Archive for February, 2007

Is Hoodia a Help in Losing Weight?

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

It seems that every week we hear about a new miracle drug or herbal supplement that promises to help us lose weight without having to starve ourselves or do massive amount of sit-ups.

Hoodia is one of the latest of these types of supplements. But what is it, and can it really help us lose weight, or is it merely a hindrance? Read on to find out whether you should consider adding hoodia to your arsenal of weapons in the battle against the bulge.

What Is Hoodia?

Hoodia, sometimes referred to by its scientific name of Hoodia gordonii, is a natural appetite suppressant that is native to Southern Africa. In Southern Africa, it is a desert plant that grows and looks much like common varieties of North American cacti. In truth, however Hoodia is actually a succulent. Hoodia has long been revered in the Kalahari Desert by African Bushmen who used it to stave off hunger during their grueling cross-desert voyages. As such, Hoodia is indeed what it claims to be: an all-natural appetite suppressant that has been long-used in Southern Africa.

The natural taste of the Hoodia gordonii plant is bitter, and much of the research surrounding the plant has focused on developing a more palatable version of the plant. There are many varieties of Hoodia, but Hoodia gordonii is the only variety that contains the natural appetite suppressant complex.

Is It Safe?

Hoodia gordonii is all natural, and no dangerous side effects have been noted. Unlike other appetite suppressants, Hoodia is not a stimulant. Still, many people have been known to suffer from adverse reactions from even the safest supplements. Like any supplement or drug, it should not be without first consulting a medical professional. Since every body is different, you should always take any supplement with caution, and carefully note any side effects you may experience.

How Do I Choose a Hoodia Supplement? How Do I Take Hoodia?

Choosing a good Hoodia supplement can be more difficult than it would seem. Many companies have tried to capitalize on the supplement’s popularity by churning out cheap imitation supplements. Some supplements that contain claim to contain natural Hoodia have been tested, and found to have very small or no traces of Hoodia. Buy from a reputable dealer or natural food supermarket to make sure your Hoodia supplement contains the real thing.

Drug companies are busy trying to figure out how to prepare a prescription drug version of Hoodia, but it seems that this option is still years away. The component of Hoodia that is responsible for its natural appetite suppressant abilities, known as P57, has proved difficult to isolate. For now, the only viable option is to consume Hoodia as a natural supplement. Once you’ve located a Hoodia supplement manufactured by a reputable company, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. In most cases, you will need to take one to two capsules a day, about an hour before lunch and dinner.

What Can I Expect From Taking Hoodia?

Don’t expect to pop a pill and automatically lose weight. For maximum effectiveness, Hoodia should be used as part of a whole weight loss program that includes healthy eating and some form of regular exercise. That said, once Hoodia has taken effect (for some people this can be a couple of days, while others can expect to note results in a couple of weeks), you might expect a natural-feeling decline in appetite. Your interest in food may become diminished, and you may feel full more quickly than you did before. Some users even report a experiencing a feeling of overall well being.

Although many users have had positive experiences with Hoodia, it should also be said that some individuals do not report a change in their eating habits or appetite.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that the true efficacy of Hoodia gordonii as an appetite suppressant has not yet been determined. Anecdotal evidence abounds, and this natural supplement appears very promising for those of us who have trouble cutting down on our daily caloric intake. However, it is not a miracle drug, and should not be treated as such.

You should definitely consult your doctor before consuming Hoodia gordonii, and it should be used as part of a healthy diet and exercise regime …

Check out Hoodia Gordonii Plus for a brand of Hoodia not available in stores.

Can Green Tea Help You Lose Weight ?

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

I’m sure you’ve heard of it and likely even tasted it, but did you know that Green tea is one of the many natural ways to lose weight ? The question many people want the answer to is whether or not this supplement for weight loss is effective.

The greatest benefit of green tea is that they are a natural substance that comes from the earth. Therefore, this would be most likely the supplement of choice for natural foods enthusiasts.

Green tea is also often mixed with other useful herbs that many believe are good for the health. Those who know and learn about herbs are the ones that most would benefit from the use of green tea extracts.

