Health Properties of Vinegar

History records Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, using vinegar in energizing tonic and healing elixirs around 400 B.C. While many in mainstream medicine contest vinegar's use as a cure-all, prominent magazines like Vegetarian Times and Mother Earth News publish articles that underscore the wide range of ailments that vinegar, particularly apple cider vinegar, can help.

Yeast Infections

• Candida albicans is a yeast organism that lives in small numbers on and in the human body. When diet, illness or medication affects our normally balanced natural flora, yeast propagates into an infection which can make us ill. While yeast infections predominantly inflict women in the vaginal area, they can also occur in the digestive tract, in the mouth or on the skin. Natural apple cider vinegar, with a pH between 5 and 7, is hostile to yeast.

  To treat the itch associated with vaginal yeast infections, pour one cup of apple cider vinegar in a bath and soak twice a day. While slowing yeast growth, cider vinegar soothes itchy, raw skin. As an internal measure, sip 16 ounces of water mixed with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar twice a day. If the yeast infection is caused by a round of antibiotics, add acidophilus or live-cultured yogurt to your diet to replace good bacteria.

Skin Blemishes and Irritations

• For acne, dilute apple cider vinegar in water and dab affected areas with a cotton ball.

  Apple cider vinegar is a soothing topical agent for itchy, dry skin caused by allergies, eczema or dandruff. For scalp treatment, apply undiluted apple cider vinegar to the scalp and work it into the roots of the hair. Allow the vinegar to sit for up to an hour before washing your hair. This will help destroy the bacteria and fungus that cause dandruff and itchy scalp. For itchy skin, pour one cup of apple cider vinegar into a bath and soak. If itchiness is due to eczema, mix a 1 to 1 proportion of apple cider vinegar and water. Apply to the affected areas. Let sit for half an hour and rinse.

  Apple cider vinegar also treats pimples by killing the underlying bacteria in the pores. It effectively absorbs excessive oil from the skin. Dilute apple cider vinegar in water, one part vinegar to three or four parts water. Dab effected area with a cotton ball and leave on the skin for 10 minutes. Rinse and repeat three times a day. For more severe outbreaks, the water ratio can be reduced to two or three parts.

Sinus Infections and Sore Throats

• Sinus infections occur when bacteria grows on the mucus membranes and causes infection. To help relieve the pain of sinus infections, Patrick Quillin's, "Honey, Garlic, & Vinegar: Home Remedies & Recipes" recommends that you drink a glass of water with 1 or 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar every hour for six to eight hours. To alleviate the pain from a sinus headache, add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar to a cool-air humidifier and inhale the mist for five minutes.

  If you develop a sore throat from post nasal drip or strep throat, apple cider vinegar can provide soothing relief. Mix 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in half a cup of water, and gargle once an hour. In addition, a simple tonic can be made from one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and a 1 teaspoon honey added to a cup of warm water.