Why Health Food Stores Can Be Bad

I went into a health food store a few years ago with the objective of testing the ‘specially trained technitain.’ I asked what medical ingredients were in willow bark. I was assured that their willow bard was 100% organic and there was no medical chemicals added.

I took another step and asked if there were any medical ‘properties’ and was again assured that there are not. I finally asked why willow was good for my allergies. They assured me it was because natural things interact naturally with other natural things to help them work better – I left feeling uneasy.

The fact is that most of our medicines contain these ‘natural’ elements that are a part of our herbs and natural plants. Each of the properties that heal are – indeed – medical in definition. They are medicinal ingredients.

When a health store misrepresents this, they down play the importance of making sure there is no reaction between the medical properties in natural products and the pills that you are currently taking. It amazes me that herbalists in stores can do the same job as a pharmacist, but do not need any training.

I am sorry, but I can walk into my garden and make a tea that will help heal. I can also walk out there and make one that will kill. There is no way to measure the number of people who have died because of an interaction between medicines and holistic medicine.

Herbs and nutritional supplements can cause health difficulties. I remember one of the most shocking instances I’ve ever seen. It was in a published book. The book said to take comphry internally which we all know causes liver disease and other internal problems.

If you want to take herbs and natural supplements then you need to contact a National Institute of Medical Herbalists (www.nimh.org.uk).

But, try a good diet first. Foods should always be the first line of defense. They can help symptoms, and even reverse the damage caused by disease.