So far as vinegar helping pounds just melt off of you–not so. At least, not when the vinegar is in the form of “pickle juice.” I know, because I can drink a full jar full of pickle juice several times a day (I love the stuff) and let me tell you, pounds do not melt off! If they did, I wouldn’t be on this hideous diet! What it does do is cause you to retain water! Kind of the opposite effect! Maybe the pounds that melt off refers to the weight you lose when you pee and get rid of the retained water!
Spot on, mate!
Vinegar also works to neutralise stings from other types of jellyfish too. Here on the Great Australian Bight we don’t have box jellyfish (they are confined to warm tropical waters) but we do get blue-bottle jellyfish, which can grow to a considerable size.
As you said above, anyone who knows about salt water safety in Autralia keeps some vinegar handy when they go to the beach.
I read years ago in a folk medicine book that drinking apple cider vinegar mixed with honey will cure alcoholism (and a dozen other things I can’t remember). I think I’ll stick with booze… 