View Full Version : Apple Cider Vinegar for Colds
HappyHiker
1-10-12, 10:27am
Has anyone tried Apple Cider Vinegar, honey and water for their cold? I've just gotten a head cold and this morning started with the ACV, honey and water remedy and am eager to see if it works.
Has anyone else had success with this natrual cure? I also read that gargling with a mixture of ACV, cayenne and water eases sore throats..I've not tried that yet.
I haven't tried it for colds myself, but it is a hugely popular all-round remedy for all manner of ailments. This website (http://www.earthclinic.com) is full of people's experiences using natural remedies for different problems. The apple cider vinegar section is huge, if you're interested in having a gander.
I head off colds with zinc, vitamin C, and salt water rinses. If I catch them soon enough, it always works. I also wash my hands thoroughly when I come home from public environments.
I'm a firm believer in the idea that once a cold or flu takes hold, there's nothing in the way of anything you can do to chase it away. There may be a few ways of lessening a few of the side-effects of the common cold/flu bug, but nothing IMO (including fancy, over-the-counter remedies) works at eliminating an already established viral invasion.
I've read a few things pertaining to ACV and the health related benefits attached to such, but I hold no faith in ACV, ColdFX, or any other "get better" medicinal gimmick. Plain old table salt mixed with the hottest water one can comfortable gargle with, is apparently the best sore throat home-remedy.
One thing I found that works wonders for head-colds, is bringing to a boil a pot of water, then holding your head (face) over the steam with a towel draped over your head to hold in the heat/moisture. (10-15 minutes will do). Once/twice daily.
For a sore throat I love hot lemonade! Definitely need to use real lemon juice, sweetener of your choice and hot steamy water =)
Not a cure but helps ease the pain.
Hope you feel better soon!
I'm generally with Mrs. M, on both counts, on this one. That said, one thing that really did seem to cure a cold for me one time was chopping about 4 pounds of onions to put in my freezer. The vapors from the onions were intense, and it wouldn't be unexpected for them to have some sort of antiviral action.
For a sore throat I love hot lemonade! Definitely need to use real lemon juice, sweetener of your choice and hot steamy water =)
Not a cure but helps ease the pain.
Hope you feel better soon!
add some whisky to that and you're talking!
My husband always says a cold will last 6 days if you treat it and half a dozen if you don't.;)
It's been my experience that if I act at the first sign of a sneeze or a tickle, I can nip a cold in the bud. There seems to be a small window of opportunity before the virus fully takes hold. If I miss the window, I just let it run its course with no treatment beyond hot broth and other liquids.
HappyHiker
1-11-12, 2:07pm
Looks like my window of opportunity has slammed shut, and the cold is in full bloom, so I'm "in the moment" with it and am just now making chicken soup with rice and plenty of garlic and some cayenne...I work at home so I plan to enjoy this cold as much as possible and pamper my body and soul with good, old-fashioned comforting food and nostrums...it's chill, dreary and raining outside so I'm happy to be snugged up at home in jammies, heavy wool socks and fuzzy jacket...
Wishing everyone else with a winter cold a speedy recovery and no chapped nose and lips...
Darn it all. Sending a warm, get better wish your way, HappyHiker.
I think ACV, taken on a regular daily basis, can be a great cold preventative, because it helps to keep your system in a healthy acid-alkaline balance, but it's something you have to incorporate in your daily routine, not a last-minute cure.
I think ACV, taken on a regular daily basis, can be a great cold preventative, because it helps to keep your system in a healthy acid-alkaline balance, but it's something you have to incorporate in your daily routine, not a last-minute cure.That's just it. Occasionally someone will say to me, "I felt a cold coming on, so I hit the Echinacea really hard and my cold never developed". I say fooey!
HappyHiker
1-11-12, 11:16pm
Yep, I fear you may be right...I suspect I earned this cold due to over-indulgence in holiday sweets--or could it be all the other people in town who are coughing, sneezing and hacking away? "Tis the season...
That's just it. Occasionally someone will say to me, "I felt a cold coming on, so I hit the Echinacea really hard and my cold never developed". I say fooey!
Why? I'm pretty sure at this point in a pretty long life I know what I feel like when I'm starting to come down with a cold. Usually, I nip it in the bud, but sometimes I don't. Even if you haven't had a similar experience, it doesn't change your friend's or mine.
My thought is, either it wasn't a cold or flu bug to start with, or if it was, it was so mild that it more than likely wouldn't have developed into anything major (regardless of whether or not the possibly affected person took anything for it or not). I don't believe for a second that anyone can stave off the first signs of a cold or flu bug invasion with over-the-counter medicines, home-remedies, or old-wives tale treatments/concoctions. JMTC (just my two cents). But hey, science points in the direction of alien beings among us, so who's to say there isn't super humans, too!
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-merv/superman.gif
To add, I know what you're saying Jane, and there's not a doubt in my mind that there are some people (like yourself possibly) who possess much more advanced/healthier immune systems (than others), allowing you to bounce back from, and deal with sickness, illness, and even disease, better than others do. But it just seems to me that whenever I hear someone say, "I whipped that cold this time around by getting on the Vitamin C heavy", I think, uh-ugh, no you didn't, the cold just wasn't there to start with...
P.S. I just LOVE that little guy I found!
If you can head off sepsis by taking an antibiotic, I don't know why you can't wipe out an early viral infection with a saline lavage. It's my experience that you can. YMMV.
ETA: the mind is a formidable thing, so I can't rule out the placebo effect. Years ago, Bill Moyer hosted an excellent series called Healing and the Mind in which they experimented with placebo treatment for a serious auto-immune disorder. I recommend the series heartily.
