A Journey into Herbal & Natural Healing

Apple cider vinegar has amazing health and healing properties. The best type is organic, naturally brewed, unfiltered and unpasteurized versions of apple cider. Filtered, pasteurized vinegar does not have healing properties. The most recognized brand is Bragg’s, which is available in most health food stores. Natural apple cider vinegar should be a rich, brownish color and if held to the light you might see a tiny formation of “cobweb-like” substances, called the “mother,” which are strand-like enzymes of connected protein molecules.

The use of apple cider vinegar for healing is not new, in fact it was used by Hippocrates (the father of medicine) in 400 B.C. and as far back as the Egyptians in 3000 BC. It contains naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic properties which fight germs and bacteria.

Natural apple cider vinegar is full of vitamins and minerals including: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon, fluorine, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, provitamin beta-carotene, and vitamin P.

So, just what does natural apple cider vinegar do?

It assists in creating a proper functioning metabolism, aids in weight loss, boosts the immune system, reduces joint stiffness, reduces muscle pain from exercise, reduces cholesterol, regulates water within the body and reduces water retention, reduces excess sodium, reduces excess mucus, helps to regulate blood pressure, assists in blood circulation, cleanses the blood, inhibits unfriendly bacteria, increases concentration and memory, regulates body temperature, and increases vitality and energy. Natural apple cider vinegar aids the liver in detoxifying the body and helps to digest rich, fatty, greasy foods (which you shouldn’t be eating anyway!), and promotes the proper metabolizing of proteins, fats and minerals.

Add natural apple cider vinegar to your daily routine (the taste isn’t all that bad) and quickly notice all the changes in your body. It really does boost metabolism, vitality and a sense of well being within a couple of days. Being healthy on the inside shows on the outside as well.

And as an added bonus, according to Chinese medicine, “vinegar is warming, it creates a temporary warming circulation of energy (qi) in the body and removes stagnant blood. It can quickly alter emotional stagnation as well — bad moods will usually disappear a few moments after taking vinegar.” (from Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition)

Typically 2 - 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. of water is taken 3 times per day, before meals. A little honey can be added to sweeten the taste if needed.

For more information, Patricia Bragg has written a book which has sold over 7 million copies: Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System

Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition (3rd Edition) by Paul Pitchford is by far one of the most comprehensive books on nutrition and healing. At 753 pages, it covers everything. Health and healing of the body involves all facets of the individual: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual; healing the whole, holistic. This book discusses nutrition and healing from the holistic viewpoint.

“The rise in nutritional awareness occurring at a rapid pace in the West has elements of Far Eastern traditions, in which a balanced diet has been integral to health and enlightenment practices for millennia. This book is a synthesis of vital elements of Eastern and Western food practices and philosophies. Experiencing such an East/West union brings one into fresh areas of awareness and can lead to renewal in all areas of life.” ~Paul Pitchford

Food is energetic, it can effect our bodies either in a negative or positive way. We’ve all heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” Processed foods, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial flavorings, fats, and meats are not energetically “alive” and thus effect our bodies in a negative way, leading to eventual dis-ease. Whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables still have their life force energy and by eating these foods, are bodies absorb their vibrant energy.

The same theory applies to the preparation of the food as covered in the chapter “Vibrational Cooking.”

“There is an invisible energy imparted to the food by the cook that effects everyone who partakes of it. It is helpful to be aware of what your intentions are. The appearance, taste, balance, and presentation of food and the way everyone feels after eating are reflections of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state.” … “Cooking can be a time of self-reflection. When you feel yourself becoming unbalanced, you have an opportunity to change your condition simply through the cooking process. Just be mindful of what you want to accomplish and concentrate on the food and how you want to prepare and serve it. Most likely, you will change and enjoy cooking, and the meal will be quite pleasurable.”

Living in the present, the Now.

From the back cover:

“Healing with Whole Foods brings together authentic traditions of Asian medicine with current Western research and nutrition to create the most detailed sourcebook available on planning and preparing an optimal diet. This comprehensive reference work features:

• Current guidelines on nutrition basics, such as the protein/vitamin B12 group, fats and oils, sugars and sweeteners, water, salt, seaweeds, “green foods” (micro-algae and cereal grasses), calcium, oxygen, and other nutritional concerns.
• Clear discussions of the Chinese healing arts applied to physical and emotional conditions, including the Eight Principles (Six Divisions of Yin and Yang), Five Elements, and syndromes of the internal organs.
• Information on making a gentle transition from a diet based on animal products to one centered on whole grains and fresh vegetables. Over 300 hearty, purely vegetarian (vegan) recipes, as well as the healing properties of plant and animal foods.
• Sections on weight loss, heart and vascular renewal, female health, digestive problems, candida yeast infections, root canals, food combining, fasting, children, pregnancy, and aging. Includes insights from Ayurvedic medicine of India.
• Detailed “Regeneration Diets” and herbal treatments for cancer, arthritis, mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, AIDS, and other degenerative conditions. Also features a “Parasite Purge Program” tailored to specific body types.”

This is a fascinating and easy to read book for anyone interested in bringing their body back to a state of wholeness.