Apple cider vinegar demystified

"A must-have! That's it, the word is out, the verdict is in. Apple cider vinegar is the key element that helps and heals you all year round. Want some examples? In spring, you used it to non-toxically disinfect your house and wash your windows. In summer, it was part of your picnic basket as a salad dressing and mosquito repellent. And this fall, it's back in the family medicine cabinet, ready to solve your sore throats and fight the flu virus with its antiseptic and antibacterial power.

The apple tree family tree

At the very beginning of the experiment, we need an apple tree; its apples are not picked, they ferment over the months and, thanks to the work of Mother Nature, they gorge themselves with alcohol. Today, the factory has replaced the forest, and yeast is added to hasten fermentation.

Visit cider vinegar is the creation of a natural phenomenon due to the oxidation of ethanol to create alcohol, followed by the development of acetic acid (5-8%), tartaric acid and citric acid. This nutritious, invigorating drink is made up of elements that give it its energizing and healing power, namely :

• 95% water, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, trace elements, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and also very rich in antioxidants, enzymes and pectin.

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, left annotations on cider vinegar and its virtues such as re-energizing elixir400 years before Christ. We also find traces of it in French apothecary treatises in 1748 to aid digestion, relieve constipation and treat diabetes. Closer to home, in 1945 in Vermont, Dr. Jarvis discovered its curative properties and designed a cocktail that is still renowned today among sports enthusiasts.

Dr Jarvis' cocktail to replace mineral salts lost through excessive sweating during muscular effort:

• Pour 2 tbsp. cider vinegar into 250 ml mineral water or pure water;
• Add 2 tsp. honey;
• Maximum 3 glasses a day to recover and rehydrate.

Winter ailments

As the season arrives with its share of germs that make us reach for the tissue boxes, apple cider vinegar is a welcome relief. Thanks to its potassium and enzymes, it breaks and chases away fatigue, and with its amino acids blocks the body's lactic acid formation process that usually triggers exhaustion. And as we all know, a lack of rest and sleep often affects the immune system, making us more susceptible to viruses.

In fact, its antibacterial and antiviral effects relieve sinus and respiratory tract infections in cases of flu, colds and sore throats To treat yourself, you can :

• You gargle with 4 teaspoons of cider vinegar diluted in a cup of lukewarm water (repeat 3 times a day). Do not gargle on an empty stomach, as this may cause irritation and heartburn.

• For liquefy mucus and act as an expectorant in the event of coughs and bronchitis :
  • Pour 5 tsp. cider vinegar into a hot thyme infusion;
  • Add 4 tbsp. honey and drink.
• For the migraine :
  • Pour 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar into a bowl of boiling water;
  • Cover head and inhale.

Miscellaneous aches and pains :

• Muscle pain, backache and aches and pains :
  • Pour 2 large glasses of cider vinegar into your bath water;
  • Add a handful of Epsom salt to double the positive, therapeutic effects.

• Insect bites :
  • Apply to skin immediately to stop itching.
• Sunburn :
  • Dilute 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar in your cool-water bath.
• Purify the skin on the face and prevent inflammation from acne due to hormonal imbalance:
  • Cleanse as astringentsince cider vinegar has a pH close to that of the skin (dilute vinegar with a few drops of water).
• Digestive complaints and in case offood poisoning to renew intestinal flora by stimulating digestion and destroying the bacteria responsible for aches and pains:
  • Dilute 2 tsp. cider vinegar in a large cup of hot water;
  • Add 2 tsp. honey;
  • Drink 30 minutes before meals.
• Diarrhea :
  • Pour 1 tsp. cider vinegar into a glass of water;
  • Drink to soothe irritated digestive system.

This list, by no means exhaustive, also includes relief from nausea, helps with the weight loss (you can even buy cider vinegar supplements), reduces blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics, and lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure. It's advisable to consult a health professional before starting a cider vinegar cure.

We've focused on the therapeutic benefits of apple cider vinegar, but we can't hide the fact that it's also useful for making hair shine (rinse your hair with a little vinegar) or shine your hair. mirrors and that, thanks to its virtues, you'll always feel healthier and more beautiful.

A panacea of remedies since time immemorial, let's keep a bottle in the kitchen in spring, in the garden in summer, in the pharmacy in autumn, and in winter stock up for a new year that will be lived fully and healthily.