Common Questions When Selecting and Taking Nature's Sunshine Products

Introduction

Nature's Sunshine herbs have been especially formulated for the self-treatment of minor ailments and are not intended to treat serious disorders which should be under the supervision and care of a professional medical practitioner.  It is recommended that herbs are not taken during pregnancy unless otherwise stated under the individual product information, or under the strict supervision of a professional health care practitioner.

Now that you have decided to start using herbs, here are some helpful hints.

1. Start slowly. Some herbs have been known to increase the body's natural process of elimination, so expect to visit the bathroom a little more than usual.  If you are taking laxative herbs, you should lower the dosage to establish comfortable, regular bowel movements. Vomiting should never occur through the use of laxative herbs. If this occurs, cease taking the preparation immediately and consult your professional health or medical practitioner.  Remember laxatives should only be taken occasionally as they can lead to dependence and cause serious bowel disease if taken too frequently.

2. A runny nose is naturopathically interpreted as throwing off excess mucous. Sometimes this is desirable and should cease in a short time. You may also notice a sense of well-being in the head or lung area.

3. Allow time for the herbs to do their work.  Take them every day until the bottle is empty before passing judgment on them.

4. Unless otherwise stated by your professional health care practitioner, always take the dosage recommended on the label.

5. Drink a full glass of purified water with the herbs, particularly when ingesting Capsicum or formulas containing Capsicum, as some people can experience burping and repeating.  Juices are acceptable alternatives, however avoid taking milk.

6. Avoid mucous-forming foods such as milk, milk products, sugar and white flour whilst taking herbs, as these can slow down their absorption and effectiveness.  Alternatively, yoghurt or low fat milk and cheese would be a good choice.

7. Quality, Service, Integrity - the motto on the label of every bottle on Nature’s Sunshine Products (NSP). Remember, these quality supplements contain pure, potent herbal plants, which have been picked, cleaned, ground to a powder and put in gelatin capsules. There are no artificial binders or fillers.

Why should I take my herb capsules or supplements with meals?

The presence of food in the stomach stimulates the production of acids and enzymes that are needed for digestion and proper absorption of nutrients. It doesn’t really matter which meal you take them with, some people prefer breakfast and dinner for convenience. Whether you take herbs or supplements before or after a meal doesn’t really matter either, the only exception being digestive enzymes, such as our Protein Digestive Aid and liver stimulant herbs which should be taken before meals.

Why do some tablets have a speckled look?

Speckles may be visible in some tablets and are due to the natural plant materials or ingredients. Providing the product is still within the expiration period and has been stored according to label directions, you shouldn’t be concerned.

Why is there sometimes a colour variation in capsules from bottle to bottle?

Herbs are a natural plant material and therefore colour variations may occur from batch to batch. Don’t be alarmed as Nature’s Sunshine’s strict Quality Assurance methods ensure each herb undergoes a microscopic evaluation to determine and validate exactly which plant species and plant part is being used before it goes into the capsule or tablet.

I’m a vegetarian and don’t like to take gelatin capsules. How can I still get the benefits of what’s in the capsule?

Nature’s Sunshine gelatin capsules can be twisted open and the contents made into a tea, or sprinkled on food for those wishing not to swallow the capsule.

I found a bottle of herb capsules in the cupboard and the use by date has expired. Can I still take them?

Encapsulated herbs generally carry a 5-year expiration date while concentrated herbs, standardised extracts and vitamins and minerals have a 2-year expiration date. Complementary medicines, while natural, are considered ‘medicinal’ and should be treated the same as you would any medicine i.e. the bottle should be used up and not stored for any great length of time. Stability testing at Nature’s Sunshine determines the expiration dates on our products ensuring that the active ingredients are still present at the end of the product’s shelf life. It is recommended that if a product is past its expiration date, then the product should be disposed of.

How should I store my product?

As the label suggests, all therapeutic goods should be stored under 30C, in a cool, dry place.  NSP products are all packaged in HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) containers to protect against moisture and light, ensuring product integrity.

What does SynerSup mean?

Nature’s Sunshine uses an exclusive excipient cruciferous vegetable base of Broccoli, Cabbage Leaf, Chinese Cabbage Leaf, Carrot Root, Red Beetroot, Rosemary, Tomato and Turmeric to further enhance the product’s therapeutic value.  So when you see the world SynerSup on a product label, you can be assured the vegetable base is included in the formula.

I have heard some products contain Excipients. What are these?

Excipients are mostly used in the tabletting process as manufacturing aids.  For example a tablet coating is an excipient – without it, a tablet may prove difficult to swallow.  Another example might be a lubricant which is needed sometimes to prevent a tablet from sticking to machinery. Some people think excipients are harmful but this is not the case. A quality tablet requires excipients to be used and NSP only use the finest excipients that are known to be safe and that meet our strict quality control requirements.

Do any of your products contain Gluten?

Yes they do.  A small number of herbs such as Oat Seed, Oat Bran, Wheatgrass and Wheat Germ naturally contain Gluten.  For people with Gluten sensitivity (Coeliac disease) products containing these herbs should be avoided. However, those with grain sensitivities may be able to take these products without any problem.  In the event a product contains one of these ingredients the label will always indicate “Contains Gluten” or “May contain Gluten”.

Can I give herbs and supplements to my children?

In Herbal Medicine an 'adult' is considered 12 years of age and can therefore take the adult dosage recommended on the label. The general rule of thumb is that the dosage should be halved for children aged 6-12 years unless the label specifically states ‘Not recommended for Children’. For children aged under 6 years it is always wise to consult a professional health care practitioner before administering herbal medicines, particularly when dealing with sedative or laxative herbs.

I am lactose intolerant. Can I take your herbs and supplements?

Yes you can.  Herbs do not contain lactose. Some products such as probiotics or digestive enzymes, where a starting material may involve lactose, should be avoided. It is a labelling requirement that products containing Lactose should be stated on the product label.

Can supplements be used while I’m on medication?

This will depend on the medication. Some herbs will interact with medicines. It is always best to check with your Doctor or Pharmacist if on medication before taking a herbal medicine or supplement.  You can also contact us if you would like Natural Body Healing to check by accessing our own team of herbal specialists and pharmacists.

You can rest assured, when it comes to making quality products that work, there is no substitute for experience.  No company in the health supplement industry has more experience than Nature’s Sunshine Products does.  Nature’s Sunshine prides itself in its team of scientists, each chosen for their specific knowledge of product research, development and quality control.  With Nature’s Sunshine you can be sure you’re getting the highest-quality, best-formulated most potent (active) products available.

If you'd like to find out more about the full product range from Nature's Sunshine, complete an Online Lifestyle Analysis or to place an order, please follow the relevant link if you live in the UK or in Europe.