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Ask the Herbalist_questions on weight loss
SUGAR CRAVINGS
QUESTION: Hi, I am bi-polar, taking 150mg of Zoloft and 450mg of Lithium a day. It
works for me, but I was wondering if I could add the liquid licorace to this.
I'm putting on weight because of sugar cravings and I've heard that licorace
helps with cravings. I'm wondering if I could use this or could this be a
bad combination.
ANSWER: To simply answer your question Licorice, Latin Named Glycorrhiza uralensis
has a bitter and sweat taste. The bitter taste helps to reduce sugar
cravings but the sweat taste dampens stomach fire reducing digestive ability
which is not good for you. The contraindications for Licorice are for
hypertension, edema and kidney disease.
If it were me I would use a balanced bitter formula instead which helps to
stop sugar craving and improves digestion, the formula should be a
combination of warming and cooling bitters such as Angelica, Orange Peel,
Gentian, Artichoke and Dandelion along with some carminative herbs such as
peppermint or ginger, stay away from the Swedish Bitters which have a
laxative ingredient or Angustora Bitter which has only one ingredient,
Gentian. If you cannot find a bitter formula in your local health food or
herb store please give us a call. We mail order our products out everyday.
For weight loss avoid weight loss products and simply reduce caloric intake
and increase exercise.
I have heard all the horror stories about ma-huang. I have seen da-huang
listed in a popular over the counter weight loss product. Do the same horror
apply to da-huang?
ANSWER: Da Huang is the Chinese pin yin English term for the plant Rhubarb, which is a laxative.
Plant Name: Da Huang pronounced as \Dong Quang\, Chinese Rhubarb/Turkey Rhubarb, Latin Named: Rheum
tanguticum, R. officinale, R. palmatium is a powerful laxative and is not appropriately used longterm, and to use it in a
diet formula is not ethical in my opinion, chemical laxatives can cause bowel dependency crippling your bodies own
ability to void itself. I would avoid products with this ingredient. It is not Ephedra, Ma Huang, a different plant which
acts to speed up the body and is also not appropriate for herbal dietary products.
QUESTION: Hello, I have found this Herb in Diet Products sold in Heath Food Stores, Would you please give me
information relative to this Herb?
ANSWER: Gymnema, Gumar, Sugar Square, Sharduku, Latin Named: Gymnema sylvestre this herb is appropriately
used for diabetes, it deadens sweet craving and turns bitter tastes sweet, for insulin dependent diabetes it can reduce
insulin load required.
I do not see this or any other herb appropriate in any diet formula. These silver bullet formulas aimed at the
unsuspecting public, have speed like ingredients Ephedra, Caffeine, Kola nut, Guarana, laxatives and purgative herbs
such as Senna, Butternut and Rhubarb and other ingredients that are not good for you and can be addictive and cause
withdrawal symptoms when you go off them. Each of these herbs when appropriately used have medicinal actions and
can be used short-term for specific conditions or disease but their misuse in formulas such as these are irresponsible
by the manufacture and disrespectful to the plant.
The only true control for weight loss is reduced caloric intake and increased exercise please see my other answers
online for herbs and weight loss.
Use like this of plants, for dishonorable purposes gets the hair on the back of my neck up, I apologize for the
directness and tartness of this response.
QUESTION:
A friend of mine has recently stop taking one of those "metaba" something pills to loose weight. She was on the pill for
a year. She is now experiencing "withdrawals" according to her Doctor. He told her that what she was taking was a
natural form of speed. She now wants to find out what other side effects this pill will cause and what is the fastest way
to get it out
of her system so she can feel normal again. She told me the main ingredient is "Mahuana".
Help!
ANSWER: Mahuana is probably Ma Huang. This is the Chinese name for Plant Ephedra, Latin Named: Ephedra
Sinensis. This herb should not be used as a weight loss method ever. It does speed/pick you up and increase energy
use by the body but this comes with expense. Over dose or long term use can tax the adrenal glands, cause
hypertension, insomnia, and irregular heart beat, or death. This is not an herb for amateurs and should only be used
under the care of a qualified herbalist or healthcare provider.
I would suggest the majority of the herb/chemical constituents involved were out of her system in a matter of hours, I
would think that she should be free from the rest of its effects in a week to 10 days.
This herb is not appropriately used or ethically given as a recreational drug, herbal amphetamine (speed) or weight
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