If you’re not suffering from any major health crisis (huge gratefulness), you still can lose your oomph for life and your ability to have a great day due to any sort of nagging – small, but nagging – symptoms.

Like what? Oh, you know, like when your throat is sore or you have allergy symptoms or your sinuses are killing you or your joints ache. Yeah, those. PITA, right? They just pick at you all day long, and it’s draining.

No worries. Natural health remedy to the rescue. Yes, just one that will help a whole bunch of these. I know, I know – I tend to feel that way sometimes, too. If a product claims to heal 1,001 things, I think – yeah, sure. But this one really works for a lot of physical ailments. Why? I don’t know. My ponderings make me wonder if it’s because of something we lack in our bodies to keep them symptom-free, and this is remedying that overall issue.

Doesn’t matter. This works; it’s safe; it’s not expensive. What you want to do is get yourself a bottle of apple cider vinegar. (ACV) The good kind. Should be very light brown and cloudy and have the “mother” (a sort of feathery material) floating in it. Not the cheaper white vinegar. That one’s great for cleaning uses but not for health.

What can ACV do? My top two favorite uses right now:

Suffering from fall allergy symptoms. ACV in your water knocks them out. Seriously. Even though I routinely take nettles for my hay fever-type symptoms, I still was sniffly these past couple weeks. Just a splash of ACV in my water, and they were all gone. Yep, gone. Completely. In love! I like that it works instantly. Can’t get much better than that.

ACV is part of a mix that will knock out your sore throat very effectively. Even strep throat, which is so horribly painful. Here’s the mix: Into 16 ounces of water (warm or cool), mix 3 tablespoons of both ACV and lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of honey (you need a quality brand, not honey-in-a-bear) and an eighth teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Mix WELL. The cayenne doesn’t tend to stay mixed so stir often as you sip this over time. It’s better to keep your throat bathed with this often. Repeat as needed.

ACV is good for so many other health needs as well. Here are a few:

• Improves other allergies to things like pets, food and the environment.
• Cures sinus infections, including the sore throats and headaches that go along with them.
• Lowers blood pressure, sometimes in just a few weeks.
• Eases arthritis, stiff joints and gout.
• Makes your internal pH more alkaline. Disease, including flu and more, thrives better in an acidic environment.
• Kills yeast infections (including Candida) and fungus, and infuses your gut with friendly microflora. This can help stop sugar cravings as well.
• Eliminates acid reflux and heartburn.
• Detoxes your body, including your kidneys.

For each use – other than the sore throat mix I note above – all you do is add a splash of ACV to a glass of water. Please don’t drink it straight.

Yes, it isn’t the greatest taste. Though, honestly, you begin to one, not notice it much, and, two, almost crave it, in a very short time. Yep, surprised me, too. I note that, and pay attention to it. Listen to your body; it’s really smart. (Though you have to ignore your tastebuds for a bit as they whine: Ewww, this doesn’t taste good.)

You know the old saying: An apple a day will keep the doctor away? Looks like its product – apple cider vinegar – actually will do the trick.