Natural Medicine Still LifeIf you want to lose weight, forget about diet pills. There are lots of all-natural herbs that can help you lose weight. They do this by giving your metabolism a boost.

If you’re eating right and getting some regular exercise, adding these herbs to your diet can help you burn calories faster and keep the fat off for good.

Green Tea

All tea helps your metabolism work, but the reason green tea is so special is that it isn’t processed like other types are. Green tea raises your body temperature and speeds up your metabolism through a process called thermogenesis.

It also causes your body to release the hormone norepinephrine, which speeds up fat burning. This is caused in part by the caffeine in the tea, but also by compounds that occur naturally in it.

Kelp

Kelp is something you may not think of eating naturally but if you know the health benefits, you might give it a try. Kelp has a healthy dose of iodine, which helps your thyroid work more efficiently. You can take it in capsule form or use it in cooking.

You can buy kelp flakes that go great on top of salads and other dishes. Just be moderate with your kelp because too much iodine can produce side effects.

Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia Gordonii is an herb from South Africa that has been used there for centuries because of its health benefits. In addition to speeding up your metabolism and helping it work effectively, it also works as an appetite suppressant so you don’t get so hungry throughout the day.

Cayenne Pepper

Add a dash of hot cayenne pepper to your meals and it’ll help you burn calories. Cayenne pepper increases your circulation and helps with digestion. Like green tea, it has warms up the body and helps your metabolism do its thing. Actually, lots of spices and peppers produce the same effect, as well as ginger and cinnamon.

Burdock Root

Burdock is another herb that can be made into tea. It speeds up fat burning and acts as an appetite suppressant. People who drink burdock often find that they don’t have cravings for food.

Dong Quai

Dong quai offers lots of health benefits. Aside from being good for your metabolism, its other main benefit is helping your immune system. However, some people have a bad reaction to dong quai so talk to your doctor before taking it.

Remember that just drinking herbal tea isn’t going to help you lose weight. You also need to eat a balanced diet and get some moderate exercise. Along with the right diet and exercise routine, they’ll help you burn fat faster.

It’s also important to realize that just because these herbs are natural, it doesn’t mean there aren’t potential side effects. Talk to your doctor before taking any to make sure. Sometimes they interact with medications you may be taking.