Is liposuction really a short cut to weight loss?

In the early evening of Friday, Pauline had liposuction on her thighs. The procedure took less than an hour and she was delighted that it had gone so smoothly. By Saturday, she was out of the clinic and drinking tea on the sofa with her husband. On Sunday, Pauline got out of bed and collapsed. Alan called an ambulance, but by the time it reached hospital, Pauline's heart had stopped. Her death was an avoidable tragedy: she could have reduced her weight with nutritional supplements instead.

Like many women, Pauline had decided to do something about her body, instead of constantly condemning it. In hospital, the casualty doctors treated her for a blood clot. They resuscitated her several times and gave her two blood transfusions. But less than 48 hours after surgery, Pauline was dead. She was 50. Her husband will never encourage anyone to undertake unnecessary surgery again, and if he got the chance, would have suggested a slower more sustainable route to good health - exercise, good eating habits, and boosters of nutritional supplements and vitamins to bridge that gap.

There are many supplements on the market that have had a long history of helping you take off weight, either by suppressing your appetite, or speeding up your metabolism. Here are some of the most accessible ones:

Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) contains several substances known to stimulate metabolic rate, which should increase calorie burning. It appears to be effective in combination with St. John's wort and caffeine.The peel of the fruit is used for stomach aches and high blood pressure. The Basque people in Europe use the leaves for stomach aches, insomnia, and palpitations and the bitter orange peel as an anti-spasmodic. In traditional Chinese medicine, the peel of the immature fruit is used for indigestion, abdominal pain, constipation, and dysenteric diarrhea. Bitter orange continues to be widely used for insomnia and indigestion in many parts of the world. These nutritional supplements are invaluable as an aid to loosing weight, working from the inside out.

Green tea is a good choice for people on a weight-loss program because it can help them to lead a healthier lifestyle. Green tea contains volatile oils, vitamins, minerals, and caffeine, but the primary constituents of interest are the polyphenols. These are believed to be responsible for most of green tea's roles in promoting good health. For example, substituting green tea for coffee with cream and sugar not only saves calories but also supplies a lot of health boosting supplements, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, that can help improve one's overall health. Green tea contains a small amount of caffeine, so it serves as a mild appetite suppressant: a nutritional supplement well worth considering if you are in the mood for weight loss.