Health and wellness products will mean

very different things to different

people.

Wellness can be defined as 'the pursuit

of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. For

the benefit of this article, wellness

products are being looked at in the

context of 'over the counter drugs,

health supplements and health remedies.

While for some people, wellness products

might be viewed as an aid to recovery from illness, for others it might be a means

of further enhancing some aspect of

their current health. The variety of

and uses for such products are as numerous

as are the the definitions of wellness

products or wellness programs, depending

of course upon who is promoting them at

any given time.

Whatever your reasons for pursuing

alternative care health or health and

wellness products, a common goal is to

achieve optimised health and well-being.

There are powerful media images hailing

the benefits and safety of many over the

counter drugs, supplements and health and wellness products, every where you turn

these days. They have equally strong

claims of being the one and only miracle

cure or solution for one ailment or another. How accurate are these claims though, and

what are the real costs to you in monetary

and health risk terms?

Immediately after reading this article, go

take a look and do a quick add-up of the

total cost of all the health and wellness products you currently have in stock.

I'm sure the figure will surprise you just

as much as learning about the very real and harmful side effects which can be caused

by some of these drugs or supplements that

are supposed to be contributing to your

overall state of wellness.

You may also be surprised to know that many

of the 'over the counter drugs you buy on a regular basis, simply treat the symptoms

and not the real health issue. Needless to

say, this approach of focusing on the symptom, side-steps the crucial requirement of getting to the root cause of

your condition or whatever it is that ails

you.

You're most likely to pursue a wellness

product either because you are becoming

wary of the adverse effects of chemically produced drugs or because you're keen to

recover from ill-health and improve a

specific health condition. In some

instances it might be that you just want

to optimise your current state of good

health.

While some health and wellness products

can be an effective measure toward

improving your health, you should note that

long-term use of certain over the counter

drugs and some supplements can cause you

more harm than good, with the long-term implications far outweighing any short-

term benefits. You may well find that you

are paying far too high a price on the

basis of a mere quick fix promise.

For thousands of years, people in lands

far and wide have used natural homemade

remedies to manage their health conditions

and wellness needs, without manufactured

health and wellness products, that can be detrimental to health. They have purely

relied upon attaining or maintaining

health by plants or by other natural

means. It could be argued that with the emergence of chemical and pharmacological methods, many forms of this natural means

to health and wellness have declined. In

fact, even by today's standards, there are

many so-called under-developed countries

where inhabitants' rely on nothing more

than homemade health and wellness products, gained via natural methods of plants or

plant-based extracts.

While conventional medicine relies on scientifically backed research

to substantiate effectiveness and safety.

In contrast, similar cannot be said about

some alternative medicines or health and wellness products. There is no such

requirement but their promotion as regard effectiveness are deemed sufficient in themselves as support for therapeutic or wellness claims.

Herbal remedies in general are harmless, however, certain claims being made by some health and wellness products promoters,

(under the banner of being 'natural')) can insinuate their health and fitness

products being the exclusive answer to your

health condition or wellness questions, thus putting you at great risk. Secondly, how

open are they being about what's really

inside? You should always consult your physician over any health concerns, as well

as discussing with him/her your intention or

choice of alternative means for treatment

with any health and wellness product or remedy.

Multi-billion-dollar industries have long

wealed their power by way of lobbying to

gain exemption from FDA regulation. This

has been exactly the case, according to the

Skeptical Inquirer, who, on

commenting on the 'dietary supplement industry, back in 1994, states - "Since

then, these products have flooded the market, subject only to the scruples of their manufacturers".

The above point is an important one to note in that, while

health and wellness products manufacturers may list

ingredients and quantities being used in specific health and

wellness products, there has been no real pressure on them to

do so, or to do so accurately. Furthermore, neither has there

been any watchdog body to ensure they

are penalised for this failing.

So, what are the alternatives open to you? Increasingly, more and more people are

turning to do-it-yourself health and

wellness homemade herbal remedies. The

distinct difference being that in making

your own health and wellness products, you

are in the driving seat. Not only do you

have a full awareness of exactly what the ingredients are and the true quantities, but with the appropriate level of guidance from

a reputable practitioner, you're more

conversant with any health implications, if any.

With the right know-how, you too can draw on

the old-fashioned yet effective sources to greatly improve your health. For instance,

using naturally prepared herbs, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements,

essential oils and flower essences to

create real healing solutions that deal

with particular health conditions rather

than just the symptoms.

It is in the interest of a health and

wellness product manufacturers to promote

their products as being the only option

open to you. They don't want you to know

about the abundant natural resources and

health-giving potent attributes of herbs

and home remedies which have been

used effectively for thousands of years. You see, these remedies cannot be patented

because you can make them yourself and at

a fraction of the cost.

Whether your goal is to overcome illness,

drugs intolerance, allergies or just to

optimise your already good health, with a

little know-how, you can start making your

own health and wellness products and

remedies, using nothing more than the

readily available natural resources in your

home and garden. Not only will you save

your hard earned cash, you also alleviate

the risk of serious or harmful additives

and side effects.

Are you interested in learning more about

how you can treat numerous common ailments without the harsh side effects, using

nothing but natural herbs, vitamins and nutrients you prepare yourself at home?

For instance, did you know that placing

yogurt on your face help to bring water

from the deeper layers of your skin to the surface, moisturizing your skin

for the rest of the day and hiding

wrinkles?

Here are just a few more of the many quick

and effective remedies you can learn to

make:

1. Natural laxatives

2. Beauty recipes

3. Skin care and cleansing preparations such as

acne treatment

4. Herbal shampoos as well as how to treat hair

loss,

5. Dermatitis

6. Menstrual Pain and PMS Symptoms