Health and wellness will mean very different things to different people.

Wellness can be defined as 'the pursuit of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. For the benefit of this article, wellness products are being looked at in the context of 'over the counter drugs, health supplements and health remedies.

While for some people, wellness products might be viewed as an aid to recovery from illness, for others it might be a means of further enhancing some aspect of their current health.

The variety of and uses for such products are as numerous as are the the definitions of wellness products or wellness programs, depending of course upon who is promoting them at any given time.

Whatever your reasons for pursuing alternative care health or health and wellness products, a common goal is to achieve optimised health and well-being.

There are powerful media images hailing the benefits and safety of many over the counter drugs, supplements and health and wellness products, every where you turn these days. They have equally strong claims of being the one and only miracle cure or solution for one ailment or another. How accurate are these claims though, and what are the real costs to you in monetary and health risk terms?

Immediately after reading this article, go take a look and do a quick add-up of the total cost of all the health and wellness products you currently have in stock. I'm sure the figure will surprise you just as much as learning about the very real and harmful side effects which can be caused by some of these drugs or supplements that are supposed to be contributing to your overall state of wellness.

You may also be surprised to know that many of the 'over the counter drugs you buy on a regular basis, simply treat the symptoms and not the real health issue. Needless to say, this approach of focusing on the symptom, side-steps the crucial requirement of getting to the root cause of your condition or whatever it is that ails you.

You're most likely to pursue a wellness product either because you are becoming wary of the adverse effects of chemically produced drugs or because you're keen to recover from ill-health and improve a specific health condition. In some instances it might be that you just want to optimise your current state of good health.

While some health and wellness products can be an effective measure toward improving your health, you should note that long-term use of certain over the counter drugs and some supplements can cause you more harm than good, with the long-term implications far outweighing any short-term benefits. You may well find that you are paying far too high a price on the basis of a mere quick fix promise.

For thousands of years, people in lands far and wide have used natural homemade remedies to manage their health conditions and wellness needs, without manufactured health and wellness products, that can be detrimental to health. They have purely relied upon attaining or maintaining health by plants or by other natural means. It could be argued that with the emergence of chemical and pharmacological methods, many forms of this natural means to health and wellness have declined. In fact, even by today's standards, there are many so-called under-developed countries where inhabitants' rely on nothing more than homemade health and wellness products, gained via natural methods of plants or plant-based extracts.

While conventional medicine relies on scientifically backed research to substantiate effectiveness and safety. In contrast, similar cannot be said about some alternative medicines or health and wellness products. There is no such requirement but their promotion as regard effectiveness are deemed sufficient in themselves as support for therapeutic or wellness claims.

Herbal remedies in general are harmless, however, certain claims being made by some health and wellness products promoters, (under the banner of being 'natural') can insinuate their health and fitness products being the exclusive answer to your health condition or wellness questions, thus putting you at great risk. Secondly, how open are they being about what's really inside? You should always consult your physician over any health concerns, as well as discussing with him/her your intention or choice of alternative means for treatment with any health and wellness product or remedy.

Multi-billion-dollar industries have long wealed their power by way of lobbying to gain exemption from FDA regulation. This has been exactly the case, according to the Skeptical Inquirer, who, on commenting on the 'dietary supplement industry, back in 1994, states - "Since then, these products have flooded the market, subject only to the scruples of their manufacturers".

The above point is an important one to note in that, while health and wellness products manufacturers may list ingredients and quantities being used in specific health and wellness products, there has been no real pressure on them to do so, or to do so accurately. Furthermore, neither has there been any watchdog body to ensure they are penalised for this failing.

So, what are the alternatives open to you? Increasingly, more and more people are turning to do-it-yourself health and wellness homemade herbal remedies. The distinct difference being that in making your own health and wellness products, you are in the driving seat. Not only do you have a full awareness of exactly what the ingredients are and the true quantities, but with the appropriate level of guidance from a reputable practitioner, you're more conversant with any health implications, if any.

With the right know-how, you too can draw on the old-fashioned yet effective sources to greatly improve your health. For instance, using naturally prepared herbs, vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements, essential oils and flower essences to create real healing solutions that deal with particular health conditions rather than just the symptoms.

It is in the interest of a health and wellness product manufacturers to promote their products as being the only option open to you. They don't want you to know about the abundant natural resources and health- giving potent attributes of herbs and home remedies which have been used effectively for thousands of years. You see, these remedies cannot be patented because you can make them yourself and at a fraction of the cost.

Whether your goal is to overcome illness, drugs intolerance, allergies or just to optimise your already good health, with a little know-how, you can start making your own health and wellness products and remedies, using nothing more than the readily available natural resources in your home and garden. Not only will you save your hard earned cash, you also alleviate the risk of serious or harmful additives and side effects.

Are you interested in learning more about how you can treat numerous common ailments without the harsh side effects, using nothing but natural herbs, vitamins and nutrients you prepare yourself at home? For instance, did you know that placing yogurt on your face help to bring water from the deeper layers of your skin to the surface, moisturizing your skin for the rest of the day and hiding wrinkles?

Here are just a few more of the many quick and effective remedies you can learn to make:

1. Natural laxatives
2. Beauty recipes
3. Skin care and cleansing preparations such as acne treatment
4. Herbal shampoos as well as how to treat hair loss,
5. Dermatitis
6. Menstrual Pain and PMS Symptoms

Olga Graham is a qualified social care practitioner, life coach and founder of: http://www.health-womens-healthy-living-goals.com A health and Personal Development website for women, that provides free guidance and goalsetting tools, enabling women to set and achieve all aspects of their health goals.