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Archive for the ‘Weight Loss’ Category

The weight loss industry is rife with controversy. If we’re trying to slim down not only are we faced with a plethora of misleading statements thrust across the internet and the shelves of pharmacists and health stores but we’re dealt countless warnings about the potential harmful effects of many of these products.

So how do we determine which products are not only effective, but safe, and which ones could cause us harm whilst possibly not even achieving the desired results?

One of the first things to remember is that the words ‘herbal’ and ‘natural’ do not always mean ‘safe’. Most weight loss supplements, whether purchased online or at the local pharmacy, are not subjected to the same tests as products considered as medicines.

This means that the pleasant package for a supplement extracted from are a rare plant found on the plains of Northern Africa could in fact be very dangerous. Due to the limited testing the product has been subjected to, those taking it are effectively acting as guinea pigs.

However, there are a number of weight loss supplements that are not only natural, but are proven to be safe. The acai berry for instance is now one of the most popular slimming aids on the market. While exactly how effective it is may be debatable, studies have shown that it does contain properties that if combined with a healthy diet and exercise programme, can aid weight loss.
In addition, disregarding the potential for allergic reactions or vitamin overdose, the acai berry side effects are nil. We know this because it has been consumed for many thousands of years and has been named as simply a member of the berry family – albeit a particularly healthful one.
Yet while the acai berry side effects are near non-existent, this is not the same for most other slimming aids available today.

A common ingredient in many weight loss supplements is ephedra. Ephedra is essentially a mild amphetamine and it works by reducing the appetite. However, like other amphetamines it makes users jittery, awake (at all hours), nervous, dizzy and can cause severe heart problems – including death. Ephedra is illegal in many countries but can often still be obtained over the internet. Despite the life threatening side effects, people continue to take it.
What makes ephedra even more dangerous is the fact that those consuming it will be eating very little and most likely, partaking in minimal exercise. This combined will cause muscle wastage and that could include the heart. Therefore even more pressure is placed upon the heart and the dieter is at a highly increased risk of a stroke, seizure or heart attack.
Are such risks actually worth it, all in the name of a slim body? Disregarding the risk of death and other serious problems, if you lose weight in this way you may be thin, but you won’t look good. You will appear tired, withdrawn and very unhealthy.

Another weight loss supplement that has been scientifically proven to have an effect is Xenical (also now available over the counter in a weaker form called Alli). Xenical works by preventing the body from absorbing fat properly. However while this will undoubtedly help with weight loss, some fats are vital to our health and excluding them from our diets is not akin to a healthy body or an effective weight loss programme.

In addition, those fats have to come out somewhere, and this ‘somewhere’ results in a very unpleasant and embarrassing side effect. Again – is the additional weight loss really worth the trouble?
The truth is that there are few safe and effective weight loss supplements. Those that are proven to be safe tend to have less of an impact than those which may cause us harm.

However this fits with the age old truth that diet, exercise and slow, steady weight loss are the best route to go. The acai berry side effects are non-existent; however its benefits include more than merely weight loss. Perhaps then one of the acai berry side effects is actually positive – it is full of vitamins that are vital to the health of our body, and this is the key that many dieters fail to pick up. We shouldn’t just want to be thin; we should want to feel alive and full of health. Many of the most ‘effective’ slimming aids will do just the opposite, making us look and feel unhealthy and potentially placing us in grave danger of death.