Articles and Forms
Weight Loss
Having trouble getting off those last few pounds?
By Diana Romano RD, LD
Do you pine for the days when weight loss was easy because of powerful prescription diet pills? Prescription diet pills seemed like the answer for thousands of people trying to lose weight. That is, until Redux and Pondimin were removed from the market due to reports of heart valve problems. Now, many of my clients are asking me about herbal alternatives and if they are free from side-effects. Before embarking on the next craze of weight loss products, read on!
Products that contain parsley, juniper and dandelion leaves are diuretic herbs. Common laxative herbs include aloe, rhubarb root, buckthorn, cascara and senna. These items can be found in products like Super Dieter’s Tea, Trim-max Tea and Water Pill. They work by causing a significant loss of water - not fat. Long term use can result in your bowels becoming dependent on chemical substances in order to function. A more serious concern due to large fluid losses is low potassium levels that can produce heart irregularities and over time, death.
Ephedra or ma huang is an herb that in combination with caffeine has been used to curb appetite and stimulate metabolism. While there is some evidence that this combination does work, you are often too jittery to do much else. It is found in products such as Super Diet Max, Herba Fuel and Metabolife. Because some 800 adverse reactions such as heart-attacks, seizures and strokes, as well as 22 deaths, have been attributed to this combination, I advise all of my clients to avoid these products.
Herbal weight loss aids like Diet-Phen and Herbal Phen-fen use a combination of ephedra and St. John’s Wort to mimic the effects that phentermine and fenfluramine produced. However, there has not been any clinical studies showing that this combination will promote weight loss. Because the FDA recommends limiting the use of ephedra to no more than seven days, this is not a long-term solution.
Rather than expending a great deal of time and money looking for that next magic pill, re-focus your efforts on making lifestyle changes that include preparing healthy foods, exercising and relaxing. Now is the time to invest in a good pair of walking shoes and enjoy the outdoors. Think of exercise as a self-nurturing activity. It’s something you can start today!
Diana Romano, RD, LD is available for individual and group nutritional consultations at the Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine.
By Diana Romano RD, LD
Do you pine for the days when weight loss was easy because of powerful prescription diet pills? Prescription diet pills seemed like the answer for thousands of people trying to lose weight. That is, until Redux and Pondimin were removed from the market due to reports of heart valve problems. Now, many of my clients are asking me about herbal alternatives and if they are free from side-effects. Before embarking on the next craze of weight loss products, read on!
Products that contain parsley, juniper and dandelion leaves are diuretic herbs. Common laxative herbs include aloe, rhubarb root, buckthorn, cascara and senna. These items can be found in products like Super Dieter’s Tea, Trim-max Tea and Water Pill. They work by causing a significant loss of water - not fat. Long term use can result in your bowels becoming dependent on chemical substances in order to function. A more serious concern due to large fluid losses is low potassium levels that can produce heart irregularities and over time, death.
Ephedra or ma huang is an herb that in combination with caffeine has been used to curb appetite and stimulate metabolism. While there is some evidence that this combination does work, you are often too jittery to do much else. It is found in products such as Super Diet Max, Herba Fuel and Metabolife. Because some 800 adverse reactions such as heart-attacks, seizures and strokes, as well as 22 deaths, have been attributed to this combination, I advise all of my clients to avoid these products.
Herbal weight loss aids like Diet-Phen and Herbal Phen-fen use a combination of ephedra and St. John’s Wort to mimic the effects that phentermine and fenfluramine produced. However, there has not been any clinical studies showing that this combination will promote weight loss. Because the FDA recommends limiting the use of ephedra to no more than seven days, this is not a long-term solution.
Rather than expending a great deal of time and money looking for that next magic pill, re-focus your efforts on making lifestyle changes that include preparing healthy foods, exercising and relaxing. Now is the time to invest in a good pair of walking shoes and enjoy the outdoors. Think of exercise as a self-nurturing activity. It’s something you can start today!
Diana Romano, RD, LD is available for individual and group nutritional consultations at the Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine.
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