100% “Herbal” Slimming Products

By now I’m sure you’ve read that Simply Slim (diet pills) have been recalled with immediate effect.  This comes after laboratory tests on what Simply Slim claims to be a  “100% herbal product”  was found to contain 27mg of  sibutramine. According to health regulations any pill containing sibtramine must be registered as a prescription medicine and must contain no more than 15mg sibutramine. Side effects of sibutramine include an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

What is absolutely shocking is an article I found on just how prevalent the practice of adding sibutramine to slimming products is.

This excerpt taken from the The Witness website

“A South African purchaser who knows little about the pharmaceutical industry heard the following promotional statement when he was in China about a month ago to obtain information about slimming products for a South African client: “How much sibutramine can we add to your 100% herbal slimming product, 10 mg or double strength? Or do you want the weak formula? “Just remember, 80% of our clients prefer the chemical product, because their consumers want to lose weight fast.” The man, who has 15 years’ experience in the purchasing of other products in China, told Beeld he didn’t even know what sibutramine was. It was only when he gave feedback to his client and later did some research on sibutramine that he realised with a shock he had almost been involved in an illegal activity.”

So next time you see 100% herbal slimming products advertised, think about the implications to your health if it’s not scientifically tested.  Food for thought.

Simply Slim recalled

First thing this morning I received an sms from a client telling me that Simply Slim (diet pills) had been recalled – we had been discussing quick fixes, fads and weight loss gimmicks at her last appointment. It is all over the news – online, in the newspapers and on twitter – even a twitpic of a Simply Slim dealer vacating his shop in Killarney Mall as he’d  been evicted.

If you are taking Simply Slim you need to stop immediately as there is a risk to your health – which is why it has been recalled.

According to newspaper reports Simply Slim which claims to be 100 percent herbal, contained sibutramine. According to health regulations, any pill containing sibutramine must be registered as a prescription medicine and must contain no more than 15mg sibutramine. Laboratory tests  showed that simply slim  contained 27mg.  Side effects of sibutramine include an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

So if you’re on Simply Slim – please read any one or all of  the links, to articles in the media, below and read my previous post Quick and easy weight loss. Is it the answer to our dreams?

http://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/health/article294131.ece

http://www.timeslive.co.za/lifestyle/health/article294131.ece

http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/543581473ef84639b73ce302a71e2dad/05-02-2010-10-50/Simply_Slim_diet_pill_recalled

Quick and easy weight loss. Is it the answer to our dreams?

Recently I received an e-mail from someone asking me what I thought of a certain weight loss “wave” doing the rounds. This question relates to one of my hot buttons – fads, gimmicks and quick fixes. It relates to exactly the subject of my last newsletter – people are looking for quick fixes in the hope that it will be the answer and that this time it will work.

The dream is that

• we’ll wake up slimmer,
• we’ll lose quickly
• it will be effortless,
• it will be “easy”,
• someone will give / provide us the answer / solution.

The reality is that

• it will take time,
• it will involve learning how to make the right choices,
• we have to change the way we  think
• we have to practice and adopt new habits and behaviour.
• weight loss on a healthy eating plan will be slower and steadier than a quick fix.

The weight loss one achieves with quick fixes, gimmicks or fads is simply not sustainable. So every time a person purchases a product they are buying into a depressing and debilitating downward spiral where eventually they just want to give up.

Two issues which are relevant today are a lack of time and the need for instant gratification. The wording in all the sales material of these products are aimed to “solve” these problems by saving one time and giving instant results.

Here are some exerpts from a quick fix website:

The time issue – how they’ll save you time:

• In today’s fast paced life, with trying to juggle everything at once, our diet has put much strain on our health. These days we don’t even have time to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, let alone have time to prepare those healthy meals we are told to eat everyday!

• finally there is a product that can help you manage your busy life and lose weight.

• take one capsule daily and the rest will happen automatically.

• Forget strenuous gym sessions,

Instant gratification – how taking a pill can give you better quality of life.

• Why simply exist from day to day, when you can live a quality life and face every day as a better person

Another fashion is to use the word “natural” – which a lot of people assume to mean healthy. The fact is that many “natural” products have not been scientifically tested and people have no idea about what they are putting into their bodies.  * (see not below)

The reality is that agents who sell these products are in it to make money – it was reported  by Beeld, a local newspaper, that this product  “is sold by agents who buy the product for about R350 and resell it for about R590”.

In a nutshell it is another quick fix that will make an absolute fortune because millions of people will buy the product before reality hits them.

It’s just been reported that the abovementioned quick fix has been recalled in South Africa  with immediate effect for saftety reasons.

* The slimming product, which claims to be 100 percent herbal, contained sibutramine. According to health regulations, any pill containing sibutramine must be registered as a prescription medicine and must contain no more than 15mg sibutramine. Laboratory tests  showed it contained 27mg.  Side effects of sibutramine include an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

What makes Unique Lifestyle Different?

My philosphy sets Unique Lifestyle apart. I believe that people should focus on lifestyle changes and adopt new habits, as opposed to using quick fixes and diets.

To support my clients, I offer a range of menu plans, an easy to follow book, workshops, health products and breakfast sessions, which focus on looking at one’s lifestyle holistically.

I believe that what most people fail to recogonize, is the role our minds and even our souls play, in shaping our physical bodies.

Staying healthy in the 21st century can be a juggle, and we need to maintain the delicate balance between our mind, body and soul. I encourage my clients not only to look at the food their bodies need, but also to lookat ways in which to nourish their minds and souls. My belief is that a healthy lifestyle is a balancing act, combining all three.