You may have already heard about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar.  Some of its uses include treatment for weight loss, leg cramps and pain, upset stomach, sore throats,  sinus problems, high blood pressure, cholesterol redand fight infection.  While there is insufficient scientific evidence to substantiate all of the claims made about apple cider vinegar, I want to share with you my anecdotal experience with apple cider vinegar (ACV).

ACV is fermented juice from crushed apples. The vinegar contains significant quantities of acetic and citric acid which are used to make medicine. All ACV is not the same, however, containing varying degrees of acetic and citric acid, depending on what else was added. After some research online, I found an organic ACV that has two ingredients: ACV and water.  The water dilutes the acidity level to 5%.  I’m telling you this so you will know under what circumstances I am reporting successful use of ACV.

Someone in my life had an abscess on his face. An abscess is a tender mass full of pus and debris, caused by obstruction of oil or sweat glands, inflammation of hair follicles, or minor breaks of the skin. Abscesses can be painful, so I wanted to help relieve the pain as quickly as possible.  We applied ACV to a cotton ball and applied it to the abscess.  Immediately it started looking better.  After a few days regularly applying the ACV, the abscess was gone and the skin started to heal.

Now I’m trying it on myself.  I have a mysterious bump on my belly.  I showed it to my doc and she prescribed a steroid cream.  After two weeks the cream was helping, but not healing the bump.  I have been using the ACV on it for several days and it is now getting smaller and, I hope, will eventually go away.

Here’s the caveat!  I’m not suggesting that ACV will heal all that ails you.  I am suggesting that minor health issues might be resolved using ACV and that consuming ACV might help you prevent or manage some conditions. If you are thinking about using ACV to manage a condition, please consult your physician.  The acids in the vinegar might interact poorly with medications you are taking.  The next time you have a garden variety boo-boo, like a bug bite, sunburn or other skin irritation, ACV might be a natural solution to the problem.

Andrea Groth Wellbeing Detective

Andrea wants to live in a world where the neighborhoods are walkable, bike lanes are plentiful, and the food is fresh, delicious and readily available.

A 20-year veteran of the health and wellness industry, she started her career in the fitness industry while earning a master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, and then on to the burgeoning field of worksite wellness. Andrea has competed in collegiate level soccer, worked as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, wellness coach, and master trainer, climbed 14ers, and completed cycling centuries and metric centuries. All of these experiences give her the opportunity to view well-being from many different perspectives.
When she’s not helping others to be their healthiest self, you can find her at a farm to table restaurant, down dogging at the yoga studio, or experiencing the Colorado landscape on a bicycle, snowshoes, cross country skis or on foot.