Posts Tagged ‘HCG Diet’

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The Science Behind the HCG Diet

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

The HCG diet plan is based on principles of a branch of medicine known as endocrinology, which Dr. Albert Simeons conducted extensive research in this area over six decades ago. Endocrinology is the study of hormones, their function and the glands that secrete them.

Some of these glands are probably familiar to you. The pituitary and the thyroid, which control growth and metabolism, are probably the best known outside the medical profession. Certain hormones are also probably familiar to you.

For example, if you enjoy parachuting and bungee jumping, you may very well be addicted to the hormone known as adrenaline. This biochemical substance is released by the adrenal gland when we feel as if we are in a life-threatening situation, heightening our perceptions and giving us the “energy rush” we need in order to fight or run.

There are also sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, which (among other things) trigger the development of “secondary sex characteristics” such as a low voice and body and facial hair in boys and breasts and menstruation in girls.

In essence, hormones are biochemical substances that control a range of bodily functions.
HCG, or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, is one such hormone.

The Functions of HCG

The primary function of HCG is to protect the environment in which a fetus gestates, making certain that the uterus is healthy and that the mother’s system does not inadvertently interfere with the fetus’ early development during the first trimester. Modern pregnancy tests are designed to detect the presence of HCG in a woman’s urine.

In medicine and health care, HCG is used to treat fertility issues in both men and women by stimulating the production of sperm and eggs respectively. Most recently, it has been discovered that cancer cells excrete small amounts of HCG. This hormone is thus a potential marker that can help oncologists to detect the presence of tumors that might otherwise be difficult to diagnose.

What Dr. Simeons Found

During the treatment of patients with pituitary gland dysfunction, which had caused extreme obesity, Dr. Simeons found that by administering injections of small amounts of the HCG hormone, these patients were able to lose weight when put on a low calorie diet. This was something that the low calorie diet alone was unable to achieve.

In later years, Dr. Simeons published his findings in a paper entitled Pounds and Inches – a New Approach to Obesity. That paper is available in .pdf format on our home page.

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Why Muscle Mass Is Preserved on the HCG Diet

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Picture anyone starving and you have pictured the effects of an extremely low calorie diet. These images give one a good idea of how a 500-calorie-a-day diet affects the human body. Knowing that, why would anyone in their right mind purposely restrict his or herself to such low levels called for by the HCG diet?

If you know anything about how HCG works, you understand that such a low calorie diet is necessary. But you also know that the presence of this remarkable hormone prevents one from wasting away, preserving muscle mass and good health despite the starvation level of calories.

Not only that but those who follow Dr. Simeons’ protocols carefully, normally feel very little in the way of hunger or deprivation.

Dr. Simeons’ Research and What It Revealed

Dr. Albert T.W. Simeons was an endocrinologist. This is the branch of medicine that deals with the system of “ductless” glands that among other functions produce hormones, proteins that are involved with intercellular communications and therefore control many of our physiological processes.

The primary function of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, or HCG, is to protect the developing fetus during gestation. It accomplishes this in two ways:

(1)    HCG prevents the mother’s body from stealing nutrients or feeding off the fetus
(2)    it suppresses the mother’s immune system, preventing rejection

The second possibility stems from the fact that that the presence of the father’s DNA could trigger an immune response from the mother.

In pregnant women, the hormone plays a large part in maintaining the health of the fetus. While working in India during the 1930s and 1940s, Dr. Simeons determined that HCG helped prevent the mother’s system from robbing the fetus of nutrients in the event she was experiencing starvation.

While studying thyroid patients in India during the 1930s and 1940s, Dr. Simeons found that treatment with HCG injections could actually result in weight loss in these patients. He then came to some startling conclusions about the nature of obesity and fat.

The Real Causes

Dr. Simeons finally realized that there is no one single cause of obesity; rather, excess fat is the result of a number of different factors, all of which were related to genetics and evolutionary tendencies as well as the impact of agriculture on the human diet.

Agriculture changed the human diet in two ways: it introduced new foods into the human diet that had not been available previously, and the labor demands of the farm forced humans into new, unnatural patterns of eating. In the first place, humans began eating grains, legumes and dairy products that would not have been available in nature. In the second, humans were forced to abandon their earlier pattern of nibbling small amounts over the course of a day and take in large amounts at set times.

HCG, when combined with a low calorie diet, resets and restores metabolic balance, which in turn causes unwanted pounds to disappear almost effortlessly. To learn more about the physiological mechanisms involved, use the search function to find articles and posts on how HCG works with your own body’s natural tendencies instead of fighting them.