HappyHiker
1-12-12, 1:40pm
Linus Pauling had some pretty compelling reasons to take Vitamin C in large doses. Interesting that my two colds this year have come after I ran out of Vit. C and didn't replace it in my daily regimen. My bad. But now I'm back on the Vit. C train...I'd gone years without colds and flu while taking Vit. C, and now getting 2 in one year says something to me...
Dr. Pauling found that most of us suffer from sub-clinical scurvy and hence all our colds, flus, heart disease and possibly even cancers.
Food for thought? It is for me.
Interesting side note from watching Dr. Pauling on a YouTube video: the Vitamin C RDA for chimps is 75 times more than for humans... (Know why? Chimps are worth at least $2000 for experimental use...we humans? Somewhat less.)
Excellent point Re: antibiotics, Jane. I never gave any thought to that. Thanks for bringing up the series you speak of. Sounds fascinating. I'm a true believer in the power of the mind.
HappyHiker. You're right, everything I've read and come across related to Vitamin C, points in the direction of good health and strength. (Mind, body, and spirit).
HappyHiker
1-16-12, 11:41am
Just to report back. I decided that I wanted to heal my cold in time to attend a classical concert I'd been looking forward to. But I'd not be able to go if I were hacking, coughing, sniffling and sneezing--didn't want to share the joy--and disturb the musicians and audience.
So..and I'd never done this before, I did "Linus Pauling." I took 1 gram (1000mg.) of Vitamin C every hour for eight-nine hours for two days straight. That was about 8-9 grams each day. It was in the form of chewable C tablets. By the end of day 2, all cold symptoms were GONE--not a sniffle, a sneeze or a hack left. Made a believer out of me!
Next time I feel the throat tickle of a cold coming on, I'm going to start with the mega-C again to see if it can be nipped in the bud. Thanks, Dr. Pauling.
That's a new one on me, HappyHiker, but it's good food for thought, and I will definitely remember it for the future. Good to hear you're feeling better.
I have heard that Vitamin C does some pretty amazing stuff. I also swear by our Neti Pot. Clears out the nose something amazing. This winter we decided not to do the flu shots, and so far we are doing pretty good. Eating at least an orange and an apple every day, plus lots of garlic, onions, and spinach.
We will make sure to have Vitamin C tablets unhand just in case. Glad to see that worked for you!
HappyHiker
1-18-12, 4:39pm
Hope the Vitamin C can help others avoid or get rid of their colds and flu this year. Reading about Linus Pauling lately--what a fascinating man..twice winner of the Nobel Prize. He was later vilified by most Western medical doctors for his research and views on Vitamin C..and it seems their disdain was returned by him..no love lost on either side. Makes for some interesting reading if you're just Googling around the 'net and looking for some medical drama...
After reading what Pauling said and his research on C, I decided to give it a whirl and it did work for me...
I have long had a crush on Dr. Pauling. He's a true Oregon hero. (That said, I'm thinking it's the salt water lavage that does the heavy lifting to cut off a cold virus.)
As soon as I feel that itchy/scratchy feeling in my ear and throat, I put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in my ears, let it fizz for a bit, then remove it. Several years ago I read about a German doctor who believed we catch the cold germs in our ears, not mucus membranes. If I do this ASAP, no cold.
If I'm in full sneezy/stuffy/icky mode, I spend many guilt-free hours watching old movies on TCM. I have lots of homeopathic remedies I've collected over the years but I never seem to have exactly the right one that I need. Salt water gargles for sore throats works great, but ICK!
Are there any down sides to mega doses of C? I haven't had a cold in probably a year, but just in case it would be good/fun to try this.
Originally posted by Pony mom.
Several years ago I read about a German doctor who believed we catch the cold germs in our ears, not mucus membranes.Interesting, but I'm not sold on the hypothesis, particularly when one considers the amount of mucus that's present in the nose and throat, not to mention the vulnerability of the eyes.
HappyHiker
1-19-12, 2:01pm
To the best of my knowledge (as a lay person), there is no downside to large doses of Vitamin C. Might irritate some sensitive stomachs, possibly, esp. if not taken with food.
I did check with my friendly neighborhood pharmacist before purchasing my bottle of chewable 1000 mg C's and she said, "No, no harm in taking a lot as C is water soluable and would just be excreted." Other health sites, on the 'net, said keep taking until/unless diarrhea results, then you'll know you've taken too much for your particular body/system.
As mentioned, I took around 8 grams/day for two days running to get rid of my cold with no side effects...I did take with a bit of food each time such as a nibble of cracker or some raisins so the C's weren't entering an empty stomach.
Another way to go would be to buy some Ascorbic Acid powder and mix into smoothies or other liquids such as juice and take that way...a less expensive way to go as a pound of Ascorbic Acid costs less than $10.00. Look at the directions, but I believe a teaspoon of the powder is equal to 1 gram.
Interesting, but I'm not sold on the hypothesis, particularly when one considers the amount of mucus that's present in the nose and throat, not to mention the vulnerability of the eyes.
I dunno, but it's worked for me many times.
OK, well, it would seem I am coming down with a cold so I'm going to try the mega dose of C and see what happens. I'll let you know how it works.
HappyHiker
1-26-12, 9:16pm
Cool--hope you get happy results. Are you taking the chewable 1000 mg tablets of C every hour--or?
I"m chewing 2 500 mg every hour. I did it for 8 hours today. Unfortunately I feel awful tonight. (not because of the C. It didn't seem to...um...affect me) Maybe I waited too late. I'll pick it up again tomorrow.
Originally posted by Pony Mom.
I dunno, but it's worked for me many times.Food for thought, for sure. Will definitely be giving it a whirl in the future.
Vinegar is an interesting feature in itself already. If you use it properly.
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