The Truth About Bacteria and Herbal Supplements

Link to Natural Health & Organic Living Blog

Posted: 20 Aug 2014 10:15 AM PDT

Modern-day dietary supplements—particularly herbal supplements—have remained controversial since their inception. Proponents tout that herbal supplements, because of their concentration, are extremely potent and helpful for supporting a wide range of body functions. Those who oppose herbal supplements, on the other hand, claim these products may pose a significant health concern, especially if they contain any level of bacteria. While many herbal supplements do display measurable levels of bacteria counts, particularly in roots such as turmeric and ginger, these bacteria levels may actually be relatively benign if not beneficial for the human body.

Is There Bacteria in My Nutritional Supplement?

Food grown for supplementation purposes, like herbs, barks, and roots, often contain naturally-occurring, soil-based bacteria. This bacteria, while alarming to most, is naturally present in all foods within the plant kingdom. Supplement companies must perform rigorous testing on all of their products to determine bacteria count, commonly reported in colony-forming units (CFUs). A colony-forming unit is simply a measurement of the amount of viable bacteria residing in a sample.

Here’s a quick view of the categories of food and their recognized bacteria levels. Each category is either naturally high, medium, or low in bacteria levels. Note that the food category that is high in CFUs has no set standards for bacterial recommendations, whereas the medium to low categories have limits as to how much bacteria should be contained within the final product:

CFUs	Examples	Microbiological Recommendation
High	Raw, dried, fermented plant materials (roots, stems, flowers, leaves, barks, etc.)	None/Not Applicable
Medium	Luncheon meats, desserts, fish, condiments, processed and preserved cooked foods	Less than 100,000 CFUs/g
Low	Cooked, processed foods, including ready-to-eat frozen foods	Less than 10,000 CFUs/g

A further analysis can be found in Viable Bacteria of Colony-Forming Units (CFUs) in Dietary Supplements: A Safety Review.

What the science shows, however, is that fresh foods and dried, powdered, and extracted plant and root material contain a high level of CFUs. This bacteria is naturally occurring in the soil, and the majority of these microorganisms pose no serious health threats. High CFUs may be indicative of the health and biodiversity of the soil in which certain herbs, roots, or plants are grown. After all, bacteria resides in all living things, including the human body. Without bacteria, life would not be possible.

Soil-based organisms are often included in a CFU count, and these organisms actually support digestive, brain, and immune health. Consumers of dietary supplements, seeing that a natural plant-based supplement contains CFUs, voice concern that the product might contain dangerous bacteria. This misguided notion is simply a misunderstanding as to the type of bacteria present. Typically, a high CFU count in a dietary supplement doesn't indicate the quality or safety of a product.

Many companies believe that dietary supplements should be irradiated in order to reduce this bacteria; however, the high levels of colony-forming units (viable and live bacteria) contained within these supplements may actually be benign in nature, if not potentially beneficial for the body. Irradiation is also a terrible way of ensuring the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements. The process of irradiation may actually pose more harm to the body by producing certain levels of carcinogenic compounds, like furan.

The Science

Global Healing Center has recently produced a white paper review on the viable bacteria contained within supplements consisting of extracted roots (turmeric and ginger, being examples), leaves, and various barks. We have gathered relevant information from a large pool of scientific journals, health organizations, and universities all over the world. This is the first paper of its kind to demonstrate the safety of CFUs in dietary supplements. It's our hope that this review may initiate further investigations into herbal supplements and their naturally-occurring, beneficial bacteria.

The post The Truth About Bacteria and Herbal Supplements appeared first on Natural Health & Organic Living Blog.

6 Reasons to Use Organic Makeup

Posted: 20 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Makeup is an essential beauty item used by women all over the world, and many females are in no hurry to ditch this daily necessity. While choosing to wear makeup may help enhance one's personal appearance and self esteem, it also exposes the wearer to a range of health concerns. Research is beginning to reveal that some ingredients in beauty and personal care products may be linked to cancer and Alzheimer's disease, sparking outrage among many professionals in the health and wellness communities. Fortunately, effective alternatives to chemically-produced makeup and beauty products are available to fight these growing health concerns.

Here are the 6 reasons why I recommend only organic cosmetics:

1. Eco Friendly

Conventional beauty products utilize petroleum-based ingredients and usually rely on a host of other chemicals for their production process. These compounds are typically harsh substances, like petroleum, aluminum, and lead, all of which require extensive mining. Much of this is done in some of the world’s most beautiful and sensitive areas, like the Amazon rainforest, and miles of land are destroyed and stripped of vital wildlife every year.