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Why Buy Oral HCG?

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Simply put, it’s easier to buy oral HCG and easier to use it if you plan to do the HCG diet on your own. Getting injections by yourself is an uncertain process. Legally, you cannot do this without a prescription, and should not be taking HCG injections without a doctor’s supervision.

This said there is no reason not to take HCG injections, if you have the time and the money to do it. Such clinics are expensive however, and their services are not always covered by health insurance plans.

HCG Diet Clinics

In fact, we operate our own HCG weight loss clinic in Mesa, Arizona where you can receive injections and work with a qualified physician. There are also weight loss clinics offering HCG treatments in Seattle, Chicago and other major cities across the U.S. Chances are good that there is one within a day’s drive of where you live.

If such a journey is not possible, then oral HCG is probably the best solution for you. It is still possible for you to consult with our staff physician over the Internet for a nominal fee if you still have questions and concerns. In fact, regardless of whether you’re using drops or injections, we recommend that you speak with a physician at least once in order to make sure you are following Dr. Simeon’s protocols correctly and getting the most benefit from the HCG program.

Using HCG Oral Drops

Oral HCG is a homeopathic remedy.  It is not like a medication that you simply swallow. The compounds contained in a homeopathic medication are fragile and can easily be destroyed by excessive heat and the digestive acids excreted in the stomach. This is why HCG drops are placed under the tongue and held there while the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream. The usual dosage is 4 milliliters, or approximately 15 drops, administered three times a day prior to meals.

Once this medication is in your bloodstream, it works in two ways. First, it breaks down the nutrient and calorie-rich excess fat deposits (known as “adipose”) into a form that is more readily metabolized. Secondly, it resets your body’s thermostat by re-regulating the hypothalamus gland in such a way that your metabolic rate is not lowered when on the 500 calorie diet.

Find Out More

While you are here, take advantage of our extensive database on HCG topics, and consider purchasing a consultation with our staff physician to make sure you get started right.

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What’s This About a HCG Alternative?

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

A HCG alternative has recently been made available to dieters, which the manufacturer claims is just as effective a weight loss remedy as genuine HCG. However, many of those who have used it and reviewed it do not have good things to say about it – and most many of them, the product was completely ineffective.

Why Even Bother With It?

This artificial product is being marketed primarily to people who are uncomfortable with the idea of injecting themselves with needles and may not be aware that a homeopathic liquid form of HCG is available. This liquid form is quite easy to use, and is readily available from U.S. laboratories operating under FDA supervision.

Artificial HCG contains a proprietary compound that has been named Alt-hCG rM. This is placed in a capsule that is taken three times a day, just like genuine HCG.  According to the company literature, the product works to break down fatty adipose deposits just like the real thing, allowing it to be used by the body more readily as a source of nutrition.

Significantly, the company literature makes absolutely no mention of Dr. Simeons’ protocols, which is a necessary component of the HCG diet.

In addition, the advertisements claim that the FDA has actively come out in opposition to the use of HCG as a diet aid – which is not completely accurate.

The Official FDA Position on HCG

The FDA approved the use of HCG by fertility clinics many years ago. When injected into women, the hormone stimulates the production of eggs. It also raises testosterone levels in men, aiding in the production of sperm. The FDA has not approved its use in dieting. However, it has not actively come out in opposition as the manufacturers of artificial HCG claim.

What the use of natural HCG in dieting consists of is “off label use.” This is something that licensed physicians do regularly, and for the most part, it is perfectly safe and effective. For example, if your doctor has told you to take aspirin – an analgesic and anti-inflammatory – for a heart condition or as a blood thinner, s/he has recommended an “off label” use of this medication.

The HCG diet is really nothing more than a form of hormone replacement therapy. When used with the 500-calorie diet, it has been proven to help people lose between one and two pounds a day. It’s always better to use the “real thing” when it comes to healing yourself.

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About The HCG Alternative

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Some people who are hesitant to try genuine HCG for the treatment of obesity consider an HCG alternative that has recently come on to the market. It is actually an artificial form of the HCG hormone. Artificial hormones are regularly used in the medical profession, but in this case, there are reasons to doubt the effectiveness of the product.

Many consumer reviews suggest that artificial HCG is completely ineffective.

There Is No Reason

Most people believe that the HCG weight loss remedy requires hard-to-obtain and painful injections. Now, it is actually a simple matter to get injectable HCG through a licensed weight-loss clinic by physician’s prescription, but this can entail considerable expense. A better alternative is homeopathic HCG liquid.

