A person who eats badly, who is sedentary and whose lifestyle is poor, may well take all the plants possible: she will not lose weight” insists the naturopath.
Plants are therefore additional tools available to facilitate and boost weight loss.
“From there, we can effectively say that plants are effectivein particular thanks to their diuretic power, which allows the emunctory organs to activate the elimination of excess water and toxins, often lodged in fat” summarizes Alexia Authenac.

Herbal medicine only works if combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity.
A consultation with a naturopath is therefore strongly recommended. The specialist will be able, after having examined and questioned the patient, to recommend the best treatment for him. Water retention, sugar cravings, insatiable appetite, swollen belly… each problem has its remedy, and it is not necessarily useful to combine slimming plants and their active ingredients.
“For nutritional and lifestyle advice, I always recommend that my patients give preference as much as possible to foods with a low glycemic index (below 50) which are essential to limit fatigue and sugar cravings. And to practice regular physical activity, or at least a brisk walk every day,” says the naturopath.

Slimming herbal medicine offers five main types of properties to facilitate natural weight loss according to individual needs.

Plants are said to be draining when they have diuretic properties, namely that they facilitate the elimination of excess liquids in the body through the urinary tract. They are particularly indicated for people who suffer from water retention and have aqueous cellulite, generally located on the buttocks, thighs and saddlebags.
“The three most recognized and used diuretic plants are dandelion, orthosiphon and mouse-ear. And the dandelion has the advantage of being more depurative, since it also activates the work of the liver and the gallbladder” summarizes Alexia Authenac.
The other recognized diuretic plants are: the cherry tail, the job and the horsetail.

Some active ingredients contained in plants have the ability to activate the basic metabolism, thus increasing caloric expenditure at rest. They are often found under the name of fat burner, since they act by increasing body temperature, forcing the body to draw more quickly from fat reserves.
“Effective fat burners are: green tea (theine), green coffee (caffeine), mate, guarana, bromelain (contained in pineapple) and papain (contained in papaya)” indicates the naturopath.

Plants called “appetite suppressants” generally act mechanically, by swelling in the stomach and promoting the onset of the feeling of satiety.

There lemon or apple pectin is also widely used for its appetite suppressant effects.
These plants are very useful for people who have a big appetite and need large portions to be satisfied.

THE fennel and lemon balm are particularly indicated in case of bloating and aerophagia, and are very effective in stimulating digestion. Fennel acts mainly by limiting the formation of intestinal gas and lemon balm has actions antispasmodic, calming and relaxinginteresting when you know that nervousness promotes bloating.

vegetable charcoal is also very interesting to find a flat stomach, because it absorbs up to 100 times its volume in gas, thus limiting abdominal distension. “I recommend a cure of 3 weeks, favoring the powdered charcoalmuch more effective than coal in capsules” specifies the specialist.

“For optimal effectiveness of slimming plants, I recommend capsules, ampoules or drinkable solutionswhich are more highly concentrated and therefore more efficient. The tablets tend to denature the active ingredients of the plant and are therefore less effective” indicates the naturopath.

Essential oils (EO) are also good alternatives, especially cinnamon, mandarin, grapefruit, basil or even ginger for their appetite suppressant effect. They can then be used in diffusion in an HE diffuser, in smell directly in the bottle, on the wrist or on a handkerchief, or even orally for some. Be careful to always respect the precautions for use and to check the contraindications. “They act very quickly and can be used as soon as the food craving occurs to make it pass quickly” advises Alexia Authenac.

Herbal teas or decoctions can complement the treatment with capsules or EO: we then recommend 3 mugs per day of the same plant, as a cure for 2 to 3 weeks.