Sure, everyone looks like they’re overflowing with holiday cheer right now. But we all know that looks can be deceiving. And the holidays can be a tough time of year.
Plus, next month could be a whole other story for those folks who are riding a seasonal high right now. After all, that’s when the holiday hangover hits for many of us.
The fun is over. Everyone has gone home. The sad, dry Christmas trees pile up on the curb. And your mood threatens to sink right along with the temperatures.
But a new study reveals a unique way to cut your odds of battling the blues, whether it’s the post-holiday slump or any other time of year.
I have to warn you, however. It’s going to sound a little strange. It might even seem downright unlikely at first. Because I’m talking about vinegar.
But its use is backed by solid science, and it’s safe and easy to use. Plus, because vinegar is a terrific topping for your dinner salad, it can literally bring a bunch of other health benefits to the table.
The vinegar solution for boosting mood
Beyond picking out our favorite flavor, most of us don’t give much thought to what we use to top our salads. And that could be a mistake.
Because few things can make your healthy salad take a turn for the worst as picking the wrong salad dressing. Check the label, and you’ll find many of them are loaded with inflammatory sugars and unhealthy oils.
Some salad dressings are so bad they deliver about a third of the recommended daily sugar limit in a single serving. And most people dump far more than a thimble-sized “single serving” on their salads.
A homemade dressing of olive oil and vinegar with fresh herbs and seasonings is a far better option. It has no added sugar. But loads of taste.
And vinegar-based dressings are also packed with health benefits. One of which could be a better mood, as the new research reveals.
Scientists say vinegar’s depression-fighting ability is thanks to a powerful brain-boosting antioxidant called acetic acid. (As a bonus benefit, that same acetic acid is a natural appetite suppressant that could help you feel full faster.)
But there’s a slight catch. You need to top up your levels daily.
In the new study, folks given two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per day for a month had lower depression scores by up to 34 percent. While volunteers in a control group saw their depression-scores rise slightly over that same time.
Benefits beyond mood
Impressive results for something you can simply sneak into your salad.
These findings don’t mean vinegar is a treatment for active depression, of course. But a dirt-cheap bottle of apple cider vinegar, or a supplement if you prefer, could certainly offer some welcome extra protection against a sagging mood.
And let’s be honest, all of us could use that from time to time. But the vinegar benefits don’t end there.
Vinegar could also help:
- support balanced blood sugar
- speed weight loss
- reduce the risk of heart disease
- fight bacteria
Oh, and vinegar makes a pretty nifty cleaner, too. It cuts through grease and can even kill bacteria. I mix vinegar with water in a spray bottle and use it to clean my sink, stove, counters, and other kitchen surfaces.
It’s also terrific for tough-to-clean appliances. A 1:1 mix of water and vinegar through your coffee maker can clear out all the gunk hidden inside. Just be sure to run a few water-only cycles through after.
Plus, vinegar can even make a terrific remedy for dry and cracked feet and heels. Check out the simple directions here.
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