Green tea has its downsides, as well. The biggest one is it is one that many dietary supplements containing this herb (with other ingredients, both natural and man-made) have not necessarily been approved by the FDA. Therefore, you may not know the long-term effects.

But, it can also contain quite a bit of caffeine in some cases. However, there are some that do not. Furthermore, there is limited evidence to support the fact that green tea, or green tea extracts, can in fact reduce weight. According to some medical professionals it also can cause minor side effects, such as vomiting, bloating, indigestion, or diarrhea.

Although there are a few downsides to using green tea in dieting, many know about green tea and find that it has not many side effects when drank rather than taken in a pill with other herbs. Therefore, green tea can be considered useful to many people. However, one cannot lose weight on green tea alone.

Green tea is one option for losing weight and in order for it to be effective you also have to have a proper balanced diet and meal plan as well as to be enrolled in an exercise program. You can also create your own exercise program upon receiving advice from various fitness professionals.

If you are wondering if green tea is the right supplement for you, it is best for you to do your own research. Some of the best research is made when you consider conflicting sources and come up with your own conclusion. Likewise, going to more than one qualified profession to hear their varying opinions about green tea can help as well.

More importantly, you should consider reading documents about the use of green tea in dieting from sources that you trust. These sources that you read should also be unbiased, and/or proven. For example, sources that have no interest for or against green tea or green tea extracts being sold would the best judges of the effectiveness of green tea extract (this may be impossible in its entirety, but do the best you can).

Further studies may need to be done in the United States before the FDA approves the use of drinking green tea for the purposes of weight loss. For now, though it is often sold just as a tea to drink or as a dietary supplement.

Green tea is only one supplement that is designed for weight loss. Other supplements for weight loss include ingredient include gululipid (used in ayurvedic medicine practices), and other ingredients such as chromium, hydrocitric acid, and other natural and synthetic ingredients.

Many weight loss supplements, including those with green tea, have also been fortified with various vitamins and nutrients to help provide further nutrients to a vitamin and mineral deficient body. However, you can also eat all the right foods and this will help you gain the nutrients you need while dieting as well.

There are pros and cons to using green tea. If you need to learn more about this herb or the various supplements that contain herbs of green tea or green tea extracts, you can read more articles such as this, or consult your doctor. You can also consult an ayurvedic or herb specialist, as well. The second type of doctor is most often found in other countries; however, knowledge of herbal medicine can be found in the U.S. as well.

The more that the United States learns about various herbs the more chance that these will gain wider acceptance by the FDA. However, once approved by the FDA they may possibly then require a prescription. This may not necessarily happen, but could happen, which can help provide regulation and help determine safe use of this substance for everyone.

Hoodia Chaser contains a special formulation of green tea and is an excellent addition to your weight loss plan. This product is not available in stores.

The Nutri System Diet

Monday, February 26th, 2007

Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar industry. Through constant research conducted by companies, and doctors, many diets are very effective, and can be used no matter what lifestyle a person leads. There are now millions of different options available for the different needs, and habits of each dieter.

It goes without saying that the Nutri System diet would have to be one of the most flexible and easy to use diets for effective weight-loss around. This is simply because it takes the guess work out of dieting, by educating dieters on what they need to do to lead a healthier lifestyle, and providing pre-packaged prepared meals for each day.

How Does The Nutri System Diet Work?

The Nutri System diet is unique in the way it takes into account each individual on the diet, and calculates things such as age, height, weight and gender of the person to provide the best possible chance at weight loss. The Nutri System diet works on a low fat diet plan, but it does not starve the body of essential fat intake, or much needed carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate intake in the Nutri System diet is based on the glycemic index, and provides a healthy source of carbohydrates, and a lowered fat intake to promote weight loss. By using this approach, the person on the diet notices a reasonably quick reduction in weight without losing energy, or feeling irritable.

What makes the Nutri System diet very simple for the dieter is that the plan does not require the person to count calories, or prepare their meals according to a plan. This type of diet is especially beneficial for those who lead a busy lifestyle, multi task, or would prefer to depend on others to plan their meals, and calculate the proper amount of food intake needed to lose weight, and stay healthy. Many people who want to control their tendency to over eat can also benefit from having prepared meal portions.

