Cascara

Cascara Sagrada (also called Sacred Bark, Bitter Bark, Chittem bark , California Buckthorn and Rhamnus purshiana) is a common ingredient found in natural remedies for losing weight.  A strong stimulant laxative, it needs to be used with a great deal of care because it can leech potassium and sodium from your body.  Of interest, the bark of the tree is removed, cut into small pieces, and dried for one year before being used medicinally.

Spanish priests in California named the tree Cascara is harvested from.  It's name origins may either be from the medicinal properties of the bark or from its resemblance to wood used for the ark of the covenant.

Most Doctors will advice you that Cascara should be taken consecutively for no longer than eight to ten days, so you need to very carefully read labels when considering a natural remedy for losing weight that contains cascara. If pregnant or nursing, you must also use this with extreme caution.

It seems the main raison d'etre of this herbal product is to promote bowel movements, so how does it figure in today's natural remedies for losing weight?  Many of the products being marketed that have Cascara in them are packaged with other products to supposedly give you a lean look, help you become a fat burning furnace and so forth.  This is precisely this thing you need to be careful of when you read labels.

If you find yourself reading a label that has Cascara, psyllium husks and Senna(all bowel movement enhancers), and Valerian (for sleeplessness) and an appetite suppressant, and a whole list of other ingredients, head for your Pharmacist to translate for you.  It may be that using a product like this helps you lose weight because you are continually expelling what you do eat with the aid of bowel stimulators.  Not a healthy way to lose weight.
While Senna, Cascara, and Aloe are authorized for oral use as laxatives, they are also way too often promoted for detoxifying or cleansing regimens. There are serious risks with the chronic use of laxatives or combining multiple laxatives together.  These can include the risk of electrolyte disturbances affecting the heart, as well as functional bowel problems.  Use caution when investigating herbal substances for weight loss.

Do You Need to Lose Weight? Signs That You May

Each day in the United States, million of Americans say to themselves "I need to lose weight."  Are you one of those individuals?  While many of the individuals who tell themselves that they need to lose weight do need to lose weight, not all do.  So, the question that many ask themselves is "do I really need to lose weight?"  If that is a question that you have asked yourself before, you will want to continue reading on.

One of the many signs that you may need to lose weight is if you are obese.  Many individuals do not realize that there is a difference between being overweight and being obese. While different healthcare professionals have different definitions for obese, it is often said that those who are thirty or forty pounds overweight are obese.  If you are obese, you shouldn't only be worried about your appearance, but your health as well.  Obesity has been linked to multiple health complications, including the early onset of death.

Another one of the many signs that you should lose weight is if you have been told that you need to do so.  Whether your physician recommended losing weight or if someone that you know on a personal level has, it is advised that you at least take their suggestions into consideration. Unfortunately, many individuals are embarrassed or become upset when they are told that they need to lose weight.  What you need to remember is that the individual mentioning your weight to you likely isn't as concerned with your appearance as they are with your health.

Another sign that you may want to think about losing weight is if you are finding that your clothes no longer fit you.  Of course, it is normal for some individuals to gain weight or to have their weight fluctuate, but you may want to think about joining a weight loss program or developing your own weight loss plan if you find that your clothes no longer fit or are difficult to get into.  Unfortunately, many individuals do not just have a small weight gain. Small weight gain often leads to more, which could have a negative impact on your health.  It is also important to mention the cost of new clothes, which you may not be able to afford.

If you find many simple tasks or activities, like walking up a flight of stairs, difficult, you may want to think about losing weight.  Of course, becoming out of breath from simple activities may not necessarily just be a weight problem, but there is a good chance that it is. When you lose weight, even just a little bit of it, you will likely find it easier to do many of the activities that you love or even the tasks that you need to do, like take your kids to the park.

The above mentioned signs are just a few of the many signs that you may need to lose weight.  Should you wish to lose weight, you are advised to proceed with caution. There are a number of weight loss products on the market, like diet pills or exercise equipment, which do not work. To save yourself money and to protect your health, you may want to consider consulting with your physician before starting any weight loss program, even one that you develop yourself.