|
|
Herbs That Help Shed Pounds
There are herbs you can add to
your diet as
supplements, teas, and foods that will help your
weight loss
program go smoothly. Besides, there are several herbs which contain sympathomimetics and xanthine compounds synergistically increase the body's
basal metabolic rate to increase the burning of calories and
fat, act as mild
stimulants, and suppress the appetite.
The action of certain
herbs
"trick" the brain into thinking the stomach is full
Herbs that cause weight loss can be classified as:
-
Stimulants: encourage the body to burn more calories.
-
Diuretics: cause the body to excrete water through excess urine.
-
Cathartics: cause evacuation of the bowels, reduce calorie consumption
by impeding full digestion.
-
Appetite suppressants: reduce hunger by
expanding in the stomach, altering mood, or satisfying taste.
|
 Aids digestion and acts as a diuretic. The active components of
alfalfa include its saponin content. Studies indicate that saponins help make
fats more soluable, and they may play a role in maintaining the health of blood
vessels. The leaves also contain flavones, isoflavones and sterols.
Bladder Wrack Kelp
 Kelp is a type of seaweed and it can be bought in pills,
tinctures, and dried. It is delicious and can be used a salt substitute, or
eaten as a snack. One of the ways it works is by strengthening the
thyroid,
which can increase the metabolism. The other way it works is by giving your body
easily absorbed nutrients which feed the body on a cellular level which reduces
cravings. It is a bulk laxative.
 In several studies it has shown its ability to break down fat
molecules. It is usually recommend in combination with burdock root which
helps balance oils and fats in the body; the chickweed breaks down the fat and
the burdock helps transport it out of the body. As a tea, it is an effective way
to curb cravings, assist digestion, and help lose weight.
 Improves fat metabolism and acts as a diuretic. Active
ingredients include inulin, polyphenolic acids, and non-hydroxy acids. It is an excellent herbal blood purifier
that detoxifies the blood and lymphatic system. It is high in
iron, and can help
build blood during times of low hemoglobin. Burdock is also considered a mild
laxative. Burdock aids in the elimination of uric acid.
Burdock root can also help to reduce cravings and hunger and
thus assist in weight loss. The best way to use burdock root for weight loss is
as a standard decoction: Bring water to a boil, pour in about an ounce of dried
burdock root, gently simmer for ten to twenty minutes, and allow to cool. Drink
between meals.
A thermogenic herb. One of Cardamom's main uses is as a
digestive aid due to its soothing and antispasmodic properties. Studies have
shown it may help with any digestive condition.
 Improves circulation and digestion. Has
thermogenic
effects. In one study it was shown that cayenne increased core body temperature,
which in turn increased the metabolism and caused the participants to lose more
weight then the group not taking cayenne.
 Creates a thermogenic burn. It reduces cholesterol levels – in
particular, lowering
bad cholesterol while leaving good cholesterol the same. It
is cinnamon’s effect on blood sugar that makes it a potential help in the war
against obesity,
insulin resistance, sometimes known as "prediabetes," and the
"Metabolic Syndrome." Cinnamon can be used in its powdered or stick form, adding
it to drinks and foods, or as a supplement.
Aids fat metabolism by affecting the liver. By acting to remove poisons from the body,
it acts as a tonic and stimulant as well.
 Nettles is high in nutrition (rich in
vitamins C and
E and
minerals such as
calcium,
magnesium,
iron, silica, and
potassium, which are
important for healing broken bones, muscle strains, and tendon injuries.) and helps clears toxins but it also
has a effect on weight loss that isn’t clearly understood, but it is believed
that it helps by feeding the cells on a deeper level which reduces cravings.
Nettle tea is used to curb appetite and cravings and assist in weight loss.
A diuretic that reduces hunger and improves energy. Fennel
(Foeniculum vulgare) seed and nettle (Urtica dioica) leaves make a useful tea
for weight loss. Use one teaspoon fennel seed and two teaspoons nettle leaves to
three cups water. Do not exceed the recommended dose. Fennel is potentially
toxic.
Prepare fennel seed tea: 4 tsp. of
seeds in 2 pints of boiling water and simmer for 5
minutes. Remove from heat, keep the container covered, and allow to
stand for 15 minutes, then strain. 1 cup 3
or 4 times per day, cool or heated.
|
 Gymnema Sylvestre
It decreases
sugar cravings by acting on the pancreas enabling
it to maintain a steady blood sugar, which decreases cravings and hypoglycemia
 A bulk laxative that helps curb hunger. Loaded with vitamins and
phytonutrients, it is an excellent source of protein and fiber, flaxseed is
nature's gift to health! Besides
stabilizing the body sugar levels, flax expands five times in bulk when
ingested.
Flax taken half an hour before meals will help you eat less, so you will
lose weight while simultaneously strengthening your immune system.
Garcinia Cantbogia
 Aids fat metabolism and reduces hunger. This herb is currently
used in the United States as a component of weight loss formulas. Various
species of South Asian plants of the genus Garcinia (particularly Garcinia
cantbogia) have high contents of hydroxycitrate (HCA), which is the active
ingredient in this and many other currently marketed weight loss products.
