Back in the summer of 2012, I was approached by a 34-year-old male who was overweight and had some health issues. At the time, he was planning to propose to his girlfriend which meant a wedding in the near future, so he wanted to get in shape for the big day. Before we go any further, let’s name this person Louis after one of the most famous trumpet players of all time. You’ll understand why in a minute.

Louis started training with me three days a week and in no time, he lost a considerable amount of weight. I recommended a high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate dietary approach which he followed religiously. Part of that plan involved a healthy salad every day for lunch.

After two months of following the plan, Louis was down 24 pounds, his skin had improved, and his energy levels were soaring. He came in for a training session one Monday afternoon. As soon as Louis walked through the door, he passed gas! In fact, he passed gas almost every set that workout. It sounded like a trumpet in an orchestra! Initially, we thought it was the result of a weekend cheat meal, but that wasn’t the case…

Wednesday afternoon rolled around and the symphony was in full force again, just as loud and frequent as it was during Monday’s workout. Keep in mind that since Louis started the new eating plan, his flatulence had gone down significantly to a point where it was almost non-existent. Something was triggering that instrument.

“What are you eating differently?” I asked.

“Nothing, John Paul. I swear!” said Louis. “I’m having the floors stained at my house so I’m at my parent’s place for the week. My mom is making me everything on the plan. I haven’t strayed whatsoever!”

“Did you have a salad for lunch?”

“Yes, I always do.”

“What dressing did your mom use?”

“She put olive oil, some sea salt, and red wine vinegar. The vinegar is homemade; it’s not store-bought.”

“Okay, this is what I want you to do. Tell your mom to use lemon instead of vinegar and let’s see if that makes a difference.”

“Sure, no problem.”

Two days later during our Friday afternoon workout, something interesting happened. I should rephrase that: something interesting did not happen! There was no flatulence. Lots of grunting, but no tooting! I noticed it and Louis noticed it. When he switched back to using lemon instead of vinegar, his stomach felt much better and there was no more gas.

This isn’t an isolated case. I’ve had many people report similar experiences. That’s why I was able to pinpoint the cause so quickly. Females tend to feel bloated and males experience flatulence after having a salad for lunch with vinegar. That doesn’t happen when lemon is used instead.

Although lemons are acidic outside of the body, inside the body they have an alkalizing effect. Other than apple cider vinegar with the mother, most kinds of vinegar are highly acidic outside and inside the body (i.e., they can trigger the creation of even more acid once you digest them) and may contain chemical additives, preservatives, dyes, sugars, thickeners, artificial fragrances, and even lead!

I’m a big fan of lemons. They’re highly nutritious and can offer some serious health benefits. Lemons can help detoxify the body, aid digestion, enhance blood circulation and regulate blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve the immune system.

You must consume the entire lemon though. Most people consume the juice and peel, but not the seeds. That’s a mistake! Lemon seeds have antiseptic properties. They can help prevent and treat various fungal problems and fight against parasites and worms. They can even help battle cancer.

Seeds are potent detoxifying agents. Throwing them away is throwing away nutrition and a natural source of medication. Listen to what the Health Ranger, Mike Adams, says on the topic.

Take-Home Message: Instead of vinegar in your daily salad, add lemon and make sure to include the seeds as well.