# Survival > Bushcraft Medicine >  Uses of Vinegar for Health

## Justin Case

Vinegar is created through the fermentation of ethanol. It has been used for centuries in a number of ways, including pickling foods, and is often used as a cleaning solution. Vinegar is often hailed as a solution with many attributes, including medicinal. Drinking vinegar can improve your overall health and treat medical conditions.
Calcium Absorption

According to Discovery.com's Planet Green, vinegar is effective at helping the body absorb calcium. Vinegar can be used as a dressing for salads. Salad greens often have high calcium content themselves.
Diabetes Treatment

Vinegar is an effective way to help improve the health of individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to Discovery.com's Planet Green. The fluid works by improving insulin sensitivity in persons who are resistant to the effects of insulin. This helps improve the body's ability to process blood sugars, thereby helping to regulate blood sugar levels.
Sunburn Treatment

Sunburned skin can be soothed by spraying white distilled vinegar onto the burn, according to VinegarTips.com. Vinegar will help relieve the pain and can sometimes help prevent blistering and peeling of the skin caused by moderate to serious sunburns. You can mist your skin with vinegar as often as is necessary to offer relief and restore your skin's health.
Antiseptic

Vinegar can be used as an antiseptic when other treatments are unavailable, according to VinegarTips.com. You can put vinegar on cuts or scrapes on your skin and even use it as a mouthwash. Vinegar helps kill the bacteria in your mouth that can cause bad breath. It also fights plaque and can help whiten your teeth.
Bug Bite Treatment

If you develop bug bites that start to itch--such as mosquito bites--VinegarTips.com recommends applying vinegar using a cotton swab. This will help relieve the itching.
Cleaning Agent

PioneerThinking.com recommends using vinegar to eliminate bacteria and mildew. You can wipe down jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause mold growths. Mildew can also be treated by wiping down walls and other surfaces susceptible to mildew with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
Food Substitute

Discovery.com's Planet Green reports that vinegar can be used as a substitute for high-fat foods in your diet, including mayonnaise and tartar sauce.
Foot Odor Remedy

Foot odors can be treated using vinegar, according to VinegarTips.com. Start by washing the feet in antiseptic soap, then soak them in undiluted cider vinegar for 10 minutes before rinsing.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/11...#ixzz1HuCeDhOh

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## SARKY

Let us not forget that the Romans used vinegar along with a sponge on a stick for wiping their bumms.

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## canid

they also used lead acetate for a sweetener. silly ancient romans. this is not to criticise the versatility of vinegar.

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## RCKCRWLER

Good post.  We use vinegar to break up hard water deposits, spray and wait a few minutes and the build up comes right off when you wipe it.  Also use vinegar instead of fabric softner in the washer or fabric sheets in the dryer.  Put half a cup in per load of wash and the clothes won't get static cling after they are done in the dryer.  No your clothes won't stink like vinegar. (I wondered that too.)

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## hunter63

Kinda the same thing, but I run it thru the coffee maker to get out the "clumps' and sweeten it up.
I just can't seem to use "Dip-it"

Works well on windows w/newspaper for a wiper.

Seems that the old ways are still valid, vinegar, baking soda, salt.....add your own.....LOL
Cool post JC

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## Justin Case

Have a look at this site http://www.vinegartips.com/Scripts/  :Wink: 

Much MUCH more !

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## letslearntogether47

In my other hobby,saltwater tanks.Vinegar works excellent for dissolving calcium deposits in power heads and filter pumps.
It's also very safe as a glass cleaner around sensitive aquarium life.

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## Justin Case

> In my other hobby,saltwater tanks.Vinegar works excellent for dissolving calcium deposits in power heads and filter pumps.
> It's also very safe as a glass cleaner around sensitive aquarium life.


Cool Hobby,,,  I would love to have a good saltwater aquarium !  beautiful  :Smile:

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## 1stimestar

I was having muscle cramps after a recent run (farthest distance yet), and a friend suggested I take a swig of vinager.  I only have balsamic in the house and didn't think that would work lol.  Anyone know?

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## hunter63

Well, with your face all cramped up, it might take your mind off other cramps...........LOL
Sorry couldn't resist...........

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## Winnie

> Let us not forget that the Romans used vinegar along with a sponge on a stick for wiping their bumms.


Too much information, sir! lol

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## letslearntogether47

> I was having muscle cramps after a recent run (farthest distance yet), and a friend suggested I take a swig of vinager.  I only have balsamic in the house and didn't think that would work lol.  Anyone know?


You could do like Bear Grylls and drop trousers and beat your legs with a picker bush.
He swears it feels like heat balm. :Huh:

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## LowKey

In theory if you ingest it, it will keep ticks from attaching. About a tablespoon a day (or is it twice a day). Seems to work.

As for teeth, yeah, it helps digest calcium by dissolving it, vinegar is a mild acid, it will also erode your teeth. I wouldn't gargle with it.

I've tried it on Mildew. It doesn't work on established mildew but I'll bet if you used it on walls 'susceptible' to mildew it would stop it before it started. But how would you know?

I think you'll find if you scope around enough that there are uses for vinegar and there are old wives' tales. There are claims for all kinds of benefits that simply cannot be found in vinegar. Not even in the raw stuff you can find at organic stores, the stuff that actually still has sediment in it. A lot of the Vinegar Facts out there seem to be self-perpetuating internet wipe-and-swipe. One site says it, another picks it up and so on. Try it and if it works for you in whatever you use it for, consider yourself lucky.  :Smile:

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## forddavid17

I usually used vinegar when i get insects bites.

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## crashdive123

Hey there forddavid17.  How about stopping by the Introduction section and tell us a bit (not bite) about yourself.  There's no itching or scratching either.  Thanks.

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## cbr6fs

Works great cleaning the outside of me fish tanks   :Thumbup1:

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## LowKey

I did a little searching on calcium in salads.
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=78
I'd say the math there is a little questionable. I third more calcium? 277 in the salad vs 300 in the glass of milk?
So with basically 3 cups worth of salad and 240 calories (do you know anyone that can choke down 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds???),  you don't quite get the same amount of calcium as one glass of 2% milk at 120 calories...
I'll grant the vitamin tradeoff, but you can still drink your milk and eat your romaine lettuce with sliced carrots and tomatoes (with your vinegar dressing of course!) and still get your vitamins for less calories.

By nutrition facts alone, a cup of chopped greens salad will provide 3% of your daily calcium (if it's just romaine lettuce as in the article above, a cup provides only 2%). An 8oz glass of 2% milk will provide 23%. Whole milk will provide 28%.

I have a love/hate relationship with the info you can find on the internet.

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## Rick

Vinegar makes a great base for BBQ.

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## grrlscout

I sometimes use an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse to clean my hair. About 1 part vinegar to 9 parts water in a squeeze bottle. It cleans your scalp and rids your hair of any excess oils, yet gives it a nice shine. The vinegar smell evaporates once your hair is dry.

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## edr730

I've used it to remove moles. Scratch the mole, rub the vinegar on it. Keep doing it for a few days and it will form a black scab and eventually fall off and eliminate the mole. You can bandage it with the vinegar, but be careful not to burn the surrounding skin. I've seen it done a few times and is pretty simple.

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## ravenscar

say what? i want proof!!
another use, to disipline chitlen
s

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## edr730

haha....sorry. A person will need to have the courage to try this dangerous procedure. Never ate those chitlins, but I've used the vinegar on chicharrónes, yuca and cabbage a few times.

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