25 Ways Apple Cider Vinegar Can Change Your Life

25 Ways Apple Cider Vinegar Can Change Your Life. Graphic – herbshealthhappiness.com. Apples pic – Fir0002/Flagstaffotos (Wikipedia) – lic. under CC 3.0. Vinegar pic © Braggs – via Amazon.com

The use of apple cider vinegar dates back hundreds of years. Because of its potent antibacterial properties, it was (and still is!) a favorite to use for numerous applications including colds & flu, wounds, bruises, and even prophylactic cleansing. Here are 25 amazing ways Apple Cider Vinegar can change your life:

1. Curing Mouth Sores: Mota, et. al. evaluated the antifungal abilities of ACV, using it to kill Candida, a fungus that is responsible for a condition called oral thrush. When you wear dentures or practice poor oral hygiene, you have a higher risk of getting mouth infections or sores. Instead of using a typical commercial mouthwash that is laden with chemicals, try a rinse made with apple cider vinegar! Dilute ACV in half a glass of water and rinse out your mouth after brushing your teeth to dry out those mouth sores. ^[1]

2. Reducing Serum Lipid Levels: A 2014 study on ACV was conducted on several groups of mice, testing the beneficial effects of ACV on serum lipid levels. The mice were on high-cholesterol diets and fed ACV. The study concluded that including ACV in your diet could significantly lower total cholesterol, suggestive of preventative action against heart and metabolic health diseases. ^[2]

3. Protecting Your Liver and Kidneys: The same study that concluded that ACV lowers serum lipid levels also found out that ACV could prevent oxidative stress which damages the liver and kidneys. The protective effect of ACV was seen as the levels of antioxidants and vitamins in the kidney and liver were higher after ACV was included in the mice’s diets. ^[2]
4. Reducing Serum Blood Glucose: ACV’s ability to decrease the levels of triglycerides, HDLs, and LDLs can protect a person from diabetes. This was seen in Shishehbor, et. al.’s study that focused on ACV’s effects on the lipid profile of rats. After feeding the rats with diets with ACV for four weeks, the HbA1c levels of the diabetic rats were significantly decreased. HbA1c is a test that measures plasma glucose levels over a long period of time, which is more accurate for testing for diabetes than testing blood sugar after fasting. The results of the study were conclusive: ACV can help reduce blood glucose levels in the body in the long-run and prevent diabetes. ^[3]

5. Improving Insulin Sensitivity: An older study published in 2004 also solidified ACV’s beneficial effects for diabetics. Johnston, Kim, and Buller studied the effects of ACV on insulin sensitivity after meals. Insulin produced by the pancreas is responsible for promoting glucose uptake by the cells – which is compromised in diabetics. When the cells become less responsive to insulin, too much glucose remains in the blood. After including ACV in their diets, the test subjects had significantly better insulin sensitivity after consuming high-glucose food. ^[4]
6. Relieving a Sore Throat: A warm, apple cider vinegar gargle can potentially help fight the symptoms of a sore throat caused by bacteria. Mix equal parts water and vinegar (depending on your tolerance for the ACV’s acidity and taste) and gargle two to three times a day. The ACV gargle can help reduce inflammation and cause faster alleviation of your sore throat.

7. Fighting Athlete’s Foot: Not only can ACV be used to fight foot odor, but it can also be used to prevent athlete’s foot. Wipe your feet a cloth dampened with ACV and wash after a few minutes. The solution can be diluted or use pure ACV; pure ACV has higher acetic acid concentration and has a higher chance killing the microorganisms responsible for athlete’s foot.

8. Relieving Itchiness and Sunburn: Relieving itchiness is another popular home remedy for ACV. If you’ve got a bug bite, a scratch from poison ivy, or sunburn, ACV is your cure. For small, affected areas, apply apple cider vinegar directly to the area. If you’ve got a problem with sunburn, apple ACV to your bathwater and soak in it for 10 to 15 minutes to ease the pain.

Beauty Benefits

9. Toning the Face: Toners are marketed to even out the skin’s complexion, give the skin a deeper clean, and prevent acne.A popular – and cheap! – method for keeping your face toned and clean is using apple cider vinegar. Beauty gurus all over the internet are endorsing ACV as their go-to alternative to commercial facial toners on the market. Remember to dilute the ACV (half water, half ACV) to prevent damage to the delicate skin of the face. If you start experiencing rashes or skin sensitivity, dilute the ACV further or give your skin a break. This will even out your skin tone and fade blemishes faster.

10. Preventing Body Odor: Similar to ACV’s effects on athlete’s foot, you can also use diluted ACV to prevent body odor. Body odor is caused by bacteria found on the skin, not by sweat, which means you need to target the bacteria in order to fight body odor. Wipe ACV on your underarms before bed and shower the morning after (to remove the smell) to kill the odor-causing bacteria found in the area. You never have to worry about body odor ever again!

