Many of us have heard horror stories about the ‘diet pills’ that were popular a generation or so ago. These pills, available with a prescription, were basically ‘speed’ – which, in a slightly different form, was sold as a street drug. And yes, these pills did make women lose weight – sometimes a great deal of weight. This weight loss came at a heavy cost, though. A lot of people became addicted to diet pills. Others simply took them for so long, or at such heavy doses, that they ruined their health.
Nowadays, those types of diet pills still exist, but they are not prescribed or used nearly as often as they used to be. In general, people today are more aware of the importance of good health and doing things the natural way. All the same, losing weight is still a going concern, and there are many people looking for an easy way to do it – a ‘shortcut’, so to speak. That’s where natural medicine comes in.
Natural, naturopathic or herbal medicine has been around for literally hundred of years – long before western medicine or modern pharmaceuticals. It has also undergone a bit of a revival of late. People are disenchanted with the mainstream medical system, and looking for answers through an older system of medicine, one that is based on natural substances such as herbs and vitamins.
In fact, you can see how true that statement is just by browsing the shelves of your local drug store. Chances are, there will be almost as many herbal medicines available on your drugstore shelves as there are conventional medicines. Even some doctors are coming to accept the role that herbal medicine and natural medicine has to play. Even if they don’t out and out endorse it, many doctors will concede that natural medicine does no harm, at any rate.
So, when looking for a quick fix to the weight problems that plague so many of us, natural or herbal diet pills might seem very appealing. Actually, they really do have their strong points. Herbal diet pills are not speed – they don’t even resemble the harsh pharmaceutical diet pills of a generation ago, and they work in totally different ways. For example, some natural diet pills work as a ‘glucophage’ – they ‘eat up’ the excess glucose that is circulating in your system after you eat. Glucose, according to some, is precisely what does make you gain weight. It can even lead to other problems, such as diabetes later in life. Glucophage can be a great way of eliminating excess glucose in your system if you happen to eat too much.
Of course, as might be expected, that doesn’t work well for everyone – in fact, it sometimes backfires. You might use it as an excuse to eat even more, in fact, in which case no amount of glucophage can save you! It may also be true that this type of herbal remedy has inconsistent results – it may work much better on some people than on others. That having been said, though, there are people who have used glucophage and had excellent results.
Other types of herbal diet pills act as appetite suppressants. They just make you want to eat less, plain and simple, much as the diet pills of a generation ago did. There the similarity ends, however – herbal diet pills are less effective than pharmaceutical ones, but they are also much less harmful.
Then there are the herbal supplements that you would take in order to cleanse your body of toxins. Some people choose to do this once or twice a year – the early spring, particularly, seems a good time. The herbal supplements that you take during a cleanse are not diet pills per se, but the end result of the cleanse is often weight loss. Furthermore, you might find it a lot easier to lose weight after you’ve done a cleanse. For one thing, you will have gotten out of any bad food habits you might have accumulated!
The diet pills of the seventies were not a great idea, except maybe in extreme cases where weight loss was imperative. Even then, there were probably better ways to do it. Don’t assume that all diet pills are bad, though – and do check out the new types of herbal diet supplements available today.
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DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read. Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
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Natural Diet Pills for Weight Loss – How Safe are They?
Dr. Simeons' scientifically proven Natural hCG: Cure for Obesity
In 1959, the English Dr. A.T.W. Simeons founded the cure for obesity by discovering that with the administration of hCG stored body fat actually recirculates and becomes available to burn without suffering from hunger or even having to exercise!The name of this miracle break-through treatment is most commonly referred to as the "Protocol" and is brought to light in Kevin Trudeau's New York Times Bestseller, "The Weight Loss Cure". The Weight-Loss Cure is the ONLY scientifically proven cure for obesity with virturally a 100% success rate.What is hCG?Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a polypeptide hormone produced in pregnancy first by the embryo, then by the placenta (later in pregnancy,) and then becomes purified through urine.Dr. Simeons discovered that with a small quantity of HCG (in men or in women) helps to free up stored fat, to burn it and to evacuate it through the kidneys. (To get the complete "skinny" on Dr. Simeons "Protocol", you can download it here.Unlike most diets, during the treatment, because stored fat is being freed & recirculated to burn, you WILL NOT FEEL HUNGRY OR DEPRIVED. On the contrary, people who have done the treatment feel strong and energetic and also feel a drastic change within their own bodies from the very first day! When followed by the letter, YOU WILL BURN 30 LBS. in 30 DAYS GUARANTEED.This is not only the fastest contemporary weight loss treatment known to mankind, it is the ONLY scientifically proven cure for obesity with a 100% success rate. HCG IS AN ALL-NATURAL HUMAN, POLYPEPTIDE HORMONE.PLEASE NOTE: As with any precautionary warning, ALWAYS consult with your physician before taking any action in regards to your health.Best of health, wealth and quality of life from Natural hCG, your personal Weight-Loss International Escrow Service!
Natural, Healthy and Sweet - The Benefits of Stevia
Stevia (STEE-vee-uh) is an outstanding, sweet tasting herb that has remarkable health promoting qualities. The sweetness of Stevia is largely due to its complex stevioside molecule that is composed of glucose, sophorose and steviol. A second compound called rebaudioside, which is present in Stevia, also contributes to Stevia's sweetness. Stevia has a taste that is unique and has been described as very sweet with a slight licorice, almost bitter aftertaste. Generally, high quality Stevia contains very little of this bitterness. The sweetness of Stevia is much different than the sweetness of other natural sweeteners, sugar, or artificial sweeteners, but it is delicious. For some people the taste may require some "getting used to," but most people quickly develop a taste for it.
