Ultimately, when looking to lose weight, you must consume less food and calories than your body uses. Because of this, the most effective way to lose weight is to not only eat less total calories, but to also exercise in order to increase the number of calories your body uses. This is the most common approach to weight loss that you will hear from most traditional sources, but there is another important factor that should be considered if you’re looking to burn fat as fast as possible. That factor is your basal metabolic rate, which is usually referred to as your metabolism.
The first two keys to successful weight loss are important, burn more calories through exercise and consume fewer calories. But, the addition of certain herbs can actually increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories constantly! The inclusion of this third factor can dramatically increase the rate at which you can healthily shed fat.
One very effective herb for helping with weight loss is citrus aurantium. Citrus aurantium contains synephrine which is has been shown to help the body more effectively burn fat. Synephrine has some similar fat-burning effects on the body as ephedra, but without the negative and possibly dangerous side-effects found with ephedra.
In addition to citrus aurantium there are several other herbs that have been shown to have a positive impact on weight loss. The following herbs help to increase the amount of yang energy within the body and can aid in burning fat. A few of these herbs are: atractylodes, ginseng, cinnamon and ginger.
The additional benefits of using Chinese herbs to aid in weight loss is that they can help boot energy levels and keep your mental state more balanced when dieting and exercising.
The bottom-line when it comes to Chinese herbs for weight loss is that they can help increase your metabolism (burn fat faster), boost energy levels and keep you focused and happy during your quest to lose weight.
Dr. Jeda Boughton is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Registered Acupuncturist in Vancouver. She is also a Registered Herbologist and the founder of BodaHealth.