Did you know that vinegar not only has healing properties but also a long and illustrious history dating back as far as 3000 B.C.? Ancient Egyptians kept vinegar in urns; Hippocrates, "the father of medicine," used it to treat patients. It served as a condiment and preservative for the Babylonians, and Julius Caesar's army drank it in a tonic to help maintain health and ward off disease. The Greeks and Romans kept vessels filled with vinegar for healing and flavoring, and in Biblical times it was used as an antiseptic and a healing agent--it is even mentioned in the Bible. Christopher Columbus and his crew brought along barrels of vinegar to prevent scurvy on their trip to discover America, and for centuries the feared Samurai warriors in Japan drank it for strength and power.
But the vinegar most people are familiar with today is a far cry from the substance used by our forefathers for staying healthy and fit. In fact, the situation is similar to that of another kitchen staple--salt. Just as the salt that appears on most dinner tables in America has been so refined and "purified" that it is now a health hazard, the vinegar used today has been refined to where it no longer possesses its health-giving components. The most popular vinegar in supermarkets today is actually a clear, white version created by a food chemist from coal tar!! And because uninformed consumers often buy with their eyes, most purchase this poor imitation of the real thing because it "looks good", even though it has no real nutritional value.
Those consumers do not know what they are missing because real vinegar, that is to say natural (un-distilled), raw, apple cider vinegar (ACV), is one of nature's most perfect foods. In fact, health pioneers Paul and Patricia Bragg made it part of their life's work to re-educate the public about real vinegar's many virtues. One of the main reasons raw, un-pasteurized ACV is so good for you is that it contains cobweb-like substances called "the mother," which can, unfortunately, make the mixture look cloudy and downright unappetizing. Some people might see these "globs of brown stuff" floating at the bottom and even mistakenly think that it is a sign that the vinegar has gone bad, when actually just the opposite is true. The distillation process not only destroys "the mother" and powerful enzymes, but also removes life-giving minerals like potassium, silicon, and trace elements. It also destroys the natural malic and tartaric acids, which are important in fighting body toxins and inhibiting unfriendly bacteria. So distilled vinegars are basically just flavoring agents and nothing more.
Fortunately, because of the Braggs and other natural health practitioners, people are now re-discovering the benefits of all-natural, un-pasteurized vinegar, which are many! This "miracle in a bottle" helps:
o promote youthful skin and a healthy body
o remove artery plaque and body toxins
o fight germs, viruses, bacteria and mold naturally
o retard the aging process in humans, pets and farm animals
o regulate calcium metabolism
o keep blood the right consistency
o regulate menstruation and relieve PMS and UTI
o normalize urine pH, relieving the frequent urge to urinate
o aid digestion and assimilation and balances pH
o relieve sore throats, laryngitis and throat tickles, and cleans out throat and gum toxins
o detox the body so sinus, asthma and flu sufferers breathe easier and more normally
o banish acne and athlete's foot, and soothe burns and sunburns
o treat itchy scalp, baldness, dry hair, dandruff, rashes, and shingles
o fight arthritis and remove crystals and toxins from joints, tissues, and the entire body
o control and normalize body weight
That is quite a list for something so simple and inexpensive! It can also be used as a
mouthwash, to help relieve constipation, improve memory, alleviate "brain fog," and much more.
Many famous people and health practitioners make a habit of drinking a tonic made with 1-2 tsps. ACV and 1-2 tsps. honey in 8 oz. distilled or filtered water, several times a day. Women going through menopause have had great success in dealing with hot flashes by taking the mixture 3 to 4 times a day. Paul Wenner, the creator of Gardenburger, used it as part of his asthma cure, and Gabriel Cousens, MD, author of Conscious Eating and Spiritual Nutrition, has said that "The use of Bragg organic apple cider vinegar is a wonderful health aid, the #1 food I recommend in helping to maintain the body's vital acid-alkaline balance."And for those of you out there interested in shedding some pounds, you will be happy to know that ACV helps with that, as well. Since it naturally supports your body in getting rid of excess fluids, and works to speed up a slow metabolism and curb your appetite, you will have yet one more reason for adding ACV to your daily health regimen.
AND ACV can clean almost anything in your house. Just add liquid castile soap, filtered water, and an essential oil (optional) to some ACV and you have an environmentally-friendly mixture for cleaning floors, the bathroom, kitchen, etc. It can also be used as a fabric softener and in the wash cycle to prevent fabrics from fading. Try vinegar and water as a non-toxic way to clean windows, but be sure to use a micro fabric cloth for wiping instead of newspaper, which contains toxic dyes. Keep your drains unclogged by sprinkling some baking soda down them, followed by ACV. Let the mixture bubble for 15 min., then rinse with hot water.
Baking soda and ACV also make a wonderful spa-like bath for soaking away aches and pains and detoxing the body. It is almost hard to believe that something so simple and inexpensive could have so many benefits and uses! No home should be without it!
For more information about ACV and ways to incorporate it into your daily health routine, check out the book by Paul C. and Patricia Bragg titled Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System.
