Monday, May 3, 2010

HERBS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

A large percentage of the American population is overweight, and many people sincerely wish to be slimmer. Fat is a national obsession, and marketers of everything from breakfast cereal to carbonated beverages to books want a piece of the overweight pie. The struggle to achieve or maintain a desired weight is fraught with fad diets, crash diets, diet pills of every description, and ten thousand contradictory recommendations. And while there is no magic bullet, no single product that can bust away all body fat, herbal supplements can help. In conjunction with regular exercise and a wise diet, the following three herbs can assist in the achievement of healthy weight goals.

Rhodiola rosea
Also known as golden root or arctic root, Rhodiola contains several compounds which researchers believe imbue the plant with special health promoting powers. The compounds rosavin, rosin, rosarin and salidroside each appear to be biologically active. Of these agents, rosavin especially appears to assist the body in shedding unwanted fat.

As you may know, body fat gets stored in adipose tissue. Once fat is stored in this tissue, it is hard to get rid of. That’s why some people just can’t seem to get rid of certain fatty spots, including “love handles” or a fatty “tire” around the abdomen. The body does possess an enzyme called hormone-sensitive lipase that is capable of breaking down fat stored in adipose tissue. But this enzyme is not especially active. This is where rhodiola rosea comes in. Extracts of rhodiola rosea have the capacity to activate hormone-sensitive lipase, thus increasing the breakdown of fat stored in adipose tissue.

Apparently, the compound rosavin specifically contributes to fat breakdown. And when an extract of rhodiola rosea is taken in conjunction with moderate exercise, fatty tissue breakdown increases. In human clinical studies, administration of rhodiola rosea extract, in combination with moderate exercise, produced significant weight loss. What is the moral of this story? Extracts of rhodiola rosea, standardized to a specific level of rosavin, in combination with regular exercise, can help to promote weight loss.

The best way to use Rhodiola? Buy capsules containing a standardized extract of 3% rosavins. Take 200 – 600 milligrams per day.



4-hydroxyisoleucine from Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
The novel free amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine, has been identified in tiny quantities in the common spice fenugreek seed, for over a decade. But 4-hydroxyisoleucine was never concentrated into a commercially available product, due to difficulties of manufacture. More recently, this technology barrier has been broken, and standardized 4-hydroxyisoleucine extracts are now available on a commercial scale. Thus you will now see this ingredient making its way to market in various diet formulas.

Several studies show that the free amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine plays a valuable role in insulin-promotion and glucose regulation. 4-hydroxyisoleucine stimulates insulin secretion, thereby limiting the extent to which blood glucose (the glycemic index) is elevated. Elevated blood glucose after meals leads to increased production of body fat. 4 hydroxyisoleucine promotes insulin secretion and inhibits the rise of blood glucose, thus helping to reduce body fat production. 4 -hydroxyisoleucine exhibits a specific effect on the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. These cells are directly responsible for insulin production.

Most significantly, the effect of 4-hydroxyisoleucine is glucose dependent. The higher the level of blood glucose, the greater the insulin-promoting response elicited by 4 hydroxyisoleucine. Thus 4-hydroxyisoleucine exhibits a significant regulating effect, which corresponds with the insulin needs of the body at any given time. This makes this compound “adaptogenic,” responding to the particular needs of the body at any given time.

Fenugreek has a long history of folk use throughout Asia and the Middle east as an anti-diabetic, to soothe stomach ulcers, to eliminate catarrh in the upper respiratory tract, to promote lactation, and as a poultice for treating various skin conditions. Much science on fenugreek has focused on the cholesterol-lowering, blood lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic activities of the seed. These activities appear directly linked to the presence of soluble fibers, most notably galactomannans. The galactomannans have additionally been shown to possess fat-sequestering properties, thereby binding directly to dietary fat and reducing its absorption into the body. Furthermore, anti-diabetic properties of fenugreek seed are linked to the presence of a novel free amino acid, 4 hydroxyisoleucine.

In addition, 4-hydroxyisoleucine prove a significant insulin-promoting material of benefit to anyone who desires to regulate blood glucose. In non insulin-dependent diabetics, standardized 4-hydroxyisoleucine extracts can help to maintain a stable glucose level. Additionally, 4-hydroxyisoleucine is of use to those who wish to reduce weight gain, and for athletes whose insulin demands typically exceed those of non-athletes.
What is the best way to use fenugreek? Drink a cup of fenugreek tea after each meal.




