Lose weight with herbal weight loss products

October 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment


When it comes to losing weight, there is a long list of dieting options available — dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills — plus hundreds of exercise programs and exercise machines to go along with it. One other available option to shed off those unwanted pounds is to go herbal.

Herbal weight loss products have been in great demand for people who want to lose weight the natural way. However, when you lose weight with herbal supplements, you would have to wait for a longer time to see the results, mainly because the effects from plants and natural herbs are subtler in nature.

Here are some herbal weight loss options that you might want to consider:

1. Herbal weight loss products

There are many herbal weight loss products available in the market now. You can check out the Internet and you will find a lot of herbal weight loss pills and products.

Be careful, however, as there are some products which claim to be safe and natural because they are herbal, but actually have side effects. This is because these products have not been research extensively enough to discover their side effects.

Here are some ingredients and chemicals which make up some herbal weight loss products that you should watch out for, as they might have harmful effects to your health:

Senna
* An herbal laxative
* Main ingredient in weight loss teas
* Works by stimulating the colon
* Side effect: dehydration, colon problems, addictive.

Chromium picolinate
* A synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products
* Chromium, as a nutrient, helps regulate blood-sugar level.
* Side effects: When taken in high doses may cause damage in the chromosomes; dehydration.

St. John’s wort
* Increases the production of a chemical in the brain.
* If not used properly, may cause eye and skin sensitivity, mild gastrointestinal distress, fatigue and itching.

Although a lot of herbal products are claimed to be safe and natural, it is better to find out about the ingredients and the effects of the product before going for these herbal dietary pills.

Organic food

Organic food devotees believe that consuming organic goodies help their bodies as well as the environment. A person who buys organically raised eggs and vegetables claim to be healthier, and they are not spending money on doctors and prescriptions as these keep them healthier and away from the hospital. This could also be an option for weight watchers, as organic food is known to be kinder to your weight than chemically-processed food products.

3. Green Tea

Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea. These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. It also makes for a healthier dietary option as compared to caffeine.

3. Caffeine

Coffee provides an energy boost to increase fat burning. Caffeine also provides a likelihood to be active, which in turn increases your rate of calorie burn. However, one has to be careful with the amount of coffee consumed to prevent the side effect of too much caffeine.

4. Immortality Herb

This herb, whose scientific name is Gymnostemna Pentaphyllum, is known to have the following benefits:
* Increases healthy blood flow
* Reduces artery blocks
* Aids healthy blood pressure
* Increases the rate of fat burning

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

There are pills and food supplements whose main ingredient is apple cider vinegar. The benefits of this herbal option:
* Weight loss
* Improved cholesterol level
* Improved high blood pressure
* Helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis

So, you actually have quite a number of herbal weight loss options to choose from for your weight loss plan. Remember, always do some information research on the product before you go for it. Better still, discuss with your doctor for recommendations.

Posted by Valen | Filed Under Herbal weight loss 

The Way to Losing Weight…Naturally

September 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment

Most people know pretty well what is best for their body and health. Hence, losing weight the natural way should not be a problem at all…


Once we are overweight, we usually want to trim down for a whole lot of reasons, some related to health, others having to do with looks.

It is never too late to lose weight. But the fact is, it is a whole lot easier to prevent putting on pounds than to try losing them later on. And if there is one thing we all know, it is that weight gain is likely to happen if we do not take forward-looking steps to stop it.

Health experts say that most people who are into losing weight usually stray. They tend to go back to their old eating habits even after they learn to enjoy low-fat eating. They tend to return to a sedentary lifestyle even though they enjoy exercising.

Despite the momentum toward weight gain, you can stop it from happening, experts say. The nuts and bolts of eating right maintaining a healthy weight is not all that complicated. In fact, most people know pretty well what is best for their body and health. Hence, losing weight the natural way should not be a problem at all.

A reasonable approach for losing weight naturally is to stick to a diet that is high in complex carbohydrates, high in fiber, moderate in protein, and low in fat.

A complex carbohydrate is a baked potato. Fat is the sour cream and butter that you should not put on it.

Fiber is vegetables. Fat is the oil you should not fry them in.

Protein is a lean cut of meat. Fat is the gravy you should not pour over it.

Dietary fat promotes weight gain because it is a very rich source of calories. Also, when you consume excess calories from dietary fat, you store those calories as body fat more efficiently than excess calories from other sources.

On the other hand, it can also help you lose weight naturally if you do not fall into the so-called “fat-free” trap. Manufacturers keep coming out with low-fat or fat-free versions of their best-selling foods, but people keep getting fatter anyway. The term fat-free can be a trap if you start to believe that you can eat any amount of the foods that are advertised that way.

It is best to respond to hunger with healthful snacks. Health experts say it would be better to eat every three to four hours, consuming nutritious low-fat snack between lunch and dinner.

When you feel the urge for food coming on, snacking on something healthy such as a slice of whole-grain toasted bread is a better alternative. Never skip a meal and eat snacks instead because that is the worst thing you can do if you are trying to control your eating habits and weight.

Remember, if you want to lose weight naturally, you have to keep track of every food you eat and of every activity that you do. When you say natural weight loss means that you do not have to use some accessories or helpful aids just to lose weight.

Losing weight naturally is a process, not a fad. Certainly, it would take a lot of determination, self-control, and discipline to achieve your ideal weight.

Posted by Valen | Filed Under Natural weight loss 

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