Lose Weight, But Keep Your Health!

Posted by Anna Dedrick

Everybody’s looking for the magic answer. If we could just rub the magic lamp and get those three wishes – one of them being that we lose weight without really trying! What would you give up to be skinny? Some crazy methods of weight loss just may cost you your health. Take a long hard look before embracing the weight loss ideas below. Do your research and be sure that you understand the risks.

Prescription Diet Pills

Nowadays, most doctors tend to discourage the use of these amphetamines. Some won’t even prescribe them at all. While they do suppress appetite, they don’t teach you squat about eating healthy. You end up keeping the same eating habits and voila! Instant weight gain when you’re done with the bottle!. They can also be habit forming. The side effects include high blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, sleeplessness, hallucinations and delusions.

Ephedra

This all natural Asian herb is found in many herbal remedies and weight loss powders. It has a powerful appetite suppressant effect, but has been implicated in over 70 deaths.


Laxatives

One of those popular home remedies, used for getting rid of the food you just ate! Regular use and abuse of laxatives can result in low potassium, arrhythmia and pancreatic damage. These issues are life-threatening, so don’t use laxatives as a weight loss method.

Artificial Sweeteners

The artificial sweetener aspartame has been implicated in multiple lawsuits alleging damages that include blindness, seizures and brain damage. Check out the book Excitotoxins for more info on the possible dangers of artificial sweeteners.

Smoking

Afraid you'll gain weight if you quit smoking? The National Institute of Diabetes says that you'd have to gain 100-150 pounds to match the health risks you invoke by smoking. Instead, set up healthy substitutions to help you deal with food cravings and put down the cigarettes.

Purging

Making yourself throw up to get rid of the previous meal can have very damaging effects on health. Depletion of nutrients like potassium and vitamins, damage to the esophagus from stomach acids, and esophageal rupture are all possible side effects.

Diuretics

Diuretics gets rid of fluids - including vital electrolytes. The depletion can lead to dehydration, and cause your body to start retaining water. This just leads to a vicious cycle. Repeated or prolonged use of diuretics can lead to kidney damage and serious electrolyte imbalances, which may result in kidney or heart failure.

Herbal Remedies

Just because something is “herbal” doesn’t mean it’s harmless. Many medications themselves are derived from herbs. Because of the lack of regulation, dosages of active ingredients can vary widely from one manufacturer to another. Here’s a list of some common ingredients found in herbal weight loss products, along with some cautions you should take.

Ephedra (ma huang, ephedrine, ephedra extract, epitonin, ephdra sinica and sida cordifolia) should not be taken by people with heart, thyroid or kidney disease, or with hypertension

Kava should be avoided by people with mood disorders who are taking mood altering medication, and people with Parkinson's disease.

Cascara and Senna should not be taken by people taking diuretics (both are often found in herbal weight loss teas)

Gingko biloba, licorice root, and dong quay should not be taken by people who are taking blood thinners or anti-coagulants.


Selenium and Capsaicin should not be taken by people with bowel or digestive disorders



While becoming fit and trim can improve your health, you don’t want to lose that health by choosing a method that’s dangerous. Be sure that whatever weight loss method you decide on won’t lead to other serious medical problems.

Posted by Anna Dedrick