You Can Do That with an Apple?
By Sara Butler
Apple season is here, and along with this plentiful harvest comes more than just apple crisp and apple cider. There are many uses for apples that many people have no clue about! If you need a few more reasons to embrace this fruit then get ready to learn new ways to use apples.
They Can Help with Allergies
Apples are full of a compound called quercetin, which helps to slow the release of histamine in your body. Histamine is released when you’re having an allergic reaction, so slowing this down will help you to feel better at the height of allergy season.
Migraine Management
Just the smell of apples can come in handy! According to researchers at The National Institutes of Health, the smell of green apples can help reduce symptoms of a migraine and even shorten a migraine episode. There’s some promising research that is looking into apples as a way to alleviate joint pain too.
If you feel a headache coming on, try cutting a green apple in half and smelling it. You have to go with the real thing instead of artificial apple fragrance – those can actually bring a headache on or make it worse.
Help to Ripen Other Fruit
Apples release a gas called ethylene. This gas speeds up the ripening process in other fruits. So, if you’ve got some fruit you want to ripen quickly put them in a brown paper bag with some ripe apples and watch the magic happen. Just be aware you can’t expedite the ripening of oranges, tangerines or pineapples this way.
If you aren’t looking to speed up the ripening process of fruits in your home, be sure not to store them next to the apples!
Move Over Shampoo
If you’re looking for a way to clean your hair without adding a bunch of chemicals to your head, then try some apple cider vinegar. If you have oily hair you can add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to a pint of water and run it through your hair in the shower. The vinegar strips your hair of soapy residue that can weigh it down. Don’t worry about the smell, either. The vinegar scent will go away when your hair dries.
For Your Feathered Friends
Winter can be tough for birds, but you can lend them a hand by cutting a fresh apple in half and adding it to your bird feeder. They will enjoy the fruit and it will help them make it through the harsh weather.