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Africans, Asians - they're all thinner than we Americans are. They must have some effective diet pills!

Obviously that's a ridiculous statement. They don't have diet pills at all. But we do. We have a multi-million dollar per year diet pill industry - and thats doesn't include the fitness industry as a whole. So it must be reasonably fair to say that all those wonderful diet pills aren't doing much for us.

They are, however, putting us in danger.

Most diet pills work in one of three basic ways. One, they speed up your metabolism; they're amphetamines (either chemical, or organic), like weaker versions of meth. They can be addictive, can affect your personality, cause arrhythmia, and other problems. Admittedly, they will help you lose weight. But because of the dangers of long-term usage, it is unlikely to be a long-term weight-loss effect.

Another type of diet pill is called a hunger or appetite suppressant. There are several types of hunger suppressants - some over-the-counter remedies have used such novel ideas creating a foam in your stomach that will make it feel full, without you having eaten. Another type of appetite suppressant is essentially also an amphetamine-type of drug. (Appetite suppression is one effect of the first form of diet pill we discussed.)

A third kind of pill actually prevents your digestive tract from absorbing nutrients. It's a bit like bulimia without the vomiting (well, maybe without the vomiting. It can be a side-effect). The theory is to eat all you want, the pill will prevent the food from being absorbed. (Some brands of food have worked under similar means - creating sugar or fat molecules too large to be absorbed through the intestinal wall).

Most diet pills will work in the short term - and you may manage to avoid the worst of the side effects. But the fact remains, when it comes to weight loss, eating a healthy, balanced diet and frequent exercise beats all.

For thousands of years, humans have been using this form of weight loss, without even knowing it. In America, most of us have lost our way from this method, and we've begun to look to artificial means. But it isn't necessary. We can use the same weight control method the rest of the world has been using since the dawn of time. And what's the primary side effect of this method of weight loss? A longer life!

Learn more about this author, Frank Sinbeans.
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