Can You Trust the Miracle Diet Pill Hoodia?
For many years, the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert have relied on the Hoodia plant to sustain them during their long hunting trips. Based on the belief that this plant can suppress appetite and thirst, the latest diet product called Hoodia Gordonii was developed, sparking not only great interest, but also significant skepticism.
As the plant’s popularity grew, media investigations began. Leslie Stahl, a renowned reporter for 60 minutes, flew to South Africa with a crew, and hired a bushman as a guide in the search and use of the plant. After sampling the ‘miracle’ plant, Stahl reported that it eliminated her need to eat and drink for the whole day!
Production of Hoodia
The hoodia plant is native to South Africa. It grows in the
wild, requires extremely hot and dry conditions, and many years to reach
maturity. Due to the plant’s ever-increasing popularity, Phytopharm,
the official pharmaceutical company developing Hoodia, has begun building
plantations in South Africa in order to meet the demand.
Tips to Maximize Effectiveness
When trying hoodia for healthy weight loss it is important to
also use common sense and patience during the process. It may take a few
days to get the proper dosage for your bodyweight. A person’s bodyweight
will influence its effectiveness. It may take more dosages to begin to
suppress the appetite. It is not uncommon for a few days to pass for hoodia
to begin to work.
The ingredients and the quality of the ingredients will play a large part in the effectiveness of the pills, liquids or gum. The only active ingredient of the plant is the core from the aerial stems. Any listing of ingredients containing fillers like pulp; skin, flowers, roots or other parts of the Hoodia Gordonii plant dilute the power.
The dilution of the product plays a part as well. The weight loss products that have a large ratio like 20:1 have such a low potency that it may prove almost useless. Limit your purchases to products that have 100% Hoodia Powder with no other added ingredients.
Are There Health Concerns Associated With Hoodia?
The marketing companies promoting the hoodia drug claim that
there are no side affects to the products, based on the stories of the
San Bushmen who maintain that they experience no negative reactions from
ingesting the plant.
Hoodia Gum
Hoodia Gordonii comes in a gum format put out by Zoft. Zoft
Hoodia gum is a natural supplement and not classified as a medicine.
As opposed to many other diet products, Zoft will not raise your body
temperature in an effort to burn calories, nor is it a stimulant, so it
won’t make your heart accelerate and keep you awake at night. Zoft
Hoodia gum will simply reduce your appetite so that you will eat less.