Herbs for
Obesity.
Obesity has
become a global pandemic affecting the lives and health of millions of
people,
according to the World Health Organization. It is an accelerating
social
problem in industrialized countries and is also growing in the former
colonial
world.
Obesity is
very often defined as an eating disorder. However, it is not a simple
condition
of eating too much. Health
experts
believe that obesity is a serious and chronic disease prevalent in
today’s
society.
As the
“obesity epidemic” increases, so is the number of
people that suffers from it.
Approximately 300,000 adult deaths in the United States
alone each year are
directly attributable to unhealthy dietary habits and physical
inactivity or
sedentary behavior or obesity.
In the United States
alone, nearly one third of the adult population is obese. In the Europe,
they have a similar encounter of the disease.
An astonishing 58 per cent of Britain’s
adult population is considered overweight or obese, a report published
in England
said. The National
Audit Office of Britain reported
last year that 20 percent of British women and 17 percent of men were
as much
as 70
pounds
heavier than the recommended weight for their size.
Obesity is
defined as having an abnormal amount of body fat; being 20 to 30
percent over
the ideal weight for age, sex and height.
Obesity can
also lower the life expectancy of individuals.
In addition to this, obese people are
increasing their susceptibility
and risks to a number of diseases directly related to obesity. This includes: type 2 (adult onset)
diabetes; high blood
pressure; stroke; heart attack; heart failure;
cancer such as cancer of the colon or rectum;
gallstones; gout and gouty
arthritis; osteoarthritis; sleep apnea; and pickwickian syndrome.
Everyone's
metabolism (the rate at which the body burns calories) is different and
is
influenced by many factors, including genetics. Regularly eating even a
few
more calories than your body needs can lead to weight gain. By
consuming only
100 extra calories a day, for example, you'll gain a pound in
approximately a
month (a pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories).
Some experts think a
sedentary lifestyle influences weight gain even more than eating too
many
calories. Exercise burns calories and builds muscle. And the more
muscle mass
you have, the greater number of calories your body burns at rest.
Aside from
aggressive dieting and exercising, some herbal products may aid in
raising
metabolism or suppressing the appetite. But at the same time, you
should also
be wary of their side effects.
Always check with your health care
provider
first.
• Aloe
Vera, improves digestion and cleans the digestive tract
•
Astralgus, increases energy and improves nutrient absorption
• Bee
pollen, stimulates metabolism and quickly satisfy craving for sweets
•
Bladderwrack, contains iodine which helps enhance thyroid function
• Brewer’s
yeast, reduces various cravings for food and drink
• Cayenne,
reduces hunger
after meals and increases calorie burning by the body
• Chitosan,
slows the absorption of fat in the intestine
• Chromium,
helps the body use fat for energy and builds muscles
•
Dandelion, flushes out kidneys, boosts metabolism, and off-sets
cravings for
sweets
• Ephedra,
also known as ma huang, suppresses appetite
• Fennel,
suppresses appetite and removes mucus and fat from the intestinal tract
•
Garcinia cambogia, quells hunger pangs
• Green
tea, increases energy expenditure and enhances the ability of the body
to burn
fat
• Guaran,
contains caffeine which curbs appetite, increases metabolic rates and
has a
mild diuretic effect
• Guggul,
lowers cholesterol and promotes weight control
• Kelp,
boosts metabolism
• Licorice,
sustains regulated blood sugar level and reduces cravings for sweets
• Malabar
tamarind, helps prevents the production of fat and suppresses appetite
• Siberian
ginseng, stabilizes blood sugar and reduces cravings for sweets
•
Yohimbine, raises metabolic rates, reduces appetite and increases fat
burning
These herbs
are not recommended to replace regular meal. Maintaining a
healthy
lifestyle is key.
|
