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Why the so ‘natural’ needs not be safe? Know, be aware and beware
Highlights
Next to the magical words like ‘Herbal’, ‘Traditional’, ‘Ayurveda’, the word ‘Natural’ is the most used, abused, over used and over sold ‘magical jargon’ in the market all over the world for commercial advantage. Most people even today believe that whatever is so ‘natural’ are safe, effective and reliable.
Next to the magical words like ‘Herbal’, ‘Traditional’, ‘Ayurveda’, the word ‘Natural’ is the most used, abused, over used and over sold ‘magical jargon’ in the market all over the world for commercial advantage. Most people even today believe that whatever is so ‘natural’ are safe, effective and reliable.
The ironic fact is that the hunter gatherer man when evolved from his ‘natural living/life’ to ‘safe living’ and that he learned through his instincts from an accidental forest fire that had burned several lives. When he tasted the boiled and burned meat, he learned that cooking increases the palatability of the food items, minimizes microbial contamination and ensures greater safety.
It means, whatever comes so natural from nature were not as safe, as tasty and as worthy as thought to be. This was the knowledge of early man – the hunter gatherer.
The question is, whether man is de-evolving to hunter gatherer state from his present day stature and hence anchors greater trust, belief and reliability on anything that is called so ‘natural’?
The US FDA seeks the meaning of ‘natural’ from people of all walks of life to understand how people connect and interpret the meaning of the world ‘Natural’ so as to define it unambiguously. If such definition is not implemented, man becomes natural victims to all that are natural.
Scientific definition of the term natural refers to substances that have come directly from nature. It means, it needs not have been processed, its contamination limits may not be known, determined or controlled, the levels of various pollutants like pesticide residues may not be known, determined or controlled, so are the levels of other toxic heavy metals. Similarly, like how its quality is unknown, so is efficacy because, efficacy is always directly proportional to quality.
The question is how such ‘natural stuff’ can be safe, effective and reliable?
The animals that are slaughtered for human consumption require certification from health officials that the animal is healthy and free of any diseases. Why such certification is necessary when these animals are so natural?
The best milk according to AYUSH is the un-boiled milk that is collected straight from the udder of a cow. Science has proved that such milk is not safe and it requires pasteurization. Why the milk that is so natural is not safe and it has to be pasteurized?
Why we wash our hands before we eat anything or why we wash vegetables and fruits before we eat? They come so natural from nature.
The world is changing and the question is are we willing to change and understand the truth that the term ‘natural’ always needs not be safe, effective and reliable?
Let us look at the fitment of AYUSH from the above context. AYUSH is an extension of Nature. Do not have definite standards for traditional (Sastric) AYUSH products?
When one wants to export ISM products to other countries, they have to submit the documents such as an exhaustive list on the presence and levels of various pesticide residues, aflatoxin levels, presence and limits of heavy metals, microbial limits etc.
Do Sastric AYUSH products require the above tests to be done on batch on batch basis?
When huge tax exemption is given to ISM products, can’t the Government mandate all the above tests on batch on batch basis for all AYUSH products that are sold in the market? If such rule is implemented strictly, can’t we prevent ISM vaidyas in private practice those who prepare own concoctions (God knows its quality and usefulness) and sell to poor patients without any license?
Are we not so concerned about the life and health of the poor people who believes ISM to be an extra terrestrial science, safe and undoubtedly effective?
Sir, can the believers of AYUSH be harmed? Don’t you think the believers are the one who suffer the worst when they take products that requires no such tests?
When the poor patients who take antibiotics for treating bacterial infections and if take some ISM products that are likely to harbor several microbial contaminants (because of lack of strict rule and definition), what are we achieving through such holistic health care approach and integrated health care practice?
What is the essence of the term natural conveys to us?
Integrating or mainstreaming AYUSH will bring more danger and disaster to our health system than will do any good. Such decision will endanger the effective allopathic medical system.
The best way to achieve the usefulness of AYUSH to humanity and promotion of AYUSH is, re-position AYUSH as paramedical wellness based practice.
Mainstreaming AYUH or opening back door entry for ISM vaidyas to practice allopathic system will do only harm to rural health care system.
We need science driven health care system and not faith based practices.
It is not natural products but safe products only humanity need. Therefore we need to differentiate the terms, traditional, natural, herbal etc., and these terms needs not mean they are safe and effective.
Safety and efficacy can be established only through science and not through faith.
S Ranganathan
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