Bali’s “Flower Power” Slimming Secret

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On my last trip to Bali I noticed a large, pink flower blooming everywhere. It was also featured in the native artwork and on signs… almost everywhere I looked I saw it.

When I asked my friends Westi and Lelir about its significance, they told me that not only was it a holy flower, it also had a secret use that would be very popular with my patients.

An extract from this sacred bloom actually speeds up the breakdown of fat… and over time… actually drains the fat right out of your fat cells!

In America, we have an obesity epidemic that has given way to a health crisis. Today, nearly two thirds of Americans are considered obese.

The culprits are sugar and other carbohydrates, which have taken over our diets during the past three decades.

And the problem is made even worse when government dietary guidelines recommend that doctors push low-fat diets of processed “low-calorie” and “low-fat” foods, filled with fat-inducing sugars and grains for weight loss.

But that certainly wasn’t the case in Bali. As I traveled around the beautiful island, I couldn’t help but notice how slim everyone was.

How do the Balinese stay so trim and healthy with such little effort — while here in the West, so many women struggle to maintain their healthy weight?

Balinese women have a “slimming secret” that’s virtually unknown to the outside world.

I’m talking about the Lotus flower.

Flowers That Drain Fat From Your Cells

You can see the Lotus blooming on the surface of ponds all over Bali. They call it the sacred lotus, and you may have seen it in Asian art and paintings, or carved into intricate stone statues outside of Hindu temples. Buddhism regards the lotus flower as a symbol of purity and beauty.

In animal studies, the sacred lotus prevented an increase in body weight and promoted the breakdown of fat.1,2

It worked even better when combined with workouts. The researchers found it “significantly suppressed weight gain” when it was used together with workouts.

Scientists at Inha University in South Korea tested a sacred lotus extract on human “pre-fat” cells. Those are cells that will turn into fat given the right conditions, like lack of exercise and poor diet.

They found that cells treated with lotus extract resisted turning into fat! 3

Sacred lotus works by speeding up your metabolism and stopping your body storing unwanted fat. The lotus contains a “fat-fighting” extract called Nelumbo nucifera that acts against two “fat-storing” hormones — pancreatic lipase and a-amylase.4

Studies have also shown that sacred lotus:

  • Improves your body’s insulin release, protecting you against diabetes;5
  • Reduces blood pressure by regulating blood flow;6
  • Stops your skin from darkening, which leads to melanoma;7
  • Supports cellular clean up, killing cancer cells in the lung and liver.8

Slimming Lotus Tea

When I returned to my clinic, I began recommending lotus to my patients — with some powerful results. It’s great to take as a tea, because it’s so easily digested.

Lotus leaves can be bought online or in most health food stores.

The tea is simple to make and can be done in a few steps:

  1. Bring water to a boil;
  2. Add 5-10 grams of lotus leaves;
  3. Let the brew steep for 10 minutes;
  4. Pour tea into cup through a strainer.

For added taste you can add lemon and honey. Lemon can aid weight loss, because citric acid helps digestion.

I recommend 1-2 cups of lotus tea per day.

It will also make you feel relaxed and calm, because it contains l-theanine, a stress-relieving compound.

You can also buy lotus leaf supplements online and at vitamin stores in capsules. I recommend 2 grams taken daily with breakfast.

To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS

1. Bin X, et al. “Nelumbo nucifera alkaloid inhibits 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation and improves high-fat diet induced obesity and body fat accumulating in rats.” Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. 2011; 5(10):2021–28.

2. Ono Y, et al. “Anti-obesity effect of Nelumbo nucifera leaves extract in mice and rats.” J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;106(2):238-44.

3. You J, Lee Y, Kim K, Kim S, Chang K. “Anti-obesity and hypolipidaemic effects of Nelumbo nucifera seed ethanol extract in human pre-adipocytes and rats fed a high-fat diet.” J Sci Food Agric. 2014;94(3):568-75.

4.You J, Lee Y, Kim K, Kim S, Chang K. “Anti-obesity and hypolipidaemic effects of Nelumbo nucifera seed ethanol extract in human pre-adipocytes and rats fed a high-fat diet.” J Sci Food Agric. 2014;94(3):568-75.

5. Liao C, Lin J. “Lotus plumule polysaccharide ameliorates pancreatic islets loss and serum lipid profiles in non-obese diabetic mice.” Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 Aug;58:416-22.

6. Peng Z, et. al. “Protective effect of neferine on endothelial cell nitric oxide production induced by lysophosphatidylcholine” Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2011;89(4):289-94.

7. Liao C, Lin J. “Lotus plumule polysaccharide ameliorates pancreatic islets loss and serum lipid profiles in non-obese diabetic mice.” Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 Aug;58:416-22.

8. Poornima P, Weng C, Padma V. “Neferine, an alkaloid from lotus seed embryo, inhibits human lung cancer cell growth by MAPK activation and cell cycle arrest.” Biofactors. 2013. Epub ahead of print.

9. Yoto A, Motoki M, Murao S, Yokogoshi H. “Effects of L-theanine or caffeine intake on changes in blood pressure under physical and psychological stresses.” J Physiol Anthropol. 2012 Oct 29;31:28.

Al Sears, MD
My name is Dr. Al Sears. I’m the founder of the Palm Beach Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine. I’m often referred to as America's #1 Anti-Aging Pioneer.

I was one of the first doctors to be board-certified in anti-aging medicine. And I currently write and publish the monthly e-newsletter, Confidential Cures, and my daily email broadcast, Doctor’s House Call.

I’ve also appeared on over 50 national radio programs, ABC News, CNN, and ESPN, and have published 15 books and reports on health and wellness with a readership of millions spread over 163 countries.

I am also board-certified as a clinical nutrition specialist and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), the American Medical Association (AMA), the Southern Medical Association (SMA), the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), and the Herb Research Foundation, (HRF) and an ACE-certified fitness trainer.

Since 1999, I have published 15 books and reports on health and wellness with a readership of millions spread over 163 countries.