Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

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1. Non-Toxic Cleaner:

It’s no secret that vinegar is an excellent household cleaner. What some people don’t know is that raw, unfiltered vinegar contains all the bacteria fighting benefits that some commercial vinegars lack. To make your own cleaning solution, simply mix equal parts water and apple cider vinegar, plus a little elbow grease, to get your home free of dirt, bacteria, and toxins cleaners. Don’t worry, the vinegar smell goes away as it dries.

2. Weed Killer:

A friendly neighbor turned me on to vinegar as weed killing alternative years ago and it’s even more effective than dangerous glyphosate.  Just mix 1/2 gallon apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup salt, and 1/2 teaspoon dish soap. It will effectively kill any plant you spray it on, so make sure you avoid the flowers and other plants you want to keep.

3. Odor Neutralizer:

Is your home filled with an unpleasant odor that just won’t go away? Place some apple cider vinegar in a dish and leave near the offensive odor to help get rid of it quicker.

HEALTH

4. Diabetes Prevention:

Multiple studies have shown a correlation between apple cider vinegar and lower blood sugar levels. In one study participants took two tablespoons of ACV before bed and saw their blood sugar 4 to 6 percent by the time they woke. The antiglycemic effect of the acid in apple cider vinegar is what helps with insulin sensitivity.

5. Weight Loss:

Consuming apple cider vinegar can help you feel more full, which can help you eat less. A study has also shown acetic acid, found in ACV, to slow fat accumulation. If the flavor is too strong for you to sip on it’s own, try adding apple cider vinegar to juices, salad dressing, and even water to incorporate it into your diet.

6. Lower Cholesterol:

In addition to lowered blood sugar and weight loss, a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed interesting findings regarding apple cider vinegar and cholesterol.  Lowered VLDL levels and lowered triglycerides were discovered in lab rats who were given apple cider vinegar alongside a high cholesterol diet. The rat who were not given ACV did not see the same drop in cholesterol.

7. Detox:

Apple cider vinegar can help detox your home, but it can also detox your body. It can help promote circulation and detoxify the liver. The acid in ACV can also bind to toxins which can assist in removing toxins from the body. Apple cider vinegar’s potassium content helps to break up mucus in the body and clearing the lymph nodes. This also aids in the removal of toxins. Add apple cider into your diet and check out these other ways to detox.

8.Clear Sinuses:

Since breaking up mucus is one of apple cider vinegar’s many talents, it also helps clear out the sinuses. Since it’s antibacterial, it can also prevent a sinus infection or cold as well. Sip some water and apple cider vinegar to breathe a little easier.

9. Sore Throat:

The bacteria fighting properties of apple cider vinegar work just about anywhere. Gargle equal parts warm water and apple cider vinegar at the first sign of a sore throat to keep it at bay and repeat every hour as needed.

10. Digestive Aid:

Having tummy troubles or know you’re going to eat something that you might regret later? Sip diluted apple cider vinegar (mixed in water or juice) to help settle that stomach. It’s the antibiotic properties and bacteria fighting power of ACV that help. Some say thepectin in apple cider vinegar also helps with intestinal spasms.

11. Itchy or Sunburned Skin:

I know this is one of my favorite uses for apple cider vinegar. Just apply right to the itchy area for some relief. It also works for itches caused by bug bites, poison ivy, or a jellyfish sting. As for sunburned skin, soak in a bath with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar to help ease the pain.

12.Wart Remover:

Over the counter wart removers are anything but natural. A trip to the doctor to remove it can be scary, painful, and leave a scar. Instead, soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and cover the wart. Leave it covered overnight (I use a a bandaid or medical tape) and repeat every night until the wart falls right off.

13. Energy Boost:

Don’t reach for an chemical filled energy drink if you’re feeling tired. Instead, grab a bottle of apple cider vinegar for an energy boost. The potassium and and enzymes in apple cider vinegar help to give you a pick me up. Just add some ACV to a glass of water. I like adding it to my water during a workout to prevent fatigue. The amino acids in apple cider vinegar combat lactic acid build up that can happen after exercise.

BEAUTY/HYGIENE 

14. Shiny, Flake Free Hair:

Apple cider vinegar is an excellent weekly hair rinse. It leaves hair looking shiny and soft. The acid in ACV helps to remove product build up. It also helps to balance your scalp’s pH level. Mix 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar into 4 cups water and rinse the hair after shampooing, then rinse with cold water. If you are having issues with dandruff, twice a week try spraying your scalp with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water. Place a towel around your head and leave wrapped for up to an hour. Wash your hair as you usually would.

