Helix Slim Can Aid Weight Loss By Stimulating Your Metabolism

For most of us, losing weight and keeping it off is a constant struggle. This can become more difficult with age, as your metabolism naturally starts to slow down the older you get.

Worryingly, the latest research findings show that one in two adults in Britain is officially overweight. This statistic is cause for great concern, given that excess body weight is implicated as a risk factor for many disorders, including heart disease, gallstones, diabetes and several cancers - including uterus, breast, colon and kidney cancer.

If you feel like you're constantly battling with your weight, you may be interested to learn about a natural new weight-loss product called Helix Slim, which is derived from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberoses). Despite its name, Jerusalem artichoke is not an artichoke at all but a member of the sunflower family. Again, contrary to its name Jerusalem artichoke actually originates from North America, where it has been traditionally used as a folk remedy for diabetes and rheumatism.1

While there's no substitute for regular exercise and sensible eating habits, Helix Slim has been clinically proven to aid weight loss by eliminating toxins from the body, balancing blood sugar levels (which helps prevent hunger and cravings), and by stimulating a sluggish metabolism.

A unique carbohydrate that keeps hunger pangs under control

The main active component in Jerusalem artichoke is a unique complex sugar (carbohydrate) called inulin. Foods containing high amounts of carbohydrate can be measured on a scale called the Glycaemic Index (GI). This is a numerical value given to a particular food based on that food's ability to raise and sustain blood glucose levels.

Eating foods with a high Glycaemic Index (such as white rice, baked potatoes, corn flakes and white bread) results in a quicker return of hunger and increases your subsequent intake of calories, compared to eating foods with a lower Glycaemic Index rating (such as brown rice, all-bran cereal and oat bran).

Inulin from the Jerusalem artichoke has a very low Glycaemic Index. Although it is a carbohydrate, Jerusalem artichoke does not cause the same rapid rise or fall in blood sugar levels associated with most other types of carbohydrates. Keeping your blood sugar level stable in this way helps to minimise cravings, particularly for sweet foods. When your blood sugar level is controlled, hunger pangs are reduced, which makes it easier to follow a sensible, well-balanced diet.

Inulin is also what is known as a plant 'oligosaccharide', which can be classed as a dietary fibre made up of a short chain of sugar molecules ('oligo' means 'few' and 'saccharide' means 'sugar'). Oligosaccharides can only be partially broken down by your digestive system, so, when these compounds are consumed, the undigested portion serves as food (prebiotic) for 'friendly' bacteria in your gut, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus.

Clinical studies have shown that inulin can increase the number of these 'friendly' bacteria in the colon, while simultaneously reducing the population of 'harmful' bacteria.2,3,4

This means that Helix Slim is able to improve bowel function and promote the elimination of toxic compounds from your body, which further assists weight loss.

Helix Slim helps bring your weight within a healthy range

A 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in Germany by 12 medical practitioners to assess the safety and efficacy of Helix Slim.5

The study involved 166 overweight or obese males aged between 23 and 72 who required medical intervention. All the participants followed a reduced calorie diet, low in fat and cholesterol, and based on the regular consumption of vegetables, fruit, high-fibre foods and low-fat dairy products.

The trial results showed that the Helix Slim group achieved an average weight loss of 7.1kg, whereas the placebo group achieved a weight loss of just 4.7kg. 47 per cent of the Helix Slim group attained a Body Mass Index (BMI) of under 25, while in the placebo group, only 28 per cent achieved this target. In addition, no side effects were reported following the use of Helix Slim.

Body Mass Index is a measure that uses a person's weight and height to gauge total body fat. A person with a BMI of 20 to 25 is considered healthy, a BMI of 26 to 27 is considered overweight, and of 30 and higher considered obese.

'I no longer have a sweet tooth and I feel a lot less hungry'

Although Helix Slim has only been available since January, Mrs Stevenson, a housewife from Scotland, was fortunate enough to get the chance to test the product a few months prior to its launch.

'I've been overweight for years,' says Mrs Stevenson, 'and I've tried so many diets that I've lost count. Then my sister-in-law who works for Bioforce (the company that produces Helix Slim) asked me whether I'd be interested in testing out a new product for weight loss. I thought there was no harm in giving it a try, although to be honest I didn't think it would help.'

This was in August 2002 and, by December, Mrs Stevenson had lost two and a half stone.

'The main thing I've noticed with Helix Slim is that I no longer have a sweet tooth and I feel a lot less hungry than I used to. This has enabled me to stick to a healthy diet and avoid cakes and biscuits which were always my downfall.'

What to take for best results

The recommended dose for Helix Slim is 15 drops in a little water three times a day, about 30 minutes before food. For best results it should be taken continually for 12 weeks. The plant tincture is extracted in alcohol. For those who wish to avoid alcohol, the drops can be added to a small amount of boiling water and left to cool, so that the alcohol evaporates. Helix Slim should be avoided by those with a known allergy to the sunflower family. At high doses, inulin can cause flatulence. For this reason, the recommended dose should not be exceeded.

1.Duke, JA and Wain, KK. Medicinal plants of the world. Computer index with more than 85.000 entries, 3 volumes
2. Gibson GR, Beaty ER, Cummings JH. Selective stimulation of bifidobacteria in the human colon by oligofructose and inulin. Gastroenterology 1995;108:975-82
3. Bouhnik Y, Flourie B, D'Agay-Abensour L, et al. Administration of transgalacto-oligosaccharides increases fecal bifidobacteria and modifies colonic fermentation metabolism in healthy humans. J Nutr 1997;127:444-8
4. Bhounik Y, Vahedi K, Achour L, et al. Short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide administration dose-dependently increases fecal bifidobacteria in healthy humans. J Nutr 1999;129:113-6
5. Lehmann, WW and Galland F. Helianthus tuberosus D1 in weight-control management. By Plantina Ltd, 76532 Baden-Baden, Germany