Pure Hoodia Gordonii Succulent
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Hoodia
Information What is Hoodia? Hoodia Gordonii is a leafless, spiky succulent. It grows naturally in the Northern Cape, a province of South Africa, where it is registered as a protected species by Nature Conservation. Hoodia Gordonii is famous for its effects as an appetite suppressant and mood enhancer. EXCELLENT results have been obtained from people using it as part of a weight loss program, leading to many international companies making and selling Hoodia as a 'new miracle diet pill'. Mass global interest has been shown for Hoodia since Pfizer, the international pharmaceutical giant, started to research Hoodia's potential to help people with obesity. What does it do? Hoodia Gordonii is a well known appetite suppressant and mood enhancer. Recent research has shown that the Hoodia Gordonii species contains a molecule that is similar to glucose, only MUCH stronger. The scientists believe that this molecule in Hoodia 'fools' the body into believing that it has just eaten. The result of eating Hoodia is thus a complete lack of appetite. Because of this property, Western countries have claimed that Hoodia is the 'new miracle diet ingredient'. There is strong evidence to suggest that Hoodia may become a worldwide answer to obesity, as studies confirmed excellent results. What will I feel when I take Hoodia? Hoodia is a wonderful plant to eat. It tastes sweet and bitter. It produces an immediate effect upon eating. Many people experience an upliftment in their mood immediately, followed by a complete satiation of the appetite. After eating Hoodia Gordonii, one simply doesn't feel like eating a thing. You might want to eat because you know its lunchtime, but there's simply no desire to chew and swallow your food. PLEASE NOTE that people do report different reaction times to Hoodia - this appears to be dose specific. Some individuals may need to take more than others in order to experience the effects. Are there any side effects or contra-indications? As far as scientists know, there are no negative side-effects. The local SAN, who's ancestors have been using the plant for thousands of years, claim that there are no negative side effects. We do not know for sure whether there may be drugs that interact negatively with Hoodia, since it is a new food. Hoodia is currently not classified as a medicine in South Africa, but as a foodstuff, which is testimony to how safe it is. How do we know about the use of Hoodia? It has been used for thousands of years by shepherds and hunters of the nomadic SAN tribes that populate the arid territories of South Africa and Namibia. Pfizer recently discovered Hoodia and decided to invest millions into researching the plants benefits as a new drug that would help with obesity. The research published by this company has catapulted Hoodia into the international spotlight. What about the SAN people? Don't they own the rights to this plant? The SAN are the owners of the traditional knowledge about the Hoodia plant. At some point the SAN realised that this multinational giant was going to make a handsome profit from the sale of Hoodia and decided to argue their rights to the ownership of the knowledge of its medicinal uses. The case that followed ensured that the SAN received a percentage of profit from all sales of Hoodia. Are there other Hoodia Species? There is more than one species of Hoodia, in fact there are four known species, each with medicinal uses. There's Hoodia Currorii, which is eaten as a food. It also works as an appetite suppressant and to treat indigestion, hypertension, diabetes and stomach ache. Hoodia Gordonii is eaten fresh as a food and is also used medicinally for abdominal pain suggestive of peptic ulceration. Hoodia Flava (yellow flowered ghaap) is also eaten fresh as a food and also as a thirst and appetite suppressant. Hoodia officinalis has been used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, and was once imported to the USA to treat hemorrhoids. (BE van Wyk, et al, 2000). Most Hoodia species are eaten as a foodstuff, thorns peeled off and eaten like a cucumber. They formed a much needed emergency supply of food in harsh desert conditions when food was not plentiful. What does the plant look like? Hoodia plants are leafless succulents. NOT Cacti as many people believe. They have several fleshy 'fingers' which branch near the ground. Rows of thorns are found along the stems and they bear flowers. These flowers smell strongly of rotting flesh so that they attract flies and blowflies - these insects form part of the fertilization cycle of Hoodia species.
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