This product is manufactured in U.S. laboratories that operate under license and are supervised by the Food and Drug Administration. HCG drops are easy to buy and completely legal in most states without a doctor’s prescription.

Artificial HCG comes in a capsule. The compound that makes up this product is based on a proprietary formula and is called Alt-hCG rM. According to the manufacturer’s claims, the product operates in a manner that is identical to the real thing by breaking down the excess fatty deposits around the abdomen and on the hips and thighs. However, the instructions make no reference to Dr. Simeons’ protocols, which are a significant part of the HCG diet.

The company also claims that the FDA opposes the use of HCG – which is only half true.

What the FDA Really Says

HCG has long been as standard fertility treatment. Injections of this hormone are used to stimulate egg production in women and testosterone and sperm in men. The FDA has indeed not approved HCG for use as a weight loss remedy – but neither has it been opposed.

When doctors use a medication for the treatment of something other than that for which it is designed, it is called “off-label” usage. This is a very common and generally safe practice in the medical profession and health care industry.

For example, tetracycline was originally an antibiotic like penicillin. In the last few decades however, it has also found use as a treatment for acne and other minor skin ailments.  This is one instance of “off label” use. Another is the use of common aspirin as a blood thinner.

This is exactly what is happening when HCG is used in junction with Dr. Simeons’ diet as part of a comprehensive weight loss strategy.

In any event, it is always best to use a genuine substance that has been proven to work rather than waste money on an artificial substitute that many consumers have been dissatisfied with. Genuine HCG has a proven track record when it comes to weight loss, going all the way back to the 1940s, when Dr. Albert T. Simeons conducted his groundbreaking research in India.

Since then, the program has been refined and perfected, and now allows people to lose up to two pounds a day during a forty day period easily and safely. You owe it to yourself to find out what genuine homeopathic HCG drops can do for you.

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All About Heat and Shipping When Buying HCG

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

It’s always best to buy HCG for immediate use.  It is certainly most potent when it is fresh. This said, you can store it for several months in the refrigerator. This usually is not necessary when you are actually on the HCG diet, but when you are taking a break from HCG drops, it’s best to refrigerate it.

Heat Destroys HCG

Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is a hormone, which is essentially a form of protein.  Like any protein, high heat changes the chemical make-up of the organic molecules. This is why foods such as dairy and eggs change dramatically during the cooking process (as any chef can tell you).

Now, this is all well and good for many of the foods we eat.  Although it’s best to eat many vegetables and fruits in a raw, uncooked state for maximum nutrition – as you will while following Dr. Simeons’ protocol. However, heat has a devastating effect on homeopathic remedies, rendering them useless.

Concerns for HCG Storage

Fortunately, it is highly unlikely that your supply of HCG drops will be destroyed by heat during shipping or when being stored at home. The only way that can happen is if you heat it up on the stove. Storing HCG drops is as simple as storing any other over-the-counter remedy or prescription drug. Just keep in a dark, cool place away from direct sunlight while you are on the HCG diet.

It is important to take a break from Dr. Simeons’ protocols every forty days or so, because your body will begin to develop resistance and start adapting to the hormone – meaning it will be less effective in your weight loss efforts. After a three or four week break, you can continue with Dr. Simeons’ protocols should you wish to trim down further. During that lengthy break, any remaining HCG should be refrigerated in order to maintain potency.

About Swallowing

If you swallow HCG drops directly, you’ll be wasting your money. In order to get the maximum benefit, it is important that you place 14-16 drops (about 4 ml.) under your tongue and hold them there for at least three, and preferably five or even ten minutes. This gives the medication a chance to pass into the bloodstream.

Otherwise, stomach acid will have the same effect as high heat, stripping HCG of all its biochemical makeup and rendering it useless. The problem is that digestive juices are really quite corrosive. Like a pork chop or chicken breast, the proteins in HCG cannot stand up to the digestive process.

More HCG Facts

Here at HCGDietDirect.com, you will find a large database of HCG resources as well as articles on the history and research behind Dr. Simeons’ diet, sample recipes to follow while on the protocol, and reliable sources of homeopathic HCG drops. You can also consult with a live doctor before you buy HCG, and if you prefer, we can even line you up with a licensed weight loss clinic at which you can receive HCG inject treatments under a doctor’s supervision.

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When I Buy HCG, Will I Need To Worry About Heat?

