Kalahari Desert 'Wonder' Diet Takes NZ By Storm

News Release
For immediate releasee
30 October 2005
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Centuries Old Kalahari Desert 'Wonder' Diet Takes New Zealand By Storm

A natural appetite suppressant, extracted from a plant that only grows wild in the Kalahari Desert is taking New Zealand by storm.

'Hoodia', derived from the succulent Hoodia gordonii, is thought to contain a 'miracle molecule', which acts to suppress the appetite by tricking the brain into the sensation of fullness.

The San bushmen of the Kalahari - one of the world's oldest and most primitive tribes - have consumed Hoodia for thousands of years to curb their hunger during long hunting trips in the harsh desert.

With no known side effects, internationally Hoodia demand has become so strong the United Nations has intervened to protect the species. It is now protected by a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) permit with harvesting royalties being paid back to the San tribes.

Fuelling the Hoodia frenzy overseas, several media agencies have researched and featured the succulent including Oprah, the BBC and CBS 60 Minutes.

In New Zealand, Hoodia marketers Health and Herbs Intl. Ltd. have found its Radiance® HoodiaSlim™ weight loss supplement so popular that many stores have already sold out, only one week after the launch.

Health and Herbs Sales and Marketing Manager Brett Edmonds says while many other weight loss products act as a stimulant or thermogenic causing your body to burn more fuel and then stack on weight when you stop taking them, hoodia is a natural hunger suppressant.

This makes Hoodia a much more sensible approach to weight control.

"Hoodia is not a license to eat. It's a natural appetite suppressant that allows you to take control of your diet and eating habits. The body gets trained to accept smaller portions of food without feeling hungry."

British pharmaceutical company Phytopharm clinically trialled1 Hoodia through a controlled study in overweight volunteers who were only able to read papers, watch television and eat.

During the trial, half the volunteers were given placebo, the other half hoodia extract. After 15 days the group taking hoodia had reduced their calorie intake by approximately 1000 calories per day.

In addition, a statistically significant reduction in body fat content was also observed compared to the placebo group after two weeks.

Edmonds says when we eat, ATP or energy is created. The hypothalamus area in the brain is sensitive to this energy which sends a signal indicating the body has been nourished and causing hunger to subside.

Hoodia suppresses appetite in the same way, however the molecule contained in the plant is estimated to be 10,000 times stronger than the message generated by food.

Hoodia fits well with Health and Herbs' company policy of honesty, quality, integrity and education. All Radiance® Hoodia products meet all legal requirements and are guaranteed pure. It is cultivated and legally harvested under the internations CITES requirements. This ensures the San tribe continues to receive economic benefit from their protected natural resource.

1 Phytopharm Plc, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, http://www.phytopharm.co.uk/hoodia_faq.html#4

ENDS