Just a bit of food for thought, the drug companies that are trying to get a "new" drug approved by the FDA are the same drug companies that are PAYING for that testing process. Quite frankly, I don't trust any of them. Plants were created for a purpose, many of them do have healing properties that those drug companies some people put so much stock in would go to any lengths to keep people from learning about or believing in. Tell me, what would happen if the world was to find out that ACV could help with Acid Reflux and/or chronic indigestion? *Grins* Exactly. They'd stop buying "the purple pill" and start buying ACV. Personally, I trust the products that God made before I'd trust those which are man made. ACV is made from apples. The "mother" mentioned in this thread are simply vital nutrients and minerals our bodies benefit from which are lost in the pasteurization process of the "grocery store" brands. ACV is acidic by nature, but when your body burns it, the ash created by the process of converting it to calories is "Base" in nature, which balances out the body's Ph. There ARE health benefits of ACV, many. But you'll never see a "clinical trial" of ACV. Why? Well think about it. Who pays the bills in a clinical trial? What drug company would want it proven clinically that ACV does the same thing as their "wonder pill?" Not to mention many prescription drugs are based after that which occurs naturally in nature. Personally, I have taken ACV for over 3 years now. I have gone from a jean size 24 to a jean size 8. But you must remember that no "weight loss" product, no exercise, nothing works overnight. It is a gradual process. My advice? If you're going to try ACV, then make a commitment to stay on it for at least 3 months. That's how long it took before I began to see results. The first thing I noticed was that my craving for junk food began to wane. I began to crave healthy food. I began to drink more water, I began to get full faster. I had more energy, I felt better. But I've also not been sick in 3 years. I've had kids with bad colds standing over me while I'm kneeling down at work and coughing right in my face, and not gotten sick. No stuffy noses, no sore throats, no flu. The only time I had a problem was when I stopped taking it for a few months. I didn't realize how much ACV doing for me until then. I was miserable, I just felt like crap. And within that 2 month time frame, I gradually began to go back to eating junk. Within a few weeks of going back on ACV, I felt much, much better. Most of the weight loss I experienced occurred during the first 6 months, mainly during a 2-3 month time frame. Within a few months, I'd noticed that my clothes were a bit big. 6 months after beginning, I went up and tried on clothes to find that I was a size 10. Concerned that there might be another reason for my weight loss I went to the doctor, and was told that I was in perfect...

i've already spent about$300 on compost and potting mix.I bought 2 yards of the potting mix for my plants I bring home from work and my ws babies.I do my own cuttings also. i use the seed exchange forum for about 95% of my seeds so not too much cost there.. just stamps I think I spent $20. recycle the bubble mailers. I used to spend a ton of money on plants. i've cut way back. hubby builds my arbors and fences and such with wood off of jobs he's done. He brought me a sunflower bird bath from a demo job and brought me posts and troughs, a swinging bench that he dug out of the dump. he's a very cool guy. my brother is giving me a bunch of pavers and edging and soil that he and his wife decided not to use. decided they don't have a green thumb and are moving to an apartment. they are taking the lavander rose I gave them as a wedding present. it was thier color for the wedding. she's going to have me pot it for her. she's afraid she'll kill it. But, back to the original question i spend about $500 a year or so. Oh, I havent gone out to Northwest gardens yet....oh my...do I hear a cha ching coming on? flowerchild5

I am late to this party but I will share my brief experience. It was many years ago and in the state of Florida so it may not apply to your situation. I had a roommate who, in addition to several small loans, ran up the phone bill to the tune of a couple of thousand dollars, calling overseas. I took her to small claims court and won a judgment against her. It was at that time that I learned that it was basically up to me to collect the money she owed me. I could file a paper (for a fee) that would entitle me to my money if she ever sold her house. She didn't even own one at the time. I could file a paper (for a fee) to have a sheriff collect her vehicle and sell it. I would need to pay something for them to actually tow it and then pay storage for the time between when they seized it and when they sold it. I forget what my third (legal) option was but it would have also cost me additional money. In the end, it would have cost more money for me to collect than what she owed. I did get a fraction of the money back but I eventually let karma take care of the balance.

Weelll...I am seriously perimenopausal, and I quit smoking 33 days ago. I have refused to gain weight and get flabby and out of shape as I've aged (44 now). Since the day I quit smoking, I've lost somewhere between 3-6 lbs...I don't own a scale but have a dog who goes for weekly vet treatments so I weigh myself there. And I totally know what you mean by water weight (and gas bloating, OY!)...however this has nothing to do with your actual body mass. I stay the same weight as when I was 15 the traditional way. I eat well and exercise. I don't go to a gym, and I refuse to buy anything labelled low fat, lite, or diet. I don't wallow around watching TV and eating, I don't spend 20 minutes trying to get a close parking space, I take stairs instead of elevators when practical, walk my dogs most days. I eat tons of fruit & vegetables (because I like them.) If I want to eat a half gallon of high fat icecream in one sitting, I do. Then I eat a bit less the next day. I have not gone on a diet since I was maybe 19. I adore junky food but try not to eat it too often because I feel draggy afterwards. I don't like to take supplements, I hate the taste of soda & juice; I drink a lot of water. Not because its supposed to be good for me, but because I like it. My theory is: if you eat lots (I mean lots) of good stuff with plenty of fiber, you can get away with eating more fatty foods more often because they go through you faster. :) I did not grow up in America & have a different view of eating and food, though. But it does work for me.