Friday, March 5th, 2010

The simple answer to this question is no. However, when you buy HCG, you should refrigerate it as soon as possible if you are not planning to use it right away. Likewise, if you purchase a large supply of HCG drops and plan to use them over more than one 40-day period, you should refrigerate them during your “break” from the HCG diet.

How Heat Affects HCG

Homeopathic HCG is derived from a hormone known as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. This is an organic substance that consists of chains of amino acids, which combine to form proteins.

Any protein will be affected by heat, some more than others. For example, consider how milk curdles when boils and forms a skin on top when left on the heat for a long period of time. This occurs because the heat has caused some of the organic molecules to become denatured, fusing some biochemical bonds while destroying others.

This matters less for food than it does for medications, though many types of food particularly fruits and vegetables are more nutritious when eaten raw. HCG that has been exposed to heat may not hurt you, but it definitely won’t help you, either, since the chemical bonds that make it effective have been destroyed.

Don’t Worry Too Much About Your HCG Drops

The good news is that unless you are planning to heat your HCG drops on the stove, you won’t have to be too concerned about your supply being damaged. It actually takes a pretty high temperature to destroy homeopathic HCG. Simply use some common sense store it in a dark, reasonably cool place, and you should be fine for the duration of your HCG diet.

Remember however that you should not take HCG for more than forty days at a time, because your body will build up a tolerance to it. This is the reason that you need to take a three-to-four week break between dieting sessions. During these “breaks,” you should store any extra HCG drops in the refrigerator in order to preserve full potency.

Other Things To Keep In Mind

Heat is not the only thing that can hurt homeopathic HCG.  Stomach acid can destroy its effectiveness as well. This is why you should place it under your tongue and not swallow it directly. Doing this will allow the medication to be absorbed into the bloodstream more readily and effectively.

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HCG Sale Prices and Sources

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

It pays to do some shopping around in order to find the best HCG sale prices, but remember that there is also the issue of product quality and also legality. It’s the major reason we recommend that you go through HCGDietDirect.com, as you can buy with confidence and assurance that you are receiving an effective product.

Why Buy From Us

When people first hear about the HCG diet, they usually want to dive in head-first. This is understandable. The HCG program is usually not the first diet that overweight people have turned to. More often, there has been a long history of frustration and failure (and by the way, if this has been the case for you, don’t feel bad – it’s not your fault. Download and read Dr. Simeon’s paper, Pounds and Inches, available elsewhere on this site).

Regardless of how disappointed you have been with other diets, it is important not to rush into anything. Take time to learn as much as you can.

HCG and the Law

Depending on which state you live in, it may be difficult to get HCG, particularly HCG injections. Even if you are able to order HCG injections directly, it will be necessary for you to get a doctor’s prescription for the syringes due to the stringent drug laws in the U.S.

One of the problems here is that the Food and Drug Administration has not approved HCG as a weight loss treatment, although it has been used by fertility clinics for many years. Use of HCG as a weight loss treatment is an example of “off-label” use, which is not at all unusual in the medical profession and nothing to be concerned about. Nonetheless, some doctors may be reluctant to prescribe HCG.

The alternative is homeopathic drops, which you can obtain easily through our website. These are manufactured in the U.S. under strict guidelines and quality standards by reputable homeopathic laboratories.

Knowing Your Source

Be wary of any site offering HCG for an absurdly low price, particularly if there is no physical address and phone number listed on the website. Another red flag is a Hotmail or Gmail address. The company should have its own e-mail address consistent with its Internet domain.

These “companies” are most likely scam artists who are out to make a fast buck. It is true that Internet commerce is self-policing and that news of such scams gets around quickly. So these kinds of people do not stay in business long, but you can still lose your money before the word gets out into the community.

You will notice on our home page that we have several icons, including ValidatedSite.com, which is a third-party organization whose service we subscribe to. ValidatedSite continually measures our site against our competitors in terms of trust value. HCGDietDirect.com has the highest rating available.

HCG Sale Pricing

We also feel that our prices on HCG products offer the greatest value in terms of cost and quality. You may find lower prices elsewhere, but may not have assurance that you are getting an effective, quality product. Please check out our selection of HCG products and services today, and we are confident that you won’t need to go elsewhere.

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The “Miracle” of HCG Fat Loss

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Despite the fact that tens of thousands of people lost hundreds of thousands of pounds with the HCG fat loss method and the fact that the HCG diet has been around since the 1950s, there is still a lot of skepticism and misconceptions.

Those who still have doubts should take a look at the video testimonials that are available on our site. Still, it may help to understand something about the science behind the “miracle” – which is not so “miraculous” once you understand how hormones operate in the body.

