Can herbs be used to slim and get rid of obesity?

A reader asks: Do herbal blends benefit in slimming programs, obesity and overweight?

Answering the question, Dr. Nevin Helmi Abu Al Saud, Professor in the Department of Research and Applications of Complementary Medicine, National Research Center, said: Obesity is one of the major health problems facing most of the world's population now, and obesity is an increase in the percentage of accumulated fat in the body which leads to an increase in the percentage of fat accumulated in the body which leads to an increase in Weight equivalent to (20 to 30%) Of the ideal body weight for age, sex and height, which in addition to its effect on the overall appearance and shape of the body, but it causes many health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, kidney problems, enlarged prostate in males, infertility in women, increased incidence of uterine tumors Fibroids, problems during pregnancy, the formation of gallstones in women, and it also increases the rate of heart disease as well as cancer.

The accumulation of body fat and weight gain is also a burden on the joints, especially those responsible for carrying the body, which increases the risk of various joint diseases.

With a closer look at our daily diet at present, we find it consists of foods rich in fats, oils and complex carbohydrates, after relying on fast food and lack of eating of cooked and fresh vegetables and fruits, which eventually leads to chronic diseases, Therefore, many diets as well as medicinal herbs have now spread to help the body regain its nutritional balance.

Herbs are plants or parts of plants that have medicinal benefit or aromas or taste and taste palatable to eat, and are a source of natural resources of value as they are rich in important vitamins and salts, which have been used in the treatment since ancient times, a type of complementary medicine recognized The World Health Organization (WHO) recently adopted a statistic on the widespread use of herbs in treatment, showing that about 4 billion people, or 80 percent of the world's population, use herbs for treatment.

"Return to all that is normal", has become a feature of this era, and there are now millions of products in the market that enter into its manufacture herbs such as food or medical products, and many resort to such products without medical consultation or resort to specialists thinking that every natural is safe and it is not true Not every natural is safe, or perhaps because of the fake ads that fill satellite channels and other media, which talk about magical slimming herbs or herbs used for other purposes of treatment.

The fact that most people are absent is that herbs are natural medicines containing ingredients that affect different organs and their misuse may lead to side effects just like the wrong use of chemical drugs and drugs and that what benefits one person may harm another.

Some of the most popular herbs used in weight loss: aloe vera plant that improves digestion and purifies the gut, shata or red pepper, which reduces the feeling of hunger after meals and increases the burning of food, dandelion, which stimulates metabolism and reduces the desire to eat sweets, Aphdrin is also known as  "Mahong", reduces appetite and stimulates metabolism but has side effects that may be serious as it interferes in interactions with other drugs, fennel reduces appetite and diuretic, garcinia reduces appetite, green tea burns fat, licorice reduces desire to eat sugars, but raises blood pressure There is a long list of herbs that may be used for slimming because of their urine, or they help burn fat or laxatives.

The slimming drug industry has flourished over the past 20 years and the drugs currently on the market contain some of these herbs or substances that reduce fat absorption such as "chitosan" or "chromium", but unlike manufactured or substances. Chemical created, many herbal medicines have not been tested enough to prove their complete safety and effectiveness after long use, as the active substances in these compounds have not been fully identified and their characteristics in addition to some of which have been shown to have side effects.

There are also a lot of slimming recipes sold at attar, which find the most likely people to buy and eat them, and most of these recipes have not been conducted any studies or scientific experiments that show their usefulness and know the characteristics of their ingredients, their effectiveness and their long-term safety.

The effect and effectiveness of herbs depends on the way they are grown, harvested and stored, and if not by specialists they have lost their effectiveness and can be contaminated with minerals, harmful organisms or toxic substances such as rodent droppings, which can lead to serious health complications and problems.

There is advice to everyone in general and those with health problems in particular ( high pressure patients, thyroid problems, Parkinson's patients, coagulation or blood thinners, diabetic urologists, heart disease, epilepsy, depression patients, or mental problems, liver disease, hypertrophy. Prostate, high eye pressure, hypothalamus, or any organ transplant) to stay completely away from eating herbs, except after consulting a specialist, whether for slimming or any other medical purpose.

As for pregnant women or nursing women and those waiting for surgery, or who takes any medication for any symptom even a simple must consult a doctor before taking any herbs, many of these herbs interfere in interactions with drugs either increases their effect, causing toxicity or invalidates their work and leads to health problems.

In the end, the best way to lose weight is to follow a balanced diet and continue to exercise, especially walking sports, and can use herbs, but we can use herbs again the importance of having specialized medical supervision before using them, and we have to stay away permanently from the drugs for weight loss, as well as slimming recipes Sold at attar to maintain our health and at the same time we reach a perfect weight without health troubles.