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Q:  What is Halal?
A:   "Halal" is an Arabic word meaning "lawful" or "permissible", and the term not only covers food and drink, but also to all matters of daily life. When it comes to halal food, most people think of meat food only.  However, Muslims must ensure that all foods, particularly processed foods, pharmaceuticals, and non-food items like cosmetics, are also halal. Frequently, these products contain animal by-products or other ingredients that are not permissible for Muslims to eat or use on their bodies.

Q:  What is Halal Certification?     
A:   Halal Certification is a recognition that the products are permissible under Islamic law. These products are thus, edible, drinkable or usable by Muslims.

Q:  What are Philippines’ Herbalife products that are Halal approved?     
A:   At this time, we have four (4) product lines that are Halal approved.  
These products are:

• Herbal Aloe Concentrate
•  Mega Garlic
•  PPP or Personalized Protein Powder 
•  Thermojetics Herbal Beverage Concentrate
  
  

Q:  Are we registering other Herbalife products to be Halal approved?     
A:   We are in the process of securing approval for other Herbalife products.     

Q:  How do we determine if our Herbalife product is Halal approved?    
A:  We suggest that you look for this logo on our product label.                         

Q:  Are there any changes on the ingredients or reformulation of our products if is Halal approved?     
A:  There are no changes in the ingredients or reformulation. However, for Muslims who want to be sure, the Halal inspection seal offers assurance when choosing what to buy. It is considered a seal of certification and of quality

As the seasons change, our bodies are adapting to changes in the environment, too. Pay a little extra attention to your diet, not only to keep you healthy during the winter months, but also to help you avoid winter weight gain.

Even though I’m a dietitian, my clients frequently ask me about exercise as part of their weight loss plan. Since managing weight effectively depends on calorie balance, it makes sense that we talk about not only diet (calories in), but exercise (calories out), too.  Most simply want to know how much…or, sometimes, how little…exercise they need to do in order to lose weight, or to keep off weight that they’ve already lost. So here are some of the key things I tell them about exercise and body weight:

• Trying to lose weight through increased activity alone is tough to do. To lose a pound in a week’s time – strictly through exercise – you’d need to burn up an extra 500 calories a day, above and beyond your current activity level.  That’s no small task.  You’d need to hike uphill for an hour with a 10-pound backpack or swim laps for 90 minutes – without stopping. Trying to lose weightonly through increased activity – or only by cutting your calories – won’t be nearly as effective as a combination of diet and exercise.
• Cutting calories may cause your metabolic rate to drop somewhat. Your metabolic rate represents the number of calories your body burns just to keep basic processes going  - and is a big part of your ‘calories out’.  But your metabolic rate can dip a little when you cut back on your eating.  So even though your ‘calories in’ may be lower, your ‘calories out’ can drop, too – and leave you more or less in calorie balance.
• Strength training can help to increase metabolic rate.  When people think ‘exercise’, they usually think aerobic exercise, like biking, swimming or jogging.  But strength training is important, too – in part because it helps to build lean body mass, which can bump up your metabolic rate and help offset the drop in calorie burn that takes place when you cut your calories.
• It’s easy to make mistakes when counting calories – both in and out. People tend to overestimate the calorie cost of the exercise they do – and underestimate the number of calories they eat.  Which helps explain the frustration many people feel when they’re sure they’re doing ‘everything right’ – but the scale just won’t budge.
• You need a lot of exercise to lose weight, but you need even more to prevent it from coming back. Once you’ve lost it, regular activity is critical when it comes to keeping weight off.  But it takes more than a leisurely stroll around the block. Members of the National Weight Loss Registry – people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year – burn an average of about 2800 calories a week in exercise.  That’s the equivalent of about 90 minutes of exercise – like a briskfour-mile walk – every day.
• Exercise is key to good health and anything is better than nothing.  When people hear that they might need an hour or more of exercise a day to keep their weight under control, it can be a little daunting.  But don’t let the numbers discourage you.  Do what you can, do it regularly, and try to go a little farther – or work out a little harder – each time.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.