Although the use of herbal products is a growing trend worldwide, many people are not fully informed of what they should be looking for in a market where there is such a wide range of natural remedies and treatments available.

One of the most interesting points raised by a recent Duke University study on Flaxseed (Read the Article American Society of Clinical Oncologists Report Endorses use of Natural Remedies) was the different results obtained when using various forms of the herb – ground whole Flaxseed vs. Flaxseed oil extract.

Over the course of their study, researchers found that while using ground Flaxseed resulted in a lower growth rate of prostate cancer cells, using the oil extract had no positive effect on the growth of the cells.

The results clearly demonstrate that the whole herb form of Flaxseed (obtained using the Full Spectrum Method™) contains compounds that work together to produce the growth-slowing effect on prostate tumors, while the isolated extract (Standardized Extracts) by itself does not contain those compounds and thus cannot have the same positive effect.

Dr. Andrew Weil writes, “Ground flaxseed provides fiber and lignans, compounds with phytoestrogenic activity that probably are responsible for the tumor slowing effect; most flaxseed oils lack both of these.”

This raises the issue of a growing problem within the natural remedies industry. While certain herbs are cited, praised and produced for their remarkable effects on health and the body, many of the remedies available on the market today use only extracts of chemicals from the herb instead of the whole herb itself.

This method, known as standardized extraction, uses harsh chemicals to isolate compounds, draw them out of the herb and then concentrate them. While they are often marketed as more potent forms of the helpful herbs we hear and read about, the truth is that often times separating the chemicals in the herb causes them to lose their effectiveness.

To produce the most effective herbal remedy it requires all of the herbs compounds to work together. The Full Spectrum method of extraction takes this into account.

Rather than simply making use of one particular active ingredient in the herb, the Full Spectrum Method uses the whole herb to create remedies that represent the maximum effectiveness of the plant. This allows a more natural usage of the herb and in many cases ensures safer results.

Many standardized extracts have an increased risk of side effects because they are so heavily concentrated, and lack the natural buffers found in the whole herb that otherwise would cancel out those side effects. In fact, most naturopaths and holistic healing experts refuse to even recognize standardized extracts as legitimate herbal remedies!

Native Remedies is one of the forerunners of using the Full Spectrum Method in the manufacturing process. All of our herbs are wild-crafted and our remedies are made using whole herbs, with close attention by our expert team of naturopaths.

With natural remedies becoming more popular and their use more widespread, it is increasingly important to make sure that the products that you buy come from a trustworthy source and are manufactured according to the advice of naturopaths.

Read more about our Full Spectrum Approach!

Standardized extracts seem to be flooding the market, but just because they are readily available does not make them the best option! The only way to ensure maximum effectiveness with the least chance for side effects is to use products manufactured by experts in the fields of herbal healing who use the Full Spectrum Approach and compounds that are analyzed and measured to produce the safest and most effective dosage when it comes to all of their products.

When deciding between the natural remedies and treatments available, it is important to know what you are getting, where it comes from and how it was manufactured. Otherwise, it may not just be about getting an ineffective product; it could actually be detrimental to your health.