According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD), Americans spend $33 billion a year on weight loss products and services. Some of these products and services are downright wacky. Safe weight reduction requires lifestyle changes and moderation, not fad diets or gimmicks. The Centers for Disease Control recommend aiming for a loss of 1 to 2 lbs. a week.
Blue Glasses
The color blue can act as an appetite suppressant, according to Satyendra Singh of the University of Winnipeg. Acting on this idea, blue-tinted glasses have been promoted for weight loss. The idea is that the blue lenses will make food appear blue and thus, less appetizing.
Chew Your Food
Your mother may have instructed you to chew your food, but Horace Fletcher, once known as "the Great Masticator," touted the idea of chewing food until it liquefied in the mouth. He felt this would aid digestion and reduce overeating. According to KidsHealth.org, anything that slows down your eating could help reduce overeating, but Fletcher took this advice to extremes, turning mealtime into a chore.
Worms
A February 2010 story in the "London Daily Telegraph" reported the Chinese government was concerned about health risks to dieters who were swallowing parasitic roundworms as a means of weight loss. The worms can grow up to 15 feet inside the host and cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, malnutrition and even death.
Toe Ring
Toe rings purporting to stimulate acupressure points on the toes claim to decrease appetite and "force abdominal and femoral muscles to work more effectively." The rings also contain magnets, which supposedly increase their effectiveness. The small plastic rings wrap around each big toe. The magnets and plastic rubbing against your feet might cause blisters, but it's doubtful they'd help you lose weight.
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