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Appetite and Suppressant
 Appetite is the natural desire to eat or craving for food. It is different from hunger which is a physiological need for food. It exists in all higher life forms and serves to regulate adequate energy intake to maintain metabolic needs. It is regulated by a close interplay between the digestive tract, adipose tissue, and brain. Decreased desire to eat is termed anorexia while increased in eating is termed polyphagia or hyperphagia. Disregulation of appetite leads to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, cachexia, overeating, and binge eating disorder.
The regulation of appetite has been the subject of much research in the last decade. Breakthroughs included the discovery in 1994 of leptin, a hormone that appeared to provide negative feedback. Leptin is a peptide hormone secreted from white adipocytes that is implicated in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. The hormone acts on the central nervous system in particular the hypothalamus, suppressing food intake and stimulating energy expenditure. Leptin production is primarily regulated by insulin-induced changes in adipocyte metabolism and its secretion levels associate with adipocyte mass and lipid loads. Leptin promotes inflammation. The hormone provides an interesting link between obesity and pathophysiological processes such as insulin resistance and atherosclerosis and disorders such as autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases and the metabolic syndrome. Increased serum leptin levels in obesity and metabolic syndrome support the view that these disorders are in fact low-grade systemic inflammatory diseases, characterized by increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines like interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and leptin. Leptin's proinflammatory role suggests that it may link energy homeostasis to the immune system
 Any illness can affect appetite. If the illness is treatable, the appetite should return when the condition is cured. Loss of appetite can cause unintentional weight loss and depression in the elderly is a common cause of weight loss that is not explained by other factors. The following illnesses are some of the common causes of poor appetite:
- Alcoholism - loss of appetite
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression - appetite loss
- Depressive disorders - appetite loss
- Diabetes
- Diabetes mellitus
- Dysthymia - appetite loss
- Flu - loss of appetite
- Heart disease
- Smoking
 Treatment and Care:
Protein and calorie intake can be increased by eating high-calorie, nutritious snacks or several small meals during the day. Liquid protein drinks may be helpful.
Family members should try to supply favorite foods to help stimulate the person's appetite.
You should keep a record of what you eat and drink for 24 hours. This is called a diet history. If a person with anorexia nervosa consistently exaggerates food intake, strict calorie and nutrient counts should be maintained by someone else.
For loss of appetite caused by taking medications, ask your health care provider about changing the dosage or drug. Never stop taking medications without first talking to your health care provider.
Natural Hoodia Appetite Suppressant
 Hoodia gordonii is also called hoodia, xhooba, khoba, Ghaap, hoodia cactus, and South African desert cactus. Hoodia is a cactus that's causing a stir for its ability to suppress appetite and promote weight loss. 60 Minutes, ABC, and the BBC have all done stories on hoodia.
Hoodia gordonii can be found in the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. Hoodia grows in clumps of green upright stems and is actually a succulent, not a cactus.
It takes about 5 years before hoodia's pale purple flowers appear and the cactus can be harvested. Although there are 20 types of hoodia, only the hoodia gordonii variety is believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant.
Although hoodia was discovered relatively recently, the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert have been eating it for a very long time. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off part of the hoodia stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst during nomadic hunting trips. They also used hoodia for severe abdominal cramps, hemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes.
For an effective natural and herbal remedy to suppress appetite and promote weight loss visit the Hoodia Balance product web sites: www.hoodiabalance.com
Before deciding on a hoodia product, you may want to evaluate and compare these hoodia products: www.hoodiagordoniiplus.com and www.hoodiachaser.com
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