Apple Cider To Keep The Doctor Away, And The Vet!

Recently, we've had reason to try an old remedy for a couple of common ailments, one being the common cold and the other being a bladder infection. Now before you start telling me that a bladder infection is nothing to mess with, let me agree with you and tell you the whole story.
First the common cold. We've all had it, we'll probably all get it again. It sucks. But, I'm here to offer you inexpensive relief. Because we here in our small apartment do not drive, any trip to the drugstore involves buses. Sometimes 2 one way, totally four and time away from home. I'm a homebody, I don't often want to go out, so if I can avoid a trip out, I'll do it. On top of that, we all know how expensive cold relief can be. The last time I had a cold, I had to work, I had no choice. So I had to suck it up, medicate and move on. Except my go-to cold relief wasn't working. WTH? When I got home, I googled and discovered I was not alone. Lots of people were finding their cold meds just weren't working. Then I came across a suggestion that rocked my world. The suggestion was to drink half a glass of diluted apple cider vinegar at the first sign of a cold, and the sufferer would be better the next day. Well, for me it was too late at that point; I thought. But when my better half started feeling a scratchy throat soon after, she tried the tip. She braved the half glass diluted apple cider, well, as much as she could swallow anyway, and the next morning, felt 100% better! No expensive boxes or bottles, no runny nose, no coughing, no trips to the drug store full of other cold sufferers! Just like that, BAM!


Late one night, we came across a small doggy-accident in the hall. We knew who the guilty party was just by the size of the puddle, and that in itself was rare. But rarer still was the streak of pink in it. Our little Chihuahua seemed to be peeing blood! We knew it was a bladder infection, but it was late and no vet's office in our neighborhood was open. Back to Google.
Guess what we found? Apple cider vinegar! Another Chi owner said her little guy had the same symptoms and suggested a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar multiple times a day. The next morning, only 5 hours later, there was no blood! A couple of days after that, he was back to his usual self! No expensive vet bills, no meds, no bus ride!


There is a growing "no 'poo" movement that is mind boggling. Folks all over the world are not reaching for shampoo and conditioner, but instead for baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Why? Here is an excerpt from Nature Mom's blog that talks about just a few of the chemicals found in your shampoo...

Alcohol, isopropyl (SD-40) is a very drying and irritating solvent and dehydrator that strips your skin’s moisture and natural immune barrier, making you more vulnerable to bacteria, molds and viruses. It is made from propylene, a petroleum derivative, and is found in many skin and hair products, fragrances, antibacterial hand washes as well as shellac and antifreeze. It can act as a “carrier,” accelerating the penetration of other harmful chemicals into your skin.
It may promote brown spots and premature aging of skin. A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients says isopropyl alcohol may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia and coma. A fatal ingested dose is one ounce or less.

FD&C color pigments are synthetic colors made from coal tar, containing heavy metal salts that deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Absorption of certain colors can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.
Mineral oil is a petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. It interferes with skin’s ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders.
Propylene glycol (PG) and butylene glycol are petroleum plastics which act as surfactants (wetting agents and solvents). They easily penetrate the skin and can weaken protein and cellular structure. Commonly used to make extracts from herbs, PG is strong enough to remove barnacles from boats!

So, it really is in our best interest to look into using apple cider vinegar for our conditioner. I'm willing to try it. No matter how it turns out, I'll post the results here. After all, in this day and age, if we can save all kinds of money on personal care and reduce the chemicals we allow into our bodies, all the better!