>> "No form of vinegar changes body pH or has any effect on toxins. The body's natural processes, mediated largely through the liver and kidneys, eliminate waste products and toxic substances." It's as if you are still rejecting the efficacy of Cinchona bark for treating malaria because the Amazonian Indians haven't discovered the formula for the quinine it contains. Instead, they say that the bark of the Cinchona tree contains the spirit of the God Xohopichulato, which destroys the evil spirit that causes malaria. If you want to rest in your beliefs that there is no Xohopichulato and therefore Cinchona cannot help with malaria, fine. Just don't pretend it is science. It is arrogant ethnocentrism, not scientific empiricism. Your arguments are based on an arbitrary and artificial definition of the word 'toxin'. You are ignoring the fact that ordinary substances can build up to toxic levels under many conditions - for example, glucose can build up to toxic levels when there is insulin resistance. In such a case, anything that reduces insulin resistance or lowers glucose levels would in fact be a 'detoxification' process. Likewise, immune hormones like the interferons and interleukins are necessary under certain conditions, but at higher doses (ie when there is infection or chronic inflammation) they often cause side effects that range from unpleasant to lethal. In SARS, H5N1 bird flu, and other killer influenzas, the body's immune system destroys the body. Immune hormones that might sometimes be beneficial are produced at toxic levels. This is quite different from your idea of metabolic toxins that are normally handled by the kidneys and liver. The short chain fatty acids present in vinegar (acetate, proprionate, butyrate) have been repeatedly shown to lower inflammatory cytokines (which have been implicated as a contributor to migraines). These simple compounds also affect levels of leptin, adiponectin and other compounds that regulate glucose, and there is research implicating this in the pathogenesis of migraines. You have stooped to pseudoscience by refusing to look at the evidence that vinegar can dramatically change certain chemicals in the body. You seem to take comfort in linguistic tautologies about 'toxins' that have little bearing on the underlying facts of the matter. Here is a link that might be useful: Glucose, Adiponectin, Immune Hormones and Migraine.

Rhizo: I'm glad that you brought that up. Thanks. I re-post the info. on grapefruit interaction below. Grainlady: I'm so lucky to have your valuable info. THANK YOU. I agree that homemade probiotics (Kefir, sauerkraut) is best. Long-shelf storage at the store DECREASE the number of viable bacteria. Some yogurt have artificial sugar added (aspartame, sucralose, sorbitol) ... these sugar-substitute are known to INCREASE the bad bacteria, and ZAP out the good bacteria. Men's Health has an excellent article on how certain medications mixed with certain food/drink can have a deadly effect & toxic: http://www.menshealth.com/health/ 1. Limes and cough medicine. You may have heard not to drink grapefruit juice with some prescriptions, including cholesterol-lowering statins. But limes, pomelos, and Seville oranges—although not the more-common navel and Valencia varieties—also may block an enzyme that breaks down statins and other drugs, including the cough suppressant dextromethorphan ... this includes hallucinations and sleepiness; in statins, you may sustain severe muscle damage. 2. Dairy products and antibiotics. Some antibiotics, including Cipro, bind to calcium, iron, and other minerals in milk-based foods. “This prevents the absorption of the antibiotics, ultimately decreasing their ability to fight infections,” Gullickson says. When you get a new prescription for acne or an infection, ask if the drug falls into a class known as tetracyclines or flouroquinolones. If so, avoid milk, yogurt, and cheese 2 hours before and after taking the pills. 3. Smoked meats and antidepressants. Check the label on your happy pills. If they belong to a class called monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs—brand names Marplan, Nardil, Emsam, or Parnate—combining them with foods rich in the amino acid tyramine can cause life-threatening spikes in blood pressure, says Gullickson. Unfortunately, the list of no-nos includes not only summer sausage and smoked salmon, but also red wine, sauerkraut, hot dogs, aged cheeses, soy sauce, and draft or home-brewed beer. 4. Chocolate and Ritalin. Besides caffeine, chocolate also contains a stimulant called theobromine, says Tom Wheeler, Pharm.D. (It’s the reason chocolate harms dogs—canine bodies can’t break it down.) Combining all these stimulants in humans can potentially lead to erratic behavior and seizures. 5. Apple juice and allergy meds. Nix the nectar from apples, oranges, and grapefruits if you take Allegra (fexofenadine) for hay fever—at least within 4 hours of swallowing the pill, Gullickson advises. The resulting lack of absorption makes Allegra up to 70 percent less effective; lay off these juices while taking the antibiotics Cipro or Levaquin, the thyroid medication Synthroid, or the allergy and asthma treatment Singulair, Gullickson says. 6. Cinnamon and warfarin. People taking the blood-thinning medication warfarin—prescribed to prevent or treat clots—have long been warned to keep their intake of vitamin K steady, says Wolfe. This means you shouldn’t change your weekly intake of foods like leafy greens or broccoli; because vitamin K plays a key role in clotting, doing so could affect the thickness of your blood. But there’s another risk. Cassia cinnamon, the kind on most American grocery-store shelves, contains high levels of a compound called coumarin that can thin blood and potentially cause liver damage, says Eric Newman, M.D 7. Alcohol and acetaminophen. Resist the urge to wash down your Tylenol with a cold one—your body uses the same enzyme to break down the two substances. http://www.menshealth.com/health/

