Jeff’s Healthy Living Blog

Side Effects of Herbal Diet Supplements

November 12th, 2007

From Natalie Aranda, special to JeffsHealthyLiving.com

For many women and men alike, successful weight loss has changed their attitudes toward the lives while losing the extra pounds. Some of us are no longer hiding mirrors and hibernating during bathing suit season. Instead, they want to show off their fitting bodies in the gyms. Although herbal supplements are the newest trend on the weight loss market, awareness of the side effects and danger attached to these pills will help you loss the weight, but not lose the health.

We’re naturally cautious about the side effects of any medicines. We don’t, however, think of the side effects when we hear the phrase “herbal supplement”. We automatically think that it is safe for us to take since herbal supplements are natural. FDA approvals are required for prescription drugs to get into doctor’s offices. But not all herb weight loss products require FDA approval since they’re sold over the counter as supplements, not as drugs. In general, supplements are safer than prescription drugs. Hoodia Gordonii , a herbal supplements for weight loss, has recently become popular in the west countries.

The side effects of herbal weight loss supplements mostly come from Ephedrine and Senna in the supplements. They are also the main ingredients to increase metabolism to burn fat faster. .However, side effects come with them too. For instance, Senna contains a highly addictive laxative. When your body becomes reliant on a specific supplement, you will not be able to function without it. The damage is usually irreversible.

Many diet supplements do work as they claimed to be, consumers often ignore the side effects or the hazardous aspect of the supplements. For example, frequent use of fat burners that contained appetite suppressants will cause the trouble in your sleeping and develop high blood pressure, and increase intense anxiety. The damage from the use of fat burners or diet supplements may not come from the supplements themselves. Instead, it is the result of over dosage when people are satisfied with the results. The fat burners with natural ingredients don’t work naturally when they aren’t used naturally.

Weight loss with diet supplements is not drastically as surgical approach. The 100%25 natural way to loss weight is to have healthy living and eating habits and exercise often. Instead of taking fat burners, it is smart and healthy to drink green tea. This is one alternative that actually works and is great for your body. Consumers love the fact that it not only tastes great, but it also speeds up your metabolism.

Natalie Aranda writes on health, fitness and weight loss.

Should I Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?

November 9th, 2007

From Ruth Stattmiller, special to JeffsHealthyLiving.com

Most people believe that they are reasonably healthy. Exercise, having a solid diet, and keeping stress to a minimum is a great way to live a longer, happier, and healthier life. That being said, will taking vitamin supplements help you even more? Who should take vitamin supplements? Are vitamin supplements only for extremely unhealthy people who simply don’t have the time to exercise and eat right? You may be surprised to find out that vitamin supplements are a good idea for everyone, even the healthiest people.

Consider an average person, on an average day. How many items does the average person eat that are simply loaded with useless calories and no nutritional value? Today, more and more people are “too busy” to prepare healthy meals and eat specific foods in order to get their daily recommended amounts of vitamins. Some of these people may exercise, but exercising is only doing half of the requirements for healthy living. Eating right is just as important as exercise. If you are finding yourself too busy to sit down and prepare a solid meal, then you should be taking vitamin supplements. Taking vitamins with breakfast is always a good idea. Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day (yet many people skip it), and so it can be enhanced by taking special vitamin supplements.

What about people who eat right and exercise? Yes, they too should be taking vitamin supplements. It would be a very rare case to find someone who was able to get all of his or her daily-recommended vitamins through prepared food. Vitamin supplements can also give people more than they need. Having more Vitamin C than needed is certainly better than not having enough. If you are someone who exercises frequently, then having your recommended amount of vitamins is even more crucial. Consider the amount of energy that is spent when exercising? Vitamins leave the body through the sweat glands, and it is important to replenish these vitamins.

Even the most active children should have vitamin supplements. Studies have shown that children who take vitamins daily are, on average, healthier than children who do not. Children are growing constantly, and exerting large amounts of energy. In truth, children need more vitamins than their parents because they need to have enough vitamins for growth.

A common misconception is that vitamin supplements replace vitamins from actual foods. Therefore, you don’t need to eat vegetables if you are on vitamin supplements. This could not be farther from the truth. Vitamins are supposed to improve your physical well being by making sure you get your recommended amounts of vitamins, or even more than what is needed. For this reason, even someone who is eating healthy should be on vitamin supplements. Many people who have used vitamin supplements notice significant changes in their energy levels if they stop taking the supplements. People who have never taken supplements, and begin to take them notice a dramatic increase in their energy levels, and they even feel healthier.

The human body is always changing. Vitamins are constantly lost, and need to be replenished. Many people do not acquire enough vitamins to constitute half of the recommended daily amount. For these people, vitamin supplements are a must. However, even the healthiest person should consider taking vitamin supplements to ensure that he or she is getting the daily-recommended amounts, and that he or she has all the energy they need for the day. Healthy living is no easy feat. In order to be healthy, one must work at it constantly. Vitamins supplements should be used in addition to a healthy diet, so everyone should take vitamin supplements.

Ruth Stattmiller writes about a variety of health topics, but focuses on http://www.myvitaminguide.com/public/department17.cfm“>vitamin supplements.

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