10 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, or cider vinegar, is one of the most popular alternative health remedies in use today. It has been used since ancient times as a remedy for many different ailments. Hippocrates is said to have used it as an antibiotic.

Most of the health benefits of apple cider vinegar are anecdotal and have not been scientifically confirmed. We make no claims about any of the health benefits listed below but offer them up as a starting point for further research on your part.

1. When diluted with water 50/50 it is often used as a toner for the face. Caution should be used when applying as cider vinegar is very dangerous to the eyes.
2. A bath of apple cider vinegar is said to reduce the effects of sunburn. The vinegar soaked on a cloth and applied to sunburn may also be used.
3. Many women have tried a douche of apple cider vinegar as a remedy for yeast infections. However, many others claim that vinegar causes or worsens yeast infections. Some say it depends on the brand used.
4. There are many claims that apple cider vinegar is a powerful weight loss aid. Many people use it in salad dressings or drink a tablespoon diluted in a glass of water once or twice per day.
5. It is said to treat dandruff by destroying the fungus Malassezia furfur and restoring the PH balance of the scalp. Some people recommend applying a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar, applying it to the scalp, and leaving it to dry. Others suggest applying a couple of tablespoons of straight vinegar to the scalp and leaving it on for an hour or two before rinsing.
6. It has long been promoted as a remedy for arthritis. The National Arthritis Foundation says apple cider vinegar has not been proven effective against arthritis but is harmless to try.
7. A reported treatment for warts is to soak the affected area for 20 minutes per day in a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
8. It is said to be a natural lowerer of bad cholesterol.
9. A teaspoon of cider vinegar in a glass of water per day is said to lower blood pressure.
10. Mother of vinegar, the layer of film that forms on top of the cider, is believed to have antibacterial and antifungal properties.

These ten benefits of apple cider vinegar are just a few of the reported uses for it. Have you used apple cider vinegar with positive or negative results? Post your experiences here and let us know. by. health diaries

Irish Food And Wine Pairing

I think the Irish are unlucky.

Every St Patrick’s Day I conjure up visions of eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Then I wonder “What wine goes with corned beef and cabbage?” The corned beef is too salty and doesn’t work with any wine very well. Someone yells to me that beer is more in order. Maybe a wine from Ireland?

The climate of Ireland isn’t the best for growing grapes. There's only one wine that that comes from Ireland and it's made by Llewellyn's - a farmer in north county Dublin. His normal produce is apples and he makes a lot of apple juice for upscale independent retailers. His wine is more of a novelty item at best. What is interesting about Irish wine is the Irish connection with Bordeaux. Irish names like Lynch, Barton, Phelan adorn the labels on some of the best wines from the Bordeaux region. As for wine making, the Irish are better off sticking to the black stuff, Guinness.

But I’m a wine guy and don’t care for beer so I do some more digging. Guess what? It seems that corned beef and cabbage is more of an American St Patrick’s Day tradition. According to Bridgett Haggerty of the website Irish Cultres and Customs their research shows that most likely a "bacon joint" or a piece of salted pork boiled with cabbage and potatoes would more likely have shown up for an Easter Sunday feast in the rural parts of Ireland. Since the invention of refrigeration, people eat fresh meats. Today corned beef and cabbage is considered a peasant dish and is more popular in the United States than in Ireland. People eat it on St. Patrick's Day as a nostalgic reminder of the Irish heritage. by: Mike Birdsall

Health Benefits of Red Wine

Red wine has long been hailed for its health benefits and not just for its alcoholic content. The amazing array of varieties and tastes of red wine means many people drink it for pleasure, but research has shown a distinct health benefit in people who drink a glass or two a day.

Red wine is rich in antioxidants which is thought to help reduce your risk of heart attack. Certain other compounds are also thought to actively protect the heart against heart disease and may even help prevent against some types of cancer.

The active antioxidant in red wine is resveratrol, which is a phytoestrogen that can help to protect against the depletion of certain hormones and estrogen levels in women who may have decreased estrogen levels due to conditions such as menopause or breast cancer. by. Kerri Stalton

Say It With Wine for Valentine's Day

Forget the candy and the flowers! If you really want to win over your sweetheart, give your Valentine a bottle of wine. Even Cupid knows that wine is the perfect sharing beverage. According to a Valentine's Day Online Survey conducted by The Wine Market Council in which both men and women participated equally, 59% said they would be happier to receive wine from their sweetheart on Valentine's Day compared with 41% who would prefer a box of chocolates.

Red, the color of love, was also the color of choice, according to the survey.
Red wine, especially Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, in that order, was a safe choice with 37% who said they preferred it. However, 32% of those surveyed preferred white wine, with Chardonnay coming out head and shoulders on top, and 31% named rosé or blush wine, namely white Zinfandel, as their favorite. The plurality or 45% of the respondents described the type of wine they prefer as "fresh and fruity." Another 28% described their wine preference as "smooth and sophisticated" compared with 20% who answered "crisp and dry." Only 7% described the wine they preferred as "big and bold."

