Apple cider vinegar is a lot more than a regular vinegar for your salad dressings. It is a great healing agent and it has shown to be effective in treating a huge number of ailments.
People have written about its amazing benefits regarding both multiple physical ailments and home cleaning.
Apple cider vinegar is inexpensive and powerful multi-purpose cleaner.
It gives water, tea and salad dressings a refreshing boost, not to mention all those health goodies it provides.
Why is apple cider vinegar so great?
It is an equivalent for the french word vin aigre, which means ‘sour wine.’ A Babylonian courtier discovered it first in 5,000 and its first application for medical purposes dates back to that era.
It was a common remedy for dropsy, stomach ache and diabetes. In the 18th century apple cider vinegar was MD’s favorite alternative (1).
Historical records say that even Columbus kept a barrels of apple cider vinegar on his ships. It was his way of preventing scurvy. Medics used it to disinfect wounds and heal soldiers during the Civil War, and even Japanese Samurais drank it to increase their strength and power.
Apple cider vinegar was one of the very few remedies Hippocrates used to treat even 17 health issues (2), ranging from ulcers to fractures.
The vinegar has a rich texture, and it is abundant in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It is also packed with great enzymes that aid in digestion. Believe it or not, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar has 3 calories.
1. Cleaning
Combine apple cider vinegar and 2 parts of water into an excellent natural disinfectant for all surfaces in your home (3). When compared to chemical-laden cleaning products, even natural based, apple cider vinegar is a lot more affordable, and it has a pleasant smell. Add a few drops of thieves oil and you there you have a strong, antibacterial spray for countertop, bathroom, kitchen and carpet deodorizer.
2. Hair rinse
There is a new trend of going all natural, especially when it comes to hair care. Today, women prefer using baking soda to wash their hair, and apple cider vinegar to condition it.
You do not need dozens of aggressive shampoos and conditioners – all you need is this ‘no poo’ (a short form of shampoo) treatment, and watch it do miracles to your hair.
Apple cider vinegar has the ability to balance pH values, and some experts claim that it makes hair shinier and softer. This treatment will also remove any buildups from the conventional products you have been using.
3. Dandruff and thin hair
Apple cider vinegar has powerful enzymes that kill off bacteria responsible for the occurrence of dandruff, hair loss and bottle bacilli. The vinegar stimulates the secretion of natural oils, and thus moisturize your scalp (4).
Apply sufficient amount of apple cider vinegar onto your scalp and leave it on for a few hours. The same treatment applies for itchy scalp and thin hair.
4. Pets
Use the vinegary liquid to repel fleas from your pet. Yes, we know, your pet licks whatever is in its fur, but apple cider vinegar is absolutely safe.
It has pretty much the same effect as in humans, meaning it reestablishes skin’s proper acid mantle and it repels microbes and any other pest.
Add some apple cider vinegar to your pet’s food. In this way you will maintain a healthy pH environment in its gut. Spicing food also prevents allergies, deters parasites, ringworm, ticks, fungus and other microbes.
For instance, a 50lb dog should receive 2 teaspoons of vinegar with its food.
For topical application, combine equal parts of vinegar and water, and keep the solution in a spray bottle. Coat your pet’s fur once a day (5).
5. Skin toner
Skin care products are usually made according to the alkaline pH values, but there are people who have tried everything in this world and it seemed like nothing could help them. Why is the world of cosmetics so helpless when it comes to certain issues? Well, it is because most skin care products affect the acid mantle, or your skin’s protective layer.
Apple cider vinegar is amazing because it has almost the same acidity as your skin, which means it does not harm the acid mantle. It also protects against germs and other bacteria that may contribute to the problem.
Use 1 part of apple cider vinegar and three parts of water, and you already have your own skin toner. However, those with sensitive skin may need to add a bit more water.
Apply the solution onto your skin after you have cleaned it properly, and let your skin absorb it.
6. Detoxification
We live in a world full of toxins, so you may want to do something to protect your health. Introduce healthy dietary habits to maintain your health at optimal level, and we have already discussed over the potential sources of toxins.
Apple cider vinegar contains unique acids that bind to toxins, so the body is able to flush them out more easily.
Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your hot Epsom salt bath. This is a nice kickstart for your lymphatic system and it stimulates the release of toxins (6).
7. Allergies and congestion
Apple cider vinegar not only breaks up mucous, it also provides an amazing anti-histamine effect.
Regardless of whether you suffer from a seasonal, environmental or pet-related allergy, apple cider vinegar will sure relieve all the sneezing, wheezing and any other unpleasant symptom (7).
8. Candida
If you have not been in close contact with candida overgrowth, you are sure lucky. Candida is actually a yeast that thrives inside human body and sometimes it becomes overpopulated, due to an excessive consumption of carbohydrates like sugar, and also alcohol.
Candida overgrowth is commonly followed by poor energy, indigestion, yeast infections, cancer sores, and other unpleasant symptoms.
Candida overgrowth is common in people with improper diet, usually consisting of refined sugar and carbohydrates. Sometimes it takes over when your gut flora is affected by an excessive use of antibiotics and birth control pills.
