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Before you buy herbal product
6 things you must consider before you Buy Herbal Product
With only a handful of restrictions imposed on herbal manufacturers, most people wonder if it is possible for the average consumer to buy safe and effective herbal products. You may. However, before you spend your money in buying herbs on the shelves, these are a few things that you may want to do
1. Buy Herbal Product but First Educate Yourself
Don't rely on pamphlets written and distributed by health-food stores or herbal product manufacturers. These are used for marketing purpose, not for educating the public. Get yourself herbal books to equip yourself with reliable information. Here are our recommended herb books
2.Tell your doctor
Tell your doctor what you're taking or consider taking. Some herbs like garlic, ginger, and ginkgo biloba can thin the blood. If you are taking anticoagulant prescription drugs such as warfarin, it may increase the effect of the drug. This could lead to a medical problem. People taking aspirins or other blood thinners are also advised to avoid gingko
3.Reputation
Choose herbal products manufactured by companies that have been in business for a long time and have recognizable names.
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There must be manufacturer's address and an 800 number on the label and you should be able to call with questions about the product.
Another good place to look for herbal information is Consumerlab.com. This site will tell you the brand names of supplements that meet their criteria ( you have to pay though)
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4.Your illness
Before trying a herb, be sure your medical condition has been diagnosed correctly. For example, you may think you have bad breath, but the real problem maybe sinusitis.
5.Try fresh ones when you Buy Herbal Product
Some herbs like garlic or bilberry can be bought at the supermarket fresh. So, instead of rushing to buy herb extract or pills, check the fruits and product isle in your supermarket first. Fresh fruit is probably the best source.
6.Note this
Certain herbs have been touted as dietary supplements but may have adverse impact. An amphetamine-like herb called ephedra, or Ma huang, for example, touted as an energy booster and weight loss aid can cause dangerous rises in blood pressure and speed up the heart rate.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a limit on the amount of ephedra that can be added to supplements and has issued warnings on other potentially dangerous herbs, including chaparral, comfrey, yohimbe, Lobelia, germander, willow bark, Jin Bu Huan, and products containing Magnolia or Stephania.
CAUTION: At Oohoi.com, our stand on this issue is this : Over consumption of anything are dangerous (even something as innocent as water) . So, I urge people to take their herbal supplements sparingly - common sense will tell you that they are not your staple food !
Most of the herbal supplements cautioned above are safe when taken in small doses. However life threatening reaction has been recorded - mostly when these herbs are over consumed.
Please use your common sense. The fact that you are reading this and looking for info on herbs shows that you are applying your intelligence. So, I trust that you can make a good decision when using these herbs.
If you would like to have detailed information on the toxicity of plants and herbs, read - Introduction to the Toxicology of Common Botanical Medicinal Substances by Francis Brinker.
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