Are These Natural Products Good For You?
That product may be labelled or described as natural, but is it really safe?
There are many hundreds of products on the market for women who cannot or chose not to take hormonal HRT or other medical drugs, but how do you navigate your way through the myriad of pills and potions?
Where has the Product Been Made?
You should be looking for products that are manufactured by Companies who have the correct certificates of Safety, Quality & Hygiene. Sadly, it’s quite easy for the less scrupulous to use false certificates, so just beware…
Wherever possible, stick to products that are made and packed in the UK – Britain is best (got to support local business where you can!), together with Japan where there are very high standards within the consumer healthcare market and of course the USA.
Where buying from overseas, you can always check with the commercial division of the country’s embassy/Consulate for details of the manufacturer.
Is it a Kitchen Sink Approach?
There are a large number of products with several herbs together with vitamins and minerals. More is not necessarily great and unless the manufacturer can provide details of independent data that confirms it is safe to combine X herb with Y herb, just be careful.
Some products which have been commonly marketed for menopause such as Black Cohosh have been associated with liver damage. Kava has been banned in the UK since 2002 for the same reason and more recently Green Tea in pills (as opposed to the tea in leaf or bag form that you brew and drink) has also been associated with liver toxicity.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that certain herbs may be used in cooking, but only in small quantities and not every day; for example Sage. I am not aware of any long term trials that have been undertaken on cullinary herbs and spices to confirm daily usage at high doses is safe.
In the past I’ve taken combination products and wondered why I felt/was sick; now I understand why.
First of All, Double Check the Celebrity Endorsers of these Natural Remedies
Martin Lewis has been the subject of many spoof adverts online claiming that he has endorsed a product/service. To make this very clear, this week he has posted a photo of himself on his Facebook page with the words “I don’t do Ads”.
You would be amazed at the number of companies, both small and large who believe it’s their right to market themselves based on falsehoods.
This Naural Remedy for Menopause Has Got Loads of Great Reviews!
Reviews are a great way of us communicating feedback our experience(s) to others and can be very helpful. It’s well worth taking the time to read through comments and get a feel of the product. Are they dated? Are they regular and seem genuine (go with your gut on this one).
Please also beware of sites listing a whole number of happy customer comments – how many times have we heard of false ratings?! Some companies will even go to the extent of creating false identities online in an attempt to bolster sales.
Does The Company Provide Support?
We often need advice and support in life, particularly when going through the menopause. Finding a product that has a good after sales service, ideally manned by women that know exactly what you are going through, makes all the difference.
This is particularly important if you have come across a product online; call them, can you speak to someone in house who has used the product? Again, just be careful; using Skype means you can actually see who you are speaking to and confirm they are who they say they are.
How Long Should I try a Natural Remedy For?
I would say 1 month should be more than enough; with our product, if people haven’t seen benefits kicking in within this time, we would advise to discontinue and move onto something else.