4 Thieves Vinegar Recipe and History
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The story of the 4 thieves vinegar
In 1628, an epidemic of the black plague affected the city of Toulouse, one of the deadliest. During this period, a group of bandits looted houses and robbed victims without ever being contaminated.
Caught in the act and questioned about the secret of their resistance, they then revealed their secret in order to escape a heavy sentence. They drank and rubbed their bodies, hands and faces daily with a potion. Their secret remedy: a simple maceration of plants and spices in vinegar.
The story is renewed in 1720 when the city of Marseille was affected by the great plague. Another group of bandits use the same recipe to loot victims.
Proof of its effectiveness, the precious recipe was thus revealed to the general public then recorded in the pharmacopoeia in 1748. Until 1884, pharmacists prescribed it as a natural antiseptic for external use. Crossing the ages, the vinegar of the 4 thieves still helps today to strengthen natural defenses and to fight against harmful micro-organisms but not only...
One thing is certain, the vinegar of the 4 thieves lives up to its name!
The benefits of 4 thieves vinegar
Natural anti-infective
It strengthens the immune system and helps fight contagious diseases (flu, etc.). It also protects against respiratory tract infections: tonsillitis, colds, sore throats, etc. It will also treat oral problems such as mycoses, gingivitis and aphthous stomatitis or even promote good oral hygiene.
Recognized antiparasitic and antiseptic
Nothing resists it, not even parasites such as lice or nits. Simply coat your entire hair with vinegar, paying particular attention to the scalp and leave to act for several hours. Repeat this treatment for 2 to 3 days until the parasites disappear. A wound ? An insect bite? Apply vinegar to disinfect superficial wounds or to soothe itching caused by bites.
Natural stimulant
The vinegar of the 4 thieves has purifying, energizing and detoxifying properties which will help in cases of fatigue or weakness.
Beneficial for the skin
You can also use it pure or diluted on the skin on a cotton pad or a damp washcloth to:
- Disinfect shallow wounds (cuts, acne, scratches)
- Cleanse sensitive skin (soften bath water, treat chickenpox or even fungus or corns) and soothe sunburn
- Soothe itching (especially eczema)
- Stimulate healing
Beneficial for hair
4 Thieves Vinegar can also be used for hair and not only against lice.
Lack of shine and volume? Apply it as a lotion, directly after rinsing. It also acts as a scalp cleanser and is effective against dandruff and oily hair.
To maintain the house
4 Thieves Vinegar can also be used to maintain your home. By spraying, soaking or rubbing, it disinfects and sanitizes your bathrooms, household appliances, carpets, etc.
For animals
Our little four-legged animals are also affected by itching or insect bites, so you can use it as a compress. But not only ! It deodorizes the hair and restores its shine. To do this, apply it as a mist or lotion to the coat, avoiding sensitive areas: mucous membranes, eyes, ears, nose, etc. Cats may be more sensitive due to its smell.
To summarize, the benefits of thieves' wine are numerous. In particular, it can:
- Strengthen immune defenses;
- Detoxify;
- Have an effectiveness on the respiratory tract;
- Disinfects the epidermis and soothes itching;
- Relieve insect bites;
- Cleanse the scalp;
- Have a natural anti-lice and parasite action;
- Disinfect and sanitize the house.
Recipe
Allow ingredients to steep for 3 months then transfer to a new container strained.
Modern
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh lavender flowers
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh anise hyssop
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and crushed)
- 4 cups white wine vinegar
DO NOT use sage if you are pregnant.
Traditional
- vinegar
- wormwood
- meadowsweet
- juniper
- marjoram
- sage
- cloves
- horse heal
- angelica
- rosemary
- horehound
- camphor