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Why the Hoodia Gordonii Plant is Gaining more Exposure

The Hoodia Gordonii plant has often been confused as a cactus when it in actuality is a succulent growing upwards with spines. Some consider this plant to have medicinal uses. Hoodia Gordonii is found growing naturally in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana and whose flowers are said to smell like rotten meat and are mainly pollinated pollinated by flies. While there are different varieties of Hoodia, Hoodia Gordonii is the only variety thought to have medicinal benefits especially in relation to weight loss.

    This particular species is considered to be an endangered species with international trade being governed by an organization entitled CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). It is illegal to export Hoodia Gordonii without certification from CITES prior to leaving Africa. Also, in the USA, several agencies regulate the re-exportation and importation and a permit must be issued by the USDA to import and a CITES certificate must accompany a shipment to re-export.

    These also are important for the buyer of Hoodia Gordonii. If a company can provide proof of these measures, the chance the product is authentic is much higher in a world of rip-off Hoodia Gordonii look-a-likes. Another area for reassurance of a quality product is through testing. One can look for a report from an independent testing lab that has conducted scientific studies on the product, stating that the laboratory was able to prove the product was indeed what it should be.

    Hoodia has for centuries been depended on by the Bushmen of the Kalahari desert area, for medicinal uses like indigestion and small infections. The Hoodia Gordonii plant has been also used for treating hunger and thirst pains when making long trips such as a hunting trip. This important aspect of the plant has drawn much interest from the rest of the world, in belief it has weight loss abilities. Medical weight loss experts are leery of Hoodia Gordonii's benefits in regard to weight loss stating that there is no evidence to prove it does anything. On the other hand, studies that have been done on rats showed weight loss capabilities. The manner in which Hoodia Gordonii works, is not that is simply makes one loses weight by ingesting the plant, rather it assists one to lose weight. What research that has been done on the supplement, it is thought to contain an active ingredient given the name p57. This active ingredient is actually a molecule in the hypothalamus of the brain that signals the body to know it is hungry by use of nerve cells. The nerve cells activate when blood glucose rises in the body and let the body know it is full. So Hoodia Gordonii signals the nerve cells to think the body is full even without eating. Starvation is not the ideal weight loss procedure, however this supplement can ease the pains of hunger or even the interest in hunger during weight loss. Without the nagging hunger pains and snacking tendencies, weight loss may be achieved much more easily through a nutritionally-sound diet and being physically active.

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