Preventing Side Effects When Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar

All the good without any of the bad

I’m someone that finds it very difficult to build a new habit. Whether it’s striving to eat more vegetables, or read instead of watching TV; I can’t seem to make anything stick.

The one habit I’ve managed to build and maintain over time is starting the day with a good ol’ apple cider vinegar cocktail.

Throwing them back

I use to drink shots of apple cider vinegar each morning because I heard that Hilary Duff does it. However like with most other celebrity habits, it turns out that this may have been a stupid thing to do.

About a week after beginning my daily vinegar shots, I developed a throat infection and needed to go on antibiotics.

I don’t really know whether the vinegar caused my infection, contributed to my infection, or even played a part; but I do know that drinking straight vinegar does go against the recommendations of both doctors and dentists.

Dentists say that because vinegar is so acidic, it begins eating away at our tooth enamel right after we drink it. This slowly erodes our teeth over time until they develop cavities. Because of this I’ve started ensuring that I drink my vinegar at home so that I can brush my teeth straight afterwards. I’ve also started diluting it to protect my throat and stomach from a sudden blast of acidity.

Good morning

Each morning I wake up and slowly drag myself to the kitchen and force myself to drink a tall glass of water to wash out the pipes and start the day right.

I then drink a glass of morning juice.

Morning juice is a tall glass with a

• shot of apple cider vinegar
• shot of lemon juice
• cup of water

All mixed together. Diluting the vinegar allows my body to absorb the nutrients and introduce the probiotic bacteria without stripping my teeth or throat.

The lemon juice gives me vitamins and will help me digest my breakfast when I eat about 30 minutes later. After my morning juice I brush my teeth straight away. I then go to work and have breakfast there, following it up with swish of mouthwash to return my mouth back to minty freshness.

Waiting to eat

I mentioned that I wait 30 minutes to eat after drinking apple cider vinegar, and there’s a reason for that. The first reason is because doctors recommend starting your day with water, then waiting to eat. It’s great for preparing your digestive system and giving you energy for your day.

But the other reason is because of how weird I feel when I drink apple cider vinegar and eat food together.

The vinegar is too acidic and reacts badly when mixed with food. When I mix the two I experience nausea and even diarrhoea. However if I drink some (diluted) apple cider vinegar, then wait for it to settle in my stomach; adding food doesn’t cause any problems at all.

What is this craziness?

I drink apple cider vinegar because of the probiotic bacteria that live inside. Scientists are discovering that the bacteria that live in our guts have an enormous impact on our entire body, including our brains. By making a conscious effort to positively impact my gut biome every day, I can incidentally impact my mood, weight, skin condition and overall health.

Not all vinegar is created equal however, and most have had the probiotic bacteria pasteurised straight out of it. The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is make your own, but don’t worry, it’s super easy.

Looking after yourself during this age of chemicals and bio-hacking doesn’t have to be impossible, but it does take some effort.

However if you’re smart and plan your diet well, you don’t have to suffer the side-effects.