Yerba Mate’ (Ilex paraguariensis)
The leaves of this plant contain both caffeine and theobromine, two methylxanthines which boost metabolism. Originating from South America, Yerba Mate’ is a tree cultivated in Paraguay, Brazil and northern Argentina. The leaves of Yerba Mate’ are made into a tonic and stimulating beverage, due to the presence of both caffeine and theobromine. Decoction of Yerba Mate’ is drunk both hot and cold, to alleviate fatigue, suppress appetite, stimulate body and mind, and boost metabolism.

Current science on Yerba Mate’ shows that a decoction of the leaves enhances bile flow and speeds intestinal transit time. Yerba Mate’ also demonstrates 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity, thereby making the herb of use in some cases of mild to moderate asthma.

Analytical studies show that dried Yerba Mate’ naturally contains approximately 0.56% caffeine. Yet some standardized extracts contain 2% caffeine, approximately four times the caffeine of dried Yerba Mate’. Most significant is the theobromine value of concentrated extracts. Like caffeine, theobromine is a central nervous system stimulant alkaloid, though it is appreciably weaker than caffeine. But theobromine is a stronger cardiac stimulant, smooth muscle relaxant, and diuretic.

While dried Yerba Mate’ naturally contains approximately 0.03% theobromine, some extracts on the market today contain .2% theobromine. This six-fold increase in theobromine gives concentrated extracts of YerbaMate’ enhanced metabolic, diuretic, and appetite-suppressing properties. Yerba Mate’ and concentrated extracts of this plant are for those who wish to suppress appetite, boost metabolism and achieve a leaner body.
What is the best way to use Yerba mate? Drink a cup of yerba mate prior to each meal.

Remember that there is no free ride in the weight loss game. There is no pizza and ice cream diet with a slender ending. And there is no single botanical or other agent that can make accumulated pounds magically disappear. Just as weight gain takes time, real weight loss is slow and steady, a couple of pounds per week. But in a few months, you can have a distinctly less plump, more pleasing body, if that is your goal. The above herbs can help to get you there.

10 Chinese Herbs for Weight Loss
Herbs are generally mixed together to treat ailments, including weight loss in Traditional Chinese Medicine. While each of the herbs listed below contributes to weight loss, it is widely believed in the TCM community that no one herb will be effective in weight loss. Instead, a combination of herbs must be used.
1. Ginseng – Ginseng is very beneficial for weight loss because it reduces the blood sugar levels. Ginseng has numerous other health benefits as well.
2. Wolfberry – Also known as Goji or Goji Juice, Wolfberry increases energy and curbs the sweet tooth. Goji berries or Goji juice can be used.
3. Cinnamon – Cinnamon reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It is the effect on the blood sugar that makes it beneficial for weight loss.
4. Ephedra – Ephedra raises the metabolism and increases energy. It was one of the most effective weight loss herbs in existence, but it has been banned for use in the United States.
5. Laminaria – Laminaria contains iodine and regulates the thyroid gland. This is essential for weight loss.
6. Crataegus – Also known as Hawthorne, Crataegus reduces water retention, which contributes to added weight.
7. Ginger – Ginger reduces the acidity in the stomach and essentially cleans the digestive tract, purging the body of stagnate foods which can contribute to added weight.
8. Peppermint – Peppermint is a natural appetite suppressant. It also helps to improve overall digestion.
9. Loquat – Loquat is known for regulating the blood sugar levels, which decreases the appetite and aids in weight loss.
10. Green Tea – Green tea has numerous health benefits, but for weight loss, it helps the body to burn fat by boosting the metabolism.
While a combination of these herbs should be used, it is important to realize that most practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine will only recommend and mix the herbs that the individual requires to bring their bodily systems into balance. It is also important to realize that for each herb used in a mixture, specific amounts are used not only for safety, but also to achieve the overall goal effectively. It can be detrimental to your weight loss to start randomly mixing herbs together and taking them.

How Chinese Herbs are Used for Weight Loss

First it is important to note that there are no herbs that are considered miracle cures for obesity. The herbs that are recommended by a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine to help a person lose weight are recommended not based on the fact that the person is overweight, but in an effort to bring all bodily systems back into harmony, which in turn causes the weight to drop.

What this means is that while there are many products that already contain numerous herbs marketed for weight loss, these products do not work for everyone. You need your own recommendation from a practitioner of TCM, based on the disharmony in your body.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner will ask you a number of questions and give you an actual examination to determine where the disharmony in your body exists, and then recommend herb or herbal mixtures to bring harmony back to your body. The TCM Practitioner may mix the herbs for you as well, but they may also give you a written recommendation, concerning the herbs to select, the amounts to use, the way to mix the herbs, and the way that you should consume the herbs. These instructions should be followed implicitly.

No comments:

Post a Comment