A dictionary definition
Main Entry: cue Function: noun
1 a : a signal (as a word, phrase, or bit of stage business) to a performer to begin a specific speech or action
b : something serving a comparable purpose; HINT
Herbs and Your Health:
Questions You Should Be Asking
Q Why should I be asking questions about herbs?
A Because your future health depends
upon how well you supply your body with the nutrients required for daily maintenance,
and for protection from pollution and disease. Herbs, chosen wisely, provide thousands
of nutrients (phytochemicals) not available in even the best of diets. These important
nutrients cannot be efficiently supplied by the chemical isolates which are in common
use today.
Q I have heard of herbs for cooking, and herbal medicines, but I do not know much
about herbs for nutrition. Should I be cautious when adding herbs to my daily diet?
A
Yes. Many well-meaning "experts" recommend herbal preparations for daily use that
are actually medicinal, and should be prescribed by licensed and experienced health
professionals, for short-term use only. Get your advice from those who know the difference
between herbal foods and herbal medicines.
Q Are there some herbs that I should not be taking on a daily basis?
A Some of the
currently popular herbal preparations with known side effects include green tea,
various algae, ginkgo biloba, ephedra (ma huang), psyllium, aloe vera, pau d'arco,
echinacea, guarana, melaleuca, and American goldenseal. Given the absence of quality
control standards in the herbal industry, there are many others that can cause problems,
depending on how they are handled. For example, soybeans, a rich herbal (plant) source
of many important nutrients, are usually handled in a way that destroys their benefits
and actually makes them harmful to health. The same is true of many essential oils
used in today's skin care products.
Q How can I recognize which herbal products are good for my health?
A It helps to
understand how important the preparation process is. We take this for granted when
we use more familiar foods: we know what parts to keep and what parts to throw away;
we know whether a food is under-ripe, spoiled, or just right; and in general we know
how to fix the food to make it edible. When it comes to herbs, especially unfamiliar
ones, it is even more important to have understanding of preparation processes. For
this knowledge, most of us need to rely on herbal health food experts. Whoever prepares
the herbs for nutritional purposes must know what parts of the plants to use, how
to harvest at the right stage, and how to customize the herbal food for balance and
assimilation. This is a very exacting science.
Q Does anyone know how to do this?
A While some "folk wisdom" exists, most cultures
experienced in the use of herbs did not keep adequate written records. There is one
exception. The ancient Chinese kept very precise records for thousands of years,
detailing hundreds of thousands of herbs that could promote long life and maximum
health. For the last 2000 years, these records were lost. However, they are currently
in use as the foundation for the restoration of herbal nutritional science by the
herbal experts at Sunrider International in Torrance, California. At this time, we
know of no other company with Sunrider's level of information, technical expertise,
and resources. They now have 26 years of experience combining the best of ancient
herbal knowledge with modern technology.
Q Is this the same as the Chinese Traditional Medicine I have heard about?
A Definitely
not. Herbal nutrition is a separate science from herbal medicine. Herbal medicines
correct symptoms, and should not be self-administered. Herbal nutritional products
are foods that supply what your body needs but your ordinary diet cannot provide.
They can be used safely, the same as regular foods. Even if you are using medications,
herbal or pharmaceutical, herbal foods will help you overcome side effects and improve
your total health picture. They do not require a doctor's supervision.
Q What should I expect in herbal nutritional supplements designed by "experts"?
A
You should look for these things:
- Evidence that the company distinguishes between medicinal and nutritional herbs. A product that makes claims that it will "cure" a certain symptom or disease is always an herbal medicine, and ought to be labeled as such.
- Control over the growing, harvesting, and storage conditions of raw plant materials.
- Rigorous quality control and scientific testing of contents and potency of all raw materials and consumer-ready products.
- Expertise in combining various herbs to provide the consumer with a final product where the weaknesses of some herbs are balanced by the strengths of others. Combination is a basic principle of effective herbal nutrition, but it is often done without accurate knowledge.
- Concentration processes to assure that the consumer gets enough of the required nutrients to allow the body to actually improve itself
- Absolutely sterile conditions in processing and packaging, with zero allowance for chemical or bacterial contamination.
Q What can I expect herbal nutritional supplements to do for me?
A Because herbs will
immediately begin to supply nutrients your body has probably never had before, you
never know what to expect! Your body will use these long-forgotten foods to restore
various functions, cleanse and purify, balance various systems, and in general improve
your health. Some benefits are immediately apparent; some appear after long and regular
use.
