is slimming pills made from natural ingredients absolutelysafe?

Answer 1

No - I read an article in the gym from Shape magazine that listed all these natural ingredients to take and what they would do - went to the Natural Food Store - showed the sales lady the list and she said, "this is a prescription for a stroke" - and I have high blood pressure, by the way. Bring it to your doctor and ask him to look at the ingredients and he'll tell you if it's safe.

Answer 2

The only kind of pill that is 100% absolutely safe is one that does NOT have any kind of active ingredient. Even then you could choke on the pill!

Any pill that claims to have an ingredient that can suppress your appetite or increase your metabolism, IF IT WORKS, will have an ingredient in it that is similar to Ephedra, which can be dangerous.

Answer 3

No.
Nothing is absolutely safe. Advertisers stretch the definition of "natural". Just because it's over the counter doesn't mean it's safe. And Over the Counter stuff can interfere with prescription medicine or make it ineffective.
Eat healthy, don't eat more calories than the amount of exercise you do burns,drink lots of water, and exercise, walk, etc.
If it's a quick fix, it will return.

Answer 4

Jane,

As some of you readers have stated, the term 'natural' does not equate to 'safe' in all cases. For instance, cobra venom is 'all-natural' but it is not safe (although it has been synthesized for use in controlling certain types of seizures).

However, one of your readers also stated that if the pill is a 'slimming pill' (paraphrased) that it will contain a substance such as ephedra (i.e., something that is a stimulant and is probably categorized as an alpha-adrenergic agent). While it's true that many such pills do contain these agents and compounds, it's not always the case. For instance, products that contain 100% chitosan or 100% hoodia do not have stimulating effects -- unless, of course, you are allergic to them and react in such a way that you neurotransmitters are stimulated.

That brings us to the 'absolutely safe' part of your question. Again, as your readers have stated, anything can be abused (including water -- it can have a devastating effect on people called 'drowning'). However, depending on your metabolic type, your deficiencies or excesses of minerals and vitamins, and your allergies, etc., you can probably find something that will help you.

My wife and I, while not overweight, take Dr. Bill's Choice Pure Hoodia to help with cravings (it's an appetite suppressant -- not a stimulant).

I've been helping people stay healthy for a more than 20 years and I can tell you that losing weight requires a combination of both exercise and caloric restriction but with a proper nutrition balance.

Many diet plans, commercial as well as homemade, can help a person get on the right track (i.e., eating better and exercising more), but most lack the ability to truly be customized to your physiological needs. Thus, they work for awhile but then quit working.

If you want to lose weight in a healthy manner, keep the following in mind:

1) Check with your physician to be certain that you are physically able to reduce your calories and increase your exercise habits safely.

2) Make certain that the calories you are eating are as balanced as possible. Finding out how much protein, carbs, and fats your body needs on a daily basis can really help keep your energy levels high all day long. The #1 reason my clients tell me that they've stopped dieting or exercising in the past is because of low energy ebbs. Splitting the amount of calories you can have per day into 5 - 6 smaller meals will help tremendously (this keeps your body fueled and ready to go and you also know that your next meal is only a couple of hours away).

Knowing what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is will certainly help you determine how to be calorie conscious. Also remember that you may need supplements to help things along.

3) While exercising (before, during, and after) be sure to consume enough water. The key is not to be 'thirsty' (overtly) during this time of exercise.

4) Adding weight bearing exercise (i.e., lifting weights) will help to tone your body and the thermogenic (fat burning) effect will last long after you've stopped working out -- even if your workout is simply walking).

5) Remember that you'll probably hit plateaus (times when you'll stop losing weight) several times during your weight loss progress. This is completely normal and is only temporary but it can last for a couple of weeks at a time. It is very important to remember that even if your scale isn't showing progress, your entire body is being positively effected by your efforts.

6) Measure different parts of your body (neck, upper arms, lower arms, chest, abs, waist, belly, butt, thighs, etc.) and do it accurately. Write these measurements down and check them once every 2 weeks. This will help you remember that your body is 'reducing' all over -- not just in one particular area. If you're weight training you may actually notice a slight increase in some areas of your body (don't worry -- if you're a woman you won't start looking like a bodybuilder).

7) Keep focused on your end goal and concentrate on losing maybe 1 pound a week -- sometimes you'll lose more, sometimes less. As long as it's an average, it's okay.

8) Lastly, remember that you're doing a WONDERFUL thing for your body.

Keep up the good work. I've worked with hundreds of people in the past 20 years (mostly women) who have lost (individually) HUNDREDS of pounds safely. Better still, they've kept it off -- Kay lost over 350 pounds and has been at her goal weight for 7 years now.

As for what to take (if anything), that depends entirely on what your body needs. Anyone who suggests that you take something that 'works for everyone' is either confused or deluded. For example, if you had a twin brother or sister your bodies could react completely different to certain supplements or foods on a metabolic level. If you want to learn more about what you might want to take and how to calculate your BMR, you can visit my site (below).

Any questions, don't hesitate to write and ask.

Lonnie Honeycutt, C.N.C.
Your Health Is My Concern
http://www.betterlifetoday.com

Answer 5

No... there are "natural" ingredients that can kill people! Natural doesn't really mean anything. It's more of a trick to make people think that the stuff is good for them.

Answer 6

Nothing is absolutely safe if abused.

Answer 7

Absoultely not!