The Hoodia Diet
By Jim Robinson

In the African Kalahari desert, the Hoodia Gordonii plant thrives in extremely high temperatures and takes 4 - 6 years to mature. It has grown there for centuries. Today, it is clouted as a weight loss miracle and is being marketed in America and abroad as a diet pill supplement.

 

"Imagine this: an organic pill that kills the appetite and attacks obesity. It has no known side-effects, and contains a molecule that fools your brain into believing you are full." BBC NEWS: 05/30/03

 

"Now along comes Hoodia. Never heard of it? Soon it'll be tripping off your tongue, because Hoodia is a natural substance that literally takes your appetite away."
CBS NEWS: 11/21/04

The Hoodia Diet is becoming attractive to many Americans. Here are the reasons being touted:

Primer: Hoodia Gordonii African Desert Cactus Plant
In the African Kalahari desert, the Hoodia Gordonii plant thrives in extremely high temperatures and takes 4 - 6 years to mature. To be sure…there are other species of Hoodia cactus plant. It is the Gordonii species that contains the all-natural appetite suppressant to promote weight loss and is being marketed in America and abroad as a diet pill supplement. 

 

Hoodia Hoodia Gordonii is not a Cactus as many ads and testimonials would have you believe. Gordonii plants are leafless succulents. Succulent means that the body of the plant is full of juice and has fleshy tissues that will conserve water. Breaking the skin of the plant Hoodia results in the flow of juices and moist plant flesh. This plant flesh is considered to be very nutritious by the Bushmen (also known as Basarwa in Tswana, or San in Nama) who are an indigenous population of the Kalahari Desert. They peel the thorns off and the aerial stem is eaten like a cucumber. Dieters would nauseate if they tried Hoodia in this form. Hoodia Gordonii bares flowers. The succulent flowers gives off a strong rotting flesh smell so that they attract flies and blowflies for fertilization. The indigenous tribal people of South Africa have used Hoodia Gordonii on long hunting trips across the desert, to curb hunger and as a thirst quencher. The active ingredient in Hoodia is the appetite-suppressing molecule, P57, which acts on the brain in a manner similar to glucose. It tricks the brain into thinking you are full even when you have not eaten.

 

Hoodia Side Effects
There is evidence that shows Hoodia does affect the way the liver functions. This point to drug interaction issues. Individuals who suffer from such things as high blood pressure, diabetes and depression and who are on medications for these conditions should be extra careful. For sure, anyone who does have specific kidney issues should definitely avoid taking Hoodia.

Check with the reputable websites for the latest updates on the use of Hoodia; Here’s help National Institutes of Health (NIH) , WebMD , Mayo Clinic .

 

In an recent article WebMd made a poit...Experts generally agree, there's plenty of fake Hoodia out there. Hoodia products sold over the Internet aren't the real thing or don't have enough Hoodia in them to work.  It's “buyer beware” There appears to be much more Hoodia offered in North American markets than the production ability of the South African markets. In the same article, Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, an industry group says “If it seems too cheap to be good, it probably is. Buy at a reputable store and buy a reputable brand”

Follow common sense..do not take Hoodia without first talking to your doctor if you: