Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!!

One of the things bad about Vinegar Friday rolling around so quickly again is that it means Christmas is even closer and I, for one, am nowhere close to being ready. Although the indoor decorating is done and right now I am really enjoying it.

Currently I am sitting in my living room with a fire burning, easy-listening music playing (is that grandmotherly enough for you?), a jar candle casting off a luscious scent, my Christmas lights lit (even though it's morning), a cup of coffee on a tray beside me and the sight of snow dancing whimsically outside my window. What a glorious day.

This morning I spent some time with Jodi Picoult (via my House Rules audio book) as I made breakfast, and with Jesus as I studied His Word and lifted up others to Him in prayer.

Now it is time to think about vinegar. Easy enough this morning since I'm sitting her scratching my itchy scalp and thinking it is time to hop in the shower and give myself a good ol' ACV rinse.

It's that time of year, isn't it? That dry-itchy-skin time of year. That God for vinegar! While others are reaching for expensive, and often toxic, solutions to their dry skin and scalp problems, I'm reaching for the apple cider vinegar!

That's not to say I don't enjoy the occasional organic and natural lotion bars, but for an economical solution, nothing beats ACV! So I thought it was time to share some of my tips for the winter months ahead. Of course, there are some here I have shared before, but I wanted to clump them together and remind you of how wonderful they are!

Scalp -- I decided to start here, since scratching mine started this whole train of thought! Awhile back I began rinsing my hair in apple cider vinegar and loved how it made my hair feel. Then I ran out of the "cheap" stuff and haven't done it since. Somehow I keep forgetting to pick up a gallon at the grocery store. I use the raw, organic, unfiltered ACV for health reasons, but see no reason to bathe or rinse with the costly stuff. However, today, as I sit here scratching, I'm going to make an exception.

For bad cases of dandruff or itchy scalp, you can pour undiluted ACV on your hair after you shampoo. Follow with conditioner and rinse it all out.

Or...and this is what I do...simply add 1/2 cup of ACV to 2 cups of warm water and use it as a final rinse.

Moving down, ACV is a wonderful astringent for your face, although you will want to keep it away from your sensitive undereye and eyelid areas. The acidity in vinegar helps to restore the natural acidity in your skin, especially if you use any soaps or lotions that have any harsh chemicals in them.

Apply some ACV to a soft cloth, or organic cottonball, and apply to your face after cleansing. Your skin will softer and smoother in just days.

For dry patches on your skin, just dab some ACV on the spots. Again, the purpose is to restore your skin's natural acidity. If you have areas on your body that are extremely dry and itchy, a paste of cornstarch and ACV (50/50 blend) applied daily can bring the relief you need. Just keep the paste on until the itching stops and reapply as needed.

Of course, you don't want to walk around all pasty if your entire body is itchy! In that case, dump 2 or 3 cups of ACV into a warm bath and soak 20 - 30 minutes. Make sure you don't undo the benefits of this by slathering on some toxic body lotion afterwards!

Athlete's foot is often a problem during the winter months. And, of course, apple cider vinegar is the answer to that, as well! Like I have said before, ACV is a natural antiseptic and has antifungal properties which will help eliminate any harmful germs and irritants. Grab a bucket, or a foot bath, and soak your feet in a quart of vinegar for a half an hour or so. Not only will this cure your athlete's foot, but it will give you the softest feet ever. Love foot massages? Well then, make your feet irresistibly soft with a vinegar foot bath!

On a side note to those of you who suffer from SFS (stinky feet syndrome) -- soaking in ACV could help your situation as well, as the vinegar will kill the bacteria that could be the cause of the problem! Of course, I'm not naming names here -- you know who you are!

Now here is a more sensitive subject -- rectal itching. Again, ACV is the answer. Just dab some on gently and go about your day. No need to talk about it.

I'll let you sit on that one (sorry, couldn't resist) and I think I'll go hop in the shower for the ACV rinse I was telling you about.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Keeping it green and healthy with vinegar,

Hana