Drinking apple cider vinegar is a healthy habit and I don't think many people are aware of how much benefit it can give their bodies. I buy this one. A few months ago, a reader asked how I drink my apple cider vinegar (ACV) so I thought I'd tell you more about it and how it's helped me in my own health journey.
First I'll tell you why I started drinking ACV. After acupuncture a few months ago, I changed my diet significantly to eat less grains & dairy. More of a paleo-ish diet. Don't get me wrong. I still like my grains. I also started taking a digestive enzyme to help digest my meals. For as long as I can remember, I've suffered severe stomach problems - i.e. extreme bloating, slow digestion, IBS, constipation. You name it. I've probably had it.
When I injured my foot, it wrecked havoc on my already sensitive digestive system. I assume this is because the inflammation in my body became much worse from the injury. It felt like anything I ate I wasn't digesting or it was digesting very slowly.
Something I learned from my holistic doctor is that all healing in the body starts with the gut. If the gut is out of whack, then bacteria and disease can easily filtrate into the body causing inflammation and prevent the body from healing. Long story short, you need a good gut for good health and adding apple cider vinegar to my daily routine has been greatly improved my digestion.
In addition to promoting digestion and a healthy gut, apple cider vinegar has many other amazing health benefits.
Health Benefits of Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar
- Improves Digestion - Drinking ACV increases enzyme production in the gut stimulating digestion and improving digestion. This can reduce bloating, gas and alleviate an upset stomach.
- Balances pH Levels - Aids the body in maintaining alkaline state & keeping you regular. Think constipation & heartburn which can be from drinking too much coffee.
- Maintains Blood Sugar Levels - ACV slows the digestion of starches which helps regulate blood sugar thus avoiding sugar highs & lows. This is important for people with diabetes as well as those trying to lose weight.
- Detoxification - ACV is said to cleanse the liver & flush impurities from the body.
- Weight Loss - Although studies do not support this theory definitively, it's believed that drinking ACV can assist with weight loss by slightly reducing the bodies ability to accumulate fat.
How to Drink Apple Cider Vinegar
- Purchase raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Ugliest is best. Vinegar comes in many grades meaning fewer of its properties have been removed which is better for your health. Many supermarkets contain crystal clear ACV. Buy yours at a health food store and look for raw, organic, unfiltered whenever possible. This is the one I use.
- Drink during each meal. If you're limited to how often you can drink it, be sure to always drink first thing in the morning before breakfast. If you workout in the morning, wait to drink ACV until after your workout. It will cause too much acid in your stomach & may affect your workout.
- Add a few tbsp of ACV to water, tea or club soda to drink. You may consider adding .5-1 tbsp at first until you build up a tolerance for drinking it. Don't worry, you will and that will be a sign that your pH levels are coming into balance as well.
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I've been drinking apple cider vinegar for 6 months with each meal per my doctor's direction. I drink 2-3 8 ounce bottles of ACV diluted in water daily. I usually drink an 1/8 of a water bottle and fill the rest with ACV. Some people can drink ACV straight. I still can't. It's something you need to build a tolerance for. If you've never tried it, I will warn you it will taste awful at first. Over time that awful taste does go away as your body begins to build a tolerance for it.
Since I began drinking ACV, I've experienced so much improvement with my stomach issues. My bloating has reduced significantly, I'm more regular and my digestion feels almost normal. It's been so long that I've had normal digestion that it feels almost surreal. Let's just say I won't be stopping this healthy habit anytime soon.
Want To See More Health Supplements I Recommend & Use? Check out this post!
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I take apple cider vinegar, 2 TBSP in lemon and water 3 times a day, I'm Hypoglycemic and apple cider vinegar got me off my meds and levels my sugars out naturally. Love the stuff.
That's awesome!
This might sound really dumb but I accidentally purchased filtered ACV instead of unfiltered...will this affect my results? hahah thank you!
The filtered ACV is pasteurized and the enzymes are filtered out so you're not going to get the same benefits as you would with filtered.
I cant wait to try this out. Ive been having problems with my gut health for a while and since i saw thus post im excited to try ACV!