How Safe Are Natural Home Remedies Really?

Let me start by touching on the word "natural."  Too many people read "natural" and think it means "safe."
First off, lets dispel that myth.  Know whats natural? Cocaine is natural.  So is heroin and cyanide.  Best of all, cyanide is even a common ingredient in many "natural" cosmetics.

Natural does not mean safe, non-toxic, or healthy.

 So... what does natural mean?

Actually, the term

"natural" is not legally regulated on cosmetic labels.

What does that mean?  It means that "natural" eye shadow you bought could be completely man made chemicals.  There is no legal regulation of the word "natural" so a company can use it however they want.  Just because a label says "100% Natural" doesn't mean the product actually contains any natural ingredients.  All chemical compounds break down to naturally occurring elements, so anything can be called natural.

So I can't buy natural cosmetics?  Not what I'm saying at all! Be smart about it, google
the ingredients in all your cosmetics, natural or not,  and don't pay extra just because a product claims to be natural.
Bottom line, all substances used in manufactured products are regulated and proven safe to be used in the manner and amount they are used.

Ahhh.. but what about all these "Natural Home Remedies" floating around the blogosphere?  We've dispelled the myth that natural is safe, so what we're left with is home remedies.  Untested, unproven, home remedies.  Lets do some research into some of the more popular home remedies floating around and see how safe and effective they really are.

• Food ingredients.

   Food is regulated by the government, so in general all food ingredients are safe.  There are a few exceptions: 


• Tooth whitening.

   Two popular home remedies advise using strawberries or banana peel as a tooth whitener.  Strawberries contain malic acid, which whitens teeth.  So this home remedy can be effective.  However, strawberries also contain a load of sugar, which is not good for your teeth.  In addition, strawberries, (as well as most fruits), contain acid which can erode the protective enamel of your teeth. Articles I read, including one by Dr. Oz, caution against leaving the strawberry on teeth longer than a minute, or using more often than once a week.  They advice brushing teeth immediately after to remove the acid from teeth.  However, new research suggests brushing teeth immediately after exposure to acids can push the acids deeper into enamel.  My conclusion: ask your dentist before trying to whiten your teeth yourself.  I think its better to use a more gradual tooth whitening toothpaste that is safe for your teeth, than try to get better results and end up with tooth sensitivity. 
  

• Hair care.

   This one has been around for a long time: use lemon juice to naturally lighten hair.  This works!  But lemon juice also weakens and damages hair.  Using baking soda and vinegar to wash hair is also popular. Baking soda washes well, I recommend adding a small amount to shampoo to help wash out chlorine if you swim a lot in the summer, but regular use will dry hair out and cause breakage.  Vinegar has some benefits, but should be used sparingly. 

• Treat the cause, not the symptoms.

   Which is better, taking pepto bismol after getting food poisoning, or not eating undercooked chicken in the first place? Yeah. Gross, but it illustrates a point.  You need to address the cause of concerns, not just treat the symptoms.  Ever notice that some people will swear by a home remedy, and others will swear it did more bad than good? That's often because for some people it will be addressing the cause of their problem, while for others it may even exacerbate it.  

• Here's an example:

  Sally and Mary both have dry, damaged hair.  They both find a recipe for natural shampoo with baking soda in it.  After using this home remedy, Sally notices great improvement, and Mary's hair starts breaking off.  Why? 
  

• The answer lies in the cause of their damaged hair.

   Sally's hair was damaged because she swims daily and the chlorine is drying out her hair.  By switching to the natural shampoo with baking soda in it, Sally was inadvertently using a shampoo that would wash out the chlorine better.  Because the chlorine was the problem to begin with, Sally's hair got better.  Mary's hair was dry because she heat styles without protecting her hair.  By using the baking soda shampoo, Mary was replacing her normal moisturizing shampoo with drying baking soda.  This made the problem worse, and caused further damage. 

So whats the conclusion? Some home remedies are effective and save, and some are dangerous.  Do your research before putting anything, natural or not, on your body.  And the most effective treatment is always going to be what treats the cause.  Figure out why you are experiencing a problem before jumping to treat it.

What home remedies do you use? Have you ever used one that ended up being harmful?