If you don’t have apple cider vinegar in your medicine chest — or in your health arsenal — it should be there. And you should take a dose daily “to keep the doctor away.”
It is one of nature’s miracle “drugs.” It’s certainly a much better preventative than all the chemical drugs Big Pharma can cook up to poison you with.
How does it work? It is high in acetic acid, which has proven potent biological effects. It is made in a two-step process similar to how alcohol is made. In fact, the word “vinegar” in French means “sour wine.”
In the first step, apples are crushed and exposed to yeast, which ferments the sugars and turns them to alcohol. In the second step, bacteria are added, which turns it into acetic acid. If the vinegar contains the “mother,” it has strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria. Acetic acid is a potent antimicrobial and can help kill pathogens, including bacteria.
What can it do? Here’s a partial list:
- Digestive aid: Take 2 tablespoons in water with 1 teaspoon of honey before meals. It works by increasing the flow of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, thus aiding digestion.
- Treat sinus infections: Add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey to 8 ounces of water. Or, if you can handle the taste, take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar three times a day. It can also be mixed half and half with water and used as steam to inhale. Keep your eyes and mouth closed while over the steam. Organic apple cider vinegar is better.
- Relax restless legs: Mix a potion of apple cider vinegar, honey and water, and you’ll relax and sleep better. It contains potassium, vitamins and minerals to help calm your legs and ease your pain. If you have a problem drinking the mixture, try spraying or rubbing your legs with the undiluted apple cider vinegar instead.
- Helps lower blood sugar: This is essential for diabetics. Studies show vinegar can increase insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar responses during meals.
- Helps with weight loss: A study of mice in Japan indicates that the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar turns on genes that assist your body in breaking down fats. Plus, other research has shown that the acetic acid in vinegar can even play a part in helping maintain healthy blood pressure and blood sugar.
- Helps reduce chance of cardiovascular disease: Studies show it helps lower cholesterol, triglyceride levels and blood pressure.
- Prevents cancer: It kills cancer and shrinks tumors.
If you don’t take a dose of apple cider vinegar daily, why not?
