Why You Should Be Drinking Vinegar

Sounds wrong, but it's oh so right.

Apple Cider Vinegar that is. This amazing and pungent liquid comes with a large entourage of health benefits and uses. The reason I began drinking it was for heartburn, believe it or not. For a while I was getting bad episodes of heartburn that would make me cough and feel super uncomfortable. Prior to learning how nasty the stuff is, I used to reach for my trusty pink bottle for relief. But I wanted to try something different, that wouldn't be the equivalent of dumping concrete into my gut. After some research and asking around, I found apple cider vinegar (ACV). At first I was very doubtful...because when your whole chest cavity and throat are on fire, the last thing you think could ever help would be stinky, acidic, vinegar.

I read that heartburn relief was just one of the many things ACV could do so I gave it a whirl. When purchasing your ACV you want to make sure and buy raw, organic, and you want it to contain "the mother", which is an almost stringy substance that contains molecules with living nutrients and good bacteria. I myself like to use Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar.

Now, don't do what I did. The first time I attempted to drink my ACV was in plain, cold water. Yick! Then I figured out the right method to the madness: warm water, ACV, and honey! So much better-trust me. Basically I just heat up my water, add 1-2 TBS of ACV, and however much honey I feel necessary that day. Hey don't judge, some days require extra honey, honey. And speaking of honey, that has a host of it's own benefits, just make sure you buy local honey and not store bought. (Did you know that honey is not regulated by the FDA to list ingredients and can contain up to almost half corn syrup? Or that most store bought honey has had all of the pollen removed? So hit up your local farmers market or co-op and buy some local goodness.). I'll even add cinnamon sometimes which also has some awesome health benefits, but more importantly it makes you feel like you're drinking apple pie in a mug.

Some important notes and rituals that I use for my ACV. First off, ACV can be hard on your teeth directly, so I always use a straw and rinse my mouth with plain water after I'm done. I try not to brush my teeth first to better protect them but seriously, toothpaste and ACV? Bleh. HUGE important detail: Do NOT heat your ACV in the microwave. You can heat your water in there, then add it, but don't put the ACV in there. The microwaves can actually kill off some of the good bacteria and cultures and we need those little guys good and healthy so they can work their magic.

Now for the good stuff, the benefits of drinking AVC:
~Regulates your body's pH
~Natural anti-viral, anti-fungal and antibacterial
~Removes toxins from the body
~Aids in regularity
~Helps with weight loss by breaking down fats
~Clears skin
~Regulates blood pressure
~Reduces bad cholesterol
~Relieves sore throats
~Helps with stomach upset
~Relieves heartburn & indigestion
~Controls blood sugar levels
~Reduces inflammation
~Helps to relieve colds & flu

Aside from drinking your ACV, there are also many other uses for it:
~Face toner-apply with cotton ball then rinse
~Relief for rashes, stings, burns, and skin irritations
~Aids with yeast overgrowth-add to warm water for foot soak to cure athlete's foot
~Dilute with water and rinse hair & scalp for cleanser & mega shine
~Use 1 part AVC with 9 parts water to soak produce-helps remove pesticides and bacteria
~Relieves and heals boils-apply to area with cotton ball and hold
~Soothing & toxin busting bath soak-add a few capfuls into your next bath
~Natural deodorant
~Helps to ease varicose veins-add to your lotion and apply to legs daily
~Reduces dark spots-apply to area and leave on overnight
~Clears acne-dilute with water 1 to 3 for starters. Antifungal & antibac properties clear pores

These are only some of the benefits of ACV and the list goes on and on. It's crazy to think that something so simple that you walk past at the grocery store every single week can do so much for your health. I was really skeptical when I first read about it too. And wow, even more skeptical the first time I tried it in cold water! However, once I figured out my favorite way to drink it, I began to like it, even love it. And with how many benefits it provides do you really think it matters if you have to add extra honey? Doubt it. So give it a whirl (I mean seriously, buy a small bottle, what do you have to lose besides a few bucks?). You never know, you may become hooked like me and even if it helps with just one little problem, then it's worth it. Enjoy!