I missed this post when it first came out, but I’d add some advice to the original list:
Don’t take medical advice from a paranoid, ranting, bitter person who thinks that “all things intellectual are relative and personal.” That last one alone is more than enough to entirely disregard anything he says.
As for the “alternative and traditional methods of healing,” well, I think the average person is much more likely to be harmed (or at least bilked out of lots of money) if he attempts to heal with those methods than he is to be healed. While there may be a few methods not accepted by mainstream medicine that are safe and effective, I believe the vast majority are worthless and many are dangerous. And I don’t think your average person with an IQ of 100 and no medical training has nearly the ability necessary to research and analyze alternative methods effectively enough to ensure that he’s getting a safe and effective treatment.
As for weight loss, I’ve known many, many people who’ve lost lots of weight. But I’ve only known three or four who’ve lost more than 20 pounds and kept it off for more than a couple years. And they all had one thing in common: Regular, vigorous aerobic exercise. Not walking around the block a few times, but really getting their heart rate up and putting a lot of effort into it.
