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Choosing Alternative Therapies/hoodia
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Question
does hoodia work? Is it safe?
I've been to South Africa and seen the hoodia plant ingested by the San bushmen on their hunts. I value its efficacy for controlling hunger and thirst for these hunters on their long journeys. The hoodia contained in many formulations is rarely the potent plant form. There are a few companies markeitng the original extract--but there are also many shams out there. We have not tested long-term usage on a daily basis. The bushmen only take hoodia when on occasional hunts, and that has been the history of human usage to date. The rest of this worldwide hoodia "diet" phenomenon is an ongoing experiment!
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Answers by Expert:
Meg Jordan, PhD, RN
Expertise
Clinical medical anthropologist, former director of integrative practice at Health Medicine Institute; college instructor in holistic health and global healing systems; registered nurse with specialty in behavioral medicine and integrative heatlh; author of several books, international health journalist and keynote presenter; board member of National Wellness Institute; editor and founder of American Fitness Magazine; former health correspondent for FOX, guest commentator for CNN and "Today Show"; health contributor to Global TV, Canada; radio host of GLOBAL MEDICINE HUNTER nationally syndicated show on Health Radio Network.
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AT&T, Lucent, American Heart Association, ValleyCare Health Systems, MTV, FOX, CNN,
Disney, Mattel, many universities.
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