Drinkable Arthritis Relief

A multi-purpose home remedy ingredient I purposely ignored due to my gut’s inability to tolerate it, has turned out to be an occasional, needed remedy: Vinegar. Specifically, apple cider vinegar or ACV. It is one of three main ingredients in a recipe I hope you will join me in trying. Well diluted, ACV is already known to be a digestive helper, immune supporter, and weight loss tool, but combined with one or two other antimicrobial ingredients, it packs a powerful punch for arthritic relief, too - but only if it 'tastes' right to you. Vinegar can exasperate candida symptoms and potentially stress liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. As always with natural medicines, use judiciously and do your own research.

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I don't know why ACV works better than ordinary vinegars, only that it does. Current research says there is no difference between vinegars and alternative folks make many unverified claims. Neither are fully correct. In situations like this, each person needs to experiment and find out for themselves how different vinegars affect them.

​What I know is that my body has always been highly acidic to the point of eating away metals and turning my white clothes yellow. Ingesting vinegar, therefore, felt like pouring acid on an already salted open wound, which is why I could never understand why people liked pickled vegetables!

But, when it finally dawned on me that the underlying source of my original fibromyalgia pain was actually arthritis (and then science conveniently verified that,) and when I looked back on my life and realized that the running and dancing limitations were also a result of what could only be described as early-onset arthritis, I made a point of looking for arthritis related solutions for both my clients and myself. It is rather surprising how many of my clients' tight muscles are due to undiagnosed arthritis and calcific tendonitis.

While I've had some amazing success at reducing arthritic issues in clients and have kept my own arthritic hands functional, I want to get at the causes of arthritis so that we can learn to prevent it. My research thus far boils down to diet and emotional stress factors as root causes.

A well-thought-out elimination diet that includes supplements and herbs is the current best way to find out the what we're consuming that our body wishes we wouldn't.  But I just don’t want to go through yet another dietary analysis. I already know that my digestive system balks at the majority of the plant world, likely due to a liver that has limitations. But I do know that for myself and fellow sufferers, reducing all starches, eliminating all sugar products, and eating "clean and whole" has had the most benefit. There was also a study about how foods of the nightshade family contribute to joint pain, but I already don’t tolerate nightshades well, so I rarely eat them.

Emotional stress reduction comes from a well-examined life. Journaling to the root of emotional issues and having the courage to face the whole and balanced truth is the most direct way face what is often hidden emotional fears and heal them. That kind of healing has an amazing effect on the bones: They relax, all by themselves, and that improves arthritic outcomes.

Skipping past a myriad of articles read, researched, and experimented with, I realized, yet again, that pharmaceuticals were not an option for me, so I cranked up my stubborn nature and put it to good use: I became obsessed with finding a natural arthritis remedy that worked from the inside out.

Due to my aversion to all things vinegar, I nearly ignored an internet conversation thread about arthritis and ACV, ... except they weren’t talking about just swallowing two tablespoons of the stuff like many folks wrongly advice (it is dangerous - please see note at bottom,) they were talking about mixing it with baking soda and raw honey and diluting it, considerably, in water. And, many people were trying it with success. My Spidey Sense kicked in. This, I had to try. Besides ... sometimes I could tolerate vinegar.

I had already noticed that many of my gourmet dinner recipes contained various vinegars, usually red wine, white wine, and champagne, but others, too. I would substitute lemon or lime juice if I could. But when the recipe involved mixing it with honey, I would use the vinegar. I would eat and be fine. Over time, I became less fearful of vinegar’s effect on me as long as it was blended with something extra that seemed to tame it, like honey. That’s why I decided to try the ACV drink for arthritis - it mediated my vinegar intolerance, especially with the added baking soda. And if you ever wondered what benefits baking soda could have, look at how dependent hospitals are on the stuff: Baking Soda as Medicine. Again ... use only as needed and if needed, aka judiciously.

The first time I tried the ACV drink, I was also motivated by an untimely dinner bloat, but within minutes of taking the drink, post dining, the food moved and my distress eased. Hm. Maybe all that internet chatter about ACV as home remedy for whatever ails you, has merit.

Knowing full well that the most important digestive functions occur while we are asleep, I tend to save my digestive supplements like probiotics, for bedtime. So, I decided the next night to ingest the ACV drink at bed time, too. The next day, I felt better. Coincidence? I don’t think so. I’m pretty self-aware, have a highly sensitive body, and am cognizant of the importance of objectivity in research, so it makes sense to use myself for various lab-like experiments, and I do. (Often to my detriment due to many failed experiments before successful ones.) I’ve been trying many different things for my arthritis, and none of them made a difference worth noting. The ACV mixture, did.

Update: 2 and 3 years later, this daily ACV drink recipe continues to benefit and I will likely be taking it for life, but only on an as-needed basis, for it can and does inflame candida at times. I also no longer need the honey. 

As with all medicines, food, natural, or otherwise, please keep moderation in mind:

RECIPE

In a 16-ounce glass, mix:

• ​2 tablespoons of ACV (preferably organic and containing “the mother”)
• ¼ teaspoon of baking soda (do not use baking powder)
• Up to 1 teaspoon of raw, golden (pourable) honey (please do not use sugar)
• Stir
• Add 16 ounces of water and stir again until all honey is dissolved. 
• At most, drink once or twice, daily, at bedtime or before a meal - your preference. 

Caution:

• Dilute with 8 ounces of water per 1 tablespoon of ACV;
• Never drink ACV straight - you could damage your teeth, esophagus, and stomach;
• Do not consume more than 4 tablespoons each day, or 2 tablespoons if you are sensitive or ill.
• If you are taking any prescription medications or have had any digestion related surgeries anywhere from the mouth to the colon, speak to your doctor before using ACV as a daily tonic - but be sure to tell them you would never consume it straight - only diluted and no more than 2 tablespoons, daily.​
• If you are on a sugar-free, candida, or antifungal diet, be aware that ACV contains natural sugars.
• If you are at risk of bone loss, use baking soda to "buffer" the acid. This appears to be true of any acidic food or supplement, including vitamin C. Very slowly add baking soda, the neutralizing agent, and stir until bubbles stop.
• Don't breathe the gases that initially bubble up when acid and alkalizing agent get together.

Note 1: Drinking immediately before a meal is recommended by many people, including vinegar expert Carol Johnston and The Glucose Goddess, for helping to control blood sugar spikes that occur upon eating any carb - and all plants are carbs. However, please avoid drinking immediately after your meal due to my observation that this may speed up digestion, too much. You want your food to take its time digesting for that's how the body gets all its nutrients out of the food before it passes out the colon. If you are bloated and need help, go ahead, but better to not eat that which bloats you.

Note 2: Everyone’s digestion is unique, so adjust ingredients to suit your taste, trusting your “gut” to lead you in the right direction. Don’t trust your tongue; it often lies. (I sometimes think the tongue and the ego are in bed together, haha.)

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Originally posted 4/26/2016. Date at top is latest update.