Good ol’ Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). Nature’s miracle drink that everyone is raving about. For those living under a rock and unaware of the amazing benefits ACV can give I’ll give a quick rundown. ACV is richer in enzymes versus other vinegar. These enzymes can be read on the packaging as “the mother”. You usually find them in organic or unpasteurized blends chilling at the bottom. Some people think this means the vinegar is past expiration but it actually means the opposite. It’s the “good stuff.” These enzymes, when in your digestive system, sloth off stored fat and disgusting bad-for-you bacteria stuck in your intestines.
Although people have just become aware of Apple Cider Vinegar and it’s flying off the shelves faster than Cardi B can make a hit record .. it’s actually been around for quite some time. Give or take a century or two. Back in the glory times of Greece. Scholars used to spoon ACV down with a little bit of honey to get rid of illnesses like the common cold or use it to cure a cough. Yes this sour, bitter smelling, magic juice can help tremendously with weight loss. However, there are actually a lot of other really important benefits ACV can give you.
- Regulates Blood Sugar
Proven studies have shown it can decrease glucose (sugar) intake by almost 31% after eating carbs. So it’s great for Diabetics and Pre-Diabetics because it will help to use less insulin. Which too much of anything is always bad. - Improves your skin’s health
ACV is high in lactic acid. Lactic Acid is naturally forming and can be found in many acidic or citric foods. Like cheese, yogurt, or sourdough bread. Treating your skin (either using it as a toner or simply drinking it) with it helps to exfoliate dead skin cells as well as kill harmful bacteria on the inside which aids in the development of acne and dark spots. Lactic Acid is also a natural lightening agent to it brightens your skin. Give you a healthy glow. ACV is also a great additive in DIY masks and exfoliants. Mix some lemon juice, ACV, and baking soda for an acne-fighting brightening cleanse. Great for that time of the month when Aunt FLOW comes in town for a visit. - Lowers Cholesterol
Cholesterol is fat in your blood. It makes your blood thick and with time clogs up your heart and veins. Making it harder for your blood to naturally pump through. Studies have also shown a decrease in bad Cholesterol in subjects who ingest ACV regularly. I don’t know about you but I’m trying to have my blood pump through my body free and clear as long as I can so that’s a win for me. - Great household disinfectant and cleanser
Dilute ACV in your countertop spray cleaner (I use Fabuloso™ of course) or mop water to kill germs. Run a 1/4 cup in an empty washing machine to filer our any yucky stuff lingering around. Use 1 tbsp to 8 oz of water for a disinfectant in water filters and garbage disposals. - Phenomenal Hair Rinse
I have curly hair. My daughter has super curly hair. To keep frizz at bay or to even achieve our favorite hairstyles we must use some type of product. Although clarifying shampoos do smell better. I have never come across anything that gets down to the root of my hair clean. It’s just facts. I am definitely not a fan of the smell so during our showers we first place the ACV on our scalp. Pay extra attention to avoid the face and eye area cause ain’t nobody trying to feel them burns. I massage the ACV in just as I do with shampoo. I give it a few minutes to break down whatever product build up or sweat and oil may be there so I wash my face and when I am ready to rinse my face I rinse off both my facial cleanser and my ACV. I then use a shampoo of my choice, massage that in, and let sit for a minute to get that horrid ACV smell out while I soap up the rest of my body. Wash all my soap off. Body and Hair and then proceed to a hair mask while I do any other grooming I may need. I don’t do this every day. I use an ACV rinse weekly. Maximum 2x a week if I know I’ve been heavy on the product.
There are Many ways you can take ACV. You can buy it in pill form (which I have heard taste HORRIBLE and can give upset stomachs) and some brave folks swallow it straight down like liquor and keep it moving. I’ve tried that myself and found to get bad headaches and stomachaches. I was told they would subside after a week, so I continued, but the headaches and stomachaches did as well. So after much reading and research (if you know me personally you know I LOVE me some investigative reporting) I found that ACV is a diuretic. Which means it causes you to lose water. Diuretics like ACV, Send signals to your brain to cause your body to urinate more than usual to get rid of “extra water”. You end up getting dehydrated. Making the average person like myself get bone chilling headaches where I couldn’t function. No pain killer can cure this types of headaches. Your body is in dehydration mode so the headaches are a way of your body telling you to get your act together and drink some water. When consuming ACV you want to make sure you stay hydrated to the max. If you normally drink the recommended 8 cups of water a day (which none of us do) then you want to double it. **Water Hack** for some odd reason, drinking water with a straw helps you drink double the amount. WHY? I have noooo idea. But I’ve tested it and it does. Super weird but also super true.
Another way of to overcome drinking ACV straight is to dilute it into something else. I still continue to take my ACV straight, it’s just straight into a cup of water. TEA to be exact. I am an avid tea drinker. I live for the TeamiBlends™ Teas. So much so, I am now an Ambassador for them 😊. They have so many different blends but I mix my ACV with the blend they have called “Skinny”. It’s a typical Yerba Mate tea blend & we’ll discuss tea blends and ingredients further in another post. But it has an earthy flavor typical with detox teas. I squeeze in some lemon, a spoon of organic wildflower honey, a shots worth of ACV and drink it hot. I do this in the morning time. As the Skinny tea contains caffeine. As well as in the early afternoon after lunch to help with digestion and shed a few unwanted calories. That’s how I ingest ACV and I have yet to get a headache or feel any stomach pain. It may or not be the best way for you. Sometimes you have to test the waters and see what you like. I also try my best (I honestly fail most days) to drink a minimum of 16-32 oz of water. I have a cute little 16 oz Starbucks™ cup with a straw and fill it up throughout the day. I have noticed fewer breakouts, my skin is more even in complexion and most days I can go without my usual BB cream.
So as you can see. Keeping an extra large bottle of good ol’ Apple Cider Vinegar is essential. I usually keep one in my bedroom and one in the Kitchen pantry. ACV not only helps us look and feel better, it’s also very beneficial to living a naturally conscious life. It’s one of Nature’s many gifts and we should enjoy it to our fullest potential.
Enjoy!
Soap, Tea & Mascara 