Stevia is a South American shrub whose leaves have been used for centuries by native peoples in Paraguay and Brazil to sweeten their yerba mate and other stimulant beverages. The stevia plant belongs to the Compositae (sunflower family of plants). Centuries ago, Natives of Paraguay used the leaves of this small, herbaceous, semi-bushy, perennial shrub to sweeten their bitter drinks. Originating in the South American wild, it could be found growing in semi-arid habitat ranging from grassland to scrub forest to mountain terrain. The plant made its way to Pacific Rim countries where in recent decades it became cultivated domestically, used in its raw leaf form and now is commercially processed into sweetener.
If you've ever tasted stevia, you know it's extremely sweet. In fact, this remarkable noncaloric herb, native to Paraguay, has been used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries. Stevia is a natural, non-caloric, sweet-tasting plant used around the world for its pleasant taste, as well as for its increasingly researched potential for inhibiting fat absorption and lowering blood pressure.
Stevia is about 300 times sweeter than sugar in its natural state, and much more so when processed. Its medicinal uses include regulating blood sugar, preventing hypertension, treatment of skin disorders, and prevention of tooth decay. Other studies show that it is a natural antibacterial and antiviral agent as well. Stevia is actually good for you! On top of that, it is calorie and carbohydrate free. Stevia is a great sweetener choice for diabetics, those watching their weight, and anyone interested in maintaining their health.
Topically, Stevia has excellent healing capabilities. If placed on a cut or scrape, it stings initially followed by a significant reduction in pain and accelerated healing with no scarring. Whole leaf Stevia extract can be used as a facial mask by smoothing the dark liquid over the entire face, allowing it to dry for 30-60 minutes, then rinsing. This will help tighten the skin, smooth out wrinkles and heal skin blemishes and acne. This has been reported to be effective when used on seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema, as well. Stevia is also beneficial for the hair and scalp; good results have been obtained by adding Stevia concentrate to shampoo, and also applying concentrate to the hair after shampooing, allowing it to remain on the hair for a few minutes, then rinsing.
Stevia is also able to perform a number of other beneficial tasks. For example, it has been shown that Stevia may enhance moods and increase energy levels and mental alertness. What's more, it is also been shown to stop the growth of bacteria in the mouth is responsible for the production of acids that are responsible for gingivitis and cavities.
In recent years, Stevia has made its way to the Far East. In the 70's and 80's Stevia was developed as a sweetener/flavour enhancer which has since been used widely for this purpose in Japan, China, Korea, Israel, Brazil and Paraguay. It has been embraced in Japan, where it's used in soy sauce, sweet pickles and soft drinks. In Japan, Diet Coke has been sweetened with Stevia.
The products in which Stevia has been used include soft drink, ice cream, cookies, pickles, chewing gum, tea and skin care products. In Japan about 40% of the sweetener market is stevia-based. The main producers of stevia are Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Brazil, Malaysia and Paraguay.
The cosmetic industry also employs the use of Stevia in many of the available skin care products. It has been shown to reduce skin blemishes when applied topically. Stevia also relieves stomach discomfort.
There are no symptoms of deficiency but everyone can benefit from the use of Stevia. Populations that may benefit from the use of Stevia include: diabetics, the obese, the elderly, children, and athletes.
Diabetics, individuals with blood sugar problems, or the obese, may benefit from supplementing with Stevia due to its ability to regulate blood sugar.
Individuals suffering from hypertension may also benefit from the use of Stevia. It has been shown that in cases of high blood pressure Stevia has the ability to act as a vasodiolator, thus helping to lower hypertension.
In the late 1980s an "anonymous firm" lodged a "trade complaint" with the FDA about Stevia when it started to surface in the United States. One company using stevia was the Celestial Seasonings herbal tea company. They were ordered by the FDA to stop producing tea "adulterated" with Stevia. Traditional Medicinals, another tea company, had their inventory of Stevia teas confiscated during an unexpected FDA raid and were told the tea would be burned.
Why did the government treat Stevia like a controlled substance? FDA documents call Stevia a "dangerous food additive" even though the safety of Stevia has been widely tested for many years by scientists in Japan. The FDA will not reveal who made the "trade complaint" (despite the Freedom of Information Act) though many suspect that it was the makers of the artificial sweetener Aspartame (aka "Nutrasweet") trying to fend off competition, as the artificial sweetener is very profitable.
To judge from the extensive measures the FDA has employed to keep Americans in the dark about Stevia, one might assume it was some type of dangerous narcotic. But, in fact, no ill effects have ever been attributed to it, although it has been used by millions of people around the world, in some locales for hundreds of years.
So adamant has the FDA remained on the subject, that even though Stevia can now be legally marketed as a dietary supplement under legislation enacted in 1994, any mention of its possible use as a sweetener or tea is still strictly prohibited.
In 1995 the FDA reversed their decision to ban Stevia, but only halfway. Stevia can now be sold as a "nutritional supplement" but not as a sweetener in the United States. This is also the case in the European Union, and the World Health Organization is pressuring other countries to follow suit.
Benefits
• non-caloric sweetener
• inhibits fat absorption and lowers blood pressure
• regulates blood sugar levels