Basically, the Nutri System diet plan is a balanced diet calculated individually for each person using it, and the correct amount of food intake that will speed up the process of weight loss is already provided. Providing pre-packaged meals, prepared for the individual, makes sure that the correct amounts of food are eaten, as well as the correct types of foods to promote weight loss.

The Nutri System diet plan works by following a basic guide of providing around 60% of carbohydrates, with the avoidance of carbohydrates that contain high amounts of starches in them, 20% protein, and 20% fats. .

Pros And Cons Of The Nutri System Diet

Like any diet, there are always pros and cons. One of the two major cons of the Nutri System diet plan would have to be the dependency that the person on the plan has when they are using pre-prepared meals rather than being educated on how to prepare a healthy meal. Another con is the cost to participate in the program, as the food, and preparation from the company can be costly.

Some people may not be able to afford to use this diet plan, or may feel that the dependency on the pre-prepared meals is a bad thing. However, there are others that favor this method of dieting as they do not have to follow a diet plan, count their calorie intake, or even prepare their own meals, since the food needed for each day is already prepared, and ready to be eaten.

The Nutri System diet teaches the dieter to control their hunger, and educates the person on what is an appropriate amount of food needed for each meal to stay healthy, and lose weight. Those using the Nutri System diet are also given a weekly counseling, teaching the person how to exercise to complement their weigh loss efforts, and how each person’s calorie intake is calculated, depending on the individual’s needs.

Although the person on the diet can become dependent on the pre-packaged meals, they are also educated on how to maintain their weight long-term afterwards. By using the skills taught in the weekly training course, those on the diet plan can learn how to control their weight after they have reached their desired weight goal, by preparing their own meals based on their unique calculations.

The Nutri System diet is not for everyone. Although, for the right people who are looking for already prepared meals, and quick healthy weight loss, the Nutri System diet plan is a very effective way to lose unwanted weight, and gain a new lifestyle.

Green Tea Extracts Break Down Cellulite

Monday, February 26th, 2007

Green tea - what is it good for ? Well, as you may already know, it’s good for lots of things.

Green Tea has been used for centuries by Asian cultures and has been widely known for its medicinal properties. Only in the past decades has it caught the attention of western researchers and doctors, but it has widely gained appeal since.

Green Tea especially has detoxifying and fat burning properties.

The secret to this lies in the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols. These are compounds that work with other chemicals in the body to intensify fat oxidation and prevention of fat storage. Green tea therefore helps you to burn more of the fat reserves you have, thus decreasing the appearance of cellulite, as well as preventing further storage of new fats.

Revitol Cellulite cream contains a high concentration of natural Green Tea extract, which safely increases the stimulation of fat breakdown. Thanks to its concentrated state of this ingredient, the product has more permanent effects.

If you want to get rid of unsightly, and sometimes embarrassing bulges, find out more right here … Revitol.

Over The Counter Diet Pills

Sunday, February 25th, 2007

Over The Counter Diet Pills

The basic idea behind weight loss, whether you want a little or need a lot, is that reducing your caloric intake and exercising more is the slow and steady way to go. The problem with that theory is that it’s not always true - if it was, obesity would not be the problem that it is. Some people just need more help to lose the weight, and over the counter diet pills can be the answer.

One of the best diet pills for those in need of a boost to their weight loss regimen is Dietrine Carb Blocker. This smart, safe, carb-blocking pill achieves remarkable feats without using caffeine or harmful stimulants. It is all-natural, free of side effects of any kind, and available without a prescription.

The results are incredible! By taking just two pills before starchy meals, you can stop obsessing over food and lose the weight you want to lose. Dietrine Carb Blocker could be your ticket to a thinner, happier you. Imagine looking in the mirror to see a thin, healthy reflection, all while enjoying the foods you’ve been missing on carb-restricted diets!

With Dietrine Carb Blocker, you can enjoy pasta, bread, cereal, potatoes - pretty much anything. By preventing your body from breaking the carbs into sugars (which, if unused by exercise, convert to fat), your net caloric intake can be reduced, and you can eat starchy, high-carb foods without worry. Best of all, Dietrine Carb Blocker is guaranteed. If you’re not satisfied, you can return the product within 90 days for a full refund!

For more information visit: Dietrine