EBT Health and Beauty Tip #2 - Apple Cider Vinegar

You may not find this post as sensual as the last but it is full of guidance that you will be grateful for if you find yourself in a creepy crawly situation, with no cash in your pocket yet a few dollars on your EBT card.  I'm talking about head-lice.  I know this is not a pleasant subject but life isn't always pleasant.  

A topic such as this I feel is best explained by sharing a personal story...  

I believe that children are amazing gifts who deserve all the love and support the Universe has to offer...and they should belong to other people.  I prefer to have a cat instead.  Although, I fully embrace my title of "Aunt Jane" and I have several nephews and nieces who I love dearly.

Many years ago, one of my beloved little germ-spreaders came to have a sleep-over at my house.  We had lots of fun activities planned but didn't quite get to all of them because, shortly after her arrival I realized the poor child was infested with head-lice.  Off to the pharmacy we went!  

First, I was in shock at how expensive the lice removal treatments were that the Pharmacist was suggesting.  At that time I could not afford a $15 to $20 bottles of shampoo, plus the comb and special laundry treatment.  It all would have added up to about $50!!  I knew children were more expensive than cats but this was ridiculous!

Then I started reading the ingredients in the lice treatment shampoos and that is when I got angry.  They are full of potentially harmful pesticides.  One of the active ingredients in the most popular brand, RID, is Piperonyl butoxide.  Alone, it is considered to be "low toxicity" but when combined with Pyrethrum it becomes increasingly more toxic.  Guess what the other active ingredients is?  If you said "Pyrethrum," you were correct!  I did not know what I was going to do but there was no way I was going to put poison on a child who I love.

I took my bug-ridden, beautiful, bundle of joy home with me and I did some research online.  That is when I learned how amazing ACV is!  It does not necessarily kill the lice but it damages the shell of the egg so that it can't hatch.  Plus, it is completely free of poison!  So, I went back to the pharmacy and bought a nit remover comb.  Then I went to the grocery store and bought enough ACV to de-bug my little love-bug and to wash all my linens, plus the toys she brought with her.  The grand total was under $20 and I could pay for it with my EBT card.  

lice comb

We went back home and combed all the lice out of her hair with the nit comb.  Then poured straight ACV on her hair, blew it dry, did laundry, and ate popcorn (popcorn is a big deal at "Aunt Jane sleep-overs" because sugary treats are forbidden.)  No more lice, my house did not get infested, and my precious niece did not get poisoned.  

Although this was several years ago, I would estimate that in rinsing her long hair, we used about a half gallon of ACV.  In doing the laundry, I used about 4 cups of ACV per full load.

Since that time, I have learned dozens more seemingly miraculous things that Apple Cider Vinegar can do.  You will notice, like most things though, organic ACV is more expensive than conventional.  Since price is often the deciding factor in our purchases, I have a general rule that I follow.  If I'm buying ACV to use externally, I buy conventional.  If I'm buying it to use internally, I buy organic.  Both can be purchased using your EBT card.

To learn more about Apple Cider Vinegar, I suggest reading "Apple Cider Vinegar - Miracle Health System" by Paul C. Bragg.