Vinegar, available in a dizzying array of varieties, has some impressive medicinal properties, many of which have been utilized in home remedies for centuries. Perhaps best known as a condiment or food preservative, vinegar is “a sour-tasting liquid produced usually by oxidation of the alcohol in wine or cider,” according to Princeton University’s WordNet website. Although apple cider vinegar is probably recommended most widely, other varieties can be useful as well. Consult your doctor before beginning any regimen of self-treatment.
Multipurpose Health Tonic
Paul Chappuis Bragg, author of “Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System,” suggests that you take apple cider vinegar mixed with a little water as a daily tonic to promote overall health and target a number of specific ailments. To make this tonic a bit more palatable, add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of water that already contains a teaspoon of vinegar. At the very least, he argues, such a tonic is “just like taking a natural, pure multivitamin ‘pill’ in liquid form that ... supplants deficiencies in the processed, refined foods we eat every day.”
As to specific ailments for which vinegar can be helpful, Bragg identifies several. His daily vinegar tonic, Bragg suggests, can provide relief from the pain of osteoarthritis and also slow the progression of the disease. The tonic can be particularly helpful for asthmatics when combined with an acupressure technique that involves holding cotton pads that have been soaked in vinegar to the inside of the patient’s wrists. Although it may seem somewhat fanciful to suggest vinegar might have some anticarcinogenic properties, Bragg points out that it’s rich in beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that attacks and disables free radicals, which have been implicated in the processes that contribute to cancer. Before beginning supplementation with apple cider vinegar or any other natural substance, consult a medical professional to find if such a therapy is appropriate for you.
Aid to Weight Loss
In “The Healing Powers of Vinegar,” author Cal Orey offers advice from certified nutrition specialist Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., about the use of vinegar as part of a weight-loss regimen. Gittleman contends that vinegar--especially apple cider vinegar--helps the body to burn more fat by keeping levels of potassium and sodium in healthy balance. Because vinegar itself is high in potassium, which suppresses appetite naturally, drinking a couple of ounces of the sour stuff daily--straight or diluted with water--will ensure that you feel less hungry, as well as less bloated. Consult your doctor before beginning any type of self-treatment with vinegar.
Helps Ease Digestive Problems
Carol Angle, author of “Journey to a Healthier You: 12 Steps to Show the Way,” contends that taking one or two tablespoonfuls of apple cider vinegar daily helps to keep the body’s digestive system in good working order. You can opt to drink the vinegar straight or dilute it with apple juice or water and even sweeten it a bit with a small amount of honey. For those suffering from gallstones or other gall bladder problems, Angle suggests taking two tablespoons of vinegar diluted in water after every meal and snack until the gallstones are dissolved or related gall bladder problems have been resolved. Check with a medical professional before treating yourself with vinegar or any other natural remedy.
References
- WordNet: Vinegar
- “Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System,” 53rd Edition; Paul Chappuis Bragg; 2003.
- “The Healing Powers of Vinegar: A Complete Guide to Nature’s Most Remarkable Remedy”; Cal Orey; 2002.
- “Journey to a Healthier You: 12 Steps to Show the Way”; Carol Angle; 2003.
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