Editor's Letter
Your Questions on Supplements Answered
With the latest developments around the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) not having any legal jurisdiction to regulate natural medicine, we all have many questions. I hope to answer some of them here.
How can I get more information about a particular dietary supplement such as whether it is safe and effective?
There is no national database in South Africa where you can enter the proprietary name of a dietary supplement and assess its safety, quality and efficacy. In countries where natural health products are regulated, such as Canada, the public simply can look up a product online. In South Africa one has to do your own detective work and study the individual ingredients of a product to ascertain its health benefits and usefulness (efficacy) and whether the amount of each ingredient is safe in the dosage contained in the product. Again, the Canadians lead in this field. They have an online database where you can look up individual natural health ingredients to obtain information on their indications of use, upper safety limits (maximum allowable dosage per day), and any warnings one should consider before use. Consult with a suitably qualified and registered health professional, such as integrative medicine practitioners, naturopaths, medical herbalists (phytotherapists) or dieticians.
How do I know if the supplement contains the ingredients that it claims on the label or if it is contaminated?
It is almost impossible for consumers to tell if a product is contaminated without confirmatory tests being undertaken on the product in a laboratory setting to evaluate and screen the chemical substances. Current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regulations safeguard the public from products which may be contaminated. However, as within all industries, there is always a risk that some companies may take chances and not follow the safety guidelines.
How do I choose which brand(s) of dietary supplements I should purchase?
Space here doesn't allow this question to be answered fully. Please read the article: Tips on Discerning Dietary supplement Use.
Winter is here in the Southern Hemisphere, so wrap up warmly and take care!
THANK YOU TO OUR EXPERTS
Our authors receive no payment or any other form of remuneration from us or from the industry. They take time out from their busy schedules to write articles to inspire and educate. Here’s to all of them! May their tireless and tremendous efforts bring them well-deserved rewards.
Yours in Healthy Living
Prevention of Poor Posture in School Children
Table of Contents ↑|Concerned parents are all too familiar with the sight of their children slouching off to school under the burden of an overweight school bag. Dr Frances le Roux offers advice on how to avoid resulting long-term posture problems.
Home Yoga – Is it safe?
Table of Contents ↑|Yoga is good for you but going to a yoga class with 60 experienced yogis might seem quite daunting, plus you can’t really find the time in your busy day and a daily yoga session at a studio can get quite expensive. So what to do?
Natural Treatment for Sinusitis
Table of Contents ↑|Sinusitis can seriously affect overall enjoyment of life, and in some cases even the ability to function well on a day-to-day basis. A healthy, natural approach to its treatment includes physiotherapy and lifestyle considerations.
Which Milk?
Table of Contents ↑|A recent conversation threw an interesting light on a preconceived idea. A colleague and I were chatting about cow’s milk as part of a human diet, and I expressed the opinion that this milk was meant for cows, not for people. My stance echoed what I had read and learned about milk from both scientific literature and so-called conventional wisdom on milk in the modern diet.
Natural Remedies for Winter Ailments
Table of Contents ↑|When you or your family are hit with the almost inevitable colds and flu, you don’t need to reach for that paracetamol straight away. Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet holds a host of different options to remedy your seasonal complaints. Herbs, spices, homeopathics and good nutrition are your first line of defence.
Alternative Pain Therapies: are they realistic?
Table of Contents ↑|Pain is a symptom, often a very strong symptom. It is a personal experience, and is influenced by all that we have learned and experienced, culturally and in our upbringing. While pharmaceutical drugs are powerful and can provide rapid pain relief, they often have side-effects when used in the long term. Dr David Nye describes some alternative therapies.
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