# Beware Of Herbal Medicinal Products That Contain Lead And Mercury, New Yorkers Warned



## Lisa (Jun 19, 2006)

I know we have some New Yorkers here on the forum.  



> The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) today warned New Yorkers against the use of certain herbal medicine products made in China containing high levels of lead and mercury. While there are not specific federal standards about lead and mercury content, the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board recommends that certain food additives contain no more than 2 parts per million (ppm) of lead and no more than 1 ppm of mercury. Samples of the following products were found to contain very high levels of both lead and mercury:



FULL STORY


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## Shirt Ripper (Jun 19, 2006)

Wait...so why would this only concern NYers?


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## Lisa (Jun 19, 2006)

Good question.  I was wondering if this stuff was only perhaps distributed in New York?  or because the Department warning of the problem is from New York?


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 19, 2006)

Getting herbal from China.

1) You need to get herbal from quality sources in China. Go to a cheap source you get cheap herbal. I'm talking hospital quality herbal is what you want. 

2) You need to be properly trained in Chinese Herbal before you use them or get them, in China

3) You have to be certified in at least Acupuncture in NYS before reputable companies will sell you good herbal

3) You pretty much have to be trained in China to have all of the above.

My wife once had an herbal store call her and ask her if she wanted to buy all their Chinese herbal and a low price. She went to look at it and told then no. Some of it was old others were poor quality. To me they all look the same. 

Herbal can be dangerous and much of the herbal for medical purposes in China you cannot get without a Doctors prescription, the same as Western meds in the US. Just because it is natural does not mean it is safe.

Also to properly administer Chinese herbal you need to know how to mix it. Most schools outside of China only teach the basics, not the full course. 

As for why in NY, much of it comes through NY and it is easy to get herbal in the Chinatowns there. If you know what you are looking at you do not buy it from the less than reputable places. If you are not trained you go there buy an herbal, it may not be quality or legal, but they will not tell you, particularly if you are a westerner. Also NY love to regulate health care.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 20, 2006)

One thing I completely forgot to add.

Much of the herbal that they are referring to is herbal from animal or sea animal sources. 

It is difficult to get mercury in the plant based herbal.


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## Shirt Ripper (Jun 20, 2006)

Good post, Xue.  When you wrote "NYS" above, you were referencing New York City, correct?  Just checking.


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## Xue Sheng (Jun 20, 2006)

Shirt Ripper said:
			
		

> Good post, Xue. When you wrote "NYS" above, you were referencing New York City, correct? Just checking.


 
Actually when I said NYS I meant New York State. But I see that I kind of neglected the 'C' and the 'S' in the last paragraph, apparently to make it more confusing&#8230; Sorry about that. 

*Correction:* "As for why in NYS, much of it comes through NYC and it is easy to get herbal in the Chinatowns there. If you know what you are looking at you do not buy it from the less than reputable places. If you are not trained you go there buy an herbal, it may not be quality or legal, but they will not tell you, particularly if you are a westerner. Also NYS love to regulate health care."


I appear to be having rather frequent senior moments lately


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## trueaspirer (Jun 21, 2006)

Hmm...I'll have to keep an eye on that...​


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