Herbs for Weight Loss: Dos and Don'ts

Herbal supplements can be useful in many ways, from helping you get over a cold to helping you lose weight. More and more, people are turning to herbs to curb their appetites, help them control their affinity for sweet fattening treats, and to boost their metabolism to help them burn calories. While most herbs are very useful in helping a person lose weight, some herbal supplements should be avoided due to their effects on blood pressure and other serious health risks. Learn some very helpful herbs to lose weight and some herbs that may best be avoided.

Oftentimes, high blood pressure and heart issues are a concern for people trying to lose weight, and may be a key reason for them wanting to lose weight to begin with. For health reasons, people turn to herbs to help them lose weight without realizing that some herbs they are taking can actually make their medical conditions worse.

Some herbs that affect blood pressure and therefore should not be taken by people with high blood pressure are licorice (which should only be taken 5 days at a time by itself as a weight-loss aide as it will elevate blood pressure in anyone), kelp (which should also be avoided if you have thyroid disease or heart problems),Bladder wrack (also not for those allergic to iodine or shellfish, who have heart problems or a thyroid disorder), or Astragalus. These herbs, while healthy weight loss aides in most people, can exacerbate heart conditions, thyroid problems, and high blood pressure, and are best avoided.

Luckily, there are many herbs that work wonderfully in assisting a person in their weight loss needs. Dandelion is a natural metabolism booster, and helps curb appetite. Even better, it can actually curb a need for sweets, making it easier to stay on a diet track. Even fresh dandelion from your backyard can be brewed into a calorie-burning, energy boosting tea for every day use without having to worry about health risks. Dandelion even settles and upset stomach and helps with muscle aches and cramping from your workouts. It is a natural body detoxifier and relieves bloat as well, making it an awesome former backyard pest turned great diet aide.

Chickweed helps you shed pounds. For an excellent weight-loss salad, mix chickweed greens with dandelion greens to your everyday salads. Yum!

Coconut oil, while not an herb, is an awesome oil that actually promotes weight loss when used, unlike many other oils, so I thought I'd toss it in here. You can use it for cooking, baking, or as a base for oil-involving foods to help you shed more weight.

Taking Brewer's Yeast fills you up and reduces your natural craving for food and beverages. Be sure to consume lots of ice water during the day to promote hydration which helps in energy and fat-burning, and ice water boosts the metabolism too.

Bee pollen is an excellent energy booster that ups your metabolism and curbs your hunger while giving you energy to workout. A favorite in healthy smoothies, take bee pollen (1 teaspoon) every day for weight loss help.

Aloe Vera juice improves digestion and boosts the metabolism while cleansing the body. Just be careful with it as too much can make you feel sick or actually vomit. Drink it in mild amounts.

Green tea is a great diuretic and body cleanser and helps the body burn more calories and feel fuller longer. Drinking it in the morning and afternoon gives you a nice energy boost.

Be sure to stay away from herbal laxatives, like senna and aloe, as your body over time will learn to only defecate when being stimulated by laxatives. This means your bowels will only work when a laxative is being used, and these products can be addictive. Using herbal laxatives to lose weight places strain on the body, dehydration, and loss of nutrients and minerals. Stay away from herbal laxatives that promise weight loss at all times as they are just not worth it.