Healthy B.P.M.

Taking herbs for weight loss seems to be all the rage these days. Whether they work or not is a different story. Part of their popularity is attached to their availability and cost. Not only is your spam folder filled with offers of every botanical species known to man, but most retailers offered them as buy one get one free. Their easier and sometimes safer than prescription diet pills. The questions still is. “Do they work?” Some do provide other health benefits which should be the primary reason for taking them, not as a magic weight loss solution.

Herbs can be a useful part of any sound nutritional plan. Even with their low cost and availability you should still check with your doctor. Listed below are some of the herbs most commonly associated with weight loss. Keep in mind that everything that’s natural isn’t always good for you.

Guarana

Caffeine and the closely related alkaloids theobromine and theophylline make up the primary active constituents in Guarana. Caffeine’s effects are well known and include stimulating the central nervous system, increasing metabolic rate, and having a mild diuretic effect. Guarana is also used as a systemic cleanser, nerve tonic, anti-fatigue stimulant, said to reduce hunger, relieve headaches, help alleviate PMS symptoms and has a reputation as an aphrodisiac.

In Brazil Guarana is considered to be a health tonic, and is as popular as our colas. In the states, Guarana has become a popular ingredient in energy drinks and teas. If you think that this is the herb for you consider this; Guarana is one of the richest sources of caffeine, containing up to three times the amount of caffeine as coffee.

Ginkgo Biloba

Chinese herbal medicine use ginkgo seeds to relieve wheezing and to lessen phlegm. They also use the seeds to treat vaginal discharge, a weak bladder, and incontinence. The leaves are traditionally used to treat asthma. Ginkgo Biloba extract is often recommended for depression, diabetes related nerve damage and poor circulation, allergies, vertigo, short-term memory loss, headache, atherosclerosis, tinnitus, macular degeneration, and PMS. Ginkgo is also known to fight against age-related disease in two ways. The elements in ginkgo act as antioxidants in the body and fight against cell damage that causes the body to break down with age. It acts as protection in a variety of illnesses associated with aging, including: macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

The medical benefits of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) are attributed primarily to two groups of active components - ginkgo flavone glycosides and terpene lactones. The terpene lactones are associated with increasing circulation. GBE regulates the tone and elasticity of blood vessels, making circulation more efficient. An increase in blood flow and circulation is important to women with heavy deposits of estrogenic fat - generally in the lower body, where circulation and cellular metabolism are poor. People taking blood-thinning medications should avoid this herb, as it can increase the effects of this medication. Some people have also reported minor side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea, but these normally subside when the dosage is reduced or when use of the herb is discontinued.

Green Tea Extract

Green tea has been traced as far back as over 4000 years ago in China. The medicinal properties of tea have been given serious scientific support. Studies have shown that drinking four cups of green tea a day can reduce the risk of developing stomach and lung cancer as well as heart disease. Green tea contains the cancer-fighting flavonoid ECGC, which is unique in that it seems to fight cancer at all stages, from chemical carcinogens, to suppressing the spread of tumors. Flavonoids are most commonly known for their antioxidant activity. The chemical components in green tea are 100 times more powerful an antioxidant as Vitamin C, and 25 times more powerful than Vitamin E.

Green tea also causes carbohydrates to be released slowly, preventing sharp increases in blood-insulin levels. This thermogenic property promotes the burning of fat, and also controls body composition (muscle vs. body fat) by activating the central nervous system. Green tea inhibits fat storing hormones (lipoprotein lipase) and stimulates the release of free fatty acids from fat cell storage (thermogenesis).Many scientists believe there is a connection between all of the components of green tea; and these combined properties account for its health-enhancing properties. Unfermented green tea leaves, by the way, are the most natural way to gain these benefits. Green tea extract also contains caffeine, which can contribute to insomnia when taken before bedtime, as well as irritability, dizziness, vomiting, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and possible irregular heartbeat in rare cases.