But how to set the mood? Most of these online lovers or 31% said they would like to cozy up with their sweetheart by a warm fireplace and a bottle of wine. Another 24% would like to sip wine with their sweetie while cooking a romantic dinner for two at home. Sharing wine in a sensuous bubble bath was the third favorite place with 17%, followed closely by in a restaurant at 14%. The bedroom was low on the list with 9% and as for the remaining 5% who responded "other," we won't go there.

And what do most people think they will actually receive from their Valentine? Though 59% of those surveyed said they would prefer wine over candy for Valentine's Day, only 14% expected that their sweetheart would really come through with a bottle of wine. Almost 50% expected to receive one of the old standbys--flowers (26%) or candy (23%). Another 21% didn't even expect a token gift.

There's still time to surprise your sweetheart with a bottle of wine to share on Valentine's Day. Even if you don't know your lover's favorite wine, select one you think you will both enjoy; you really can't go wrong. Think of it as a time to share and experiment together. Otherwise consider a fresh and fruity red to share by the fireplace with a CD-carousel filled with your favorite love songs. by Felicia M. Sherbert

WORLD'S OLDEST BOTTLE of WINE

Unearthed during excavation for building a house in a vineyard near the town of Speyer, Germany, it was inside one of two Roman stone sarcophaguses that were dug up. The bottle dates from approximately 325 A.D. and was found in 1867.

The greenish-yellow glass amphora has handles formed in the shape of dolphins. One of several bottles discovered, it is the only one with the contents still preserved.

The ancient liquid has much silty sediment. About two-thirds of the contents are a thicker, hazy mixture. This is most probably olive oil, which the Romans commonly used to "float" atop wine to preserve it from oxidation. Cork closures, although known to exist at the time, were quite uncommon. Their oil method of preservation was apparently effective enough to keep the wine from evaporation up to modern day.

The bottle is on permanent display, along with other wine antiquities, at the Historisches Museum der Pfalz (History Museum of the Pfalz), which is worth a virtual visit or an actual one, if traveling near the area of Speyer, Germany.

Wine History

One path of wine history could follow the developments and science of grape growing and wine production; another might trace the spread of wine commerce through civilization, but there would be many crossovers and detours between them.

Fossil vines, 60-million-years-old, are the earliest scientific evidence of grapes. The earliest written account of viniculture is in the Old Testament of the Bible which tells us that Noah planted a vineyard and made wine. As cultivated fermentable crops, honey and grain are older than grapes, although neither mead nor beer has had anywhere near the social impact of wine over recorded time. Wine and history have greatly influenced one another.

MIDDLE EASTERN ORIGINSAn ancient Persian fable credits a lady of the court with the discovery of wine. This Princess, having lost favor with the King, attempted to poison herself by eating some table grapes that had "spoiled" in a jar. She became intoxicated and giddy and fell asleep. When she awoke, she found the stresses that had made her life intolerable had dispersed. Returning to the source of her relief, her subsequent conduct changed so remarkably that she regained the King's favor. He shared his daughter's discovery with his court and decreed an increase in the production of "spoiled" grapes...

Certainly wine, as a natural phase of grape spoilage, was "discovered" by accident, unlike beer and bread, which are human inventions. It is established that grape cultivation and wine drinking had started by about 4000 BC and possibly as early as 6000 BC. The first developments were around the Caspian Sea and in Mesopotamia, near present-day Iran. Texts from tombs in ancient Egypt prove that wine was in use there around 2700 to 2500 BC. Priests and royalty were using wine, while beer was drunk by the workers. The Egyptians recognized differences in wine quality and developed the first arbors and pruning methods. Archeological excavations have uncovered many sites with sunken jars, so the effects of temperature on stored wine were probably known.

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology has a web site covering the Origins and Ancient History of Wine with several very interesting and user-friendly articles about the discovery and science of wine's social origin and development.

GRECO-ROMAN CONTRIBUTIONSWine came to Europe with the spread of the Greek civilization around 1600 BC. Homer's Odyssey and Iliad both contain excellent and detailed descriptions of wine. Wine was an important article of Greek commerce and Greek doctors, including Hippocrates, were among the first to prescribe it. The Greeks also learned to add herbs and spices to mask spoilage.

The foundation and strength of viniculture in Western Europe are primarily due, however, to the influence of the Romans. Starting about 1000 BC, the Romans made major contributions in classifying grape varieties and colors, observing and charting ripening characteristics, identifying diseases and recognizing soil-type preferences. They became skilled at pruning and increasing yields through irrigation and fertilization techniques. by. Jim Lamar