First, let's think about vinegar options.
We're not going to include white vinegar in this at all. It's just not the same.
When you go to the store to pick out some apple cider vinegar, do you look for the clear, light colored cider vinegar that just sparkles in the bottle and glistens on the shelf? Or do you choose the one that is a bit of a dusty brown color, a little cloudy, and has something that looks like a spiderweb floating around the bottom of the bottom?
I hope you select the second one, and not the sparkling clear one.
That stuff floating in the vinegar is not a spiderweb at all. Instead, it is natural particles of the apples called "mother" and is highly beneficial. The darker coloring indicates that it is organic and unfiltered and in a pure state. So why would stores stock so much MORE of the other stuff if it contains less value? Because its PRETTIER! Who wants to consume something that looks dirty and ugly?
Ok, we've picked out some good cider vinegar (and a great brand is Bragg's), so why are we thinking about drinking this stuff? Here is a list of reasons you can pick from:
- weight loss
- arthritis
- cholesterol
- heartburn
- acid reflux
- hair care
- energy
- warts
- acne
- diabetes
- repels (and kills) ants
- blood pressure
- sunburn
- insect bites
Ok enough listing! I need to save room to talk more about this stuff!
Apple Cider Vinegar is an old-fashioned remedy, but look at how hard Grandma and Grandpa worked every single day, and how long they stayed active even in their old age. They had concoctions of all sorts back then, and they felt good for the most part! They still had stress, even if it came from a different source than our stress does. My grandfather (I called him "Danny") used to drink some little concoction every morning when I was younger. When I was 16 years old, I had an awesome chance to take a trip to Australia, and it wasn't cheap. To help pay for it, I went to stay in south Georgia with my grandparents and to work at Roddenbury's Pickle Plant. I spent a whole summer there surrounded by vinegar smells, and what did "Danny" do every morning? Drank some of that stuff! He mixed some cider vinegar with some honey and added a little warm water and downed it each day. He loved me so much that he wanted me to start my day out right too....so all summer long, he would make me a cup of his morning brew and have me drink it. It was not my favorite my drink, I promise you! But he was right....I did have a better sense of well-being the rest of the day. I worked a very hard shift and started my day at 3am, so it was easy for me to see the difference that little 3 ounces of vinegar and honey water did.
I'm all grown up now and have my own teenagers now. My "Danny" would be proud to know I encourage others to drink his concoction. Try it yourself and see how you feel in a week!
Don't think you have to only consume your cider vinegar. On the contrary! A couple weeks ago, I sustained a pretty nasty sunburn and was struggling to get relief from the intense pain. Someone suggested I try putting cider vinegar on it, since its the ONLY thing I had not tried. Let me just stand up and testify,..... RELIEF!! It took the fire out of that sunburn and it was not heavy like a lot of things can feel. Fabulous, right? Oh and warts,...remember, that was on my list above. Mix a little bit half-and-half with water and soak a wart in it for 20 minutes per day. Vinegar can make a difference in pH and make the atmosphere no longer suitable for a wart to survive in. I also mentioned weight loss. A teaspoon or two a day,...or twice a day..... try it and see if it encourages YOU to burn some fat up.
Of course, this is still just old "home remedies" and no FDA approval backs up any claims. There is no proof that a teaspoon a day in some water will ease arthritis or that a mouthful after meals takes care of heartburn,.... but it doesn't hurt to try it and see if your experiences match mine....and our grandparents'!
