For $1500 people are sticking feeding tubes up their nose, down their esophagus and into their stomachs. It's the nose tube diet. Yuck!

I have struggled with my weight for years, up, down, up, down. I've tried the "popular" diets, Atkins, Jenny Craig, Cabbage Soup . . . ad nauseam. But here's one you can be sure I will NOT be trying any time soon – The Nose Tube Diet.

Yes that’s right, people (women mostly I’m sure) and in particular apparently brides-to-be are now sticking feeding tubes up their nose, down their esophagus and into their stomachs whereupon they are administered an 800 calorie a day liquid diet.

Wow – I thought cutting out carbs was tough! According to the literature you take in 800 calories a day and can lose about 20 pounds in 10 days for the low low price of $1495. That’s right, for $150 a day you can walk around with a tube up your nose while ingesting a steady stream of liquid. You may even lose 30 pounds according to the brochure. The question then becomes Why? But more than that – Why? And to top it all off, the brochure states that after a 10 days rest you can start the whole program over again.

Now not only do you feed yourself through your nose, you have to monitor, chart, document, take laxatives, drink only water tea etc with no additives – and oh yeah – you save the cost of food. Really people? Do you think that you spend $150 a day on food???

Anyone who has ever been on a crazy, calorie restricted, liquid only diet knows that yes, indeed you may lose weight. But 1 –  you can’t do that forever, and 2 – when you go back to regular food, (and we know that you will since this 10 day period of torture is not teaching you how to eat properly), you will gain, some, probably all, and possibly even more weight back that you had in the first place.

Now, according to the brochure this is a non invasive way to lose weight. Non- invasive? How much more invasive is a tube up your nose with liquid forced down your throat. I would venture to say that those who suffer from medical conditions which make it imperative to be fed through a tube of this sort would say that this is not only invasive, but they would certainly rather eat a steak and baked potato given the option.

I am personally offended by this method of weight loss having watched a loved one go through a battle of cancer where the only way to get the nutrition necessary to live was through a feeding tube for nine months. C’mon girls, he proposed – he must like you Just The Way You Are. This diet is just another indulgence of those with nothing better to do with $1500 that stick it up their nose. (Oh yes, I guess there are other things you can stick up your nose for that amount and more but that’s another article.)

Back to my original thought, I have struggled with my weight all my life, tried the fad diets, the no carbs, the restricted calories, shakes, supplements, but now having reached the mid century mark (Ugh!) I realize that there is but one truth to the weight loss dilemma. Calories In, Calories Out. Ask any nutritionist worth their salt and they will tell you that the best quality of life is good nutrition with portion control and moderate exercise.

So put down the cheeseburger, have a nice piece of fresh fish with crispy fresh vegetables, take the dog out for a walk after dinner – and for heaven’s sake take that stupid tube out of your nose. Not only do you look like a fool, but you spend your money like one as well. Think how many pairs of really nice shoes you could buy for $1,500!!

Leslie Kollar has over 20 years of experience in the health care field in both the U.S. and Canada. She has worked professionally in medical offices and hospital administration, using her BA in Communications/Public Relations and MBA in Marketing. She has also seen the other side of the health care coin as a 15 year cancer survivor. As a survivor she is passionate that each and every person is and should be responsible for their own health - and with this passion she hopes to inspire, inform and educate through HealthWorldNet. Leslie can be reached at  LK Communications [email protected]