In our culture, advertisements regularly bombard us with all kinds of promotions for ready-packed processed food – especially fast food. During the past two decades or so, fast food has dramatically risen. Why? Because of our fast pace of life. We are too busy to prepare traditional meals. And more... fast food meals cost cheaper than home-cooked meals. Not to mention the fact that fast food is a time-saving meal.

We love fast food. Without us realizing or minding that while fast food may be more tasty than a home-cooked meal – fast food is high in salt, very high in fat or sugar and low in fiber. In short, fast food may be bad for our health.

It is now time for us to be educated and trained to eat herbal foods, to use personal care and herbal cosmetics and to patronize herbal medicine. For better health and a greater sense of well-being.

Despite the popularity of fast food, it is heartening to note that today, there is a growing use of herbal products – herbal foods, herbal cosmetics and herbal medicines. In short, there is a booming market for herbal products.

One may ask: What’s the global trend in the herbal industry? Let me share with you the following information:-

•Do you know that to date, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4 billion people (80% of world population) use herbal medicine in one form or another;

•Do you know that the use of anti-aging herbal products are increasing;

•Do you know that eighty-five (85%) percent of essential oil production come from developing countries;

•Do you know that China leads in the production of raw materials for herbal medicine;

•Do you know that our human bodies are built or suited for consuming more plant products than animal products. For example, we, human beings have twenty molars, which are teeth used for crushing plant foods. We have eight frontal incisors, which are used for biting into fruits and vegetable. And unknown to many, only four of our teeth are canine teeth designed for eating meat;

•Do you know too that our hands are meant primarily for picking food such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, leaves and grains. Human beings do not have claws for ripping flesh;

•Do you know that in the US, the sale of herbal products has skyrocketed from $200 Million in 1988 to $3.3 Billion in 1997;

•Do you know that in terms of world health, herbal medicines continue to play a central role in the health care systems of large portions of the world’s population;

•Do you know that the European market for herbal supplements and herbal medicines is currently worth $7.4 billion;

•Do you know that Germany is the largest European market, with a 27% share; followed by France (24%); Italy (12%); and the UK (9%);

•Do you know that the raw material supply in the US is increasingly dominated by imports from China/India in 2002 and shifting further;

•Do you know that our own herbal and organic industries are competing abroad with foreign-made products using raw component biomaterials from our very own country? Ironic, isn’t it? Bio-pirates – this is the common term used to describe those who take a ‘free ride’ on the resources of least developed countries and developing countries. The third world countries, so-called. Others call it the ‘raping’ of the biological diversity of a nation. According to Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, biological diversity means the “variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are a part; this includes diversity within species, between species and ecosystems.”

Have a joyful day!