Five Diet Scams To Avoid Like The Plague
by Robert William Locke
Can you imagine a nation where over 65% of the people are trying to cope with obesity? Well, we have it, right on our doorsteps as the US and also UK are tryng to solve this massive (lol!) problem. In spite of the fact that the governments spend enormous amounts of money in educating children and adults about what and what not to eat there are a large number of people falling for the scams out there.
He
re is some advice before you reach for your credit card, if you are considering losing weight. First off, you have to remember that there are a large number of unscrupulous characters out there waiting to make a fast buck, so hang on to your money and read on. The diet industry is absolutely enormous - about $35 billion is spent a year in the US alone. First, there is the classic 'quick and easy weight loss' which nobody should be deceived by. If you lose weight too quickly, it could be dangerous to your health and anyway, there are very few diets which , in the long term work and where people do not put back on the weight they have lost! If they add in a few diet pills, then you are in very bad company!
Second thing to watch out for is the diet that claims it is based on herbal supplements and of course is a 'natural' way to lose weight and /or boost your metabolism. Now these herbal cures are not approved by the FDA, for a start. That means no clinical trials have been conducted and therefore you have no assurance or guarantee what these herbs might do to you , in the short or long term. It is like going down a dark alley at night - scary !
Now what could be easier than wearing a 'slim suit' - no effort required and you can even eat what you want!. Add to this scam, the body wraps, magic creams and other gadgets and you have a perfect scam, backed up by false claims and nameless, faceless testimonials. The sad thing is that the time and money wasted on these means that people are not getting on with the valid weight loss programs which have been tried and tested.
The fourth scam is my favourite because it is quite original and even sounds scientifically feasible. These magic pills are going to absorb all the nasty fat even before it is deposited around your thickening tummy and thighs! Thse pills do all the work and gobble up the fat. Now if this were true, we would be taking them along with our cereal every morning.
Last but not least you must have seen all the media hype on oolong, green and black teas ! These may well be a help in losing weight but the scam here is that these teas contain lots of caffeine and that means it is diuretic which in turn leads to water loss. Diet pills in general have nasty side effects. How about these for starters (pardon the pun !) nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, high blood pressure, fatigue and heart palpitations, congestive heart failure or heart attack, stroke, headaches, dry mouth, vomiting ,constipation, intestinal disturbances, tightness in chest, tingling in extremities, excessive perspiration- do I need to go on ?
The Mediterranean Diet has been studied all over the world by research institutes, doctors and dieticians. It has been shown, time and time again, that people on this diet have fewer heart attacks and a reduced risk of getting cancer. This diet is no scam or passing fancy. Millions of people over the centuries have been the perfect testimonials.
About the Author
Fed up with scams and unscrupulous charlatans waiting to steal your money? Try the Mediterranean Diet for a safe, tried and scam- free diet. Visit The Wellness Bible for up to the minute news on Health, Wellness and Fitness.