ...

"Bee pollen is often referred to as nature's most complete food. Human consumption of bee pollen is praised in the Bible, other religious books, and ancient Chinese and Egyptian texts. It has long been prescribed by traditional health practitioners-including the fathers of Western medicine Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder, and Pythagoras-for its healing properties. Bee pollen rejuvenates your body, stimulates organs and glands, enhances vitality, and brings about a longer life span . Bee pollen's ability to consistently and noticeably increase energy levels makes it a favorite substance among many world class athletes and those interested in sustaining and enhancing quality performance."