Warning: Your herbs may contain heavy metals

You may remember the warning I gave you many months ago about herbs and other supplements coming from China. Many of them contain high levels of heavy metals. Now we know that we have more to worry about than just Chinese products. We now have to worry about those coming from India as well.

The details came out in an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The authors said that about 20% of Ayurvedic medicines sold on the Internet have undesirable levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic.

Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient Indian art of healing, as is traditional Chinese medicine. It centers around herbs. So why do these herbs contain contaminants?

One particular problem is the practice of rasa shastra. It's an ancient practice of deliberately combining herbs with metals and gems. Rasa shastra experts claim that these medicines, if properly prepared and administered, are safe and therapeutic. However, rasa shastra products had higher levels of contaminants.

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Unfortunately, you can't take the word of the Internet sites, as 75% of them claimed Good Manufacturing Practices. If they really were compliant with such practices, we wouldn't be reading about the toxic metals found in their herbs.

I don't like telling you about the sad state of herbal practices in these countries. Both are dear to my heart. But I need to tell you the bad along with the good in alternative medicine. We know the herbs coming from these countries have amazing benefits. So we can't simply avoid them. Many people need them to treat their illnesses. And high-quality manufacturers use these herbs in their products. Just make sure any products you buy are tested thoroughly for impurities. All of Advanced Bionutritionals' products go through extensive testing, so you can rest assured that they are free from contaminants.

Yours for better health and medical freedom,

Ref: JAMA, 8/27/08.