Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Uses

Organic apple cider vinegar looks a bit rough around the edges at first glance. Murky brown in color with deposits of sediment on the bottom of its container, the product is unrefined, unpasteurized and close to its raw state. However, its lack of visual appeal masks some potent properties that make this vinegar one of the world’s most widely used home remedies. Always check with a doctor before beginning any regimen of self-treatment.

Basic Skin Care

Licensed holistic skin care specialist Stephanie Tourles, author of “Organic Body Care Recipes,” endorses organic apple cider vinegar as a valuable tool for skin care that can be used by almost everyone except those with extremely dry skin. This form of vinegar contains malic acid and can be diluted with water for use as a nonabrasive, exfoliating astringent. The diluted vinegar mixture soothes scaly, itchy skin and restores the natural pH to skin and scalp, which in the latter case combats dandruff, according to Tourles. You also can use the diluted vinegar as a hair rinse, which is effective in removing the buildup of styling product in the hair. Tourles warns against using vinegar on skin that’s been burned by sun and/or wind or is otherwise sensitive.

Digestion

If you experience heartburn after meals, organic apple cider vinegar may be able to relieve or eliminate your symptoms. Edward F. Group III, a chiropractor, naturopathic physician and founder of the Global Healing Center, recommends drinking a mixture of 1 tbsp. of vinegar in 4 oz. of purified water after meals as a home remedy for heartburn. He points out that this natural remedy avoids some of the harsh chemical additives that are found in commercial heartburn medications. An added bonus of regular treatment with this vinegar remedy is improved bowel regularity, which helps the body rid itself of toxins at a faster rate, says Group. Consult a medical professional to determine if this use of apple cider vinegar is appropriate for you.

Combats Gallstones, Kidney Stones

In “Dr. Earl Mindell’s Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar,” author Mindell, Ph.D., a registered pharmacist and nutritionist, reports that organic vinegar, taken regularly, can help prevent and also dissolve gallstones and kidney stones. Mindell points out that these stones are hardened deposits of calcium, which can be dissolved by the enzymes, malic acid and pectin in organic apple cider vinegar. He passes along a recipe for a “gallstone flush” from naturopath Patricia Bragg, intended for use by those who already have developed gallstones.
In an 8-oz. glass, combine one part virgin olive oil, two parts organic apple juice and 1 tsp. of organic apple cider vinegar. Drink the mixture, and repeat twice more on the first day of treatment. Sleep that night on your right side, pulling your right knee toward the chest; this position will facilitate passage of any stones. Drink the vinegar mixture twice the following day. For the first two days of the flush, eat nothing, drinking only apple juice and the vinegar mixture. On the third day of treatment, eat a raw salad that’s been dressed with olive oil and organic cider vinegar. By the end of the third day, you likely will have passed tiny greenish-brown stones in your bowel movements. Check with your doctor before using this or any other home/herbal remedy.