{ ACV found here }
Once upon a time, many moons ago, a 15 year old girl worked in a coffee shop. An old man used to come in a few times a day to talk, help out with anything the girl needed, then come back at close to help bring in tables and chairs. He was so nice, and even gave the girl a Cowichan jacket that belonged to his late wife. The man said that his secret was taking a shot of apple cider vinegar each day and after hearing some of it’s benefits the girl went home and poured herself a shot. It was super gross so the girl never drank apple cider vinegar again. The End.
Guess what? That girl was me and I still have the jacket, but one thing has changed. I tried ACV again. Although the man passed many years ago, I can’t hear the words apple cider vinegar without thinking about him. There are so many articles and posts of it’s benefits on the internet, so instead of slamming a shot of this stuff, I decided to experiment with some of it’s popular uses (instead of just salad dressings and a veggie rinse):
Toner: This idea came at the perfect time because I’m running out of an expensive toner and I just don’t feel like spending money on another one. To be honest, I haven’t noticed a huge difference since using the ACV/water mixture this last couple weeks. I think it’s just working normally, as any toner would. The advantage here being that it’s cheap, organic and you know what’s in it. I’ve read you can use it concentrated to kind of “bleach” dark spots from your face. So naturally, my mind wandered the first night I used the toner and I had vivid images of waking up with Michael Jackson’s complexion. I didn’t though! *fill an empty pump bottle with 1 part ACV to 5 parts water*
Hair Rinse: Meh, whatever. I didn’t notice any difference. ACV is supposed to close the cuticle of your hair which makes it shiny, act as a natural detangler and remove buildup from hairsprays, gels and so on. I hardly use hair products but I if I did, I think ACV would be really good for this. One of my friends LOVES using it instead of hair conditioner. *1 part ACV to 1 part water*
As a Drink: I’m not sure about this one, but I like it. I find myself wanting to drink it. It makes me feel like I’m kick starting my metabolism. I’ve even started going for this first thing in the morning instead of coffee. (It hasn’t replaced coffee and it never will). Apparently, it helps your skin from the inside out. There’s a slough of other benefits I’ve listed below that would be impossible to “feel”. Try not to have more than 2 glasses a day. About 30 minutes before meals is best because it stimulates hydrochloric acid which helps your stomach break down foods (especially fat -YES!). *1 tbsp in a tall glass of water; add a bit of stevia or honey if you need to*
Veggie Rinse: Next time you go to the grocery store, look around at all the people molesting the produce with their grody, dirty hands. Fill a third of your kitchen sink with cold water, add a splash of ACV and let your produce soak for a few minutes. If you have time, scrub them with a brush but either way, you’ll kill something you shouldn’t be putting in your mouth.
It’s important to buy organic, unpasteurized, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Read the entire label of the bottle, until you see this super creepy statement:
“With The Mother”
The “mother” of vinegar is basically a ball of living enzymes floating in the vinegar. You want it, trust me.
More Benefits:
- Rich in potassium, a mineral, key for growth, building muscles, transmission of nerve impulses and heart activity. It also helps to prevent brittle teeth, hair loss and runny noses.
- Rich in acetic acid which is said to slow the digestion of starch which can lower the rise in glucose that commonly occurs after meals.
- Rich in ash which gives ACV its alkaline property. This aids your body in maintaining proper pH levels for a healthy alkaline state. It’s especially important if you drink a lot of coffee or wine. <—- Ahem?
- It can help regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.
- Rich in malic acid which makes ACV anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
- May help improve bowel irregularity and helps to remove toxins from the body at a faster rate.
- It can help clear up skin conditions and blemishes.
- ACV helps with weight loss by breaking down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them.
- A few lab studies have found that ACV may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth.
Try these and let me know what you think!