Mtn-- I missed your post above until just now. I had very similar experiences through covid-- and they mostly went unnoticed because for a good portion of the pandemic, I was 120% focused on work. I was not nearly as active-- I was indifferent to food and inconsistent with my meals (very likely the reason i lost weight). I didn't take a shower or get dressed every day and I didn't have good sleep patterns -- I would fall asleep around midnight, if i was lucky and then back up and working by 5am. This pattern continues to some degree even now. I never really experienced either depression or anxiety in my past but I definitely had mild forms of both through the pandemic-- and recently a short run with anxiety again. Like Mtn, I didn't know the signs to recognize it or see it creeping in. I think my disinterest in food was likely a sign-- also my inability to sleep or focus on reading. I know now, in hindsight, that when i turn to a run of mysteries, it's a sign that I am not doing my best. Mysteries are my comfort food. My hope is that eating well and taking better care of my sleep and physical self will make me less likely to experience the anxiety and mood shifts. Kswl's post really struck me-- of course, she has more serious challenges and concerns with her DH's and mother's health issues but she is right. Now is the time to take good care of ourselves so that we can face the challenges ahead-- our own and those our dear ones and our communities are facing. THIS keeps me much more motivated right now than anything. (Also the jeans in another size smaller that are waiting for me to try on!)

I was really worried I'd be disappointed hitting the scale since I had three meals out over the last few days with friends in town visiting and a work party for my husband. Somehow, I'm not. I seem to be down 1lb which is fantastic. I'd have been satisfied with no weight gain. I've had to officially switch to my summer workout schedule which is now morning swimming or running and I've managed to get in two lap swims and one run. And I felt great on my run this morning. I need to keep this moment in my head if I struggle to maintain this weight loss since it is incredible how much better I feel running when I'm not carrying all that extra weight. And I need to stick with weight lifting at lunch time, which is easy for me to forget when I'm busy with work. @l pinkmountain I really hate how much food advertising there is on streaming and on the internet. I do ok fasting (up to 36 hours) 2 days per week, but I have to find something other than TV to entertain myself because of the commercials. They just wreck me and make me so hungry. Maybe it's not just inactivity but food advertising that has made weight such a challenging thing for our society. @Funkyart congratulations on the pants fitting! That is seriously such a wonderful feeling when something you wanted to wear and couldn't before now fits your body. @jill302 I am so very sorry for your loss! My heart is breaking for you. I'm glad you gave your dog a wonderful home for 17 years but I know the pain of losing a beloved fur family member. And to add the stress of a MIL moving in at the same time. Wow. That is a lot to deal with all at once. @Sueb20 I'm sorry that you have long covid! That's just awful. I hope you start feeling back to yourself soon. I think walking, at any speed, is such a wonderful form of exercise. And that you're able to keep up with exercising when you feel so crummy is a testament to your willpower and strength. Keep it up. Hopefully the moderate exercise will help your immune system heal your body too.