It's so difficult to know what to take and what not to take. First, we hear that Ginkgo Biloba is good for our hearts and our brains, then they tell us is causes excessive bleeding, which can be life threatening in some situations---such as taking it prior to surgery.

Next it was Kava Kava, an ancient root that has been relaxing islanders for years, and now the media says it causes liver damage. And what about Ephedra?

While I have great respect for the medical community at large, I find it frustrating that many natural supplements are being labeled as dangerous when that just isn't the case.

Ephedra has suffered the same bad rap.

The properties of the Ma Huang plant have been healing people for 5,000 years, yet in the last 10 or 20 years, authorities are calling it dangerous. And I can tell you why. Because anytime that something makes a person feel good, there will be people who abuse and over use it. Epedra fits into that category.

Even though Ma Huang has been relieving our ancestors of various ailments---from asthma to lethargy-for centuries upon centuries, as soon as word got out in the West that one could lose weight and feel great (Ephedra speeds up metabolism and burns fat) a few people over indulged. Before too long, Ephedra was being touted as dangerous and it was temporarily banned in diet products.

Having written two preventative health books and an on-going health column, I have had the opportunity to interview many authors, researchers, and physicians, both medical and naturopaths. The one thing I have learned in all of this is that nearly anything can be dangerous in excess.

Many prescription drugs kills people every day. There are certain vitamins that would be toxic if you took too many. Not unlike drinking or recreational drugs, just about anything you consume, whether a natural or man-made supplement, has the potential to cause harm.

In conclusion, I am convinced that Ephedra has gotten an unfair reputation as being a dangerous supplement when indeed, the danger only comes when people do not pay attention to the labels on the pills or do not consult their own health care practitioner when starting a new product.

It only makes sense that a diet supplement that helps one lose weight is going to speed up the metabolism in order to burn fat, so, a person with heart disease would be remiss to partake without medical supervision. In my opinion and years of experience in a wide variety of medicinal herbs and supplements, I have found that the current Ephedra-based products on the market (when they abide by the current standard of 10 mg) are no more stimulating then two cups of coffee.

As a society, it is our responsibility to pay attention to what we consume, act responsibly, and follow the recommended dosage. When we fail to do so, we wind up having products and supplements that are otherwise useful and beneficial, taken off the market for no one to enjoy.

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