Nicotine replacement to help stop smoking

Which nicotine replacement therapy can help me quit smoking?

Many people would like to quit smoking but do not know how. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is widely advocated as the best treatment to discontinue smoking. NRT is available in many formulations including chewing gum, skin patches, nasal spray inhalers, lozenges and slow release tablets. All of these products release a small amount of nicotine slowly so that you do not develop the urge to smoke. So which one of these therapies is the best?

A review of all the literature on this topic has shown that all of these commercially available forms of NRT can help some people discontinue smoking. The success rate for all them ranges from 0-40 percent. Not one of these therapies is guaranteed to work 100%. The effectiveness of these therapies does not depend on other therapies like hypnosis, acupuncture or psychotherapy. The average time to discontinue smoking is very variable and can range from a few weeks to a year. 

What the consumer has to understand is that many of these NRT studies are also sponsored by the tobacco industry and thus the results are always fudged. The number of people failing to quit smoking after trying these therapies are enormous but these numbers are never reported. The best method of discontinuing smoking is cold turkey- it is cheap, works instantly but requires a lot of motivation and will power.

Massage therapies for removing cellulite

I have heard that massage devices can help get rid of cellulite. Is this true?

You have been smoking too much “grass” and reading crap. Endermologie is a hand held device that massages skin. The manufacturers of this crap device claim that it increases blood flow and removes cellulite. It does no such thing. 

Women who have undergone this bogus treatment claim it is a fraud and does diddly squat. Orientals have been performing massages for the past 2000 years and they get cellulite just like everyone else.

The only thing Endermologie device does is make you feel that the cellulite has gone- the fat pads and dimpling disappear for a few hours and come back when you return home. Please stop wasting your money on this shit- get a life or, take some Prozac.

Mesotherapy to remove cellulite

Can mesotherapy help get rid of cellulite?

Mesotherapy involves injection of a cocktail of hormones, enzymes, herbs, and aminophylline. The injection is made superficially and the manufacturers claim that the cellulite dissolves- this is a bunch of SHIT. 

Mesotherapy is a scam and a complete waste of money. Just read the reports by people who have undergone this treatment. On the face of this earth, you won’t find a single person who lost their cellulite with meso-crapotherapy. The injections are also associated with many complications- some of which are long lasting. Save your money from this bogus treatment. Remember, the field of cosmesis is full of charlatans who prey on desperate people who just want to look pretty.

Creams to remove cellulite

Are there are any creams that can get rid of cellulite?

The skincare industry has gone wild. There are hundreds of creams, lotions, potions, liquids, gels, enemas, tablets, capsules, ointments and so on for treatment of cellulite. Some contain herbs, vitamins, enzymes, extracts from seaweed, water from Dead sea, Blue sea, Caspian sea, cat’s pee, dog’s poo, rhino’s arse, elephant’s snort, goat’s testicles, snake’s gallbladder, camel’s penis, tiger’s eyes and so on…got the picture?—all junk. 

There is no cream that can get rid of your cellulite. Please stop wasting your money on crap. If you really believe that such a cream exists, you really need to see a psychiatrist.

Acupuncture for depression

Can acupuncture help my depression?

The failure of conventional drug therapy to reverse depression has led many people to turn towards alternative remedies. Acupuncture has been widely touted to cure almost everything underneath the sun including the American economy. Reports from China are always positive on acupuncture. Today, alternative healthcare practitioners and every Tom, Dick and Harry have set up acupuncture clinics on street corners for the treatment of all types of medical disorders. 

As far as depression is concerned, analysis of all the recent trials leads to one conclusion- the benefit from acupuncture was as good as one obtained from a sugar pill. There is at present insufficient evidence to recommend acupuncture as a treatment for depression.

Moreover acupuncture is not cheap. Each session can cost anywhere from $80-$150 and just like the plastic surgery, nothing is ever cured in one session. One must undergo at least 20-30 sessions with no guarantee of any benefit.

Best advice is leave acupuncture for the suckers. If you are depressed go and see a real psychiatrist. The anti-depressant medications may have side effects but at least they work- acupuncture does not.

Traction therapy for low back pain

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My doctor says traction therapy may help my low back pain. Is this true?

Your doctor is buffoon and only wants your money. In the last 20 years, hundreds of traction devices have been developed for back pain. Most of these devices have been developed with the help of doctors who often own the company or have major shares. There are many types of traction therapies- some work while you stand, others work while you lay down on a table, some can be used at home and others work while you sleep. 

Cochrane reviewers looked at the latest data on traction devices and found no evidence that these machines benefit anyone with back pain. Moreover these traction sessions go on for months and are costly. Some of the traction sessions cost $200 per hour. By the end of 16 weeks, you spend as much on these B.S. therapy as you would on brand new car- the only difference is that the doctor buys the car with your money and you continue to have pain and walk.

If you have any common sense, avoid traction nonsense and save your hard earned money. The majority of reports on cyberspace indicate that traction for back pain sucks and is a scam. Unfortunately, many doctors are involved in such bogus therapies.

Removing ear wax

What is the best way to remove ear wax?

Consumers constantly worry about wax in their ears and spend enormous amounts of money visiting expensive ear surgeons. Wax is natural- everyone develops wax in the ear. The only reason people are concerned about wax is because it may appear unsightly. Some individuals do get an impacted ear which may reduce hearing. 

Over the years countless ointments and ear drops have been developed to remove wax from the ear. So far there is not a single study which has shown that one type of ear drop is better than the other. The only thing true is that using ear drops is better than no treatment at all. 

So if you have wax in your ear, just apply a drop of baby oil once or twice a week. If you do not like oil, you may use sodium bicarbonate or docusate liquid drops. If you apply these drops regularly, you will never ever have wax build up again. Once in a while, take a Q tip and gently clean the outside of the ear canal. This is the cheapest and safest way to prevent wax.