You have heard of MBTs, earth shoes and Chung Shi.

At best they were ugly and at worst they left you looking like you had a serious medical problem.

Realising no one wants to wear something which looks like an orthopaedic shoe, even if it can help you shift pounds, some smarty pants has come up with the Slimsole.

Just pop the insole into your shoes and you could lose10lbs in six weeks by just walking no dieting or extra exercise needed, or so the blurb goes.

Once concealed safely inside your shoe of choice, the strange-looking insole uses the principles of reflexology and acupressure to help you lose those pounds.

Designed by Dr Robert Metz, the insoles have a knobbly surface which is supposed to stimulate reflex zones on your feet, which in turn encourage better digestion and fat burning.

The mild stimuli are supposed to stir sluggish organs like the stomach, liver, bowels, gallbladder, kidneys, solar plexus and lymphatic systeminto action.

Benefits are said to include improvement of the metabolic process, regulation of digestion and water balance, as well as an increased release of fat from the fat cells.

Whether you lose 10lb in six weeks and whether this is actually good for you, is another matter entirely.

For those unfamiliar with reflexology, it is an ancient Chinese technique which focuses on the stimulation of specific points on the feet which correspond to a specific organ of the body.

Congestion or tension in any part of the body is thought to be mirrored in a corresponding part of the foot, which can then be treated by stimulating the feet, or sometimes hands.

Brighton reflexologist Gabby Briscoe is not convinced by Slimsole's big claims.

"Firstly, I don't think it's good to constantly stimulate a reflex," she says. "You need to do a treatment and then let the body do its own work.

"You wouldn't treat someone every day unless you were trying to induce a baby."

"I'm also sceptical about anything which claims it can help you lose weight.

"It seems like a bit of a crude system. Probably the only benefit is that by wearing them, they massage your feet, which feels nice.

"Being overweight isn't something I generally treat. Slimsole could maybe help speed up metabolism. It might create a feel good factor which makes someone feel more positive and encouraged but notspecifically for weight loss."

Myth or magic,if you see celebs wriggling around in their shoes you know what's going on. Slimsoles are available from Tower Health, price £19.95.

Call 08450 066 077 or visit www.towerhealth.co.uk