It’s really just simple biology.

What Hormones Are, What They Do

You’ve probably heard a great deal about hormones, but don’t really know what they’re about. A hormone is a biochemical substance, meaning that it consists of a chain of organic molecules that form amino acids. The primary function of a hormone is communication. It carries messages from one cell to another.

All multi-cellular life forms on earth produce hormones, including plants. Among animals, hormones are excreted either from endocrine glands or specialized cells, and are transported by the bloodstream. Once released, a hormone will seek out and bind with a cellular receptor that is specific to that particular hormone, causing the cell to carry out certain functions.

Some of the hormones that may be familiar include:

  • insulin: excreted by the pancreas, this regulates glucose levels
  • oxytocin: regulates circadian rhythms and body temperature
  • testosterone: the “male” hormone that stimulates the growth of muscle and secondary sex characteristics (body and facial hair, penis size, deepening voice)
  • estrogen: the “female” hormone, regulating fertility

HCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin, is a hormone that is excreted by the fetus during gestation. It has two primary functions:

•    provide a viable environment in which the fetus can develop
•    Suppress the mother’s immune system and prevent it from attacking (rejection might otherwise be a problem because of the father’s DNA).

In addition, HCG protects the fetus in the event that the mother is undernourished by preventing her system from leeching nutrients.

During his years in India, Dr. Simeons also discovered that HCG can affect the part of the brain responsible for metabolism as well as break down the fat content locked up in cells, making it available to the body as fuel.

This Is The Key

When combined with the Very Low Calorie Diet, HCG causes ongoing fat consumption, regardless of your level of activity. Even when at rest, your body requires a minimum number of calories in order to function. Since these calories won’t be coming from the food you eat, the deficit must be made up by burning excess fat. HCG is what makes this possible.

One of the big advantages of the HCG diet is that it leaves muscle tissue intact – so there are no loose folds of baggy skin to deal with afterwards.

It is important to follow the protocols established by Dr. Simeons closely and pay strict attention to the required diet and menus. This understood people have found it possible to lose as much as two pounds a day while on the HCG diet.

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Eating While on HCG Diet Plans

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

HCG diet plans may seem like magic, but they are not. They are based on solid scientific research. Furthermore, an HCG diet works only to the extent that Dr. Simeon’s protocols are followed. You cannot consume more than 500 calories a day (this forces your body to pull out the additional 1,000 – 2,000 calories necessary for normal metabolism from your fat stores when regulated by HCG), and there are only certain foods that you may eat. This is important; all aspects of the HCG diet work together to restore balance to your bodily systems and normal fat burning.

Verboten

You will need to eliminate all sources of fat – and not only from your diet. Soaps and skin creams that contain fat should also be avoided. Basically, you need to make certain that your body has no other source of fat other than what you are carrying around your belly or hips. Fat is necessary for good health, but if there is another source available, your body will get it from that source and not your own fat stores. For this reason, you must also avoid sugar and refined grains – which as carbohydrates are chemically similar to fat and metabolize in the same way.

Alcohol is also forbidden. In addition to being largely empty calories, alcohol is a depressant that can slow down your metabolism – and this you absolutely do not want to have happen.

In General

Pretty much, all you are allowed to have while on the HCG program is lean meat, poultry and fish and fresh vegetables. For drink, think black coffee, unsweetened tea, or plain water. It is best to select organic foods and purified water, since chemical adulterants have played a major part in throwing our bodies out of balance and causing abnormal weight gain in the first place. If you must have something sweet, you are allowed a small apple, citrus fruit or cup of berries (unsweetened, unless you are using stevia).

Your Daily Diet

Breakfast will generally be half a citrus fruit (such as grapefruit) or an apple and a cup of tea. At lunch, you may have a bit of chicken or cold water fish with some celery, onion and lettuce, along with a piece of whole grain zwieback. Dinner could be a small piece of lean ham or beef with spinach or asparagus.

It is important that these foods not be fried in oil or butter. They may be roasted in an oven or grilled, but again, you need to avoid ingesting any fat whatsoever in order for the HCG program to work.

Staying With It

HCG diets may not have a lot of appeal, but keep in mind that once the HCG kicks in, you won’t be feeling hungry or deprived. In fact, because of the fat that’s being burned, these small portions are likely to be quite satisfying.

In any event, you won’t be on the HCG for very long at a time. Because the body builds up tolerance to HCG, it is necessary to take a three-to-four week break every 21-42 days.

Anyone can do anything for a few weeks – and the rewards are worth it.

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