Non-Prescription Xenical: Is 5lbs worth 1 200$/year?
This has to be an April Fools Joke or something… a “prescription weight-loss pill” exists and not only that, Xenical will most likely be approved by the FDA for over the counter use. Please tell me this is a joke!
How does Xenical work & what is the difference?
Xenical works by simply blocking fat absorption during the digestive process. Xenical blocks 50% of fat consumed while the prescribed version blocks only 25% - it’s not a huge leap of faith that many people will simply double (or more) the dose to get “more results”.
I have three fundamental problems with turning a Xenical derivative into an “over the counter” medicine:
1) Fat is our friend: Fat is essential for your body, without it… you die a slow, heavily constipated death! If you are eating too much, don’t take a pill, change your diet!
2) Doesn’t address root problems: Obesity is rarely a clinical disease, it’s mostly a self-imposed condition caused by lack of exercise, education and will power (in other words, laziness)… a pill does NOTHING to solve this - and I think it will actually make things worse!
3) Habit Forming: Just like cigarettes being used for weight loss, as soon as you STOP taking the pills the “extra 5lbs” you lost and paid 25$ a week to keep off return.
FAT IS OUR FRIEND
Fat is our friend but like all friends, it requires respect and understanding.
Fat is ESSENTIAL for our survival, people do not get “fat” because they are eating fat, they become “fat” because they are consuming more calories then they burn. FAT is not the reason for obesity, over consumption of calories is. Fat is so important that if you ask any nutritionist or doctor (who studied in nutrition) what makes up a good diet, they will say
“Carbohydrates, Protein and FAT with plenty of Fiber from a non-processed food diet is what your body needs to keep running properly.”
If you are suffering from self-imposed obesity, you need to make changes in your mental and physical attitudes about life, not blame “fat”,”carbs” or whatever else for your bulges. You created what you look like right now, change your habits or be happy the way you are, either way, don’t take it out on my friend Mr. Fat!
Pills don’t solve root problems: The Obesity Culture
A large segment of our society still believes in doing NOTHING to improve their health and expect science to develop a pill that will give them an Olympic physique. They are so sure of this will happen in their lifetime they eat a poor diet and believe exercise is a disease to be avoided at all costs… rationalizing once the pill comes out, the HEALTH and body that has alluded them will happen overnight. WAKE UP!
If you are obese, you are slowly killing yourself by choice. Nobody is forcing or brainwashing you to be/stay overweight. YOUR CHOICE.
Habit Forming: Expect to become FATTER & POORER!
GlaxoSmithKline recommends an individual take the “non-prescription” version of Xenical for 6 months - a 650$ investment - WITH A SENSIBLE DIET AND EXERCISE PLAN. If you are obese due to laziness, I doubt taking a pill will make you want to get your butt in the Gym or cause you to change your diet plans.
After 6 months you know what GlaxoSmithKline has achieved? They have turned your pill popping into a HABBIT. Stop taking the pill, the weight comes back with a vengeance, keep taking it and you stay “5lbs” leaner for ONLY 1 200$/year. This is insidious because they have you HOOKED!
At least when prescribed, there is “some” supervision by a medical practitioner but over the counter… I expect that caveat fall on deaf ears. How do you know if it’s not the exercise and diet causing you to loose the weight? This simply covers GlaxoSmithKline ass if you GAIN or loose no weight while medicated - didn’t exercise or change your diet… then IT’S YOUR FAULT! This is the same trick used by just about every “weight loss” scam out there… put the blame on the consumer for not meeting expectations.
Now, how do you become fatter taking a weight loss pill? Easy, eat more then you did before… people suffering from anorexia, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder will now have access to a powerful drug that will only make their conditions worse.
The Bottom Line
As a businessman, I think this product is genius but as a human being, this product is deplorable.
Buzvia
ABC News Article
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=1819804
