Herbal helps for that weight-loss resolution

By Jonathan Evans Herbalist & co-owner, the Herbarium Special to PRIME Greetings and Happy New Year. By the time you read this column you will probably have made your New Year resolution to lose weight, and probably fell off your diet. It sounds good to say you will keep to a strict diet, exercise regularly and so forth, but we all know if you were going to follow this regimen you would have started earlier. I mean really, how good is January weather for taking a walk/run, or heading to the gym before or after work? All right, enough of this. I am not knocking your intentions, believe me. I congratulate you for making the attempt, and for wanting to continue. But now, let's get real about that weight-loss resolution. The facts about diet supplements According to a survey commissioned by Weight Watchers, International, almost half of American women said losing weight was one of their new years resolutions . It is a difficult thing to do, and there are some natural products that can help you make the change and stick to your resolution. Diet pills were one area of the natural products industry that kept popping up in the news over the past few years, mostly because of poor products, and abuse by certain individuals. That was the ephedra craze that led to a dozen "miracle" weight loss products that promised to burn fat without exercise, etc. They did work, but because they depended on caffeine and ephedrine to keep you speeding along with extra energy, as soon as you stopped using the rather over-priced products, the weight returned. You see, nothing about you changed. What works Here are some ingredients to look for when investigating natural weight loss products. Thermogenic supplements are very popular and a good product should include one or more of these ingredients: Citrus aurantium, Garcinia cambogia,Coleus forskohli, or green tea. Research in the U.S. and Canada found Citrus aurantium an excellent substitute for ephedra, without affecting heart rate or blood pressure. Garcinia is the source of HCA (hydroxycitric acid) which appears to reduce food consumption by diverting carbs away from fat synthesis and toward stored glycogen, which signals satiety. In regular English the HCA helps slow the conversion of carbs into body fat, and fools your brain into thinking you have had enough. Coleus is being studied for its fat loss stimulating properties and may also increase lean body mass. Coleus is also used for hypertension, psoriasis, asthma, and hypothyroidism. Green tea research is growing every day. Compounds such as caffeine, catechins including EGCG and theanine may have synergistic effects that help supress weight increase. I have been reading a number of studies involving green tea and the wide range of positive effects it has on the body. Other ingredients of interest include CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that is the subject of extensive studies looking at CLAs' ability to maintain lean muscle mass and promote fat loss. Researchers at North Carolina State University note CLAs' mechanisms of action are still largely unknown; it appears to show both long and short- term benefits. About Hoodia A newcomer to the weight loss family is Hoodia gordonii, a South African plant that appears to suppress appetite and thirst. It has become so popular and the shysters have been out in force selling "hoodia" everywhere. The problem is, of course, most of these supplements are not the real thing. Be careful before buying hoodia products on line or from special places. Know your source. White kidney bean extract works as a carb blocker, that is, it promotes weight loss by preventing starch digestion. And there is Prickly Pear Cactus, which exhibits fat-binding qualities, supported by several clinical studies. In closing, I will not make the usual comments about the fad diets, be they the high protein, blood type, low carb, all fruit, eating for your ethnic background or whatever seems to be popular this week. Eat a moderate diet. The majority of your diet should be fruit and vegetables. If you are following a diet and you do not feel good on it, for heaven sakes stop!!! These books you buy are only guides, not gospel. Your body will tell you what it wants and how it feels. Listen to it, as it has more intelligence than you give it credit for. Good luck. Next month we will tackle quitting smoking. Please send your questions on botanical remedies to Natures Rx : Jonathan Evans via e-mail at info@theherbarium.com, or by regular mail at The Herbarium, 264 Exchange Street, Chicopee, MA 01013.