If you are trying to get rid of candida and stop the uncomfortable symptoms, apple cider vinegar is the real natural alternative.
Lemon water is also an efficient tool when it comes to treating candida.
It enhances digestion and creates a proper pH balance. Eventually, good bacteria thrives again in your guts (8).
Apple cider vinegar has been long used as a topical remedy for foot fungus.
It also works well in destroying mold.
Yeast is actually a fungus, and it makes it easier for apple cider vinegar to keep parasites away. However, there is still no scientific support to the fact that apple cider vinegar can destroy candida.
9. Reduces heart burn and acid reflux
Heart burn is probably one of the most common health issues people complain about. It is more like a symptom of the SAD lifestyle. Wonder what does SAD mean, of course apart from its original meaning? It is a short form for the Standard American Diet lifestyle. If by any chance you are not familiar with the issue, acid reflux occurs only in bodies depleted in hydrochloric acid.
Hydrochloric acid is poorly produced in people with sub optimal gut flora. This means that either they do not have a habit to consume sufficient amounts of cultured and fermented foods, or they have taken any sort of antibiotic that has probably destroyed good bacteria.
Stomach acid is the first defensive mechanism against microbes, but in conditions of insufficiently low stomach pH values, pathogens still manage to thrive around the esophaegal sphincter and paralyze muscles. In this way food tends to relax back up the esophagus (9).
Take a tablespoon of raw and organic apple cider vinegar with your meals to make sure that your stomach acid is properly acidic and manages to destroy dangerous microbes and start of digestion (10).
10. Decrease high cholesterol
A 2006 study showed that apple cider vinegar reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats. The lab animals received the vinegar for 19 days. Of course, there are more studies to be done regarding this issue (11).
Apple cider vinegar has chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant that stops the oxidation of LDL cholesterol particles (12).
11. Antiglycemic effect
There is an abundance of human studies based on the effect vinegar provides on insulin response and blood glucose after meals (13). Everyone should be aware of the importance of insulin and its role in human body.
It is quite essential in the aspect of which human body uses food. It is main role to decrease glucose concentration in blood.
After every meal the body breaks down food into glucose, which later proceeds to the blood stream. The pancreas releases insulin which is supposed to clean sugar away from the blood stream. Part of this glucose goes through the liver. Here it is converted into glycogen, which actually the fuel your muscles use.
Insulin turns glucose remains into fatty acids accumulated like fat cells that can be used as a source of energy. Sugar cravings are quite common, and most of the items we buy contain tons of sugar in them.
Many people develop insulin resistance, meaning that there is so much insulin in the body that the system starts ignoring it. Sugar remains in the blood stream which is absolutely bad to your health.
Eventually, the individual may develop diabetes and go through permanent health damages (14).
Apple cider vinegar suppresses appetite and gives a feeling of satiety. It also reduces glycemic response to starchy carbs (15).
Diabetes is dangerously common, but it is pretty good to know that a simple item like apple cider vinegar can provide a decent and effective treatment.
12. Prevention
Cancer is destructive and devastating disease, and almost all of you have someone that has been diagnosed with such a terrifying disease. Experts have conducted so many studies based on the prevention of cancer, and healthy dietary and lifestyle habits are considered to be the most important.
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid which has shown to have anti-tumor properties, as shown in many cell and animal studies (16). We are on a good way to consider apple cider vinegar as a cure for cancer, and ongoing research will sure take us in that direction.
Foods that prevent cancer are a nice and easy way to prevent cancer, as they have no life-threatening side effects, and it is practically impossible to overdose.
13. Enhances digestion
Raw apple cider vinegar is an amazing digestive tonic, because it is packed with living enzymes that have the ability to break food into its basic components, so it is easier for the body to assimilate it.
As we already said, apple cider vinegar is a great source of acid, which eases the first step of the digestive process. It stirs up digestive juices which is of great assistance further in the digestive process.
Acetic acid improves mineral absorption and helps us get the maximum of the food we eat (17).
14. Prevents muscle fatigue after exercising
Muscle fatigue is a common symptom of mineral and electrolyte insufficiency. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to your water and drink the solution before you hit the gym. In this way you enable the body to store enough electrolytes. In normal conditions, human body has a balanced pH values, so it easy to eliminate the excess lactic acid in your muscles. This has an essential role in the oxygenation during every workout (18).
15. Bad breath
Halitosis is an unpleasant and embarrassing condition that is usually a symptom of a serious problem. But, as you can already guess, apple cider vinegar can be of great help here (19).
Gargle a solution of half a tablespoon of raw vinegar for 30 seconds. Do this twice a day, and some claim that this folk remedy has even helped them whiten their teeth and remove stains.
16. Body odor
Here is the pH issue again. Apple cider vinegar regulates excessive body odor because of its ability to regulate skin’s pH, and this is not the case of commercial deodorants (20).
A simple 10-minute foot soak will help you eliminate foot odor and relieve fungal issues.
Soak a cotton ball in raw apple cider vinegar and use it to wipe your armpits every day.
17. Food preserving
Apple cider vinegar has been used to preserve food since 5,000 BC. People discovered that they can use apple cider vinegar to store food.
