MY BODY WILL BE A SUGAR-FREE ZONE FROM HALLOWEEN UNTIL VALENTINE'S DAY!

As I was doing my weekly shopping today to stock up on healthy fruits, vegetables, whole-wheat bread and pasta, and turkey breast for lunches, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of candy and other Halloween goodies parked at the end of almost every aisle in the store. This got me thinking of how many calories could be consumed between Halloween and Valentine's Day. We have Halloween, Thanksgiving, the entire Christmas season, New Year's, the SuperBowl, and then Valentine's day. All of these are holidays and occasions that are strongly tied to food and drink. This year, I am vowing not to gain back what I have lost over the holidays. Let's face it, we will all overeat during this time, and no one will be able to stick to their food plan 100% of the time. My goal is to lose a few pounds over the holidays, but at the very least I will not gain weight. My plan is to totally eliminate candy, cookies, cakes, and all other deserts for the entire time. I have identified sweets as the one thing that triggers me to go completely crazy and off of my "diet". Once I get started with candy or cookies, it seems as if I lose all resolve to eat right. It's going to be difficult to say no to that first piece of candy, but it will be worth it in March, when everyone is getting ready for the summertime again! I realize now that I am not a person who has any sense of portion control; I am a compulsive over-eater and I have to remain vigilant during difficult times. If I avoid my major triggers, I am confident that I will be able to make sensible choices about what I eat and what I turn away. Of course I just received a new shipment of Hoodia, and I will be taking that faithfully (4 caps each and every day) throughout the entire holiday season. I am committed to success!

I am finding that planning ahead is crucial in this weight loss endeavor. You have to plan out how you will handle difficult situations before they arise, and stick to your plan. I'll keep posting on how it's going.

Good luck to everyone who is in the same boat as I am!

USE HOODIA IN CONJUNCTION WITH BEHAVIORAL CHANGES TO LOSE WEIGHT

Opinions among medical professionals, consumers, and the media about the usefulness and effectiveness of Hoodia Gordonii vary from it being an amazing weight loss aide to it being nothing more than a scam. I have seen and read both extremes and everything in between, as I am sure anyone who is reading this has.

The one thing that everyone seems to agree on is this: the only Hoodia diet aids that will help you lose weight are those products that contain only 100% pure, genuine Hoodia Gordonii. Authentic Hoodia products have CITES documents, which are required for exporting Hoodia Gordonii from South Africa. They have chemical analysis reports which support their claims and verify that pure Hoodia Gordonii is in fact present in the supplement. In order to avoid one of the many scams and ensure that you are getting a product that works, look for these things. Read some of my earlier posts about ensuring that the Hoodia you buy is authentic.

It is important to realize that even the Hoodia supplements are nothing more than appetite suppressants. They will not magically melt the fat away. Genuine Hoodia will suppress feelings of hunger, making it easier to stick to a low-calorie food plan, but it will not control your psychological urges to eat. It is up to the you to change your behavior and the thoughts and feelings that you associate with food and overeating. This is a very important concept to understand and to work on if you are to be successful in the weight loss battle. Figure out why you overeat, and then take it to the next level and figure out how to change those associations with food. Hoodia will make it easier, but it is not a "magic bullet".

THE BENEFITS OF HOODIA GORDONII AS AN APPETITE SUPPRESSANT

Hoodia Health

1. Hoodia Gordonii is an all-natural supplement; it is made from a plant which grows wild in the Sub-Saharan desert regions of South Africa.
2. Hoodia is a natural dietary supplement; it is not a drug or a medication. It is not a chemical that is manufactured in a laboratory.
   
3. Hoodia Gordonii has been safely used by the San Bushmen for thousands of years to suppress hunger and thirst while they were on extended hunting trips in the desert.
4. Hoodia does not contain caffeine, ephedra, or phenteramine.
5. Several well-constructed clinical trials have been completed over the years with Hoodia. Scientists have found no side effects to Hoodia Gordonii through their studies and research.
6. There are several patents issued for pure, genuine Hoodia Gordonii products; this will help to prevent some of the "fake" Hoodia scams that have been taking advantage of consumers over the years.
   

