Answer to Question 1
Hoodia is an indigenous, bitter-tasting, cactus-like plant that grows wild is in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. Unlike other appetite-suppressing products such as Ephedra, hoodia is not a stimulant. Rather, scientists believe that hoodia makes the brain think that a person has eaten, even when they have not. Animals fed hoodia appear disinterested in food and lose weight. Hoodia is currently being marketed as an appetite suppressant for weight loss. However, no studies of the effects of hoodia (good or bad) in people have been published, its safety is unknown, and the role of hoodia in weight loss remains unclear at this time.
Answer to Question 2
Many people on weight-loss diets find that they lose body fat in some areas and not others. Unfortunately, your body decides where to lose fat, not you, or the diet that you are on. However, exercise can help build muscle in certain areas of the body. Although this may not reduce the size of certain areas of the body, muscle definition may increase satisfaction with ones appearance. However, it is important to focus on what we can control, and to appreciate that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes.
