You can swallow as much kidney bean extract as you want, but if you don't change your diet and your exercise routine, I don't think you are going to lose any weight.
Maybe that was the problem - maybe I didn't slim down because I never believed the natural weight loss supplements would work. You see, there was no placebo effect.
Placebo effect?
There was a recent of episode of the CBS news program 60 Minutes, which highlighted a Harvard study that claimed that antidepressants worked on people only (emphasis added) because the patients believed they would work, and not because of the ingredients contained within the drug.
Here is the link if you want to watch the 60 Minutes story:http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7399362n
If the theory behind the Harvard study is correct, maybe natural remedies work for some people simply because they believe they'll work. And perhaps the natural weight loss supplements didn't work for me because I didn't believe they would work. Who knows?
I do know this - I am sure that the Herbal Remedy Wife has another challenge waiting for me. What could it be?
First of all let me say that I don’t think The Skeptical
Husband used the prescribed diet product as directed. The label states that you
need to take a capsule before every meal. I noticed the husband doing this
about every fifth meal or so. So there was big time “user error” involved in
this experiment. However, it’s no secret that good ole diet and exercise is
truly the best way to shed some pounds. I think eating right and counting
calories is a fantastic way to lose weight.
When it comes to optimal health, diet and lifestyle
choices are hugely important. Many people have the attitude that a medicine or
remedy will do all the hard work for them or don’t always see the connections
of how their poor diet and lifestyle choices are contributing to their health
problems. One small example: I see many people looking for a magic pill for
heartburn and acid reflux. While there are some supplements that will provide
temporary relief for this problem, a better solution would be to eat smaller
meals, not eat late at night, and to consume foods that are less acid forming. The most acid forming
substances often found in the typical American diet include meat, eggs, dairy,
white flour, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, soft drinks, prescription drugs, and
chemical sweeteners.
So is heartburn the only bad side effect of a highly acidic diet? You wish! An acid
forming diet can decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and nutrients,
decrease energy production in the cells, decrease the body’s ability to repair
damaged cells, and can make the body more susceptible to fatigue and illness.
So think about it, if you feel like crap there’s a good chance it may be
because of crap you’re consuming. Does this mean one should cut out all acid
forming foods? Not necessarily, just make sure that the majority of your diet
is not made up of the worst offenders. Just some food for thought.
Speaking of
food, the next challenge for the Skeptical Husband is to read The World Peace Diet by Will Tuttle. The
book details why Tuttle became a vegan. Look for his review soon.
