Archive for the ‘Medicine and Medications’ Category

What is in a Weight Loss Diet Pill?

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

With all the strenuous activities and sweat-generating regimens that most weight loss programs have, more and more people are enticed to opt for a better alternative, without the trouble of exerting too much effort.

With the advent of diet pills that promote weight loss, people go mad over the appealing advertisements of most manufacturers claiming  that their product can easily “melt away” those fats and cellulites.

With these pills dominating the market today, who needs to tone those abs and biceps and do some dieting if there is an easier way to lose weight?

With an estimated 60% of the American population that are now considered as obese, these “wonder” drugs are definitely reaping millions of dollars in the United States alone.

Now, the questions are: is there any truth regarding the manufacturers’ claims that these diet pills can ultimately promote weight loss? Are they really effective in helping people lose weight? And if that is the case, do these pills also help those people maintain their ideal weight and curb any fat accumulation in the body?

In reality, there are diet pills that can really make a person shed off those extra pounds. These diet pills contain certain substances that were already clinically and scientifically proven to be very effective.

These diet pills are effective in increasing the metabolism of the body, thereby, initiating weight loss. Plus, these diet pills contain certain substances that suppress one’s appetite.

However, with so many diet pills saturating the market today, trying to find the best and most effective diet pill can be very tedious. Chances are, you may end up choosing the wrong diet pill when your energy to find diet pills wanes down.

Actually, there are only five factors to consider when choosing diet pills that are effective at the same time safe to use. Here is a list of the factors that you need to consider in order to come up with a diet pill that is right and appropriate.

1. The metabolism-boosting ability

In choosing diet pills that will effectively promote weight loss, it is best to look for pills that have the ingredients that will enhance your body’s metabolism, or the ability of the body to burn excess fats.

Choose those diet pills that contain alpha lipoic acid, green tea extracts, and “L-Canitine” because these ingredients had been clinically proven to be effective in promoting weight loss through increased metabolic rate.

2. The appetite suppressants

Find diet pills that effectively suppress your appetite. It does not necessarily mean that you will skip meals but you will not just feel hungry every now and then. This is because obesity usually happens to people who are fond of in-between meals, which actually initiates excessive calorie intake.

3. The calorie stopper

Because obesity is usually due to excess intake of calories in the body, which is more than the recommended amount, it is best to choose diet pills that have the special ingredients that will curb the entry of calories into the body.

These substances are known as “phaseolus vulgaris.” This is known to create an enzyme that will efficiently control any excess calories in the body. The enzyme responsible for this wonderful job is known as “alpha-amylase.”

4. The metabolic enhancers

It is best to choose diet pills that have the so-called “lipotropic elements” that are effective in eliminating fats from the body. It functions like a sweeper that effectively sweeps excess fats outside the body.

These lipotropic elements are found in vitamin C, chitosan, alpha lipoic acid, and green tea extracts.

5. The water-retention breaker

Effective diet pills are those that contain diuretics. These are elements that avert the retention of water in the body during the weight loss regimen.

All of these factors are, indeed, clinically proven and effective in losing weight. Though, it must be kept in mind that diet pills alone are not sufficient to provide optimum weight loss. Hence, it is still important to do some exercises.

Therefore, with exercise and the right diet pills, you are definitely on your way to a healthier, slimmer you.

Dangers of Using Laxatives For Weight Loss

Sunday, March 8th, 2009

One popular weight loss supplements available in the market today take the form of tea. Stores all over sell slimming tea, dieter’s tea and others but all of them are actually the same. They may appear to be effective, but what is not seen may actually harm you.

One of the effects of drinking dieter’s tea is frequent bowel movement. This gives people the feeling of body cleansing. These people may get toxins out of their body but it isn’t exactly the only thing that slimming tea actually does to the body. Slimming tea contains herbs which are natural laxatives. These include aloe, senna, rhubarb root, cascara, buckthorn and castor oil. These are products which are derived from plants and are used since the ancient times because of their potency in treating constipation and to inducing bowel movement.

Cascara, castor oil and senna are substances which are recognized as laxatives available over the counter and are also regulated as drugs. Scientific studies show that diarrhea induced by laxatives does not absorb significant amounts of calories taken in the body.

The reason for this is that laxatives do not act on the small intesines where most of the calories are absorbed. Instead, they work on the large intestines. If taken in large amounts for prolonged periods, it can affect fat absorption of the body. This may lead to greasy diarrhea and loss of weight. Abuse of laxatives is common practice among people who suffer from bulimia and anorexia nervosa.

While weight loss can be guaranteed by overdosing on laxatives, it may also cause permanent damage to the gastrointesitinal tract and the weakening and softening of the bones, a condition known as osteomalacia. Drinkers of slimming teas may actually patronize the product because they are less axpensive and taste better than other laxatives sold in the market. Other people, such as those with eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa drink dieter’s tea because they work fast and produce watery stool and having loose consistency.

Women may even be more susceptible to the effects of slimming teas. Although they may are not known to interfer directly with the woman’s menstrual cycle and fertility, they should watch out if drinking them causes them to rapidly shed off weight. It is also not safe for pregnant women to be taking in laxatives of any kind. Wise and reponsible herbalists also discourage the use of senna and other herbal products with laxative properties for pregnant women and women who are trying to conceive.

One should be wary about these findings because the labeling of slimming teas in the market today can be absolutely misleading. For instance, they commonly refer to the laxative qualities as “natural bowel cleansing properties” and not specifically use the word “laxative”.Some even use the term “low-calorie” on their labelling. These products in fact, contain essentially no calories nor nutrients whatsoever; unless of course, if they are sweetened.

Adverse effects of misusing laxatives in the form of slimming tea generally occur when taken in more than or longer than recommended. These include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting, rectal bleeding,electrolyte disorder and dehydration as well as injury and worse, death. It was also reported that excess use of stimulant laxatives cause severe constipation and pain for long periods (as much as for decades) due to the colon losing its function. It eventually led to surgery removing the colon altogether.

Losing Weight? – Go Herbal

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

These days, there is a great  need for overweight Americans to lose those excess pounds. Being healthy would not only lead them to have a healthier lifestyle but it will also literally lighten their load,  and improve their overall well-being.

There is a long  list of dieting options available. There are exercise programs, exercise machines, dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills – there are even soaps which claim to help you lose pounds while you bathe.

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 take herbal supplements to lose weight, you would have to wait for a longer time for the results because of the more subtle effects of medicines which came from plants and natural herbs.

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

1.   Herbal weight loss products

There are a lot of 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 some actually have  side effects because of non-extensive research on the effects of these products.

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. This is an herbal laxative. Senna is a main ingredient in weight loss teas, and it works by stimulation the colon. The downside effect of this herb is dehydration. It can also lead to colon problems and can become addictive. Some people, when addicted, are unable to perform bowel movements without it, so watch out.

>  Chromium picolinate. This is a synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products. Chromium is a nutrient which helps regulate blood-sugar level.  However, this ingredient, when taken in high doses, may cause damage in the chromosomes. It can also lead to dehydration.

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

Although a lot of herbal products claim to be safe and natural, it is better to scrutinize the ingredients and  research about the effects of the product itself before going for these herbal dietary pills.

2.  Organic food.

In Wichita, Kansas, organic food has found its way to more homes and restaurants. 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.

This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. 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. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an emmediate energy lift without the side effects of 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.

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. Here are the benefits of taking this herbal option:

>  weight loss
>  improved cholesterol level
>  improved high blood pressure
>  helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis