The following are tips for losing weight along with some natural herbal recommendations.  Not all of the information contained in this document will be right for everyone.  Please consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.

• It is important to eat a healthy balanced diet consisting of raw foods as often as possible.  If foods are heated, they should be baked, broiled, steamed or boiled.
• Rotate the foods you eat and be sure to eat a variety of foods.  Meals should consist of a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates and some fat.
• Eat complex carbohydrates that also offer protein such as tofu, lentils. Plain baked potatoes, sesame seeds, beans, brown rice, whole grains, skinless turkey or chicken breast and white fish (no shellfish).
• If possible, have one meal a day that consists entirely of vegetables and fruit (preferably raw).  Low-calorie vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, kale, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach and turnips are best.  Low-calorie, low carbohydrate fruits include apples, cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries and watermelon.
• Bananas, cherries, corn, figs, grapes, green peas, hominy, pears, pineapple, sweet potatoes, white rice and yams are higher in calories and should be consumed in moderation.  Apples, brown rice, buckwheat, chestnuts, oatmeal, white potatoes and yellow vegetables have trace amounts of essential fatty acids but should also be used in moderation.
• Eliminate saturated fats from the diet.  Foods with good fat include avocados, olives, olive oil, raw nuts and seeds, wheat germ and corn germ.  These foods should not be consumed more than two times a week.
• Do not eat white flour products, salt, white rice or processed foods.
• Eliminate all forms of refined sugar including white sugar, brown sugar and corn sweetener because sugar triggers the release of insulin which activates enzymes that promote the passage of fat from the bloodstream into the fat cells.
• Avoid alcohol including beer and wine.  Alcohol adds calories and inhibits the burning of fat deposits.
• Take extra fiber daily.  Fiber should be taken a half hour before meals with a large glass of liquid.  Always take supplemental fiber separately from other supplements and medications.
• Keep a food diary to help keep track of what you eat, the caloric and fat content of what is eaten, what triggers your eating and any ill or poor health or feeling.  This can help pinpoint allergens.
• Avoid eating right before bed and during the night.
• Always eat breakfast, this will jump start the metabolism.
• Eat small but nutrient dense meals every three to four hours throughout the day to prevent swings in blood sugar.  This will help sustain a feeling of overall well-being and fullness.
• Don’t skip meals.
• Make your main meal lunch rather than dinner.
• Put less food on your plate, chew slowly and stop eating as soon as you are no longer hungry rather than when you are full.
• If you get the urge to eat, put on a tight belt.  This will remind you of the extra weight you are trying to loose and help prevent overeating.
• Frequent bloating and water retention may be a result of excess insulin production.  Too much insulin makes it impossible to burn excess fat.  This can be counteracted by reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing the consumption of protein and fats.
• Too much salt can lead to water retention as well.
• Avoid crash dieting.  A very low calorie diet will cause the metabolism to slow down and make it easier to gain weight when the diet is over.
• Regular sustained exercise is imperative for a healthy mind and body.
• Take a brisk walk every day before breakfast or dinner to burn off fat.  Exercise increases the metabolic rate and burns off calories.
• Do NOT eat Diet foods!  These foods are designed to make you hungrier.
• Do NOT eat/drink Nutrasweet or Splenda.  They are man made products that are neurotoxins (Toxic to your nerves) and have been known to cause cancer in lab rats (Sure you are not a lab rat, but do you want to take that chance?)  This includes diet sodas (all have some form of Nutrasweet or Splenda in them.)

Supplementation:

• Aloe vera supplements or juice will help soothe and cleanse the digestive tract.  This will help increase absorption of nutrients and prevent the absorption of waste particles.
• Omega-3 helps the kidneys remove excess water.
• Evening Primrose Oil (Omega-6), 500mg in the morning, should help reduce appetite.
• L-Carnitine, 500-1000mg, will help take fatty acids inside cells where energy producing mitochondria burn
  them up.
• Lecithin, 1 tablespoon in the morning, will help break down fat.
• Chromium Picolinate, 200-400 mcg in the chelated form.  Helps stabilize blood sugar levels which decreases cravings for sweets.  Helps increase lean body mass and boost energy.  Reduces insulin resistance which reduces the storage of fat and increases metabolism.
• Postassium, 300 mg, in divided doses (morning, noon and night, 100 each), helps increase muscle energy
  and strength.
• Psyllium husk fiber, 1 tablespoon 1-2 times a day with 8 ounces of water each time.  Promotes better digestion.
• Amla is an Ayruvedic herb that helps increase lean body mass and decrease fat.
• Borage Seed, Hawthorn Berry, Licorice Root** and Sasparilla all help stimulate the adrenal glands and improve thyroid function.  **Do not take Licorice Root if you have elevated or high blood pressure.
• Hydroxycitric Acid, Spirulina, Yerba Mate and Kola Nut all help increase metabolism.**  These may cause that restless, jittery feeling.
• Butcher’s Broom, Cardamom, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Garcinia cambogia, ginger, green tea and mustard seed are thermogenic herbs that improve digestion and aid in the metabolism of fat.**  These may cause that restless, jittery feeling.
• Chlorella, gudmar, schizandra and suma aid in glucose utilization, hormone regulation, neural regulation
  and digestion.
• Fennel removes mucus and fat from the intestinal tract and is a natural appetite suppressant.
• Fenugreek helps dissolve fat in the liver.
• Gotu kola aids in reducing body mass and aids in adrenal processes that facilitate carbohydrate metabolism. 
  It will also increase energy.
• Siberian ginseng aids in moving fluids and nutrients throughout the body.  DO NOT use if you have hypoglycemia, high blood pressure or a heart disorder.
• Trifala is an Ayurvedic herb that creates glandular balance and stimulates thyroid hormones with long-term use.
• Tumeric strengthens digestion, increases energy and cleanses the blood.