11. Teeth Whitening: The critics are divided on this one because prolonged consumption or use of vinegar can damage tooth enamel. However, the benefits of ACV’s bacteria-fighting properties cannot be denied. Gargle a diluted ACV solution occasionally or in moderation and prevent cavities and fight bad breath or halitosis. With proper use, you can even see your teeth whiten due to ACV use.

12. Clearing Out Dandruff: Using an ACV mixture as a hair rinse is an effective way to clear out dandruff. When your scalp flakes, it can be difficult to remove the dandruff with just shampoo and water. The acid content of ACV can reduce product build-up in your hair, which contributes to the formation of dandruff, aside from clearing out the dandruff itself. Spray a diluted ACV mixture into your hair, wrap a towel around your head, and leave it on for as long as an hour before rinsing it out.

13. Fading Bruises: Similar to the way ACV can fade blemishes, ACV can also help fade bruises faster. The potential anti-inflammatory effects of ACV can speed up the healing process of broken blood vessels under the skin (which cause the formation of bruises). If you’ve got any nasty bruises, try gently rubbing the area with apple cider vinegar and watch your bruises fade in a few days.

14. Removing Warts: While the exact science behind the ability of ACV to remove warts is still unknown, its effectiveness is unmetered. Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and apply it nightly to the wart until it is removed. The acidity of the ACV can dry out the wart quicker which could be the reason why it is so effective in wart removal.

15. Aiding Digestion: The antibacterial and antioxidant properties of ACV can help settle your stomach. You can drink a solution of ACV, water, and sugar when you have stomach flu or ache to ease the cramps or pain. You can even store it in the refrigerator as a digestive aid you can take if you’ve eaten something that doesn’t agree with you.

Lifestyle Benefits

16. Detoxifying the Body: Detox diets are all the rage today, with numerous people turning to “detoxifying” to keep the extra weight off and be healthier. Apple cider vinegar is a potent antioxidant that has been proven to clear the body of free radicals and toxins. Include ACV in your drink in the morning and start your detox diet today.

17. Post-exercise Energy Drink: Apple cider vinegar is also rich in nutrients like amino acids which can counteract the effects of lactic acid. Because lactic acid build up happens after exercising, try including ACV in your post-exercise drink to prevent any muscle pain.

Cleaning Benefits:

18. Cleaning Counters: The problem with commercial-grade household cleaners is their inherent danger to humans. Children and pets can ingest them which can cause severe health problems, and in other cases, even simple exposure to a commercial cleaning agent can damage the skin. Apple cider vinegar is not only beneficial to the body, it is also a potent household cleaner. You can use it pure to wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters, followed by a rinse with a damp cloth.

19. Killing Bad Odors: Apple cider vinegar is a great choice for killing bad odors in your home. When you use ACV to clean your counters, you’ll notice that it also keeps them odor free! If you are experiencing any bad smells from your bathroom, kitchen or your pets, try keeping ACV in a dish and placing it that area. It will neutralize any unwanted odors.
20. Tending Your Garden: One of the worst battles to fight if you keep a garden is the weeds. They feed off of the nutrients that would’ve otherwise nurtured your plants and change the composition of the soil in which they grow. If you have problems with pests or weeds, try a spray made with apple cider vinegar, salt, and dish soap. But be careful when you use this ACV spray! It will also kill any plant you use it on so spray with caution.

Cooking Benefits

21. Salad Dressing: The most obvious use for apple cider vinegar is in cooking, primarily in salads. It is a healthier option to regular vinegar. Mix ACV with your preferred oil — such as olive oil – and other ingredients like garlic and mustard, and use it as a dressing for your salad greens.

22. Juice: As previously mentioned, ACV’s numerous nutritional benefits make it an excellent addition to juices as well. Because drinking pure ACV can damage your teeth and throat, the best way to have it is through a juice. It can also add a tangy zest to your water or drink aside from being nutritious.

23. Soups: Despite the sour flavor of ACV, it is a perfect addition to soups. It won’t really taste like vinegar! It will be an interesting taste to add to your run-of-the-mill soups.

24. Baking: Vinegar is used in baking to help improve the fluffiness or baked goods like bread and cakes. You can switch up regular vinegar to ACV in your baking recipe to not only add more airiness to the finished product but also to improve its nutritional content.

25. Sauce: The secret ingredient to the perfect barbeque sauce is apple cider vinegar! Instead of buying commercial barbeque sauces in the supermarket, try making your own from scratch with your own personal blend of flavors. ACV will add that needed kick to your sauce and make it healthier to eat too.