Trying to Lose Weight? Mother Nature Lends a Hand
Whether you’re struggling to lose your last 5 pounds (2.3 kilos) or embarking on a
more ambitious plan to shed 20 (9 kilos) or more, start with the basics: consume fewer
calories, exercise more, don’t skip meals, and start your diet with a stamp of approval
from your healthcare provider. Combining these recommendations with the moderate use of safe,
natural supplements may help you in your quest toward a slimmer self.
1. Hoodia—Ward off hunger
Used by the Kalahari bushmen to ward off hunger on long treks, hoodia has piqued the interest of the dieting
public.
Made from the South African succulent—a cactus-like plant—hoodia theoretically affects nerve cells in the
hypothalamus—a part of the brain that governs appetite—by responding to blood
glucose levels. In a sense, it may trick the brain into thinking you are full. Unlike many
purported weight loss herbs, hoodia is not a stimulant.
2. Sesamin—Help the liver burn excess
fat
Nuts and seeds have long been hailed for their
nutritional achievements of providing fiber,
good fats, and protein. Now scientists have
isolated sesamin—a part of sesame oil believed to play a role in encouraging weight loss.
Sesamin shows promise for its possible action of enhancing fat burning. It increases the
activity of several liver enzymes that break down fatty acids. It is believed that optimizing
the liver’s fat-burning capacity may promote fat loss.
3. Relora—Balance your
hormones
Some researchers believe that achieving hormone balance holds the key to the weight-loss
dilemma, and products such as relora, a product derived from Magnolia officinalis and
Phellodendron amurense bark, claim to help in this area, though more research is
needed for confirmation.
Prolonged stress raises blood levels of
cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. In high amounts, cortisol stimulates
deposits of fat in the abdomen. Manufacturers of cortisol-lowering products maintain that by
keeping cortisol levels low, one can avoid weight gain around the middle. According to the
manufacturers, relora is supposed to maintain healthy cortisol levels.