15. Facial Toner/Cleanser:

Thanks to the antibacterial properties of apple cider vinegar, it’s great for cleaning most everything, even your face. It can even help prevent break outs. Just like with you scalp, it can help balance your skin’s pH levels. Dilute some apple cider vinegar with water and apply to a cotton ball to use as a toner or on blemishes.

16. Deodorant:

Many deodorants are harmful to your health. Apple cider vinegar will help fight the odor causing bacteria without the cancer causing toxins. Just apply a little ACV under your arms. You won’t be left smelling like vinegar once it dries.

17. Fade Bruises:

Coming from a long line of klutzes, this was a use of apple cider vinegar I was happy about. After a bump or the appearance of a bruise dab on some apple cider vinegar. It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and will help to ease the discoloration.

18. Whiten Teeth:

Make those teeth sparkle after swishing around some apple cider vinegar diluted with two parts water. Then brush as usual. The bacteria fighting power of ACV is an added bonus too.

19. Eliminate Bad Breath:

Use apple cider vinegar as a mouth wash and gargle to help eliminate objectionable mouth odor. It kills the bacteria that causes bad breath.

20. Stop Smelly Feet:

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, apple cider vinegar helps get rid of bad smells, wherever they may be. If that just so happens to be on your feet, try this remedy. Wipe your feet down with a paper towel soaked in ACV to control odor. The ability of apple cider vinegar to balance the pH of your feet and eliminate odor causing bacteria is what makes it a great natural remedy.

21. Juice: 

Consuming organic raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar can assist in many of the health benefits I listed above. Try adding it to juices or smoothies if the taste is too pungent for you on it’s own.

22. Baking:

Fluff up your baked good by adding apple cider vinegar. It adds lift to cookies, cakes, and other concoctions and you won’t taste it in the final product.

23. Sauces:

I use apple cider vinegar for my barbecue sauce and it’s perfect for that tangy but sweet flavor. Try it in your favorite marinades or mix it into condiments that are too thick.

24. Soups:

Still need more ways to get apple cider vinegar into your diet? Try adding it to soups. It can add a bit of brightness and flavor. Don’t worry, it won’t end up tasting like vinegar.

25. Salads:

I think this one goes without saying, but it certainly needed to make the list. I almost never buy salad dressings. Whisk together some apple cider vinegar and olive oil and your favorite additions (garlic, mustard, citrus, honey, etc) for a delicious drizzle over your organic greens. It’s even great in salad recipes especially!

For more tips and tricks to improve your overall health, lower blood sugar, improve digestion and lose weight if necessary, join me for my next clean eating boot camp by submitting your information here or visit my website Fitfluentialmom. 

Via Mamavation!

My Latest Favorite Gadget! The Foreo Issa Hybrid!

If you know me, you know I love my gadgets! Gadgets for the kitchen, the RV, my workouts and especially beauty gadgets! Not much of a make up kind of girl but I enjoy trying out new gadgets that help with hygiene, skin care and dental care! White, clean, healthy teeth are a must and I've been on the hunt for a really good electric toothbrush since I bought my first one about 10  years ago.

In that time span, I've tried pretty much every type of Sonicare, Oral B and Phillips electric toothbrush and I haven't been too impressed with any of them.  One of my biggest pet peeves is the battery life. It only lasts a few uses and I always had to keep the charger on my bathroom counter tops which, for this OCD girl, is not a good thing!  Other pet peeves were the head softening up in just a few weeks and needing replacement and water and mold collecting between the head and the base no matter how much I rinsed it.

So, with that said, I've been on the search for a solid electric toothrush for SOME time now and I was elated when I came across the FOREO!  It  has a unique design that's much more compact than the typical electric toothbrush and they make different versions of it for every member of your family! I have the ISSA Hybrid but they also carry a standard Foreo ISSA and even an ISSA Mini for kids that I can't wait to check out too! That's next on my list of gadget purchases!

So, why do I love this toothbrush so much and plan on getting one for each member of my family? Here are just a few of the reasons!

SUPER Long Battery Life
1.  One of my favorite aspects is the battery life and charge time!  Where as most electric toothbrushes have to be charged up every few days, the FOREO ISSA lasts for up to 365 uses!  If you brush two times per day, this means you only have to charge it twice a year! Say what???? That makes this girl SUPER happy. Charger is put away beneath the sink and I can keep my toothbrush in the medicine cabinet until it's next use!  Another perk to this is that I can travel with it without having to worry about bringing the charger and cord with me. We travel often so this is a big bonus!

