CIDER VINEGAR FOR BETTER HEALTH

Good morning folks,

Mid way through January and have you stuck to your New Year resolutions?  I cheated this year and didn't bother making any.  Last week saw the start of my 6 week Fitness Pilates course on Wednesday evening at The Riverside.  It went really well and the feedback I've had back has been really great so I think I'll be continuing with these through 2017.  If you'd like to pop onto the next ne, then please get in touch now and register your interest as I may have to add an additional evening if the interest continues to grow.

GET INTO CIDER IN 2017

Traditionally, vinegar is made through a long, slow fermentation process, leaving it rich in bioactive components like acetic acid, gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, caffeic acid, and more, giving it potent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and many other beneficial properties.

Vinegar is not only useful for cooking, it’s useful for health purposes, cleaning, garden care, hygiene, and much more. In fact, a jug of vinegar is easily one of the most economical and versatile remedies around. I recommend keeping it in your home at all times.
There are no official guidelines concerning taking vinegar internally. Some people take one to two teaspoons a day, mixed in a glass of water, before meals or in the morning, and report benefits from doing so. The risk of taking small amounts of vinegar is low, and research suggests it may have some real health benefits.  The murkier the vinegar, the better it is.
• Diabetes
Vinegar is said to be anti-glycemic and has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels. It’s thought that the acetic acid in vinegar may lower blood sugar by preventing the complete digestion of complex carbohydrates, which is accomplished either by accelerating gastric emptying or increasing the uptake of glucose by bodily tissues.
One theory is that vinegar might inactivate some of the digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates into sugar, thus slowing the conversion of complex carbohydrate into sugar from a meal into your bloodstream.
This gives your body more time to pull sugar out of your blood, preventing your sugar levels from spiking.  Quite a bit of research supports the use of vinegar as a diabetic treatment as well.
• Heart Health
One study showed that vinegar could lower cholesterol in laboratory rats, while another study on rats found their blood pressure could be lowered by the acetic acid in vinegar.
Vinegar has also been found to decrease triglyceride levels and VLDL levels (the damaging form of cholesterol) in animal studies.
• Weight Loss
Vinegar may help you lose weight, as it appears to have an anti-obesity effect by increasing the feeling of fullness and so reducing the total amount of food consumed.
For instance, when volunteers consumed a small amount of vinegar along with a high-carb meal (a bagel and juice) they consumed less food for the remainder of the day. The reduction equated to about 200 to 275 calories a day – an amount that would result in a monthly weight loss of up to 1.5 pounds.
• Sinus Congestion
Apple cider vinegar helps to break up and reduce mucus in your body, helping to clear your sinuses. It also has antibacterial properties, making it useful for infections.
• Sore Throat
The antibacterial properties in apple cider vinegar may be useful for sore throats as well. Gargle with a mixture of about one-third cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with warm water as needed.
• Digestion and Acid Reflux
Acid reflux typically results from having too little acid in your stomach. You can easily improve the acid content of your stomach by taking one tablespoon of raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a large glass of water daily. The pectin in apple cider vinegar may also help to soothe intestinal spasms.
• Skin Irritations
Apple cider vinegar works for a variety of skin ailments, from bug bites to poison ivy to sunburn. You can either apply it directly to the irritated area or try soaking in a bath with about one cup of vinegar added.
• Warts
Topical application of apple cider vinegar may help remove warts, likely because of the high levels of acetic acid it contains. You can try soaking a cotton ball in vinegar and applying it to the wart, covered, overnight.
• Energy Boost
Apple cider vinegar contains potassium and enzymes to help banish fatigue. Plus, its amino acids may help prevent the buildup of lactic acid in your body, further preventing fatigue.