nat·u·ral, adj.
- present in or produced by nature; having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives; not altered, treated, or disguised.
In other words, a natural product is one that you could make using simple mixing techniques in your own home with ingredients you already have, or can easily get.
But you'll notice that there is nothing in that definition about healthy, safe, nutritious, nourishing, or beneficial.
"Natural" has become a term we equate with goodness, cleanliness, and almost next to Godliness.
And advertising mavens are very aware of this.
That's why we see the word, natural, sprinkled liberally anywhere it is possible to use it.
We do the same in our business.
We sell an all-natural pet product and advertise the fact that it is all-natural.
But does that make it safe or healthy or good? Nope, not by a long shot.
We know our pet supplement is safe, healthy, and nutritious.
It is beneficial because it provides nutrients necessary for good health in dogs but not because it is natural.
Let's look at some all-natural products and decide if being all-natural makes them a good choice for us.
* Hemlock - a lovely plant that resembles Queen Anne's Lace or fennel.
It was used for ancient Greek executions and is famously known as the poison that killed Socrates.
* Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade - another beautiful plant, all parts of which are poisonous or deadly, even in small quantities.
* Oleander - If you have this plant in your backyard, beware.
This pretty shrub can cause nausea, vomiting, an erratic heartbeat, drowsiness, or even coma that can lead to death.
* Peanuts - can be lethal to those who are allergic to this naturally occurring, nutritious snack.
* Arsenic - A well-known deadly poison, as in "Arsenic and Old Lace".
* Snake Venom and Scorpion Stings - Dangerous to deadly.
* Cyanide - found in apple seeds, cherry stones, and the kernels inside the pits of apricots, nectarines, peaches, pears, and plums.
That's the same all-natural apple that will keep the doctor away if you eat one daily.
Just be careful not to eat those seeds.
If you're juicing or baking apples remove the core first.
There are some natural foods that are perfectly safe for humans but not for canines.
Onions, garlic (in large quantities), macadamia nuts, chocolate, grapes, sultanas, and raisins are all poisonous to dogs.
It isn't known why but as few as six macadamia nuts can cause muscle weakness and pain in dogs.
In fact dogs shouldn't eat any nuts, including peanuts.
Here are more natural foods that are toxic to dogs; potato peelings and green looking potatoes, rhubarb leaves, alcohol, yeast dough, coffee beans or grounds, tea, large amounts of broccoli, tomato stems and leaves, and tobacco.
That list is a fraction of the hundreds of natural but dangerous products in our environment.
And the reverse is also true.
From the mid-thirties for almost 50 years DuPont had an advertising slogan, "Better things for better living through chemistry".
That better living they mention includes things like life-saving antibiotics for horrific diseases such as tuberculosis or smallpox, many of the high-tech products we almost take for granted such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc.
Without chemicals the house you're living in would fall in a heap and so would life as we know it in the 21st century.
So don't be taken in by the "it's safe because it's all-natural" claim.
Be informed and know why that product you're considering is beneficial or unsafe based on many factors but not just because it is called natural.
- present in or produced by nature; having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives; not altered, treated, or disguised.
In other words, a natural product is one that you could make using simple mixing techniques in your own home with ingredients you already have, or can easily get.
But you'll notice that there is nothing in that definition about healthy, safe, nutritious, nourishing, or beneficial.
"Natural" has become a term we equate with goodness, cleanliness, and almost next to Godliness.
And advertising mavens are very aware of this.
That's why we see the word, natural, sprinkled liberally anywhere it is possible to use it.
We do the same in our business.
We sell an all-natural pet product and advertise the fact that it is all-natural.
But does that make it safe or healthy or good? Nope, not by a long shot.
We know our pet supplement is safe, healthy, and nutritious.
It is beneficial because it provides nutrients necessary for good health in dogs but not because it is natural.
Let's look at some all-natural products and decide if being all-natural makes them a good choice for us.
* Hemlock - a lovely plant that resembles Queen Anne's Lace or fennel.
It was used for ancient Greek executions and is famously known as the poison that killed Socrates.
* Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade - another beautiful plant, all parts of which are poisonous or deadly, even in small quantities.
* Oleander - If you have this plant in your backyard, beware.
This pretty shrub can cause nausea, vomiting, an erratic heartbeat, drowsiness, or even coma that can lead to death.
* Peanuts - can be lethal to those who are allergic to this naturally occurring, nutritious snack.
* Arsenic - A well-known deadly poison, as in "Arsenic and Old Lace".
* Snake Venom and Scorpion Stings - Dangerous to deadly.
* Cyanide - found in apple seeds, cherry stones, and the kernels inside the pits of apricots, nectarines, peaches, pears, and plums.
That's the same all-natural apple that will keep the doctor away if you eat one daily.
Just be careful not to eat those seeds.
If you're juicing or baking apples remove the core first.
There are some natural foods that are perfectly safe for humans but not for canines.
Onions, garlic (in large quantities), macadamia nuts, chocolate, grapes, sultanas, and raisins are all poisonous to dogs.
It isn't known why but as few as six macadamia nuts can cause muscle weakness and pain in dogs.
In fact dogs shouldn't eat any nuts, including peanuts.
Here are more natural foods that are toxic to dogs; potato peelings and green looking potatoes, rhubarb leaves, alcohol, yeast dough, coffee beans or grounds, tea, large amounts of broccoli, tomato stems and leaves, and tobacco.
That list is a fraction of the hundreds of natural but dangerous products in our environment.
And the reverse is also true.
From the mid-thirties for almost 50 years DuPont had an advertising slogan, "Better things for better living through chemistry".
That better living they mention includes things like life-saving antibiotics for horrific diseases such as tuberculosis or smallpox, many of the high-tech products we almost take for granted such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc.
Without chemicals the house you're living in would fall in a heap and so would life as we know it in the 21st century.
So don't be taken in by the "it's safe because it's all-natural" claim.
Be informed and know why that product you're considering is beneficial or unsafe based on many factors but not just because it is called natural.