Thursday, May 14, 2009
So, what is this Hoodia Gordonii plant everyone is so worked up about? Where does it come from and what can it do for you that no other weight loss supplement has been able to accomplish? Let’s start with some of the basics:
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History of Hoodia Gordonii
Hoodia Gordonii’s history goes back hundreds of years, tracing the heritage of the Sans Bushmen of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. The plant, which can only natively be found in the Kalahari Desert of this region, has been used by this native population for decades and possibly centuries as an appetite suppressant on long hunts. When the bushmen went out into the bush to hunt, sometimes for as long as 30 or 40 hours, they would not permit themselves to partake of the catch until it had been returned to the village. This meant that they would not be able to eat for much of that time period, a painful experience in many cases. By chewing on the Hoodia Gordonii plant, they were able to fight those cravings for hours at a time.
Starting in the 1980s, the facts behind Hoodia Gordonii started to leak into larger society, but it was not until the early 2000s that the supplement began to pick up steam and a market overseas. Media exposure, as in the case of the 2004 60 Minutes piece by Leslie Stahl on the plant caused its popularity to skyrocket and today there are more than 200 different brands of Hoodia Gordonii supplements on the overseas markets.
How Does Hoodia Gordonii Work?
The big question many people want to know is how Hoodia Gordonii works. To start with, it is important to know that Hoodia Gordonii is one of 13 different strains of Hoodia plants. In addition to the South African strand there are multiple other African strands, a handful of Middle Eastern strands and a particularly tricky Chinese strand. However, the active ingredient in Hoodia Gordonii – known as P57 – is only found in the Gordonii strain, making this particular plant incredibly valuable.
When P57 enters the brain after taking a Hoodia Gordonii supplement, it acts on the part of your brain where glucose would normally go to. This glucose receptor will then release a chemical that tells your brain that you are full, that you have eaten – your cravings are waylaid and your hunger is curbed for up to 24 hours.
Does Hoodia Gordonii Have Any Side Effects?
To date, there are no known side effects from taking Hoodia Gordonii. However, there is a massive issue in the industry due to a failure rate in testing of up to 60% and a scam rate of up to 80%. The high value of the plant and its rarity have caused many companies to start loading pills with fillers and other strains of Hoodia. You can read more about the scams being perpetrated by Hoodia Gordonii producers by visiting my Scam Alert page here.
You can also get some interesting information regarding the use of Magnesium Stearate and Stearic acids in the production process of vitamins and supplements (very alarming!!!). Click here to Read the Article on Magnesium Stearate and Stearic Acids.
Will Hoodia Gordonii Help Me Lose Weight?
This is a question that comes up time and again, repeatedly drawn on by news installations and clever bloggers claiming they’ve “debunked” the truth about Hoodia Gordonii. Let’s get this straight right now. There is no such thing as a pill which makes you lose weight. If there is such a thing, it is probably incredibly dangerous. Hoodia Gordonii is 100% natural and when it is pure, entirely safe. That means that you must put a little effort into the weight loss goals you set.
While Hoodia Gordonii does not completely delete your hunger (that would be dangerous, causing you not to eat at all), it gets rid of any unnecessary cravings. When your body is actually, truthfully hungry, you will know it. By combining this powerful tool with the right glycemic index diet and a regular exercise routine, you can take advantage of natural, powerful weight loss in the way it was meant to be done. While Hoodia Gordonii may easily be the most important weight loss tool on the market today, it is not the sole solution. A balanced diet, regular exercise, and the control Hoodia gives you are all part of the weight loss formula.