Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir Fixer


apple-cider-vinegar-honey


Apple cider vinegar has been gaining in popularity as a remedy for conditions ranging from acne to blood sugar management to weight loss. Google it and you’ll get about 1.8 million hits and learn that vinegar has been a noted remedy throughout the ages. Babylonians used it for food preservation in 5000 B.C.; Hippocrates for wound care in 520 B.C.; and 18th century medical practitioners for skin infections, stomach ailments and diabetes symptoms, according to a report by the National Institutes of Health. Reader’s Digest claims apple cider vinegar rivals tea tree oil in its uses as a natural helper, and that people use it for cancer, heart problems, high cholesterol, leg cramps and cold symptoms — and as an energy booster. But can it really be a cure-all for many of the medical maladies facing wheelchair users? Based on my experience, I say, “Hell yeah!”

New England Folk Medicine

Six years ago I came across the book, Folk Medicine: A New England Almanac of Natural Health Care from a Noted Vermont Country Doctor. Published in 1958 by Dr. D.C. Jarvis, it covers numerous natural remedies, including benefits of apple cider vinegar. Jarvis first observed and cured health problems in domestic farm animals using the vinegar. He eventually began offering it — along with honey for some cases — to his Vermont patients, noting positive results as a remedy for colds, allergies, diabetes, arthritis and digestion symptoms, to name only a few.

I’ve used it topically for years to stop a recurring skin yeast infection under my weakened right arm that dermatologist-prescribed oral and topical drugs would not help. I recently re-read the book and found the answer to combating a daily problem I have with phlegm and secretions caused by my bi-pap machine during sleep.  My daily morning elixir of 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and ½ cup water also reduced arthritis pain in my joints and eliminated irritable bowel syndrome symptoms, including my morning burp fest.

I can’t tell you which of the results I’m most thrilled about. Daily phlegm prevented me from holding a conversation. Several doctors I asked for help — including a pulmonologist, allergist, two ear, nose and throat specialists, even my dentist — shrugged their shoulders — though one ENT was sharpening his knives to cut into my sinuses.

Humidity I breathe during the night via my bi-pap causes the phlegm, but weakness from my facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy prevents me from coughing anything up, so all day long I’m constantly trying to clear my throat and hack up the … I’ll stop there, it’s not pretty.

As for IBS symptoms, I quickly realized that I hadn’t had any problems — digestive or eliminative — since beginning my morning elixir. I can now eat without worrying if I’ll make it to the bathroom in time or have my bi-monthly non-elimination round.

Balancing Act of Minerals

So, why does apple cider vinegar work? First, it helps your body absorb nutrients from foods. Jarvis found that the natural acid in apple cider vinegar (and grape, apple or cranberry juices) contains potassium that floods your blood and frees your blood vessels from calcium deposits. Potassium, also the mineral necessary for “proper performance by the nervous system,” is responsible for drawing fluid into cells, which hold 50 percent of our body fluid. Jarvis explains that because our body composition is partly mineral, it is important that we keep potassium-sodium in balance. In so doing, we can eliminate many health conditions and be energized every day.

I have read that you can use apple cider vinegar to clean your teeth and that it can damage tooth enamel. Therefore, I drink my elixir with a straw to be safe. You can also make a salad dressing from apple cider vinegar and oil to get your daily intake. Keep in mind, it’s vinegar and is harsh when swallowing. Luckily, it makes no difference if you dilute it, you’ll still get the much-needed mineral it provides.

It is suggested that you use unfiltered, raw, unpasteurized or organic apple cider vinegar, which contains the mother of the vinegar, a harmless, good-bacteria residue. One pint of apple cider vinegar using my recipe lasts me two weeks. Though no side effects have been noted, it’s best to start out slow and use in moderation.


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