Medicinal Apple Cider Vinegar

Our beautiful late mother is the woman who led our family away from the dangerous main stream diet and lifestyle and forged a new path of healing via raw foods and medicinal plants. She got her Master Herbalist Certification from Dr. Christopher's School of Natural Medicine and became a voice in our small community through her health food store, Nature's Market, and the Hurricane Valley Times where she contributed dozens of articles on how to heal your body with herbs and plant based foods. Countless lives were influenced by her amazing dedication to natural health and well being and we are so very honored to be apart of her legacy. Once a month we will spotlight an article written by her in the hopes that you too will be influenced by her knowledge, strength, dedication, and humor. So without further ado, we give you the first of many articles written by our beautiful Mother, the late Gina Lindhardt, M.H. 

GINA LINDHARDT, M.H..

MEDICINAL APPLE CIDER VINEGAR- Originally published May 19, 2004

"A splash of protein, a little dash of carbohydrates and lots of vitamins and minerals, essential amino acids and enzymes - that's apple cider vinegar!

Vinegar comes in dozens of kinds of flavors, which are used for cooking, pickling, cleaning and, believe it or not, medicine. Let's take a look at this marvelous liquid and see why people use it as an antibiotic, antiseptic and as a nutritional supplement.

Our word "vinegar" comes from the French word "vinaigre" - VIN for wine and AIGRE for sour; thus vinegar literally means wine that has gone sour. When freshly squeezed organic apple juice has been collected, it is allowed to age, sealed tightly away from the air. Natural sugars are fermented to produce alcohol. This "hard cider" is then allowed to ferment once more while left open to the air. This time, the alcohol changes to acid, creating vinegar. Technically, vinegar can be made from any liquid containing sugar. such as grapes, molasses, berries, beets, and grains among others. Apple juice is one of the oldest fluids used to make vinegar, and, because apple cider vinegar contains the healthy goodness of apples and is the most readily available, it is the one most commonly used for medicinal purposes.

Old- time beliefs about apple cider vinegar have been handed down from parent to child to grandshild over many generations. These remedies have been proven through long-time usage, although not necessarily scientifically proven; but who needs scientific proof when a good-ole-fashioned time proven remedy seems to do the trick for many people and through countless generations?

What are some of the remedies you ask? Here are a few:

ACV (straight or diluted with water) can be used for infections on the skin because it is a great antiseptic (killing germs on contact) and antibiotic (it contains bacteria which is unfriendly to infectious microorganisms). It will help cuts and abrasions heal faster and speed up the process of more serious wounds.

Cool the burning of sunburn by bathing in a tub of lukewarm water to which a cup or two of apple cider vinegar has been added.

Ease the discomfort of a sore and/or dry throat and speed up healing by sipping a syrup made of 1/2 C ACV, 1/2 C water, 1 tsp cayenne pepper and 3 tbsp honey.

Relieve itchy skin by patting on ACV. Dilute, if necessary, 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. This is great used as a rinse for preventing dandruff and for an itchy scalp.

ACV aids digestion because it is very similar to the chemicals found in the stomach.

If taken internally, it can help relieve arthritis stiffness, and will soothe tight aching muscles and stiff joints.

Traditionally, vinegar has been the remedy of choice for treating all sorts of stings and bites from bees, wasps, and other critters. Just soak the affected area in full-strength vinegar immediately after an encounter.

ACV has been used for weight loss because it seems to normalize weight when sipped throughout the day. Dilute a tsp of vinegar to about 8 oz water at least three or more times a day.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) suggests using a mixture of vinegar and alcohol to prevent "swimmers ear." Dilute vinegar half and half with alcohol (or water) and rinse out the ears after each swim. This will help prevent both bacterial and fungus growths.

Commercially processed vinegars can be purchased but are not the same as natural organic vinegars. Good ACV is aged in wood barrels, not plastic or metal ones. Check for sediment at the bottom; if there isn't any, then the pectin and apple residues have been filtered out. Vinegar in its natural state is alive with enzymes, which are destroyed in processed and pasteurized vinegars. ACV should not be pasteurizedd, so it can still contain a host of healthy enzymes. It will be packed with amino acids, vitamins and minerals. This kinds of vinegar will be full-flavored and have a strong apple aroma.

BON APPETIT!

And remember, it is your body, so stay healthy!"