The one food product health practitioners can advise their clients to use.
Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar that has been aged in wooden barrels, is truly a wonder food. Some of the other vinegars contain meta-bisulfite, a preservative that is not required by law to be listed on the label.
A raw, organic vinegar will appear cloudy due to the natural sediment that contains pectin, trace minerals, good bacteria and enzymes. Avoid vinegar in clear glass bottles, as it is vulnerable to the breakdown of vital nutrients and could turn brown. For the best product, look for the raw organic vinegar bottled in colored glass.
I cannot stress too strongly that vinegar is literally a gift from Heaven, with a staggering number of healthful uses. Some of these are:
Regulation of growth – vinegar is particularly rich in potassium, vital in the regulation of growth as it normalizes the body’s acid / alkaline balance, hydrates cells, balances the body’s sodium content and strengthens nerves.
It is antiseptic, anti-fungal and cleanses the digestive tract.
It removes unwanted calcium deposits from joints and blood vessels without disturbing the healthy calcium levels in teeth and bones.
Pectin in unfiltered apple cider vinegar helps maintain healthy bowel and elimination functions.
Use of Vinegar as an Antiseptic
(use only raw apple cider vinegar)
For sore throat: 1/2 cup honey mixed with 1/2 cup vinegar. Take one teaspoon every few hours.
As a mouthwash or to relieve a sore throat: gargle with a glass of warm water to which 1 tablespoon of vinegar has been added.
To arrest food poisoning: drink a glass of water to which vinegar has been added.
To prevent and help heal vaginitis: add a tablespoon of vinegar to a glass of warm water; use as a daily douche.
To maintain urinary tract health: drinking a cup of water to which a teaspoon of vinegar has been added helps maintain the proper acidic levels and prevent infection.
To relieve dandruff: rinse hair from a basin of warm water to which 1/2 cup of vinegar has been added. This also smoothes the hair cuticle and restores luster to the hair shaft.
To treat burns: use directly on the burned surface as it is both antiseptic and antibiotic (it’s won bacteria attacks harmful micro-organisms).
As a deodorant: add 2.5 cups vinegar to bath water. This also helps relieve itchy skin and the sting of sunburn.
Soothing Properties of Vinegar
A cup of vinegar added to a footbath eases tired, aching feet.
A solution of half vinegar / half water sprayed on athlete’s foot fungus is effective. Showers should be disinfected with full strength vinegar. Hosiery should be soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water, then washed as usual.
Cracked and dirty hands (such as those of gardeners or mechanics) can be cleaned and soothed by scrubbing them with cornmeal moistened with vinegar.
Sunburn and chapping can be relieved using an emulsion of 1/4 cup almond oil and 1/4 cup vinegar.
A paste of cornstarch and vinegar will draw the heat and pain out of a boil or inflamed pimple as it dries.
To relieve pain and swelling of sprained or strained muscles, wrap a cloth soaked in vinegar around the affected area and leave it for 10 minutes.
Folk Remedies Using Vinegar
As an ear wash to treat ear infection.
Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water in which you cook beans (dried) to tenderize them, make them more digestible and reduce gas.
Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a vaporizer to ease headache. Breathe the infused air for a few minutes and lie quietly for half an hour.
Alleviate arthritis with a teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of honey mixed in a glass of warm water. Drink this morning and night.
An excellent – and delicious – way to get the daily recommended amount of this wonderful food without the risk of upsetting sensitive stomachs, is to incorporate it into salad dressings. My favorites are:
Sweet Basil and Parsley Vinaigrette
1/2 cup raw, organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 cup water
4 tablespoons mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xantham gum (thickener)
Blend all ingredients except the xantham gum, then add the gum. Shake well. Refrigerate 8 hours. This is great with either or tossed potato salad or drizzled over sliced tomatoes.
Watercress Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw organic apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 cup cold pressed flaxseed oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1 bunch of watercress, finely chopped
Mix all ingredients, except the watercress, until well blended and add the cress last. This dressing is great over slices of hard-boiled eggs and chopped ham.
