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| Herbal
FAQ's Issues to consider before purchasing health products Supplements
Ingredients Issue: Herbal manufacturers are not required to do the testing or quality control that are routinely done for drugs. First, herbs are not drugs; they're dietary/nutritional supplements. Common herbs on the market today have been tested in the laboratory of human experience for literally thousands of years, from diverse cultures as the Chinese to the Native Americans. This is why the law in this country places herbs in a different category than drugs. Second, even though not required by law to undergo stringent quality control measures, Nature's Sunshine elects to do so. Because they manufacture most products in-house, they maintain strict control over quality. Their products are backed by pharmaceutical-quality research laboratories and developed by some of the most well-respected experts worldwide in fields of nutritional science, plant chemistry, and physiological technology. Issue: How can you know a supplement's ingredients are in a form your body can use, or the ingredients are available in appropriate amounts? To ensure potency, quality and assimilability, Nature's Sunshine monitors its products from the moment they arrive at the manufacturing plant in raw form until they are shipped to you. Trained scientists carefully examine each plant on a cellular level to determine that the correct species was used, where there is any contamination, and where the correct parts of the plant were harvested. Knowing which part of the plant contains the key ingredients-root, leaf, or whole herb-is vital in ensuring the consumer gets the desired benefits of a product. Analytical testing helps NSP identify components and ingredients to ensure potency and consistency from batch to batch. In the final stage, tablets and capsules are tested for disintegration in conditions simulating the digestive process to ensure that the ingredients are bioavailable and your body can assimilate them. These tests are vital. Without them, you never know whether you're getting the proper part of the herb, whether the potency is consistent from batch to batch, or whether your body can assimilate a supplement. Nature's Sunshine goes to great expense to ensure your peace of mind. Issue: How can you know whether the recommended usage levels make sense? At NSP, we do not use the term "dosage," because herbs are not drugs. Where scientific literature exists on a specific herbal product - and many herbs have a surprising large body of scientific research to support them - recommended usages are based on those shown safe and suitable through science. Where such literature doesn't exist, recommended use is based on time-tested use of a specific herbal product. Further,
NSP products are backed by a research staff consisting of seven Ph.Ds., including
three senior people who are respected doctors in their fields. NSP uses their
background and experience to determine proper usage of herbal products. Dr. Dilip
Bhatia has extensive experience with chemistry and pharmaceutical products. Dr.
Alvin Segelman, a pharmacognosist, spent 25 years at Rutgers University and is
respected in the scientific community. Dr. James Scala is a world-renown nutritionist
who has worked with the U.S. Olympic team and published nine books on nutrition. Issue: You never know what is going to be mixed in with the herbs in a capsule. Nature's Sunshine lists all ingredients in our products clearly on the label in order of their amount. Further, their herbal supplements contain no fillers. NSP uses natural source binders and lubricants such as plant fiber, silica, calcium and magnesium stearate when needed for tableting and filling capsules. Strict quality control measures using state-of -the-art technology ensure that their products are pure. NSP's impeccable quality-control record spands more than 30 years. Issue: You never know whether your herbal supplements will be the same from batch to batch. Nature's Sunshine's reputation for producing high-quality products is always at stake. They take their commitment to quality seriously. That is why incoming herbs are tested in their labs to ensure consistency from batch to batch. Those that don't meet their stringent standards, are returned to the vendor. Where feasible, NSP's herbal products are standardized to ensure you the same potency every time. With herbs that aren't standardized, unavoidable slight variations may occur with different crops. This is simply a natural phenomenon; true of any food you purchase at the store. NSP's customer satisfaction rate tells the story: "Many people tell us they've tried to save money by using other products, and ended up coming home to Nature's Sunshine." Issue: No one really knows if the herbs you use are safe. These statistics tell all: Between the years of 1983 -1992, 90,000 to 110,000 people died from reactions to prescription drugs, 320 from over the counter drugs, three from all dietary supplements combined, including contaminated L-tryptophan, and zero from herbs. (Sources: American Association of Poison Control Centers, FDA, AAPCC, USDA, Journal of the American Medical Association, New England Journal of Medicine.) In
summary… Nature's Sunshine Horizon, February, 1996 This
information is not intended to be used for diagnosing ailments or prescribing
remedies in any way. Recommendations are not meant or intended to be a substitute
for professional medical help.
© Copyright
TruHealth, 2002-2004
Last updated 07/28/04
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"For
about 22 years, I was on medications for severe allergies. Now, after my herbal
program, I haven't taken medicines for six weeks. Also, after surgery on my knee,
the area swelled up and the doctor's couldn't get the swelling down. The swelling
went down so quickly after I began the herbal program that even my doctors were
amazed."
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"images - courtesy of Nature's Sunshine Products"