Everything To Lose, Everything To Gain: A Healthy Look At Dieting And Diet Supplements.

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By Mia Bolaris-Forget

Taking vitamins is important for all of us, and it’s especially important for those trying to lose weight and perhaps depriving themselves and their body of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Remember, a healthy diet and ample exercise are the key to not only losing weight but also keeping it off. And, natural, healthy diet supplements may just be that extra help for those who get discouraged, especially once they reach a slow point or weight loss plateau. Yet, experts caution against products containing caffeine, growth hormone or ephedra, and suggest that such products may contribute to increasing heart rate and blood pressure. Furthermore, ephedra and growth hormone have been linked to increased risk of heart disease and cancer. Hence they suggest, when looking for a diet supplement its imperative to choose one that contains all-natural and healthy ingredients among which the following are listed:

Citrus auriantium (bitter orange): A nourishing nutrient found in the peel that improves the body’s ability to burn fat for energy.

Theanine: An amino acid extracted from green that lowers the production of stress hormones, which encourage fat storage.

Lipoic acid: A nutrient present in red meat, spinach, and broccoli that improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin preventing it from storing fat resulting in greater energy.

Conjugated linoleic acid”: An omega 6 essential fatty acid that converts the body’s fat into fuel, protecting muscles from breaking down during dieting and exercise.

St. John’s wort: An herb that (although you have to be cautious with this one, especially if your taking meds/antidepressants, it lowers their efficiency) boosts the amount of serotonin in the brain, lessening craving for junk food and sweets.

Kelp: This form of seaweed contains iodine, which helps keep your metabolism at a healthy level when you diet.

Digestive enzymes: Derived from a variety of foods, these help break down foods and maximize the absorption of nutrients to keep energy at its peak.