Weight Loss: A Wide Range of Possibilities

Best Single Herb: Chickweed

Best Combinations: Chickweed, cascara sagrada, licorice, safflower, parthenium, black walnut, gotu kola, hawthorn, papaya, fennel, dandelion; brindall berries, gymnema, marshmallow, psyllium; garcinia cambogia; Chinese ephedra (for some)

Other Helpful Supplements: Chromium; 1-carnitine; balanced amino acid supplement; food enzymes with hydrochloric acid

Possible Causes: Improper food combining; eating late in evening; lack of exercise; thyroid problems; hormonal imbalance; improper digestion; constipation

Complementary Help: Cleanse the bowel; support digestion; balance glands; find out your glandular body type, and then use a program to support your type; exercise

The weight-loss challenge is a heavy one indeed. There are some basics on keeping trim and lean, such as exercise and a healthy diet filled with lots of vegetables and fruits, but some fantastic herbs can aid you in losing those excess pounds, too.

First let me tell you that, before herbs, I was overweight. Despite exercising five days a week in my aerobic class, drinking ¾ of a gallon of water daily, and following a vegetarian diet, I was still overweight. This is what led me to my herbalist and iridologist. She put me on a program not specifically geared toward losing weight, but to get at some of my core problems.

Once these imbalances were nourished with the herbal program, an extra 35 pounds just melted off, never to return! The herbs have also heightened my senses and have literally taken away the cravings for bad things I used to crave.

Now let’s talk about a few core reasons you can’t seem to get rid of your excess baggage.

Besides pure overindulgence in foods and a total lack of exercise, excess weight can be caused by other factors that you need to address for an overall approach to losing and maintaining your ideal weight. Look at the following table to get an idea of some reasons you could be feeling pudgy.

Some Reasons for Excess Weight

Herb Lore: information related to holistic health

Herbs help you reach your ideal weight because of their ability to fill in your nutritional voids; cleanse excess mucus, feces, cholesterol, and toxins from the body; release excess water retention; balance the glands that regulate fat storage and metabolism; aid your digestion; elevate your taste buds for wholesome foods; and give you the extra energy you need to exercise! When you get on an herbal program designed for your particular needs, your body will eventually regulate itself to your ideal weight Aren’t you happy we have herbs?

Chickweed for the Hungry

Chickweed (Stellana media) is one of my favorite ingredients for general weight loss. This is the one herb that I always think of first when asked by passersby what herb they can take to help them lose weight. Take one to two capsules of chickweed between each meal to help you lose weight. Chickweed contains a rich amount of lecithin, a fat emulsifier, which makes chickweed a cholesterol remedy also. I like it for its appetite-suppressant effect. This herb also serves as a mild laxative and is rich in vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus, so it will nourish you as you lose weight.

Chickweed is a favorite of at least 30 species of birds, so maybe this is where the saying comes from — if you want to lose weight, you should eat like a bird!

L-carnitine also is listed in the table in the end of this chapter because this amino acid is instrumental in encouraging fat metabolism. Other herbs, of course, can help boost metabolism and thermogenesis (including Chinese ephedra, but it is not suited for everyone).

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

Two great combinations to use to cleanse and curb the appetite are found in the table. The second combination, a mix of brindall berries, gymnema, marshmallow, and psyllium, will help your body resist absorbing so much sugar and will help with sugar cravings.

Garcinia cambogia is a fruit that is a part of many weight-loss remedies because it has been shown to help burn up excess calories in the body, suppress the appetite, inhibit the conversion of excess carbohydrates to fat, and increase the body’s stores of energy fuel.

Pineapple or papaya has helped many lose weight as well. The enzymes help digestion, and these fruits can be eaten before any meal. Improving digestion is also very helpful in weight loss.

A Lighter Solution

You may notice that everyone is shaped a little differently. You may also notice that there are groups of similar shapes in certain people — long ones, tall ones, short ones, big ones. Some systems can classify your body into a particular type, and then you can adhere to your type’s best supplements and diet. I like to use glandular body typing.

Here’s a brief look at each type; seek out a holistic health practitioner who can help you find your type and get you on a diet that suits you best. Each practitioner you seek may have a different method, such as blood types, constitutional typing, metabolic typing, and so on. But, just for fun, take a look at the categories here to see if you can pinpoint your type.

About overcoming an ailment with herbs

A simple remedy you can use is to take four capsules of psyllium hulls 20 minutes before each meal, along with one full glass of water. The psyllium will expand in your digestive tract and make you feel full, so you will eat less.

Glandular Body Types

Always drink lots of extra water when you are losing weight, and keep the bowel clean. Toxins are stored in your fat cells, so expect to have some detoxing symptoms when losing your excess fat. Have fun in the process, and use herbs to support your efforts and to maintain your results. Happy new body to you!

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