Celebrity Health Remedies Revealed

Dec. 6, 2011— -- intro: Celebrities are known for their wild and wacky remedies for all things health. From cellulite to inner qi, acne to beauty secrets, the stars are often the first to try the most novel therapies and treatments available.

As cold and flu season settles upon us, read about the ways celebs claim to keep healthy and fit.

quicklist: 1category: Celebrity Health Remediestitle: B12 url: text: In March 2008, Madonna introduced Justin Timberlake to the wonders of a B12 vitamin injection, a health fad that has become popular because of its energy boosting properties. The shot helps red blood cells carry more oxygen efficiently.

Other celebs, including Charlize Theron and Hugh Jackman, also swear by the energy booster. According to the LA Times, Dr. Sabena Toor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centers doles out about 30 shots a week to patients who need to reduce stress and increase energy.

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quicklist: 2category: Celebrity Health Remediestitle: Leechesurl: text: The medicinal leech has been used since medieval times as a way to remedy a host of illnesses, including fever and inflammation. Demi Moore told David Letterman in a 2008 interview that she was kicking it back old school when she said she used leeches to detoxify her blood and optimize health.

"I've always been somebody looking for the cutting edge of things that are for optimizing your health and healing, so just a week ago I was in Austria doing a cleanse and part of the treatment was leech therapy," Moore told Letterman.

"It detoxifies your blood," she continued. "And they have a little enzyme that when they're biting down on you, gets released into your blood and generally you bleed for quite a bit. And your health is optimized. It detoxified the blood and I'm feeling detoxified right now."

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quicklist: 3category: Celebrity Health Remediestitle: Mistletoe Injectionsurl: text: She's known as a star from 80s and 90s sitcoms, along with her fitness regimens and natural health advocacy. Many weren't buying some of her homeopathic drugs, when she told Larry King in a 2001 interview that she used a therapy known as Iscador, an extract of mistletoe, rather than the standard chemotherapy treatment.

While some mistletoe products are used in other countries for breast cancer treatment, there is no evidence that such injections can cure breast cancer, Barrie Cassileth, chief of integrative medicine service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, said in an interview for the ABCNews.com OnCall+ Breast Cancer Center.

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quicklist: 4category: Celebrity Health Remediestitle: Apple Cider Vinegarurl: text: Pop star Fergie swears that a couple shots of apple cider vinegar keeps her weight down. In 2008, she told Glamour magazine, "For some reason I've noticed a difference on my stomach. I just trusted [my trainer] on this one. I'm sharing. I'm all about sharing secrets."

The vinegar, which is made by crushing fresh apples that ferment in barrel, is recommended to take in shot form or combined with olive oil. It has a laundry list of supposed health remedy properties, including cures for allergies, acne, chronic fatigue, sore throats, arthritis and gout.

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quicklist: 5category: Celebrity Health Remediestitle: Gem Therapyurl: text: Gem therapy is meant to heal and energize through the art and science of therapeutic-quality gemstones, and Uma Thurman claims to benefit from the Buddhist practice. The specific gems supposedly affect mood and well-being, and according to a 2004 article in Redbook magazine, the award-winning actress wears a gem necklace meant to symbolize mood and well-being.

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quicklist: 6category: Celebrity Health Remediestitle: Coffee Grinds to Beat Celluliteurl: text: Halle Berry allegedly uses coffee beans to fight off cellulite on her butt and thighs. The justification? Caffeine is found in many cellulite creams. The energy booster supposedly enhances fat metabolism, reduces swelling and smooths skin, although it is tough to find hard evidence that these creams actually fight off cellulite for good.

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