Some praise it and some the opposite; I love it, so I want to share my 5 tips on using Apple cider vinegar (ACV). It has so many different uses; as a health booster, for skin care, cooking and cleaning . Try google “How to use ACV” and you will be surprised with all the different uses and benefits.
History of ACV
The history of vinegar can be dated back several thousand years. Approx. 5000 BC vinegar was produced from the date palm. It was used in cooking and as a preservative. Vinegar was also used as a mordant. There are e.g. found remains of vinegar in ancient Egyptian urns.
Roman soldiers, including Julius Caesar, drank ACV with spices, as a stimulating and fortifying drink. Hippocrates prescribed ACV as an antiseptic colds and coughs 400 BC. He also mixed it with honey for general health. You can read the full story of ACV here
For centuries ACV has been used as a health-promoting agent, because of its high levels of vitamin B and C , as well as polyphenols, antioxidants and acetic acid, which increase the absorption of minerals from the foods we eat, and slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar.
What is ACV
Raw organic ACV is made from sweet autumn apple varieties.
These apples go through a double fermentation process, which produces enzymes and creates many of the vinegar’s health-promoting properties. When the sugar in the apples breaks down, the first fermentation produces what we know as hard cider or alcoholic cider. The second fermentation produces apple cider vinegar as we know it today.
Organic ACV is unpasteurized and contains what is known as “the Mother”, which makes the vinegar appear somewhat cloudy. The “mother” vinegar is created when acetic acid bacteria and a natural cellulose develop during the fermentation process. The “mother” vinegar contains health-promoting properties such as live nutrients and friendly bacteria.
Most vinegar manufacturers today pasteurize the vinegar to get rid of the “Mother” of the vinegar. These types of vinegar do not have the same health-promoting properties as the ACV with the Mother. I prefer the one from Bragg’s.
5 Health Tips Using ACV
The benefits of using ACV as a health-promoting agent are many.
It is known to help reduce blood sugar, aid weight loss, reduce inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. You can also use it topical for your skin, for detox and for balancing your pH level.
Here is some my favorite uses for ACV.
Respiratory Problems
When I had COVID-19 in the fall of 2020, it affected my airways. I was short of breath and was coughing.
To get Releif I did deep breathing (as well as I could), and did high dosis of Echinacea drops, Vitamin C to alleviate the inflammation, as well as as inhaled peppermint essential oil.
A few years ago I learned from a doctor in California how to use ACV for the respiratory inflammation. Whether it’s wheezing, asthma, bronchitis, COVID-19 side effects, or general coughing, raw ACV can give you Releif.
After using the tip below 2 X daily for a few days, by airways cleared up, and I haven’t had any problems since.
Take 1/4 tsp. ACV and swish it around your entire mouth.
Before swallowing, open your mouth slightly and take a deep breath, so the fumes gets all the way down in your lungs.
By doing this you open up the small capillaries in your lungs, which helps you get more oxygen to your lungs. This helps excrete the inflammation. You will definitely cough when you do this, but you will quickly feel an improvement.
Leg Cramps
Leg cramps is often caused by magnesium and potassium deficiency.
Both potassium and magnesium are minerals – electrolytes – which helps with the pH balance in your body.
Deficiency of these two important minerals be caused by many things, but mainly because we do not get enough in our food. A good source to get both, is to drink ACV daily. It helps you to restore your pH balance and electrolytes.
Mix 2 tbsp. ACV in a glass of water (8 oz) 3 times daily to prevent or relieve cramps.
You can use hot or cold water, and you can add a little honey to help with the taste.
Gout and arthritis
Gout is a very painful condition caused by a build-up of uric acid in your blood.
Most often, you will be affected by this build up in the joints of your big toe or ankle.
This condition causes a sudden swelling, pain, redness and stiffness and often comes on during the night. It may take several weeks for the pain to disappear.
Uric acid gout and most types of arthritis are caused by too much acid in your body. This acid forms small crystals which settle in the joints and causes inflammation.
Acidic foods with a high purine content, such as red meat, deep-fried food, improper use of vegetable oil, sugary foods, coffee and alcohol all contributes to a high level of acid.
ACV is alkaline and helps balance out the pH in your blood, as well as remove uric acid build-up. This will relieve pain and swelling associated with gout.
Mix 2 tbsp. ACV in a glass of water (8 oz) 3 times daily.
You can also make a foot soak with 1 cup of ACV, 1/2 cup of Epson salt and enough water (as warm as possible) to cover your feet. Repeat this 2 times daily until the pain and swelling disappear.
Hot Flashes
When we have a healthy and balanced hormonal system (which is extremely rare), menopause will also be a natural process without the major inconveniences.
Hormonal imbalances are usually to blame when it comes to hot flashes. For most women, menopause equals extreme sweat production, which can interrupt sleep, cause great discomfort and irritation.
This imbalance is often due to stress, poor diet, medications, hormone spirals etc.
Food like dairy products, processed meat, flour and sugar contributes to intensifying hot flashes. Stick to fresh organic food with lots of fruit and vegetables, as well as healthy fats from, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts and fish.
To reduce the discomfort of hot flashes, mix 2 tbsp. ACV in a glass of water (8 oz) and drink the mixture 2 X daily, morning and evening.
pH balance
Most people have way to much acid. This means your body have minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium from your bones and organs to neutralize and dispose the acid.
This puts an incredible amount of strain on your body and can unfortunately go unnoticed for years.
Over time, you will start to feel various imbalances such as headaches, fatigue, infections, dry skin, hormonal imbalances, arthritis symptoms, the list is long! Unfortunately these symptoms are not linked to an acidic overload.
Therefore, it is important to cut down on the acid and fill up on the alkaline.
In addition to eating an alkaline diet that emphasizes fresh organic vegetables as well as some fruit and berries, ACV can help restore a correct pH level between 7.35 and 7.45.
To balance your pH level, mix 2 tbsp. ACV in a glass of water (8 oz) and drink the mixture 3 x daily before meals.
Balanced Diet
I can not emphasize enough how much a balanced diet means to your health. Luckily it is not as complicated as you might think to add more alkaline foods to your meals. This means more vegetables, fruit and berries, good quality meat and fat (Omegas), the right carbohydrates and a lot of water. It also means less sugar-, gluten-, dairy products as well as red meat, alcohol and processed food.
Learn more about a balanced diet here.
