Herbal Weight Loss - What to Consider

Those keen to lose weight are also often keen to avoid using unnatural substances in their food or diet. This may be because trying to be healthy is often associated with being aware of our natural world as well.

So with this in mind finding an acceptable weight loss option for diet and drink often results in consideration of a 'natural' approach. And a possibility that may quickly come to mind is Herbal Weight Loss. This is to be commended. Any actions or choices that improves your well being is also valuable for your health.

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Unfortunately, unsubstantiated claims have sometimes been made for herbal products so it is important to tread carefully in this area. Herbal Weight Loss might be considered a viable alternative to some of the more mainstream methods. But it is only likely to be effective when used in conjunction with other methods of weight control. Make a proper assessment of the herbal option and the related products being offered before you embark on such an approach. This is important.

Key fundamentals for the average person trying to lose weight are to reduce the often hidden fat intake, increase the intake of dietary fibre and use more energy which implies increased movement of some sort but not necessarily excessively heavy exercise. Many males think that they have to exercise to the point of exhaustion for it to be of any benefit. This is well removed from the facts. Duration and frequency of exercise are more important to weight loss than intensity.

And another observation, there is a different regime for fitness versus weight loss. One authority (Gut Buster - Egger & Stanton) provides a couple of helpful acronyms. FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time & Type) for getting fit. But for removing the fat you want FATT (Frequency, Amount, Time & Type) and there is a difference.

Increasing our intake of vegetables and fruit and drinking more water is one of the most beneficial natural things we can do. Vegetables and fruit both contain significantly more fibre than processed foods. Wherever possible consume them whole so that you eat the skin as well. Leave the skin on your apple and eat it whole. Don't peel off most of the goodness.

Natural weight loss fibre requirements can also be supplemented by a number of semi-processed foods such as bran flakes, wheat bran or psyllium. Psyllium is found in some well known fibre supplement products and used regularly will greatly enhance the health and function of your digestive system. Some better known breakfast cereals consist almost entirely of bran. Look at the labels, see what they contain, then pick the most suitable one.

Diets high in fibre help your energy levels, improve digestion, reduce the possibility of bowel cancer and certainly contribute to weight loss. Fibre fills you up, takes longer to pass from the stomach and represses those hunger pangs longer. Many of today's processed foods contain little or no fibre so we eat them at our peril. And processed foods often hide lots of calories or fat (energy). Food labeled 99% fat free can still contain an extremely high number of calories. Definitely too many to be good for you.

Herbal Weight Loss products offer different ways to improve weight loss. Some are considered to increase energy expenditure or increase metabolism, others are for creating a sense of fullness while others are promoted as products to prevent fat absorption or increase fat removal.These include ginseng, ephedra, bitter orange, guar gum, glucomannan and the psyllium already mentioned above. Green tea is a product that is well rated and does appear to have some beneficial effects in a Herbal Weight Loss diet. Hoodia Gordonii is a herb that works to trick the brain into believing the stomach is full, thus removing hunger pangs. And finally guarana is gaining popularity due to its presence in many energy drinks.

An issue with Herbal Weight Loss is that the majority of the products fall outside the auspices of drug approval authorities in different countries. While they may seem to provide a safe means for weight loss consumers should not assume that herbal products have passed an approval regime. Often the ingredients in supplements have not gone through any regulatory approval procedure. The production of these items can be flawed with instances of excessive quantities of the active ingredient or cross contamination from other products. In Australia there is one well documented instance of the approval authority insisting on a massive product recall. This forced the manufacturer out of business.

So, while consideration of a herbal approach to weight reduction is to be commended, it is probably more practical to combine it with other natural based approaches for it to be entirely successful. Fortunately there are many others who think that such approach is best. And their experience and wisdom can be found via the Internet. Do your own research and see what you can find. But make it your resolve to do it NOW rather than sometime when you might feel like it.

In conclusion then, the jury is essentially still out on many aspects of herbal weight loss plans and supplements. There is no doubt that the correct choice of herbal supplement is important and, properly used, some herbal products may assist you to lose weight. But it is unlikely that they can be the total solution. Many of those espousing weight control products note in the fine print "this item may assist when used in conjunction with a proper calorie controlled diet". None the less, for those that are looking for a natural and healthy solution to losing weight there are are natural options that can meet most of their requirements.