Apple cider vinegar as a home remedy

What is apple cider vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is healthy: due to the fermentation process in which it is created, in addition to many nutrients in apples, it also contains numerous other valuable vitamins, minerals, trace elements and enzymes. The most important ingredients include:

• Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and E.
• Beta-carotene (precursor of vitamin A)
• Folic acid (vitamin B9)
• potassium
• magnesium
• iron
• sodium
• Calcium
• phosphate
• fluorine
• iodine
• zinc
• copper
• selenium

Apple cider vinegar has a long history as a home remedy. Even the Romans used it, for example, for wound disinfection . In the Middle Ages, this acidic medicine was used to fight the plague – disinfection of washing with apple cider vinegar was supposed to protect healthy people from infection with a deadly pathogen.

Today, naturopaths appreciate fruit vinegar in a wide range of areas as an alternative or accompanying treatment to traditional conventional medical therapies. In addition, apple cider vinegar is a natural product for clean skin and shiny hair.

How does apple cider vinegar work?

Many vitamins, minerals, trace elements and enzymes contained in apple cider vinegar are necessary for the construction and function of our body.

As a result, apple cider vinegar can:

• increase blood flow
• boost metabolism
• strengthen the immune system
• detoxifies (stimulating effect of apple cider vinegar on the liver and kidneys)
• Reduce blood sugar and blood fat
• Fight bacteria in the gut
• promote wound healing
• Prevent calcification
• keeps hair shiny and supple
• improve inflammatory skin
• Relieve itching
• reduce sebum production on the skin
• Inhibit inflammation

How is apple cider vinegar made?

Organic apple cider vinegar is made from the must of whole organic apples to which bacterial cultures are added. They begin the fermentation process during which the alcohol is converted to acetic acid.

Unlike organic apple cider vinegar, conventionally produced apple cider vinegar is made from leftover apples. In addition, vinegar bacteria do not produce vinegar naturally, but it is artificially added to apple cider vinegar.

Organic apple cider vinegar is usually recommended. Thanks to the use of whole apples, the natural fermentation process and the lack of pasteurization for preservation, this apple cider vinegar has more nutrients.

You can also buy apple cider vinegar in the form of tablets or capsules. This can be a good alternative for people with sensitive stomachs. Everyone else should choose the liquid form, because it is much cheaper and works just as well.

Make your own apple cider vinegar

If you want, you can make apple cider vinegar yourself. To do this, you need a large glass jar and a so-called vinegar nut. You can get the vinegar nut by filling the glass bottle halfway with cider and “inoculation” with a little apple cider vinegar. Cover the bottle with a thin cotton cloth, place it in a quiet and warm place and shake daily.

After some time, the mother vinegar is deposited as a jelly, a relatively solid mass on the finished apple cider vinegar. You can use mother vinegar again and again to make apple cider vinegar. Simply enrich the new mass with a little ready-made apple cider vinegar and let it simmer in a glass bottle. After a while, you can take out the apple cider vinegar and fill it into bottles.

How is apple cider vinegar used?

Depending on the desired effect, apple cider vinegar can be applied externally or internally.

External use

Apple cider vinegar for disinfection and against itching

Wounds can be effectively disinfected with undiluted apple cider vinegar. It can also be used to relieve itching (for example from insect bites or healing).

Apple cider vinegar toner

You can also use apple cider vinegar to gently cleanse the face. To do this, make a face tonic from apple cider vinegar: Mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of cold water. Soak a cotton ball or handkerchief with this mixture, and then rub it gently on the skin of the face. Then use common facial care products.

Rinse apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another well-known beauty recipe: it is recommended for hair that gets oily quickly and for dry scalp. Apple cider vinegar is also effective against dandruff. You can use it as a conditioner by rinsing your hair with apple cider vinegar after washing. To do this, add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with a cup of water to an empty shampoo bottle, shake and apply to hair. Leave on for a while, then rinse with clean water.

Apple cider vinegar foot bath

Sweaty feet: Foot bath with apple cider vinegar helps against sweaty feet – apple cider vinegar kills bacteria responsible for odor. Added salt has the effect of binding sweat and should support the effect of acetic acid. To do this, add a cup of apple cider vinegar and half a cup of salt to a liter of warm water. Soak your feet in it for five to ten minutes. Repeat the foot bath at least twice a day.

Sports foot: A foot bath with apple cider vinegar should also help against foot and nail fungus. Alternatively, you can drip vinegar on cotton wool and soak the affected area of skin with it. However, the effect of apple cider vinegar on athletic feet has not yet been scientifically proven.

Internal application

Basically, you can add a drop of apple cider vinegar to all kinds of food and drinks, for example in salad dressings, soups or smoothies.

If you drink apple cider vinegar regularly, the effects are even more intense

Drink apple cider vinegar: dosage

You should always drink apple cider vinegar diluted with water, so that the acid does not irritate the mucous membrane in the digestive tract. For example, mix a cup of cold or lukewarm water with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of honey. You can do without honey, but apple cider vinegar with honey tastes better.

Consuming apple cider vinegar: How often and when?

If you drink apple cider vinegar in the morning before breakfast, it supposedly speeds up your metabolism. But be careful: If you have a sensitive stomach, you should eat something first, and only then drink diluted apple cider vinegar. Of course, you can drink apple cider vinegar in the evening or in between.

Apple cider vinegar mode

Apple cider vinegar has a strong detoxifying and purifying effect. Take diluted apple cider vinegar (see above) daily for a period of several days to a maximum of two weeks.

Solid foods are not allowed during this phase of fasting, but in addition to apple cider vinegar, you should drink plenty of fluids in the form of water, herbal tea or clear soup to avoid dehydration.

Always take a mixture of apple cider vinegar instead of main meals, and also when you feel hungry. If you have a stomach ache or feel unwell in any other way, you should stop the program immediately and consult a doctor.

When apple cider vinegar is used

Whether it is irregular skin, warts or pimples, indigestion, obesity, gingivitis or gout – according to naturopathy, apple cider vinegar can help with many problems.

Apple cider vinegar for skin problems

The pH of apple cider vinegar is very similar to that on human skin. That is why this fruit vinegar is very suitable for skin care. Soothes irritated itchy skin, such as sunburn, and also has an antibacterial effect – this makes it an effective helper for oily, defective skin.

Many people also use the apple cider vinegar for pimples described above. Vinegar disinfects inflamed areas of the skin and ensures that it heals faster. Regular use should also prevent pimples.

First test the effect of apple cider vinegar on the skin

Especially if you have dry skin, test how your skin reacts before using apple cider vinegar. Vinegar can cause skin irritation or a rash. Put a little diluted apple cider vinegar in a crooked hand and watch how your skin reacts.

Nipples

Apple cider vinegar is also recommended for warts. It is believed that the viruses that cause warts cannot develop in the alkaline environment of apple cider vinegar. In addition, apple cider vinegar dries out the nipples, so that unsightly horny structures fall off the skin over time. Age warts can also be treated with apple cider vinegar.

To treat warts, put a little apple cider vinegar on cotton wool and stick it on the wart overnight. Repeat this treatment for a few days. If the wart does not disappear after about a week, you should see a doctor.

You can also remove warts with apple cider vinegar. They are mostly harmless growths on the skin (medical fibroids), almost half of the population has them, often on the hands or feet. Generally, if you apply apple cider vinegar to the fiber several times, it will darken first before it falls off a few days later.

Spider veins or varicose veins

Another field of application of apple cider vinegar is varicose veins or spider veins. Varicose veins are noticeably dilated superficial veins that appear in the entanglements or snakes through the skin. Spider veins are a weaker sub-shape of varicose veins – very thin, blue-red veins that flicker through the skin, especially on the outside of the thighs.

The fact that apple cider vinegar is recommended against spider veins and varicose veins is based on its effect of improving blood circulation. To do this, wash the affected areas (usually the lower legs) with undiluted apple cider vinegar every morning and evening. Do not dry it, but let the vinegar absorb.

