I wonder whether Ultra Violet is hardy in the east to zone 5b. Just because it is that hardy in Colorado doesn't mean it will be here, but it is certainly worth testing. You might want to look at some of their other sages. Several of the types they offer have proved very hardy for me. Greggii Wild Thing has been in my garden for three years now and has always come back strong. Even after temperature fell to around 10F this month the plants continued to have lots of green leaves. Maraschino is also extremely hardy and most years does not even die to the ground. The only downside to this plant from my point of view is that it doesn't flower much until late summer. Microphylla San Carlos Festival has also been here for some 8 years and although it generally dies to the ground it comes back with a passion. None of these are rated to zone 5b but I wonder. After all, the minimum temperatures for a particular zone aren't reached every winter and even small yards have micro zones that are warmer.

By the very definition of homeopathy, the homeopathic HCG drops have absolutely no HCG in them. They are nothing more than a placebo. The way that this diet works is because it severely restricts your calories. But if you want to waste your money on a placebo, fine. I would also guess that such a severe calorie restriction would also be unhealthy. Homeopathic products are made from minerals, botanical substances, and several other sources. If the original substance is soluble, one part is diluted with either nine or ninety-nine parts of distilled water and/or alcohol and shaken vigorously (succussed); if insoluble, it is finely ground and pulverized in similar proportions with powdered lactose (milk sugar). One part of the diluted medicine is then further diluted, and the process is repeated until the desired concentration is reached. Dilutions of 1 to 10 are designated by the Roman numeral X (1X = 1/10, 3X = 1/1,000, 6X = 1/1,000,000). Similarly, dilutions of 1 to 100 are designated by the Roman numeral C (1C = 1/100, 3C = 1/1,000,000, and so on). Most remedies today range from 6X to 30X, but products of 30C or more are marketed. A 30X dilution means that the original substance has been diluted 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times. Assuming that a cubic centimeter of water contains 15 drops, this number is greater than the number of drops of water that would fill a container more than 50 times the size of the Earth. Imagine placing a drop of red dye into such a container so that it disperses evenly. Homeopathy's "law of infinitesimals" is the equivalent of saying that any drop of water subsequently removed from that container will possess an essence of redness. Robert L. Park, Ph.D., a prominent physicist who is executive director of The American Physical Society, has noted that since the least amount of a substance in a solution is one molecule, a 30C solution would have to have at least one molecule of the original substance dissolved in a minimum of 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 molecules of water. This would require a container more than 30,000,000,000 times the size of the Earth. Please feel free to ask anyone practicing homeopathy about these rules. Please feel free to look this information up on your own as well! Here is a link that might be useful: Homeopathy is literally just water

Harold - I had tried to low-fat / low-cal dieting in the past with little results. With or without exercise. The drinking I cut out completely, especially with the beer I drink (and only beer too). I have the 'gift' of being able to go no-drink at all for a while, or drink like fish (depending on mood). Though, from what I have been reading, they do forgive you one glass of red wine, or a spirit. One major thing that I am noticing is that the HCG is based on the original version (I discount Trudeau). What many people fail to take into account is the many changes in food over the past 30 years. What was available then and now has drastically changed. For example, I love Black Cherry Seltzer water - delicious. The one I drink is Zero calories, sugar, fat and naturally flavoured without extra chemicals that I can't pronounce. According the original diet - this is a big "NO". I believe that there is a large amount of latitude in the diet provided you follow it using common sense. I am moving into Day 5 (began at 201lbs - pre-load - 205lbs post-load) with a rotating work schedule which has me going to bed at 8am (taking my injection), then waking early afternoon for lunch, then having dinner around 11pm. So I will be interested to see how my body reacts. I have gotten the headaches - but a quick tablet and a nights sleep and it was clear. Not too much on the hunger pangs - only when I eat do I not feel full. I guess that is what the water helps to fill. Although, and I only began to notice this an hour or so ago, I have been awake since 8am (EST) and it is now passing 4am (EST) and I don't "look" tired and my face seems to have a comfortable "glow"... perhaps the weight loss will be attributed to my finally giving birth after so many years :-) As for exercise, I have been going to the Gym since 2007, first on a Mon, Wed, Fri schedule - presently (prior to HCG) on a 2xMon, 2xTue, 2xWed, 2xThu schedule. I roughly walk about 1-2 miles per day at my office (lot of leg work involved). I think my thought on uploading to Youtube may have been premature - my hectic schedule does not seem to allow the devotion to doing it.. so I guess it may be limited to my posting here. Until then, be happy.

Appetite suppressants don't seem like a good idea to me, but then neither does the HCG.