Vinegar - Nature's Secret of Good Health

Ilocos Vinegar (Sukang Iloko)- Nature's Secret of Good Health

Dr Abe V Rotor

Vin-egar, which means sour wine, is Nature's secret of good health.

Vinegar or acetic acid (CH3COOH) abounds in nature, as long as there's sugar(C6H12O6). Sugar is converted into ethanol, and ethanol to acetic acid.

Ilocos Vinegar (far right) and fruit wine and basi- products of the Ilocos Region 

Vinegar then is oxidized ethanol or ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH). The conversion process is both biological and chemical. In fact, fermentation of sugar to ethanol, goes hand in hand with ethanol conversion to acetic acid, with the latter prevailing at the end.

This formula is taking place in food, flowers, fruits, plant sap, insect exudate, honeycombs, raisins, etc. Nature eliminates sugar - simple and complex - ultimately through this process, and at the end converts them back to elements ready to be re-assembled in the next process and for the next user or generation. This process is taking place everywhere because the agents are ubiquitous such as the yeast (Saccharomyces) and the vinegar bacteria (Acetobacter). And there are dozens more working in union. This scenario is also taking place in the mouth and stomach, on the skin, and other parts of the body of organisms.

Vinegar is Nature's cleansing agent and disinfectant, eliminating stain, odor, fungi, bacteria, weeds, and repelling ants, and other vermin.

People who are fond of food prepared with vinegar are healthier and slimmer. It is because vinegar regulates formation of adipose tissues, and burns fat. Some people dampen their appetite by sprinkling a little natural vinegar on prepared food to take the edge off their appetite. Notice that after eating anything with vinegar, you lose interest in your meal. Vinegar triggers the appetite's shut off mechanism.

Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.

Well, here is a short list of home remedies using vinegar.

• Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of natural vinegar in a glass of water. Gurgle.

• Apply cold vinegar right away for fast relief of sunburn or other minor burns. It will help prevent burn blisters.

• Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Douse with vinegar to soothe irritation and relieve itching.

• Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub diluted natural vinegar on skin. Reapply as needed.

• Conditions hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to your rinse to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.

• Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.

• Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with a solution of ½ cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.

• Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add ¼ cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.

• Cure hangover. Combine two raw eggs, a tablespoon of vinegar and black pepper. Blend well.

Just a reminder. Use only natural vinegar - not glacial acetic acid. ~