HCG 101

I know that we have some new readers who aren't entirely familiar with the HCG Protocol, so I'll summarize for you.  This article, while somewhat skeptical of the diet, gives a pretty good overview.  The main points: 

• HCG, or Human Chorio Gonadotropin, is a hormone which is found in both men and women, though pregnant women have the highest levels of HCG in their bodies.  The HCG hormone can be made synthetically or extracted from a pregnant woman's urine.
• Daily administration of the HCG is usually through one of two methods -- either an oral supplement or a liquid injection.
• The HCG shots are said to command your hypothalamus to release fat from storage, which triggers the body to combine that fat (along with 500 calories from food) as energy, causing the body get rid of excess fat.
• The original HCG diet plan is quite restrictive and particular. For breakfast, you can have only tea or coffee without sugar.  For lunch and dinner, you can cook 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of lean meat or seafood and pair it with one vegetable from this list of 13: asparagus, beet greens, cabbage, celery, chard, chicory, cucumbers, fennel, green salad, onions, red radishes, spinach and tomatoes.  For lunch and dinner, you can eat one toast cracker and an orange, apple, half a grapefruit or strawberries.
• Combining the extremely low-calorie diet with the HCG hormone injections will lead to immediate weight loss without the common side effects of many restrictive diets, such as hunger pains, headaches and nausea. Dieters who follow the Protocol generally average weight loss of between a half pound and three pounds each day. 

If you are considering beginning the HCG Protocol, you absolutely must read Dr. A.T.W.'s Manuscript, "Pounds and Inches".  It's 43 pages, which seems long, but it details his research (going back more than 50 years) at his weight loss clinic in Italy, describes how the Protocol works, and outlines the exact details of the diet.  

Be aware that in recent years, other people have begun marketing versions of the Protocol, most notably Kevin Trudeau, an infomercial salesman and convicted felon.  Trudeau's protocol is much more complicated than the original Protocol, but many people have incorporated features of Trudeau's plan into their HCG weight loss plans.  

While HS and I are doing subcutaneous injections as outlined in the Simeons Protocol, many people receive their HCG via sublingual drops.  The formulations (and availability) are different, but most people claim to have similar (or even better) results with the drops as the injections.  

HS and I are under the care of a Naturopathic Doctor who supplies us with pre-filled syringes of the HCG.  Another person who is close to me purchased her HCG from an online clinic based in Colorado.  Her "consultation" with the doctor consisted of a conference call with other buyers.  She had to wait a couple weeks for her HCG to arrive in the mail (from a pharmacy in Florida) and then had to mix the HCG herself, but she paid about half of what each of us paid.  Many people purchase their HCG online from sources in Canada, India, or elsewhere overseas for about 25% of what each of us paid for our HCG, but they sometimes have their packages confiscated by Customs.  Many other people purchase "homeopathic" HCG to be used sublingually.  There are many sources available online, including eBay, for about 10% of what each of us paid.  

I've read A LOT about the Protocol and peoples' experiences with it.  If you have a question, feel free to ask.  If I don't know the answer, I probably know where to find it.