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Naturopathy and Weight Loss Besides hypnosis, another natural way to weight loss in healthy way is through naturopathy. Naturopathy provides holistic healing to the body using natural methodology, as well as by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Naturopathy emphasizes on cleansing and on changing our lifestyle for self healing. In general, overweight and obesity is caused by overeating in such amount that caloric intake is more than the needs of the body. This results in fats being accumulated in the body. In some cases, in addition to the relation between caloric intake and consumed in the body, there are other factors contributing to overweight and obesity and the ability of a person to lose weight in a sustainable and healthy way.
One factor is metabolic disorders. Glands that affect digestive metabolism, sugar metabolism and fat metabolism determine body weight. Metabolism affects our energy requirement. And our body metabolism is regulated by hormone which is produced by thyroid gland. And so if the thyroid gland is inactive, i.e. hypothyroidism, then the metabolic rate would decrease. Less energy would be used. More fats would then be accumulated. Meanwhile, adrenal cortisol, which is produced by adrenal glands, plays an important role in regulating blood sugar and energy production. If adrenal cortex becomes hypoactive, it would affect various steroids that deal with carbohydrate metabolism. In this case, complex sugars and glucose can be easily converted to fat instead of properly metabolized. This leads to weight gain, especially around the abdomen. And it is very difficult to get rid of it.
Hence, if the thyroid and adrenal glands do not function properly, this would affect our body weight. Malnutrition is one factor that affects their functioning. For example, a diet deficient in iodine would affect the functioning of thyroid.
Another reason for fats being accumulated in the body is we have too much toxins in our body due to the foods we eat, the poisons in the environment we expose, etc.
If our liver is overloaded with pollutants and toxins and cannot eliminate them, these toxins would be isolated from the systems of the body and locked in the adipose or fat tissue so that our body cannot get harm. The fat issue would then be difficult to get rid off unless the toxins have been cleared out. In this instance, the liver also cannot efficiently burn body fat.
In addition, once a person becomes overweight or obese, it would promote a state of overstimulation of the immune system, which impairs normal immune function. This is because excess body fat triggers the production of pro-inflammatory immune cells, which circulate in the blood and promote inflammation in our bodies and also stimulate white blood cells to produce inflammatory molecules.
Thus the immune system does not function properly for an overweight person. People with a poor immune system are often too sick to work out. As a result, they gain weight from lack of exercise, which only hurts their body even more.
Hence, herbs that effect weight loss should have one or more of the following effects:
The following are some of these herbs. As different person has different health condition, it is advised to consult with herbalist first before taking any herbal supplement to make sure it will not cause any adverse effects.
Ephedra
Ephedra has a similar effect to the body's own adrenaline.
It contains ephedrine and ephedrine increases metabolic rate, so that the body burns fats and sugar more efficiently. By mobilizing stored fat and carbohydrate reserves, ephedrine reduces appetite. Echinacea Angustifolia Root It improves gastrointestinal conditions and digestion. Echinacea boosts the body's immune system by increasing production of infection-fighting T-cells. It enhances the movement of white blood cells into areas of infection to destroy foreign particles, bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms.
Red clover
It stimulates the production of urine and helps to remove water and waste materials from the kidneys and bladder. This increased urine flow aids the loss of excess water retention in the body and ultimately result in overall weight loss.
Oat straw
It works by increasing urine flow. It can help combat problems such as obesity, varicose veins, irritations related to the digestive tract and as an herbal treatment for hemorrhoids, however it has been found that it should not be used in dyspepsia when accompanied by acidity of the stomach.
Also, oat straw has long been used to curb addictions, and in the past, it was used for alcoholics, drug addicts, and heroin smokers. If overeating is treated as an addiction, then oat straw could also help in this way. Burdock root Burdock improves fat metabolism and helps reduce cravings and hunger and thus assist in weight loss. It acts as a diuretic. It is an excellent herbal blood purifier that detoxifies the blood and lymphatic system. Burdock is also considered a mild laxative and it aids in the elimination of uric acid. Chickweed As a diuretic, its medicinal properties aid the assimilation of other herbs and help them process and dissolve of fat. It has ability to break down fat molecules. It is usually recommended in combination with burdock root which helps balance oils and fats in the body. Chickweed breaks down the fat and burdock helps transport it out of the body. As a tea, it is an effective way to curb cravings, assist digestion, and help lose weight. Juniper berry It is an effective diuretic, and is useful for eliminating excess water from the body. Its anti-inflammatory properties and use in the digestive system make it a popular and effective ingredient in many weight loss supplements. Catnip It is a popular medicinal herb known for its use as a digestive aid. Regular intake of catnip tea helps in getting rid of body toxins in an effective way. Moreover, its regular consumption produces carminative, which supports the digestion system of body. Catnip tea is also famous for its mild diaphoretic properties. Senna It acts as an appetite suppressant and a fast-acting laxative to produce rapid weight loss. As a natural laxative, it stimulates the colon, leading to the increased metabolism of fat. It is a fast-acting laxative to produce rapid weight loss. Cayenne pepper It makes you feel more energetic. Because the more energy you have the more you are on the go, and the more you burn body fat. It increases the metabolism and causes more weight loss. Black Walnut It is used to help balance sugar levels. It also is able to burn up excessive fatty materials. It promotes weight loss (even though its caloric content is fairly high) and enhance overall health. Fennel A diuretic that reduces hunger and improves energy. Fennel normalizes appetite and good for digestive disorders and obesity. Hawthorn Berry It reduces blood fat and improves circulation. Hawthorn berry helps with stagnant, undigested food accumulated in the stomach. It also stimulates the adrenal glands and improves thyroid function. Kelp It gives the body easily absorbed nutrients which feed the body on a cellular level. This reduces cravings. It is a bulk laxative It has a high content of iodine. Iodine assists the thyroid to