The miraculous healing properties of apple cider vinegar (ACV) were known the ancient civilizations of Greece, Egypt, and Babylon. Today, more are discovering its wondrous health benefits. This fermented apple condiment is high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium, and serves a number of purposes.
Here are the top seven ways to use apple cider vinegar for health. Remember: for any ingestion of apple cider vinegar or use on the skin, it must first be diluted in water.
Because of the acetic acid component in apple cider vinegar, various studies suggest that it has the potential to lower cholesterol and blood glucose. This is ideal for diabetics. In terms of lowering blood pressure, ACV works by inhibiting the enzymes that cause the constriction of blood vessels and increasing nitric oxide, which relaxes them. The link between blood pressure and cholesterol means that if either’s level decreases, the other follows suit.
Apple cider vinegar is commonly used to treat acid reflux. The treatment is one or two teaspoons daily. Acid reflux comes from an imbalance of acid in the stomach, which the vinegar corrects. Although this seems counterintuitive, reflux occurs because there is not enough acid in the stomach and the acid in ACV gently corrects this.
Indigestion is also due to an overload of alkaline-based foods, usually starches and oils. The acid can cut right through this and prevent indigestion. You should drink at least one teaspoon mixed with honey in warm water. If you drink this mixture thirty minutes before you eat, it will help to stop indigestion in its tracks.
Many people claim that apple cider vinegar helps soothe all kinds of insect bites, including mosquito bites, bed bug bites, and other kinds of itchy, irritating bites. You should soak the affected areas or apply a 50/50 solution of ACV and water to each bite.
Perhaps one of the most popular uses for apple cider vinegar is weight loss. Although it is commonly advertised for this reason, there is no scientific proof that you can lose weight by merely introducing ACV to your diet. However, one study did find that people eating food with ACV felt fuller than those who ate without it. Based on this, one can conclude that ACV can suppress appetites.
Apple cider vinegar is often used to get rid of fungi and excess yeast such as Candida in the body. Any nail fungus on the hands or feet can also be eliminated by ACV. You can dilute 1 cup of ACV in water or make a 25/75 mixture for skin fungus. Be aware that if you take cider vinegar for a yeast infection, it can initially make the symptoms worse. This is called the Herxheimer reaction, which results from the body not coping fast enough with the expulsion of the yeast. To start, you can take one tablespoon in water twice a day before meals.