Apple Cider Vinegar

And now, some good news, for a change: it’s about APPLE CIDER VINEGAR!

Yesterday, the “Guardian” sent me an article by Amy Fleming, reporting on on apple cider vinegar research by Dr. Darshna Yagnik (PhD).

Ms. Fleming’s report is very well written and is easy to read and understand: Dr. Yagnik’s experience with taking ACV, and experimenting with it, is very nicely explained and the many beneficial effects of apple cider vinegar are clearly described.

The article reminded me of a friend of mine

A very good friend of mine had a problem: gastro-esophageal reflux (“acid reflux”), commonly known as “heartburn”. It was giving her serious pain, from esophagitis.
She tried antacids like “Tums” without success and eventually was treated with Nexium, a “proton pump inhibitor” (PPI), which prevented her stomach from forming the natural HCl which begins our digestion.

With Nexium, her symptoms were well controlled, but PPIs have a bad reputation and after a few years of taking Nexium every day, she began to worry about the side effects of her stomach not producing any acid.
PPIs cause many problems, including anemia from failure to absorb vitamin B12 and iron, liver and kidney disease, stomach and bowel infections like Helicobacter pylori and Clostridium difficile, disturbance of the microbiome and even bowel cancer.
With PPIs, the bowel also fails to absorb calcium, with loss of bone mass and increased risk of fractures: as a very active racket sports person, my friend had visions of breaking something from mild sports accidents which ordinarily, would be no problem.
In addition, she was advised that PPIs are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, pneumonia, dementia and other frightening problems.

Then in 2019, her BFF suggested that she try apple cider vinegar.

Since 2019, my friend has been taking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) with warm water every morning, with very good results: the heartburn is completely under control, she never gets indigestion, it’s easier to control her weight and her mild constipation has disappeared.

The cause of “acid reflux” and esophagitis

When she asked me how and why ACV improved her “acid reflux”, I explained it as follows: the problem is underproduction, not overproduction, of stomach acid.

In this condition, the acidity in the stomach is too low. Therefore the natural response to acid, in which secretion of stomach acid triggers opening of the the circular muscle at the lower end of the stomach, doesn’t happen. The food doesn’t pass through into the small bowel, the stomach fills up and the pressure inside rises, causing a “bloated” feeling.

The pressure may be high enough push the stomach contents up into the esophagus, which gets inflamed (reflux esophagitis) and sometimes painful. The total effect is “bloating”, “indigestion” and a burning pain in the esophagus, just above the stomach.

How ACV works for acid reflux

ACV, being acidic, triggers opening of the pylorus, which allows food to pass downwards in the normal fashion, thus reducing the pressure inside the stomach. Thereby, it prevents the full, bloated feeling and the stomach spasms which make stomach contents “reflux” up into the esophagus.

Whether that explanation is correct or not, the fact is that my friend has been free of acid reflux since 2019

Please read Ms. Fleming’s report

I would highly recommend that you read Ms. Fleming’s report, even if you have no stomach problems yourself (I’m sure that you have friends who do).

To read Dr. Yagnik’s two research papers for yourself, go to “Antibacterial apple cider vinegar eradicates methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and resistant Escherichia coli“, by Darshna R Yagnik · Vlad Serafim,  Malcolm Ward ·  Ajit Shah (January, 2021).
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348630117_Antibacterial_apple_cider_vinegar_eradicates_methicillin_resistant_Staphylococcus_aureus_and_resistant_Escherichia_coli