The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Kellie (Frisco, Tx) on 10/18/2010:
Found Earth Clinic a year ago and love this site!! Thank you!! Have had pregnancy diabetes for my past 2 preg. Now I've over 40 and preg with my 3rd. Started having problems again at the end of 1st trimester. Really watched what I ate... no refined carbs, no sweets, nothing but protein for breakfast or else sugars would go as high as 165 and I'd be dizzy/sick. Had to keep carbs below 60g a day and even then couldn't eat them all at once. In middle of 2nd trimester had to cut back even more. So I started Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) with Dr. 's permission. (But what Dr wouldn't be OK with an amount equal to what most put on a salad?) (2 tea in 8oz of water 2x's a day... Empty stomach. )
After 1 week, tested it with a piece of whole wheat toast at breakfast with my usual eggs/cheese/bacon. Before it would have made me dizzy and I'd be up above 150 an hour after eating. It was only 140. WONDERFUL!!!! Now I'm only 6 weeks from my due date. I can eat a piece of pizza for dinner, or a hotdog for lunch with the bun! I even can have a bit of sugar in my ice tea or a few bites of apple pie. I can have a few bites of a chocolate bar too!!! None of this was possible before! My sugar's now are very stable. They never go above 140 an hour after a meal and 2hrs after they are down around 110. ACV seems to have a compounding effect. The longer I'm on it the more often I can eat carbs. I can now have a bit of pasta or a piece of pizza or wheat toast every day! I still can't eat more than 1/2 slice of wheat toast at breakfast, but that's OK. I can eat almost anything I want in moderation!! It's made life wonderful! As we all know preg women have lots of cravings. I can indulge in anything, just in moderation. This is great!!!! Another effect that is more subtle is the swelling. I gain a LOT of weight while pregnant (40lbs usually). But, I eat very healthy, and the weight goes on at 1 pound a week. But, that's still a lot of weight. After 2wks on ACV I noticed my body seemed less 'puffy' and I went 2 weeks without gaining any weight. It's hard to explain, but preg women should know what I mean. I have no swelling in my feet or arms unless I sit for hours. People who've seen me during my other preg's constantly comment how great I look during this one. My Dr. Is impressed each time I see him. Yes, it is work and I have to be really good and never miss a dose of ACV. I also keep very close watch on what I eat. But, it is so worth it!!! I know I can control my sugars without drugs!!! It is a wonderful empowering feeling!!! Thank you for this great site Earth Clinic!!!
Gasping For Air (Budapest, Hungary) on 09/12/2009:
Apple Cider Vinegar for blocked sinuses: I am in my second trimester of pregnancy and suffering from a pretty bad cold. When I tried to go to bed, my sinuses were completely blocked, so I was lying on my back, breathing through my mouth, but feeling like I was suffocating from the post-nasal drip. I was desperate to find something to unblock my nose, but since I want to stay away from medications, I found this site. I decided to try drinking apple cider vinegar. I poured (generously) about 2 tablespoons into some hot water, mixed it with honey and struggled to get it down. Less than 10 minutes later, my left nostril is completely clear. Thanks so much for the advice. It was a godsend!
I am 7 months pregnant and have had severe sinus problems the entire time. Nothing OTC works for me including Benadryl or Tylenol Sinus. I've tried the Vick's Vaporizor and nothing. Afrin gives some relief but I think I've become immune to it. I've been using it for months and at increasing intervals throughout the day. So after reading all these positive comments about drinking the ACV with water, I thought I'd try it. I mixed about 2 tablespoons of ACV with 8 ounces of warm water and drank it. It tasted a little like lemon tea with no sweetener so I didn't find the taste to be terribly off-putting; however it's been about 2 hours and NO difference at all in my sinuses. I may try it again and see if it does anything with repeated use, but so far, I am not getting any effect at all from this remedy.
I am 3 months pregnant and have been sufferring from terrible digestion issues (GERD, nausea, constipation, bloating, gas, etc). One of my friends told me to try apple cider vinegar to help alleviate some of my symptoms. I had my husband buy me a generic brand of ACV at the grocery store and I just started taking it yesterday. I believe that it is already making a difference in the way my gut feels; however, I just read one of the articles on this site that says distilled/pasturized ACV is "dead" and that you are losing most of the value if you are not using an organic, non-distilled version. My doctor does not want me to take anything that is not pasturized (for fear of any bacteria harming my baby). Does this mean it is pointless for me to use the grocery store brand of ACV? I haven't been using the ACV for long enough to know if it is truly effective at alleviating my problems or if all the "feeling better" stuff is just in my head. If anyone can confirm whether regular store bought (pasturized) ACV is still useful, I would greatly appreciate your comments.