However, it has not yet been shown, in controlled studies published in the
scientific literature, to be effective in weight loss in humans.
Preliminary research suggests that garcinia inhibits the
accumulation of lipid droplets in fat cells and thereby reduces lipid levels and
decreases lipid accumulation in the liver. The hydroxycitrate acid (HCA) found
in garcinia is also theorized to improve exercise endurance by increasing lipid
oxidation and decreasing carbohydrate utilization . A dosage of, an extract
containing 50% hydroxycitric acid, 1000 mg three times daily has been used for
weight loss.
Green Tea
 Aids fat metabolism and increases energy. Clinical studies
conducted by Dr. Abdul Dulloo, of the University of Geneva in Switzerlands
brought the conclusion that green tea weight loss programs raises metabolic
rates and speeds up fat oxidation.
As part of their study, the investigators measured the 24-hour energy
expenditure of 10 healthy men receiving three doses of caffeine (50 mg), green
tea extract (containing 50 mg caffeine and 90 mg epigallocatechin), or a 'dummy'
placebo per day. The study authors report that, compared with placebo, subject
taking green tea extract had a "significant increase" (+4%) in daily energy
expenditure.
Green tea extract may also help dieters shed fat. This
effect is due to increase in energy expenditure.
Guar Gum
 Helps to reduce hunger and has a
laxative effect. As a weight
loss product, it have been used to promote normal gastrointestinal
motility and maintain fecal bulk. It has been noted to decrease appetite by
providing a "feeling of fullness."
Precautions: Guar gum and guar gum preparations have been implicated in
esophageal obstruction. The water-retaining capacity of the gum permits it to
swell to 10 to 20 fold and has led to gastrointestinal obstructions. Guar gum
has also been known to cause significant fluctuations in blood glucose (sugar)
levels, thus diabetic patients should not use these preparations.
 Reduces blood fat and improves circulation. Hawthorn berry helps
with stagnant, undigested food accumulated in the stomach, they also stimulate
the adrenal glands and improve thyroid function.
Kola Nut
 A stimulant that decreases appetite and aids in the metabolism
of fat. Kola nuts are stimulants like caffeine. Kola nut is used extensively by
natives of western and central Africa, and also in Brazil.
 A diuretic and nutritional aid.
Juicing recipes with carrot or
parsley juice help curb the appetite & reduce hunger cravings. Besides, Carrot
or parsley juices can also help maintain proper blood sugar levels, reducing the
blood sugar swing that you can experience when on a weight loss program It is
one of the highest sources of life-giving chlorophyll which acts like iron to
oxidize the blood. Look for healthy, dark green leaves.
Phyllium
 Helps to curb hunger and allows the elimination of wastes from
the body. Herbalists say that the weight-loss effect of plantain and psyllium is
related to the spongy fiber (mucilage) in the seeds and to specific chemicals (polyphenols)
in the leaves.
In one Italian study, scientists gave women who were seriously
obese (over 60
percent over their recommended weight) three grams of plantain in water 30
minutes before meals. The plantain group lost more weight than a similar group
of women who simply cut back on their diet. Recommended Dose: Take a teaspoonful
of psyllium mixed well with a glass of juice or water. Take it before each meal.
 Senna
An all natural laxative. It stimulates the colon, leading to the
increased metabolism of fat.
Red pepper (Capsicum), Hit Mustard, and other hot spices
 Scientists have found that people who took hot spicy foods
(adding a teaspoon of red-pepper sauce and a teaspoon of mustard to meal) raised
their metabolic rates by as much as 25 percent. The hot spice also stimulates
thirst, so you drink more liquids that also helps in gaining less weight.
Citrus Aurantium
 It is a commonly used
Chinese herb to improve stomach and
gastrointestinal function. Recent
research has shown that it may be as effective as ephedra in increasing
thermogenesis in the body without the side effects that often result with the
use of ephedra. Thermogenesis is the process through which the body converts
stored fat into energy and body heat. Increasing the thermogenic process in the
body may increase weight loss. Citrus aurantium, or Zhi Shi, contains a
combination of adrenergic amines. These are synephrine, N-methyltyramine,
hordenine, octopamine, and tyramine. All of these substances have been shown to
have powerful thermogenic properties. When this herb is used along with moderate
exercise and a
healthy diet, it may assist with weight loss.
Instead of just using dried, capsulated, herbal products, start
including *whole* herbs in your life. Eat them everyday, as fresh as possible,
(e.g. take walks, check out the vegetable stand, or tend a garden), everyday.
Instead of taking a capsule, eat a handful of fresh parsley. Experiment with
tasting each of your favorite culinary herbs made up as "diet" tea. Collect
dandelion leaves, plantain, mints, lettuce, whatever, and whip it up in your
blender as special diet "green drink." Almost no calories in most herbs.
Eating
and living with herbs can bring you a lifestyle which may be more conducive to
weight loss.
Herbs can be used to assist in the weight loss process, while
they may not be enough on their own, when used in combination with dietary
changes and mild exercise can make most weight loss attempts very successful.
NOTE: Before attempting to loose weight, be sure you know why
you have a problem, and then choose the herbs according to your personal
condition and needs
Related Links
|
|
|
|
|
