Have you been wondering what this new weight loss supplement is all about that has found its way into every drug store, mass merchandiser and even book store in the country? What company could even afford to roll out such a massive product placement and advertising effort?

The release of the new diet drug Alli has created a throng of men and women throwing all common sense and caution to the wind, pursuing the elusive gratification of instantaneous weight loss without taking personal responsibility by exercising and watching what they eat.

Alli is a new, over the counter incarnation of the prescription drug Xenical. It promises users that it will block the absorption of twenty-five percent of any fat consumed.  Combined with a low-fat, reduced-calorie diet you can lose about fifty percent more weight than dieting alone according to the pharmaceutical manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline.

That is where the problems begin, as the message of "healthy balanced diet and exercise" seems to fall by the wayside. But the problems don't end there. Some of the side effects are truly shocking. The main one is the disgusting and humiliating prospect of anal leakage in the form of "loose stools and gas with an oily discharge."

The drug's internet site even tells users they should bring an extra set of clothes with them to work. Just in case. Can you imagine? You're in an important meeting or out being active on the job and you experience "anal leakage". ANAL LEAKAGE!!! Do you really want to start wearing diapers at this stage of your life?

The drug manufacturer projects that five to six million Americans will buy the drug each year. That is a lot of potential gastrointestinal distress. Next thing you know, co-workers will be discussing their favorite designer diaper brands around the water cooler. There are much better solutions for losing weight.

Better health and normal weight will always be the result of healthier eating habits mixed with exercise. The simplest way to get there is by eating the foods that your body burns the best, according to your nutritional type, accompanied by physical movement.

Though I definitely do not believe in "magic bullets," there is one product I do recommend for those who are following a healthy lifestyle but still need a little extra help to control eating and thereby reduce calorie consumption. That product is hoodia gordonii and it has been shown over a long period of time to assist with mitigating hunger, which reduces excess calorie consumption, which then results in real and sustained natural weight loss.