Apple Cider Vinegar: An Ancient and Modern Remedy

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is one of the oldest folk remedies known to man. Its benefits range from alleviating cold symptoms, soothing intestinal disturbances and controlling blood sugar, to curing a nasty case of the hiccups!

It is said that Columbus traveled with several barrels of apple cider vinegar on his ships because it was believed that the acid (rather than Vitamin C) could prevent scurvy. Hippocrates (known as the father of medicine) prescribed ACV mixed with honey for a number of ailments including coughs, colds and ulcers.

Made from fermented apples, the goodness in apple cider vinegar comes from the enzymes and gut friendly bacteria contained in what is known as the “mother.”  The “mother” is the cloudy formation of strings that you see at the bottom of a bottle of raw, organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized ACV. Although this murky looking sediment floating around the bottom of the bottle may have the appearance of vinegar gone bad, the opposite is actually true! It is this sediment that gives ACV its many health benefits!

Despite being an acid (all vinegars are acidic), apple cider vinegar actually has an alkaline affect on the human body. In an age when most people’s pH balance is too acidic, consuming apple cider vinegar helps to create a more balanced, or slightly alkaline pH level, which has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer. Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment, and cannot survive in an alkaline environment.

The acetic acid contained in apple cider vinegar may help to control blood sugar levels. Drinking apple cider vinegar before a meal can reduce hunger, leading to less overeating and natural weight loss.

The malic acid content gives rise to ACV’s antibacterial and antiviral properties and may help to stave off common colds and coughs.

Did you know that apple cider vinegar also makes a great skin tonic? Applied topically to the skin, ACV can help control acne and other dermatologic conditions.

And when it comes to those annoying  and sometimes embarrassing cases of the hiccups, many people claim that drinking a tablespoon of ACV stirred into a small glass of warm water is an instant cure!

Get your daily dose…

The easiest way to reap the many benefits of apple cider vinegar is to add a tablespoonful to a cup of warm water and drink it! This can be an extremely healthy addition to your daily regime.

Want to increase the health benefits?

Try adding some honey and/or lemons to your drink.  Honey is one of nature’s most powerful antibacterial agents, while lemons contain a phytochemical known as limonene which has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Apple cider vinegar can also be used as a salad dressing. Drizzling a few spoonfuls over a green salad adds a zingy pep! It may also increase your body’s ability to absorb the nutrients contained in the leafy greens!

Susan Hartman

Susan is a lawyer, Pilates instructor and passionate advocate of natural wellness. In 2006 she began exploring various nutritional and movement therapies, meditation and other alternative means of healing in an attempt to naturally relieve hormonal imbalances, eczema and back and joint pain. After much research and trial and error, she found a personal regimen that not only alleviated her symptoms, but that also left her with a new found sense of overall health and wellness. During this period of exploration, she was introduced to Pilates and was surprised by how quickly she began to feel and see positive results in her body. She loves how Pilates emphasizes body awareness and the connection of breath to movement, and she believes it can bring about lifelong health benefits including stress relief and improved strength, flexibility, balance and coordination.

Today Susan strives to promote the importance of regular exercise, a clean whole foods diet, compassion for self and others, and a curious attitude, all as a means to maintaining vitality and living a balanced and centered life. When she is not practicing law or teaching Pilates, she can be found hiking or biking in the woods, soaking up the sun atop her paddleboard, engaged in a yoga or group fitness class, or immersed in a book or classic movie.