Lipoma

Lipoma is generally a harmless accumulation of bump-like fat that can appear on different parts of the body. From a medical point of view, lipomas generally do not require treatment. However, they often bother for cosmetic reasons. Treatment of lipoma with apple cider vinegar should stimulate metabolism and blood circulation and thus accelerate the removal of excess body fat. You should drink one to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of cold water three times a day. This treatment can be continued until the lipoma is significantly reduced or even disappears.

Rosacea and eczema

For those who have rosacea, apple cider vinegar can also be of great help. Skin disease mostly affects the skin of the face, which creates permanent redness and is sometimes inflamed. To treat rosacea with apple cider vinegar, you can apply vinegar inside and out.

For internal use, you can mix one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with one teaspoon of honey twice a week. In addition (or alternatively) you can smear or wash the affected facial skin with diluted apple cider vinegar.

The same recommendations apply to the use of apple cider vinegar eczema . Here, too, a natural remedy can have an anti-inflammatory effect, normalize the pH value of the affected skin and thus improve the complexion.

Bore

And last but not least, apple cider vinegar is said to work against wrinkles. The fruit acid it contains stimulates the pores to shrink. This should prevent and reduce existing wrinkles. Try it – for example with the face tonic described above.

Apple cider vinegar for obesity

Apple cider vinegar is said to contain an appetite suppressant and reduce weight. Naturopaths therefore recommend a diet of apple cider vinegar to facilitate weight loss.

However, the effect of apple cider vinegar on weight loss has not been scientifically proven. Nutritionists emphasize that apple cider vinegar alone is not enough to shed excess weight. Instead, a balanced diet that takes care of calories and regular exercise are essential. In addition, you can try losing weight with apple cider vinegar. To do this, drink a glass of diluted apple cider vinegar before the main meals.

Apple cider vinegar and digestion

Our intestines are colonized by numerous bacteria. Most of them help the intestines and stomach to break down food. However, there are also harmful bacteria that can burden the digestive tract and impair its performance. If there are too many harmful bacteria, digestive problems such as bloating and constipation can occur.

Apple cider vinegar has an antibacterial effect – it can kill harmful intestinal bacteria. In this way, it contributes to a healthy intestinal flora and alleviates typical digestive problems such as bloating or constipation.

Apple cider vinegar works against intestinal fungi , because it supports the development of healthy intestinal flora – in which fungi cannot reproduce.

For a digestive effect, you can use apple cider vinegar internally, as a food supplement, as a drink or as an apple cider vinegar medicine.

Apple cider vinegar for wound healing

Due to its antibacterial effect, apple cider vinegar can be very well used for disinfection of open wounds. To do this, soak a sterile cloth in undiluted apple cider vinegar and apply to the wound.

Apple cider vinegar for gout

Treatment of gout is not done in practice without the supervision of a medical expert. He will give you the right medication and give you advice on proper nutrition and exercise for gout.

Homemade medicine made of apple cider vinegar can be used with these medicines gout . Used internally, it helps to slow down the inflammatory processes in the joints associated with gout.

Apple cider vinegar for dental problems

Inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and inflammation of the teeth (periodontitis) are caused by bacteria in the mouth. Saliva usually fights these bacteria. But sometimes the body does not produce enough of it, for example in old age or when you are taking certain medications.

Regular use of apple cider vinegar mouthwash can help you here. After brushing your teeth, rinse your mouth with diluted apple cider vinegar. Then rinse thoroughly with water to avoid the acid in the apple cider vinegar invading the tooth enamel.

When is apple cider vinegar not recommended?

Medical professionals do not recommend drinking undiluted apple cider vinegar. Its acid can attack the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.

People with gastrointestinal disorders (eg damaged gastric mucosa as in gastritis) should not use apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar should also be avoided if you suffer from fructose intolerance or are allergic to the ingredients contained in apple cider vinegar.

Even with low potassium levels, apple cider vinegar is not recommended because it slows down the body’s absorption of potassium.

Diabetics must be especially careful when handling apple cider vinegar. Because the natural product affects the blood sugar level and can communicate with the prescribed medications for diabetes. Talk to your doctor if you have diabetes and are planning treatment with apple cider vinegar.

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