Amy Grant and Hot Flashes and Apple Cider Vinegar

It started innocently enough. I laughed from the front row of Amy's concert on November 5th as she finished a song and said, "Whew! Nothing like having a hot flash in the middle of a song." I laughed because I couldn't relate. At. All.

But in a few weeks hot flashes and I would be in an abusive relationship.

Thanksgiving evening I thought I was dying. I was seriously ready to tell my husband to take me to the ER because I was hot and my heart was racing. I'd been going outside to stand on the porch to cool off all day and was pretty sure I was coming down with something that would incapacitate me.

Then the strange night stuff started. 

I'd be asleep and then toss off the sheets as I lay there with a fire burning inside me and sweat pouring off of me. This started at about 8:00 at night and continued hourly (and sometimes even more often) until about 9:00 the next morning. I was not sleeping well. 

Still convinced I was dying, I mentioned all of this to a friend who I play an online version of Scrabble with. It's a daily thing we do and pretty much the only time we talk. She said it sounded hormonal. I listened to her reasoning, because who knows hormones better than another woman, and decided to investigate further with the help of my old friend, Google.

The three of us (me, my friend, and Google) figured out that I was having hot flashes. 

Great.

I decided that this was not something I was going to take and with further research learned that there is a natural way to end these little bits of visits to the desert without leaving home. 

Apple cider vinegar.

Now, I've had some Bragg's ACV in my cupboard for years. It's great to use this stuff in salad dressings and marinades. But the Internet was telling me to drink it.

 Drink. It.

Not something I would have ever thought to do on my own, but the testimonials of other women my age (ahem, no comments please) swore that it took them away. I decided to get a fresh bottle on my next grocery shopping trip.

I purchased some on a Tuesday and had my first cocktail the next morning. Just ACV and water. It was not a taste experience that I ever want to get used to and after just two days decided to switch to evening because it is not how I want to start my day. But also in just two days I noticed a huge difference. It was like a miracle. Instead of having 15-20 of these episodes I was down to 1-2 a night. And now I'm down to one every few nights. I can totally live with this.

Hormones are an amazing thing. I have no idea of the science behind why the ACV works, I just know it does and that there are a lot of other health benefits to this elixir. 

If you are having hot flashes and want to stay away from chemical or artificial medicines then I urge you to get some Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and try it. There is nothing to lose, it will only benefit you. I take 1-2 tablespoons a night in a glass of water. It isn't good, it's very tangy, but it has saved my sanity. Bragg's is available at most grocery stores and is the only brand I will use.

There is a recipe on the back of the bottle for a "delicious, ideal pick-me-up" ha ha ha. I haven't tried it yet, maybe adding some stevia would change everything? I might have to give that a try.

The next time I see Amy and hear her talk about hot flashes I may have to tell her to start drinking apple cider vinegar. 

Why don't all women know this? This is the stuff we should be teaching in school. Common core math won't change your life for the better. This information will.