In fact, the most common personal care products of all–antiperspirants–utilize aluminum. Not only is aluminum mining responsible for the destruction of wide swaths of rainforests in South America, but research has clearly tied it to breast cancer ^[1] and Alzheimer's disease. ^[2] Choosing aluminum-free deodorant is perhaps one of the best ways to prevent exposure to this dangerous compound.

2. No Harsh Chemicals

Although they may be effective for improving appearance, albeit temporarily, the chemicals in conventional makeup are often very harsh on skin and may promote irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. A reddish and haggard hue is certainly not going to help you look your best! More importantly, many of the chemicals used in non-organic makeup are downright poisonous to the endocrine system. Parabens and phthalates are two common examples of substances that are used extensively in cosmetics. Both of these compounds have been linked to cancer and type II diabetes, ^[3] ^[4] and the Environmental Protection Agency warns against their exposure. ^[5]

3. Natural Fragrance

Many people shop with their nose when it comes to personal care products, similarly to the way most people "eat with their eyes" before actually placing any of the food into their mouths. The two human senses will usually help determine a product's worthiness in the minds of consumers. Scents in the majority of beauty products consist of a mixture of chemicals, and these chemicals can be inhaled throughout the day by people who wear such beauty products.

Man-made aromas expose the body to a number of toxic effects, and some research has linked them to cancer, nervous system disorders, allergies, and birth defects. ^[6] Not only do humans inhale these chemicals into their lungs, they also expose their skin to these toxic compounds. When choosing beauty products, always make sure that the scents are derived from 100% natural ingredients. Essential oils are perhaps one of the best natural perfumes in the world and the most concentrated in terms of aroma. That being said, keep in mind that a little dab goes a long way.

4. Nutrient-Rich

Your skin has the ability to absorb certain compounds; however, a protective barrier is able to keep dangerous compounds, to some degree, out of the body. Even then, research still concludes that personal care products, when applied topically, can damage bodily systems and lead to untold health consequences. One of the key rules for makeup, and any beauty product, is basic and straightforward: if you can't eat it, don't wear it.

Cocoa butter is one of the leading natural moisturizers out there, providing essential fatty acids for healthy, youthful skin. Organic makeup, especially liquid foundation, may have cocoa butter or various nutrient-rich oils to provide a smoother, more youthful look. ^[7] Extracts of white tea, grapes, apricots, and pomegranate seeds provide antioxidant protection and may inhibit collagenase and elastase, two enzymes that break down the integrity and elasticity of the skin. [8] Aside from allergies, you can't go wrong when choosing a makeup that contains added nutritive components and herbal extracts.

5. Protection from Premature Aging

Makeup made with natural minerals generally provides a certain level of sun protection. The skin on the face is thinner and more susceptible to UV-related skin aging, so choosing a mineral-rich organic cosmetic product may help support healthy, youthful-looking skin. Three common organic mineral ingredients are:

Titanium oxide: Provides SPF 15 protection against the sun’s harmful effects.
Zinc oxide: Protects against both UVA (ultraviolet A) and UVB (ultraviolet B) types of light.
Iron oxide: Also provides ultraviolet light protection.

Many herbal extracts also provide antioxidant protection, and vitamin C has been demonstrated to provide sun-shielding benefits. Choose makeup that contains these ingredients if at all possible, especially during the summer when the sun is at its strongest.

6. Gentle on Your Skin

My sixth reason for being an advocate of organic cosmetics is that they’re gentler on the skin. Of course, this statement is really just a summary of the other five reasons you should choose organic cosmetics. Why on earth would you want to use harsh chemicals on your skin that are not only dangerous to both your health and the earth, but also rough on your skin?

How can it be beautifying to use a product that dries your skin, making it look tired and dull? Even if there’s a temporary benefit from chemical-based cosmetics, that benefit comes at a cost: your future beauty. Do you want your skin to age prematurely? Do you want to increase your risk for suffering from a chronic disease? There’s certainly nothing beautiful about that!

The Bottom Line

It’s obvious to me that true beauty comes from glowing health, with cosmetics simply being an adjunct. When it comes to your food and your makeup, always choose organic. This way, you can be sure you are doing yourself, and the planet, a great deal of good. To promote a beautiful, radiant glow, it's important that you consume a diet rich in raw vegetation and to get plenty of physical activity every day. Also, by getting enough sleep, managing stress, and practicing positive thinking you can transform your personal attitude to that of serenity. Beauty comes from within, and it starts with you!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM