According the WebMD, “Hot flashes occur in more than two-thirds of North American women during perimenopause”. While obviously not life threatening, hot flashes can make life pretty miserable.
Some time ago, I did quite a bit of reading online about apple cider vinegar (ACV), after a homeopath suggested I take it to increase stomach acid production. To find out why you’d want to do such a strange thing as increase stomach acid, check out my earlier post on apple cider vinegar and acid reflux (GERD).
I was intrigued by reports I'd read of ACV providing relief from quite a few medical problems, including hot flashes, but seeing is believing. I got my chance to see it in person when a friend of mine decided to try it out.
Her flashes weren’t very intense, but she had a few every day. She started taking a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar daily in a glass of water (with a straw so as not to expose teeth to an acidic substance). From my reading, it seems that people need varying amount to get relief.
A few days later, her hot flashes completely disappeared. My friend didn’t suffer from even one hot flash over a period of months. A year later, while travelling, she decided to take a break from the ACV. For the first week or so, she was still hot-flash free, and then they returned – a few every day. The same thing happened about a year later. She stopped taking ACV and after a few days - back they came.
Clearly, apple cider was doing the trick for this friend. What I like about apple cider vinegar as a cure for hot flashes is that it’s food. You can use to make salad dressing. And what’s the alternative? Well, you could just grin and bear it (I’m tempted to say, just take it like a man) or you could take medication. Options include hormone replacement therapy, anti-depressants, and anti-seizure medication among others. All of these come with side effects whereas apple cider vinegar is good for digestion even if you don’t have hot flashes. It’s food! Seems to me it’s worth a try as a first resort. If it doesn’t have the desired effect, all the other options are still available.
This post was shared with Real Food Freaks, Butter Believer, Hartke is Online, The Healthy Home Economist, We Are That Family, Real Food Forager, Whole New Mom, and Food Renegade.
This post was shared with Real Food Freaks, Butter Believer, Hartke is Online, The Healthy Home Economist, We Are That Family, Real Food Forager, Whole New Mom, and Food Renegade.
17 comments:
This is very interesting. I'm not menopausal, but am having other hormone issues. I wonder if it work for me. Have you read anything about it working to balance hormones? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Pam
To tell you the truth, I have really don't know why this works.
A "hot flash" is caused by excess cortisol. It helps maintain blood sugar and body temperature, when your body doesn't have enough energy. it is supposed to be a back up system.
The ACV helps because it aids digestion in the stomach if the body isn't making enough on it's own.
If you eat a meal and it takes too long to break down in the stomach, you are "starving" temporarily, in a sense. There's food there, but you aren't able to use it.
Avoiding PUFA's and other estrogen mimicking foods and chemicals will help too.
It's ultimately a liver issue. An overloaded liver can't handle the excess estrogen and it affects the whole body.
NICE! I hope I remember this when I am menopausal. I was on meds once that mimicked hot flashes -- it was awful, so I know what to "look forward to" now. :( Something to keep in mind!
Thank you! I have hot flashes and will definitely try this.
I've been researching ACV and hot flashes and everything I've seen is quite positive. I'm trying it now for my hot flashes and just have one question: which is better...ACV purchased in the supermarket, organic ACV from a health food store, or has anyone noticed a difference? Thanks, ladies!
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/11/fat-tuesday-november-29-2011/
Anonymous, I'm sure that the least processed will be the best in terms of quality and therefore response. Bragg's unfiltered ACV is great.
Nice post!
My rule of thumb is that I try to get the most natural product I can afford. When it comes to ACV, that means organic and unpasturized.
If it is the acidity that is doing the trick, any ACV might work, but I'd still prefer a superior product. Unpasturised ACV is probiotic. Why not get that benefit at the same time?
Thanks so much for the great feedback, Ruth and Sustainable Eats. Superior quality and added benefits have got to be much better all around. I'll be making a health food store run after work.
(aka Anonymous)
Hey there, Karen. Report back and let use know if it helped.
Will do!
In the context of helping digest your food, regular ACV is fine...so is eating a deli pickle. ;)
Raw ACV is good and does have other benefits. There are other brands and it can also be found in bulk from places like Azure Standard. I use a lot during canning season.
If you have access to raw, grass fed milk/cheese etc...then the need to have raw ACV is lessened....especially if it takes pressure off a stressed budget.
Well, maybe that explains why, at almost 47, I've never had a hot flash and my friends are suffering.
My friends eat differently than I do, and maybe my liver is in better shape. But I might go get some ACV anyhow; it seems to be so good for everything!
Thanks for a great post!
Annie Kate
Thanks for the fantastic idea! I've passed this article on to my mother in law. Apple cider vinegar is such a superfood! It has so many amazing health benefits.
Jenny's comment about hot flashes being caused by excess cortisol also intrigued me. High cortisol is caused by emotional stress and/or lack or sleep--both very important topics!
Just wanted to let you all know that things are going well thus far with the ACV for hot flashes. It is helping! Thanks to you all! Happy 2012!
How much and how often should a person take ACV ?
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