Reality Check

The point of view from Dr. Erin McNeill on the effects of diet pills in

society today.

    Most people, or should I say most women, are highly effected everyday by

the fashion industry and the skinny models showing the hip and shoulder bones

and ribs poking through the hip hugger jeans and halter tops.  To achieve the

look of these models, women feel as if they need to starve themselves, or

invade their bodies with diet pills.

    I am here to tell you that diet pills are not the healthy way to go.

Yes, losing weight is good for some people, but for the majority who are

using these pills, losing weight is unsafe.  Many are looking for the easy

route when it comes to weight loss.  That is why diet pills are more popular

today than ever before.  Americans are just lazy nowadays.

    To achieve a "perfect body," you should not be concerned with the way

models appear in popular magazines.  They are not real.  Those models have

personal trainers, make up artists, stylists, and new and improved air brush

techniques that make them look flawless.  And do you think the cover of that

magazine was taken in one shot?  Never.  Photographers take multiple pictures

before getting the right one.  So when you think you need to lose those few

extra pounds just to look like Calista Flockhart on Vogue magazine, think

again.  Diet pills will not get you there.  They will only leave you with

less hair and heart problems.

    Prescription diet pills are powerful medicine, therefore there may be

many side effects.  It's best to check with your doctor to find out all the

information about the diet pills you are taking, prescription or not.

Stimulant based diet pills are addictive and can become abusive.  This may

lead to psychological or physical dependence and therefore become habit

forming.

    Not only is there the possibility of becoming addicted to the pills but

there are physical and mental side effects that occur in your body when

consuming them.  Obviously the people who intake diet pills feel they are

overweight.  The majority are normal or even underweight.  This leads to

anorexia or bulimia, which are mental disorders.  Having a distorted body

image is the result of both.

    Physically, diet pills do suppress your appetite and cause you to consume

fewer calories.  As you reduce calorie intake, you slow down your metabolism.

 Then the amount of weight you lose also slows down.  Since most people only

lose a few pounds, they feel as if they need to change their lifestyle, but

not usually in the right way.  To achieve better health, you must exercise

regularly, (3-4 times a week) make dietary changes, and make regular health

checkups.

    Just in case you misunderstood this article, diet pills are unsafe!  They

leave you with more health problems than you started with.  Make sure you

consult with your physician before taking any supplement.  You never know

what is good and what is bad, or who is lying to you about the greatness of

their product, and who is not.