Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Asthma, and More!

[helwen]

I needed to do research on useful natural remedies for specific things -- most common ailments, as it were, and the research has gone down some interesting byways....

Specifically, apple cider vinegar. I'd started with looking things by using the key word "herbal" and whatever thing I wanted a remedy for. "Herbal" and "dysentery" led to Ipecac, Garlic, and Aloe & Rosehips (the last two going together for repairing tissue after dysentery, apparently). One of the descriptions of dysentery mentioned the need to keep the person from getting too dehydrated, electrolyte imbalance, and needing some carbohydrates. The first thing that came to mind for me was Ginger Water. This is a drink my father-in-law makes, mostly for during the summertime. Some historians/history buffs might recognize it by the name Switchell. And it may bear some resemblance to some type of sekanjebin possibly...

Ginger Water

1 cup maple syrup or honey
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 tsp. ground ginger
Enough water to make one gallon

Mix until syrup/honey is dissolved. Individuals may adjust to taste.

NOTE: The ginger will tend to settle, so stir/shake just before pouring.

I've often referred to it as an early form of sports drink, which it turns out it essentially is -- apple cider vinegar is chockful of minerals, in particular potassium. It also has sodium and chlorine which, once you've consumed it, combine with the potassium to make a couple of types of salts useful to humans.

Many sites online talk about organic, unpasteurized vinegar being the best because of useful enzymes, which are destroyed by pasteurization. I can't speak to that, but I can say that even the pasteurized stuff has great efficacy. The above drink provides water, electrolytes, a bunch of vitamins, and carbohydrates, so pretty much covers the bases for dehydration. The article I was reading didn't say specifically why carbohydrates, but I think it's because when a person is dehydrated from illness or overheating, he or she needs some energy input but often is not up to eating. And sugars-in-solution are one of the fastest ways to get it into a person.

Ginger wasn't mentioned on the page about dysentery either, but it is a useful herb for upset stomach and for overheating. It helps with blood circulation, and apparently can also help with asthma and with lowering cholesterol. I can personally attest to its capabilities both for stomach flu and for heat exhaustion. In fact I think I'm going to start bringing some ginger water to SCA events from now on... heaven knows my father-in-law never gets overheated!

Ginger also decreases the activity of plate-activating factor (PAF), a clotting agent that creates the clot that can result in heart attack of stroke. Ginger's ability to reduce PAF activity also makes the herb effective against allergies and asthma. PAF, which stimulates the inflammation seen in allergy and the bronchial constriction seen in asthma becomes more active when fat is consumed. Dried ginger, especially dried ginger tinctures, can offset this effect.

Full article on Ginger here: Herbal Remedies: Ginger

The parts about allergies, asthma, and cholesterol were all new to me. I've been poking about looking for replacements for my allergy/asthma meds, and definitely plan on looking into this. I'm already working on making gel capsules with nettles in them (allergies), but I could use something more some days. I tried Damiana and that worked on my allergies most of the time, but it started to have a side effect if I used it regularly (anything that gives me a bit of a heart rush makes me nervous). I know ginger doesn't bother me, so it's worth trying. I'll be terribly happy if I can work something out, because then I could stop using inhalers entirely (esp. the one with steroids).

How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar to Treat Heat Exhaustion

Another property of cider vinegar:
Cider Vinegar for Hair Conditioning and Also for Oily Hair

How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar


Oh, also, one article mentioned that other types of vinegars may be efficacious as well, but at least in the U.S. it is difficult to get any of them unpasteurized or distilled, aside from apple.

Comments

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

In The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder talks about how Ma sent out a jug of ginger water to Laura and Pa while they were making hay. She said something about how you can drink as much as you want, and it woin't make you sick to your styomach, unlike regular cold water.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Cool. And agreed on the plain water -- even putting some lemon juice in it helps.

Yep!

[bytchearse.livejournal.com]

Aka "switchel" or "haymaker's punch" which was replacing electrolytes centuries before 99.9% of people ever heard that word!

Re: Yep!

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Yah! And without the artificial colors and stuff :)

[kellan_the_tabby]

...ooh, I'll have to try adding some ginger to my mullein tincture for asthma. (Pretty effective so far, though it doesn't seem to do a lot for allergy...)

Also, now I want sekanjabin. :)

[helwen.livejournal.com]

LOL

Well, the ginger seems to work by suppressing inflammation reaction -- that's why it works for both asthma and for cardio health. Also apparently can be useful for joints (again, works on the inflammation response).

We've started having some in our morning tea, but I've also gotten a tincture to try out for later in the day, and likely I'll also make up some capsules -- they travel a little lighter/safer than a glass bottle. If the tincture works nicely, I'm going to finally have to try making my own tinctures, because it isn't cheap to have someone else do it. But if it does I'll be thrilled because I grow ginger so I have the resources -- and I'd be off of the steroid-based inhaler (yay!).

[kellan_the_tabby]

And tinctures are pretty easy to make, so you might as well. What will you be tincturing it in? I've settled on using apple cider vinegar for about everything, here.

Let me know how it works for you!

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Interesting! I didn't know you could do it in vinegar. The guy at the apothecary said alcohol but if vinegar works....

[kellan_the_tabby]

Alcohol works, too, but I've found that it tastes like DEATH -- at least to me. Plus apple cider vinegar has a whole lot going for it on its own, health-wise.

I still wind up with a pretty strong-tasting tincture, mind you, but I can drink a shot of it and not actually die afterwards.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

LOL Yeah, I'm not terribly keen on the taste myself!

I'll have to do some research on this. It's not like I even know how much ginger to how much vinegar, for how long, etc. But at least I have the ingredients!

[hengruh.livejournal.com]

I am currently using ginger in green tea to help control blood pressure. Without money for conventional meds, this is a life-saver.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Good to hear a personal testimony! We started putting ginger in our tea yesterday morning. About how much ginger do you take per day to control your BP? I realize different people have different needs, but it's nice to be in the right ballpark.

The query is mostly for L - my BP's fine but I have to work on lowering my cholesterol and also using ginger as an asthma med. substitute.

btw, I mentioned in a reply to someone above that I grow some ginger -- in the winter I have to bring it indoors, and it isn't a small plant. You'd have to do the same if you wanted to try doing that. The pots don't have to be exceptionally deep, but they do need to be wide, so I've ended up using rather large pots to get the width (and it keeps them from falling over). In the summer I put them outdoors so they can grow and multiply their rhizomes. In the fall I put what I can into pots and the rest is harvest. Someday I hope I have room for more pots, so I can grow more of my own...