help them do their job more efficiently. Also because of its high content of selenium, it will help reduce the effects of depression due to common weight loss blues. Licorice Root Licorice root is widely used in weight loss supplements, because of the general support it gives in the total health of our body. It also helps to "blend" the other natural herbs found in weight loss products to insure maximum effectiveness. It is used as a way to decrease cravings for treats and sweet foods which often taken in times of emotional weakness. This natural remedy is also claimed to have other benefits for dieters including regulating blood sugar level to a normal healthy state and the ability to make the adrenal glands stronger. Hormonal changes in women can cause weight gain. Licorice root is an ingredient in many natural products for balancing hormones, which can help with weight reduction. It helps in elimination and elimination is a main factor in weight loss. Parsley Root Parsley helps curb the appetite & reduce hunger cravings. Parsley is also one of the best diuretics. It heals and soothes to the kidneys and bladder as it relieves water retention. Papaya leaf fiber The papaya is full of vitamins A, C and potassium in high amounts and also calcium, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin and low in calories. An enzyme named papain comes from the skin of unripe papayas. This enzyme has been used as a meat tenderizer and used as a diet supplement to aid digestion. Its fiber can lower cholesterol and increase bile acid excretion in feces. This will reduce the availability of fat and cholesterol. Safflower oil Safflower oil helps increase metabolism and decrease body fat percentage. It increases the production of the adiponectin hormone, which in turn triggers faster and more efficient fat burning. Cis-linoleic acid, the omega-6 fatty acid in safflower oil is also a catalyst for burning brown fat. When brown fat is active on a regular basis, the body is best able to maintain its ideal weight. Sage It aids digestion. This characteristic makes sage popular as a weight loss aid. Warm sage tea takes the edge off of hunger. Onion
It is very effective for weight loss in a fast and healthy way. It is rich in fiber, nutrients and an antioxidant called quercetin. Quercetin helps increase calorie burn in the body while also reducing inflammation. In addition, eating fiber helps stay full longer, which helps control our weight. It also helps control blood sugar levels.
Onions also are easy to add to a variety of dishes, bringing the benefit of low-calorie flavoring.
Bladderwrack
Because bladderwrack grows in the sea, it accumulates and concentrates various minerals and nutrients. One of the most important elements found in bladderwrack is iodine. The high concentration of iodine makes bladderwrack a useful plant for the treatment of thyroid conditions which trigger metabolism problems. It increases metabolic rate and helps digest food more efficiently. A higher metabolism rate generally leads to improved weight loss.
However, it needs to avoid to take doses in large quantity for long period. Damiana It treats hormone imbalances resulting in weight loss. Studies found that the mixture of Yerba Mate, Guarana and Damiana significantly delayed gastric emptying, reduced the time to perceive gastric fullness and induced significant weight loss.
Yerba mate
A study found that yerba mate may modulate the expression of several obesity-related genes and, in turn, produce a potent anti-obesity effect.
A mixed herbal preparation (containing yerba mate, guarana, and damiana) helps feel full more quickly while eating. This induces significant weight loss.
Due to yerba mate's caffeine content, people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and anxiety should avoid the tea or extract. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also avoid yerba mate.
Guarana It was found to increase energy and metabolism and can also be used as a mild laxative. Guarana has about 4 to 8 % caffeine concentration per seed. Caffeine can stimulate heart, respiratory and nervous systems. Some studies have linked caffeine to weight loss as it increases a process called lipolysis. This is the process by which the body releases fat into your bloodstream to be burned as fuel during physical activity. Caffeine also improves blood circulation and raises your blood pressure. Caffeine can irritate the stomach lining to produce more acid. Guarana not only helps speed up your metabolism, it actually flushes and cleans the digestive system of foreign toxins.But it might has side effects of nausea, heartburn, anxiety, or dizziness and it increases blood pressure.
And so the same as yerba mate, people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and anxiety should avoid taking it. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also avoid it. Guggul It is a very effective herb for controlling obesity and cholesterol and a well established fat burning agent.
It has long been known to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, while maintain or improve the HDL to LDL ratio. It has been shown that Guggul can lower blood cholesterol by 14-27% and can lower triglycerides by 22-30%. Guggul works on the liver by increasing the metabolism (or break down) of LDL Cholesterol. Its benenfits as a weight-loss and fat burning agent have been well researched and documented in several studies.
It is one of the first "broad spectrum drugs" with a wide therapeutic range. A broad mode of action makes this herb very helpful even in protecting against ailments such as common cold, and various skin, dental and ophthalmic infections.
Guggul can be taken by practically everyone, regardless of age and gender.
Poke Root
Poke root stimulates and cleans lymph nodes. Lymph nodes help stimulate the immune system.
Poke root also helps the digestive system operate more efficiently. An efficient digestive system burning calories more fully will also provide the body with a more stable source of energy. It will also help avoid the drops in blood sugar which can lead to incessant food cravings. Eliminating these cravings can help stop rampant over eating.
Doses of more than one gram per day can be dangerous. Overdosing on poke root can cause it to become an emetic and a cathartic. Always consult the doctor first before starting its use.
After cleansing the body system and healing the metabolism to return to normal state, we should have the weight we desire if we do not overeat. In order to keep the body in healthy state, we need to eat fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds in their wholesome, raw state. These foods do not have toxins and do not produce mucus which breeds germs and diseases. Excess mucus also inhibits absorption.
Moreover, snacks of fruit and raw vegetables with high water content can make you feel full.
However, as nuts and seeds are high in fat as indicated in the following table, if you want to lose weight, do not eat more than an ounce a nut a day for example unless you spend more calories than you intake. Table: Amount of calories for the selected fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds for the serving size of 100 grams:
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