Another Multipurpose Elixir Found in Your Kitchen

No, I'm not doing another post on coconut oil. I do LOVE coconut oil and use it for most everything and anything, but some of life's difficulties require the miraculously beautifying and detoxifying powers of apple cider vinegar. Much like coconut oil, ACV has been used for centuries as a catch-all for your home, beauty, weight loss, and healing needs. Because of its diverse repertoire of benefits and properties, Hippocrates (ya know, the father of medicine) often utilized it to treat a wide variety of ailments.

So, how can you incorporate ACV into your daily routine in place of other toxic ingredients?

1) After a long day, make a foot bath with 1/2 cup ACV in warm water. Sit back. Relax. Repeat.

2) After an even longer day, pour 1-2 cups ACV into a warm bath and soak for about 45 minutes with a good book, a playlist, or just some solitary meditation time. This will also help to alkalize your body.

3) Combine 1 cup ACV and warm water in a spray bottle. Spray your entire body with the concoction before entering the shower for soft, supple skin. Wait a few minutes and rinse off in the shower.

4) Put 3 tablespoons ACV in a pot of boiling water and lean face over it. Cover your head with a towel for a few minutes to allow steam to open up your pores and loosen dirt, oil, and impurities from the skin's surface.

5) Employ ACV as a toner by combining 1 part ACV: 2 parts water and pat on your face with a cotton ball. Apply after washing your skin, before moisturizing. A dab left on over night can help reduce the appearance of blemishes. Some report that it is great for combating acne without over-drying.

6) For fabulously shiny hair, grab an old glass bottle and fill it with 1/2 tablespoon of ACV and 1 cup of cold water. Pour/spray this solution all throughout your hair after shampooing, before conditioning, several times a week for best results.

7) If dandruff ails you, apply equal parts ACV and water to your scalp and let sit for 1-2 hours before rinsing thoroughly. Do this once or twice a week for best results.

8) Ladies, if you're worried about what may be lurking in your man's aftershave, then make him an all-nat-u-ral alternative by filling a bottle with equal parts ACV and water. Shake before applying to your sweet man's lovely face (or simply let him do this step on his own).

9) Who doesn't love a glowing white smile? Most people do, but most people also love their coffee and red vino. Dab a little ACV directly onto your teeth, let sit for a few minutes, and rinse with water to effectively remove stains.

10) If you don't like the idea of soaking in ACV, then simply rub it all over your aching muscles for massage-like benefits and a bit of relief for tired, sore muscles.

11) Uh-oh! You forgot to set an alarm for your daily dose of vitamin D and now your skin is red, painful, and itchy! ACV to the rescue! Simply add a cup to bath water and soak for 15 minutes to alleviate a killer sunburn. Not a fan of soaking? Apply a 1:3 mixture of ACV to water all over your sensitive skin areas with a cotton ball, washcloth, etc. You can also sooth a bug bite by using a 1:1 ratio of ACV: water and applying it in the same manner.

12) To improve your weight loss efforts, add 2 tablespoons ACV to 16 ounces of water and sip this elixir throughout the day. After 12 weeks, one study found it to be effective in decreasing bodyweight, abdominal fat, waist circumference and triglycerides.

13) ACV is known for its balancing effects of pH levels in the body. Lower pH levels results in a lack of energy and a higher incidence of infection.

14) In addition to balancing the pH level, ACV fosters an overall detoxification of the body. Research shows that it detoxes the liver via better cardiovascular circulation.

15) With spring time finally upon us, allergies will be lurking in every nook, cranny, and dark corner (ahem, dust anyone?). Combat your typical allergy symptoms by ingesting your daily ACV tonic to reduce mucous and sinus congestion.

16) Candida got you down? Down 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon of ACV in a glass of water before meals or twice daily on an empty stomach. The natural enzymes help rid the body of candida by killing excess yeast. If your symptoms initially worsen, that's actually a good sign. You're simply feeling sick from the excessive die-off going on in your body.

17) We now know that ACV has the ability to balance our pH levels, but this is also great news for heartburn sufferers. Because heartburn is a problem of low acid, ingesting ACV increases the body's ability to breakdown food. Consume 1 teaspoon dissolved in water.

18) Don't forget the pets! A 1:1 ratio will help them to repel fleas when sprayed and rubbed into their skin.

19) Kleen and detoxify your home with an assortment of DIY cleaning products that utilize ACV. Generally, 1/2 cup ACV + 1 cup of water is an effective solution for microwaves, surfaces, windows, glass, and mirrors. Too-da-loo, Windex!

I hope that you will enjoy trying some of these and please, do share any other uses that I may have omitted. Oh, and Bragg's is definitely the one you want to buy as it is certified organic and has "The Mother," which has all kinds of beneficial bacteria settled at the bottom of your bottle. Don't forget to shake first!

Too-da-loo!
--Keely