Hoodia is a safe, all-natural dietary supplement with appetite suppressant properties. When used in conjunction with a healthy diet and moderate physical activity, Hoodia Gordonii may just be the answer that many overweight people have been seeking. For more information, click on the Desert Burn Hoodia links below.

MORATORIUM ON HOODIA EXPORTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

An article published in the "Cape Times" on 11/24/06 stated that there has been a moratorium placed on Hoodia exports from South Africa due to illegal harvesting and exportation of the plant. I have discussed the authentication and exportation process of genuine Hoodia from South Africa in some of my earlier posts, along with the fact that pure, genuine Hoodia Gordonii is a rare and expensive product. It now appears that the product has been exploited so much by people trying to get rich quickly by selling products that contain little pure Hoodia that the plant is in danger of extinction within two years unless drastic action is taken by the South African governments. The exportation of Hoodia has been banned at this time until the governments are able to gain control of illegal harvesting and exportation of this rare succulent.

You can read some of my earlier posts regarding the governmental controls over the exportation and importation of Hoodia Gordonii, including the CITES certificate that is issued by the government of South Africa allowing for legal export of the plant.

Hoodia's active appetite suppressant ingredient was patented in 1997 and the South African government signed a license agreement with a British pharmaceutical company to market it as a weight-loss aid. The sad thing is that this was all done without involvement of the San Bushmen, who have used Hoodia as an appetite suppressant and thirst quencher for thousands of years while on long hunting trips in the desert; the San Bushmen and their knowledge of the plant's properties are what led to the research of Hoodia in the first place. I will also add that the San Bushmen have not been the ones to profit from the lucrative exportation of the product, either.

CHILDHOOD & ADOLESCENT OBESITY

The prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents in the United States has increased dramatically over the past twenty years. Recent data estimates that 17% of children in the U.S. are overweight and that an additional 16% are obese. Children who are overweight are at an increased risk for a number of adverse health consequences and health problems which may begin in childhood and persist throughout their lives. For example, we are seeing an alarming number of type II Diabetes Mellitus (caused by poor eating habits, obesity, and lack of exercise) in children, whereas in the past this was a disease of adult onset. Research has shown that overweight children are likely to remain overweight as adults.

In addition to measuring height and weight on all children and adolescents annually with a physical exam, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that Body Mass Index (BMI) should also be calculated for all children and adolescents once each year. BMI is the most widely recommended screening tool for classifying weight status (underweight, healthy weight range, overweight, obese, or morbidly obese) in both children and adults; it is a composite measure of height and weight. BMI varies by age and sex, therefore it is necessary to use sex-specific BMI-for-age percentiles when screening children and adolescents (BMI for adults is based on sex alone, without regards to age).

Any child or adolescent who is not in the healthy weight range should undergo further assessment and evaluation to identify any underlying medical causes and to develop weight management plans.

Parents and caregivers can promote healthy eating habits by:

1. Offering nutritious snacks such as fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products (cheeses, yogurt), whole grains, or nuts.
2. Encouraging children to learn about healthy food choices and to become autonomous in selecting foods and snacks.
3. Setting appropriate limits on children's choices.
4. Serving healthy, balanced meals and snacks for the family.
5. Setting a good example by eating a healthy diet themselves.

Promoting healthy lifestyle habits:

1. Encourage physical activity, including participation in organized exercise or sports, unstructured play and activity at home, household chores, and community events.
2. Exercise along with children; set a good example.
3. Limit TV, computer, and video-game time to a recommended 1-2 hours per day.
4. Be sure that children and adolescents are seen by their healthcare provider at least once each year for a complete physical exam.

Parents, caregivers, teachers, coaches, and others who are influential in children's lives should discuss health habits with children routinely and should become involved in movements to encourage politicians and policy makers from governmental organizations, schools, and youth organizations to include proper diet and regular physical activity in their programs.

Use the BMI calculator online to get an idea of where your children are in the BMI percentiles. If your children fall outside of the healthy ranges, consider an evaluation with their healthcare provider.