Silicone and Standard Bristles
2.  The combination of silicone and PBT polymer bristles in the ISSA Hybrid is something I've never tried in a toothbrush before and at first, I wasn't too sure how I'd feel about it. But after trying it, I love the way it feels and cleans my teeth and so do my kids after trying mine.  The silicone bristles are not as abrasive as standard bristles on electric toothbrushes yet they're effective in cleaning teeth without damaging the gums. The silicone bristles are also a better choice hygienically when compared to standard bristles because they aren't porous and harbor less bacteria due to their natural properties.

Sleek Design
3. The ISSA Hybrid's design is another favorite.  It's much smaller than the other electric toothbrushes on the market today and easier to hold.  It is also designed in a similar fashion to dentist tools where the top comes off easily with a pull and there's no gap or area for water or mold to collect.

Vibrations
4. One of the main reasons to get an electric toothbrush is for the vibrations.  They help reach deeper around teeth and inside crevices and help loosen plaque. With most standard electric toothbrushes, there are just one to three settings at most.  The ISSA Hybrid has 8 levels of intensity so you find your level of comfort easily with the + or - buttons on the base.  The ISSA Hybrid will even remember your preference for the next time you use it! Another bonus, especially for those of us that can brush our teeth for an hour if I don't pay attention, the ISSA Hybrid shuts off after 3 minutes to prevent overuse.

Waterproof
5.  Last but not least, I LOVE that it's completely waterproof unlike my last 2 electric toothbrushes. All you do is seal the charging port and you can keep it in the shower since you don't nee do charge it for up to 6 months!  Now that is something that really sold me on it since I brush my teeth in the shower 90% of the time!

So, for those of you looking to check out a new gadget and especially if you care about your dental hygiene (and really, how can you now???) give the FOREO a try!  You'll save a lot of time and money too since the heads only need to be replaced once or twice per year where as the others need replacing every few months, if not more often!

For 15% off PLUS free shipping to check out any of the Foreo ISSAs or ISSA Minis, use ISSA05BB through June 30, 2016!

And if you have babies in the home, you can take advantage of a special promotion that won't be available for long! You can get an ISSA toothbrush + a Hybrid head + an ISAA Mikro AND 2 chargers!  All for $169! Check out the micro and get the deal here ===>>> ISSA Micro

Beautiul, Healthy Hair at Less Than Half the Price

Most moms out there don't have the time to spend taking care of their hair. Washing it, blowing it out, flat ironing it....just takes way too much time. Don't get me wrong, I'll take the time to do my hair when we're going out for the day or having the rare date night but I just don't have the time I used to have pre-mommyhood. To top it off, I don't have tons of extra money to spend on expensive shampoos, conditioners, serums, treatments and so on that keep hair shiny and healthy. Well, now, good you can get make your own shine treatment at home from ingredients that are probably in your kitchen already! Follow the recipe bellow to give your hair a brilliant shine while stripping away product build up at the same time!! Still need help for your unruly hair, try one of the sulfate free shampoos and conditioners!

Recipe for Shiny Hair at Home!

2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider

A Pinch of Baking Soda

1 Cup of Water

Combine all of the ingredients above. Then pour iit over freshly shampooed & rinsed hair. Follow by rinsing your hair with cool water after 3-5 minutes to seal the cuticle for a sleek finish.

Sulfate Free Shampoo & Conditioner: Why and what are the benefits?

Looking for a good shampoo that doesn't cost as much as your pair of designer jeans? Try one of the new sulfate free shampoos on the market. Up until recently, sulfate free shampoos were hard to find and were very expensive. Recently, several mainstream companies, such as L'Oreal, have introduced an affordable line of sulfate free shampoos. Before I go further, some may wonder why they should even use sulfate free shampoos or what sulfate free shampoos are.

Well, Sulfate free shampoos, also known as SLS free or SLES free shampoos, contain harsh chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. These are all are powerful and inexpensive sudsing agents, which makes them a popular and cost-effective ingredient choice for shampoos, especially cheaper brands.

Sulfates , however, are known irritants of skin and hair cells, and may have harmful effects on the environment in addition to people's health and well being. They can be absorbed by the liver and can mimic the effect of the hormone estrogen in the body. Additionally, sulfates can contain 1.4 dioxane, which is considered a probable carcinogen by the EPA. Due to increased demand from concerned consumers and beauty professionals, manufacturers such as L'Oreal and Kirkland are now offering more environmentally friendly, sulfate free shampoos.

L'Oreal has recently come out with its line of EverPure, EverStrong and EverMoisture sulfate free shampoos and conditioners for less than $7 a bottle. I've tried them and love the way they make my hair feel.

Costco has also followed suit and has debuted its economy size Kirkland sulfate free shampoos and conditioners. They've received pretty good reviews. Both are now available in store.