It is the same today. Use apple cider vinegar to save your favorite food when it is in season. In this way you can eat organic produce throughout the whole year.
Apple cider vinegar is a far better substitute for white vinegar, as it gives a better taste and a plethora of health benefits (21).
18. Weight loss
Weight loss is more like a circle of ups and downs, and this applies especially to your blood sugar. This roller coaster causes cravings for ‘high energy’ food like refined carbs. Of course, this provides a short term boost, but a long term issue.
Apple cider vinegar balances blood sugar, reduces cravings and burns extra calories.
It is a real miracle in the weight loss industry. Today you can find it in pills, but experts believe that real unpasteurized vinegar is always the best choice.
It increases satiety after your meals, meaning it stimulates weight loss. Scientists conducted a study involving obese individuals who were given 15-30ml of vinegar every day for 1-2 weeks. This caused a significant reduction in their weight and serum triglycerides (22).
19. Bladder stones and UTI
Having kidney stones can cause the worse pain ever. Although this ailment seems to be quite severe, you can still prevent it.
Human body tends to form stones when person’s urine is concentrated and quite acidic. Tiny crystals form out of uric acid, calcium oxalate and struvite. They should pass through the urinary tract.
Apple cider vinegar alkalizes urine, and decreases the risk of developing such an ailment, and some experts believe that it breaks down kidney stones (23).
This all makes sense if you take into consideration how potent apple cider vinegar is, especially when it comes to enhancing body’s ability to absorb minerals.
20. pH balance
Dr Theodore Baroody wrote the book ‘Alkalize or Die,’ claiming that apple cider vinegar alkalizes blood and urine. Although it is acidic, apple cider vinegar gets an alkaline structure during the digestive process.
People should eat alkaline foods to stop diseases from occurring. We all know that diseases develop in an acidic body (24).
Sugar, carbs and meat increase body’s acidity. It is interesting how food’s structure changes during digestion, mostly due to the chemical processes. Apple cider vinegar and lemon water are super-alkaline.
21. Potassium
Potassium is the ‘mineral of youth,’ and it maintains soft tissues, keep things flexible and resilient. Potassium deficiency causes many health issues (25, 26).
Dr Alexis Carrel, a Nobel Scientist, managed to keep embryo chicken hearts in great condition for 35 years. He monitored their nutrition, cleansing process and elimination every day.
Chickens usually live for 7 years!
The embryo received apple cider vinegar. The vinegar was supposed to satisfy its daily requirement for potassium. Dr Carrel conducted the study in 1912, and proved that good nutrition and detoxification can sure prolong one’s lifespan.
22. Corns, callouses and warts
Dr Scholl believed that warm 1/3 c apple cider vinegar soak keeps feet healthy. Use a pumice stone after the 20-minute soak.
The soak relieves chronic foot issues and balances pH values. In this way fungi and warts cannot thrive within the skin (27).
If you are dealing with warts, do not use pumice stone, but saturate a cotton ball and apply it onto the affected area. Leave it on overnight.
23. Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
Apple cider vinegar relieves irritation caused by poisonous plants (28). Combine equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water into a healing solution. Keep it in a spray bottle and dump in a few ice cubes.
The cool solution pulls toxins out of the skin, and relieves the pain from a sting.
Conclusion
If you believe that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, you better start believing that the same applies to apple cider vinegar.
There is absolutely no reason for you keep this miracle liquid away from you. Implement the habit of consuming apple cider vinegar into your daily routines and enjoy being healthier.
If you are lucky enough to be free of all the ailments we already mentioned, keep in mind that prevention is always the most efficient treatment.
The application of apple cider vinegar requires more studies to be done, but everything that has been conducted so far is sure promising.
Apple cider vinegar has a huge potential in treating diabetes and increased cholesterol levels. In holistic terms, this vinegar is a miracle whole food that brings benefits to every organ in the body.
Sources and References:http://justnaturallyhealthy.com/
http://www.viralalternativenews.com/
http://rootandsprouts.com/apple-cider-vinegar-23-research-backed-benefits/#sthash.s0j3mwlw.dpuf
[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/
[2] http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/browse-Hippocrates.html
[3], [4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/
[5] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10656352
[6] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20387813
[7] http://www.md-health.com/Health-Benefits-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar.html
[8] http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/1324-what-does-apple-cider-vinegar-not-do.html
[9] http://nutritionreview.org/2013/04/gastric-balance-heartburn-caused-excess-acid/
[10] http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1750-3841.12434/full
[11] http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=923092&fileId=S000711450600119\
[12] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8068036
[13], [14] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16015276
[15] http://chetday.com/efdigest.html
[16] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17827702
[17] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8909697
[18] http://naturalhealthscience.com/article_Natures-Therapies_100621.php
[19] http://www.homeremediesweb.com/bad_breath_home_remedy.php
[20] http://www.beavertonoregon.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1922
[21] http://www.extension.umn.edu/food/food-safety/preserving/pickling/vinegar-for-pickling/
[22] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19661687
[23] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/06/02/apple-cider-vinegar-hype.aspx
[24] http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/9/1/72
[25] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002413.htm
[26] http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1144243
[27] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3274422/
[28] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/
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