Lose weight, stay healthy with herbal alternatives

Lose weight, stay healthy with herbal alternatives
They can turn your fat into thin air!

Despite this country’s obsession with dieting, obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Clearly, all this extra weight is making us unhealthy. So what does it take to lose weight and keep it off? Eating right and exercise are important, and while there is no one magic pill that will erase fat, there are herbs and supplements that can help.

TAKE IT SLOW: The most permanent weight loss happens at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week max. If you go faster, you’ll work against your own metabolism and set yourself up to regain pounds.

Herbal and Supplemental Magic

These botanical substances can have a surprising effect on weight loss, from increasing your metabolism to regulating your blood sugar levels. Here are the best of the bunch.

Asian Ginseng

This feel-good herb can help regulate blood sugar, which can aid in weight loss. High blood sugar equals high levels of insulin, a hormone that tells the body to hold onto fat.

Dosage: Try a daily dose of 200 milligrams for 8 weeks.

Cayenne

Red pepper heats up your mouth, makes you sweat and jump-starts your circulation. It may also rev up calorie burning and overall metabolism, and suppress appetite.

Dosage: Take one of the following three times a day: 10 drops of tincture (1:5), 2 drops of tincture (1:1), A teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper mixed with a glass of water, or one 250-milligram tablet.

Caution: May irritate the gastrointestinal tract if taken on an empty stomach.

Chickweed

This herb is an effective fat-fighter because it decreases appetite and constipation, says Frankie Avalon Wolfe, a holistic health practitioner in Boise, Idaho.

Dosage: Wolfe recommends taking 750 milligrams a day.

Chitosan

Derived from crustacean shells, chitosan is a fibre that is highly effective at absorbing fat.

Dosage: Take three to six 500-milligram capsules before meals to decrease the amount of food you’ll eat and to bind up fat in your meal and carry it out in the stool.

Caution: May interfere with the body’s ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, D, and K) and carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin), so if you are taking any of these under the supervision of a medical doctor, inform him before supplementing with chitosan.

Chromium

This trace mineral reduces cravings for sweets and food by stabilizing blood sugar levels. It is most beneficial for those patients who have hypoglycaemia and feel they have to eat often to control headaches and increase energy.

Dosage: Take 200 micrograms once a day of GTF chromium or chromium picolinate, between meals with water.

Cordyceps

This herb works for weight loss, especially for people who feel tired. Because it boosts energy, you will be less inclined to eat and more inclined to exercise.

Dosage: Take 500 milligrams twice a day, at breakfast and lunch.

Flaxseed

This good source of essential fatty acids can help you feel full, particularly if you are deficient in essential fatty acids.

Dosage: Use one tablespoon of ground flaxseed a day, either freshly ground or frozen, on cereal or other food. Do not cook or heat it.

Ginger

Called the "body warmer," ginger aids in weight loss, because it helps you burn calories faster.

Dosage: Take one of the following three times a day: 1 teaspoon tincture (1:5), 20 drops tincture (1:1), two 500-milligram root tablets, 1 teaspoon powdered dried root in a cup of boiling water, or 1 teaspoon fresh root grated into a cup of boiling water.

Caution: If you have gallstones, do not use therapeutic amounts of the dried root or powder without guidance from a health care practitioner.

Glutamine

This amino acid helps curb excessive appetite and cravings for sugar. Glutamine is found in raw cabbage, spinach, and parsley, but is destroyed by cooking. L-glutamine is the natural form, and may be more effective.

Dosage: Take 500 milligrams twice a day, one-half hour before meals, with water or juice (not milk). Take it with 50 milligrams of vitamin B6, and 100 milligrams of vitamin C to improve absorption.

Caution: If you have problems with your kidneys or liver check with your physician before supplementing.

Gugul

The sticky resin from this tree may help treat obesity by acting with the thyroid gland to increase the metabolism.

Dosage: Try 25 milligrams two or three times a day.

Magnesium

This mineral can help you lose weight by improving your energy.

Dosage: Take 500 to 750 milligrams of elemental magnesium in a chelated form, in divided doses throughout the day, initially, but reduce the dose if it causes loose bowels.

Caution: If you have heart or kidney problems, check with your doctor before beginning supplementation in any amount.

Stevia

Use this sweet South American herb in place of sugar or artificial sweeteners like aspartame. Stevia is 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, so a pinch does the trick. And, unlike aspartame, you can cook with it.

Dosage: In recipes, use 2 tablespoons in place of 1 cup sugar. If you use the extract, use 1teaspoon for every cup of sugar.