Apple Cider Vinegar (other names: cider vinegar, ACV, acetic acid) is an effective natural bacteria-fighting agent that contains many vital minerals and trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon and fluorine that are vital for a healthy body.
Unlike white vinegar, apple cider vinegar is a light yellow-brown color and is often sold unfiltered and unpasteurized with a dark, cloudy sediment called mother of vinegar (consisting mainly of acetic acid bacteria) settled at the bottom of the bottle. Although other types of vinegar — such as white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar and rice wine vinegar — are used mainly in cooking, apple cider vinegar is used primarily for health purposes.
The curative history of vinegar
Vinegar has been used to cure and prevent a variety of ailments throughout history. According to ancient Assyrian tablets, earaches were relieved by treating the patient with vinegar. Later, Hippocrates, considered the father of medicine, treated patients with one of the world’s original recognized medicines: vinegar. That was in 400 B.C. Then, in Biblical times, a variety of infections were treated with vinegar. And, during the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars, vinegar was used as an antiseptic and disinfectant.
The claims to fame of apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a wonderful natural cure for a number of ailments which usually require antibiotics and other medications that have a number of side effects. Research has shown that it can assist in aiding digestion, lowering bad cholesterol, strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugar and it contains anti-oxidants which help ward off certain cancers.
Apple cider vinegar’s other claims to fame include relieving sore throats, slowing the aging process, relieving leg cramps, soothing sunburn, controlling dandruff and itchy scalp, flushing harmful toxins from the system which is thought to aid arthritis and assisting in weight control. Apple Cider Vinegar has also been known to:
* Cure skin conditions such as acne
* Protect against food poisoning
* Fight allergies in both humans and animals
* Prevent muscle fatigue after exercise
* Strengthen the immune system
* Increase stamina
* Increase metabolism which promotes weight loss
* Improve digestion and cure constipation
* Alleviate symptoms of arthritis and gout
* Prevents bladder stones and urinary tract infections
Side effects? How to drink it
There are no major known side effects of Apple Cider Vinegar when used in moderation. However, drinking vinegars, acids or even lemon juices on a regular basis can lead to a deterioration of dental enamel. This can give your teeth a yellowish look and make them more sensitive to heat and cold. To prevent this, the vinegar should always be diluted with water or a pinch of baking soda should be added in order to reduce the acidity level. The best option appears to be consuming the drink through a straw and bypassing the teeth altogether, or taking in the water-vinegar mixture two or three times a day as opposed to through-out the day. It has been found that the drink should be consumed in about a five minute time frame and immediately after the teeth should be brushed if a straw is not used. That way you can prevent the acid from the vinegar from having time to have a negative impact on your teeth.
At the same time, apple cider vinegar can help promote healthy gums if used properly. Using a mouthwash of about one part apple cider vinegar to five parts water will help prevent gum disease. As a precaution however, the teeth should be brushed within 10 minutes or so of having used the mouthwash mixture.
You can also try a mixture of 3 parts vinegar to one part water and mix it with your toothpaste. Brushing with this mixture is an extremely effective way to whiten your teeth. Right after using the vinegar, water, toothpaste mixture, brush your teeth again with “just” toothpaste to remove any cider vinegar residue.
If used properly, apple cider vinegar can have a positive effect on the health of your teeth and gums. The secret is to not let the acid from the vinegar have time to erode the enamel on your teeth.
If Apple Cider Vinegar is so great, why hasn’t your doctor told you about it?
The simple reason might be that medical doctors are more apt to prescribe medicines than natural remedies. Pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of money getting their medicines and pills approved and they certainly wouldn’t want you using the inexpensive, unpatentable alternative of ACV instead of buying their expensive cures and treatments.
Which ACV to buy?
Clear distilled vinegar is easy to find in any food store and is relatively inexpensive. This type of vinegar is great for regular household cleaning chores, but it is not so wonderful for your internal health. Non-distilled vinegars are definitely going to be more expensive and nutritionally potent than the distilled varieties, but isn’t your health worth the price difference? Plus, you are going to have the satisfaction of knowing that you have chosen the right mixture that will work hard to enhance your health.
Most commercial brands (whether white or brown) have been pasteurized, filtered, and refined or distilled in order to make the final product look more attractive to please the consumer. The manufacturers are only giving the consumer what they apparently seem to want. Unfortunately, unbeknown to the average consumer, this extra processing actually destroys much of the natural health restorative properties of the end product.
Look for ACVs that have been cold pressed and made from whole, organically grown apples, with no added chemical preservatives, and in which the ‘mother’ of vinegar liquid has been retained. This ‘mother’ substance, as it is lovingly known, is the gelatinous liqueur that is naturally formed during the final fermentation process. This milky, cloudy, and stringy looking stuff at the bottom of the container is what contains the healthiest part of the mixture. It also lets you know that the important vitamins and minerals, enzymes, and naturally occurring good bacteria have not been compromised due to over processing, filtration, or excessive heating. Braggs is a reputable brand and you can find it in most health food places and in many grocery stores.
Check out www.earthclinic.com for more information on the many uses of ACV and how it has helped others.
Sources:
http://www.shirleymaclaine.com/articles/health/article-281
http://www.homeremediesweb.com/apple_cider_vinegar_health_benefits.php
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/apple-cider-vinegar.shtml
http://www.helium.com/items/810994-using-apple-cider-vinegar-for-keeping-your-teeth-healthy
Tags:
allergies,
antioxidants,
arthritis,
bad cholesterol,
blood sugar,
digestion,
gout,
high blood pressure,
immune system,
sore throat
