It has been known by the natural healing profession for many years, and is recently being validated by the medical physicians, that well over 90% of degenerative disease conditions can be related directly to intestinal stasis — that is, a stagnant, fermenting condition within the bowels and related organs. This does not necessarily correspond to actual known constipation. A person can move his bowels many times a day, and still be encumbered with dead cells, decaying food materials, poisonous chemicals, parasites, pus, mucus, etc., all of which contribute to the circulation of toxins throughout the whole body, giving rise to an endless chain of “disease” conditions.

These facts should be taken into consideration when nutrition programs and vitamin therapy are introduced for the first time. The proper body’s response to a proper nutrition program is to start releasing stored toxins from the cells and this puts more stress on organs of elimination (colon, kidneys, lungs, liver, blood, and skin) which are already malfunctioning from past intake of drugs, additives, and refined, processed and overcooked foods. The result of this could be symptoms of nausea, weakness, headaches, rashes, and tiredness. To prevent this from happening, Dr. Shaklee has made HERB-LAX, a combination of nine different herbs that help detoxify the body through better, more complete, elimination.

It is important to understand that herbs are not in any way related to the artificial colon—cleansers promoted by television. Herbs do not act like ordinary laxatives that irritate the tissues and force the bowel to eject its contents. This weakens the organs and causes dependencies. But herbs, being a food, nourish the bowel and related organs to strengthen them so that they will function entirely on their own, effectively eliminating waste materials.

It is hard to say how many HERB-LAX an individual should use, since each person differs. Choose the dose that gives you two to three soft, easy bowel movements daily. This can range from one half to 30 per day ( in the case of Diverticulitis).

Those who are faithful in using HERB-LAX for internal cleanliness will get surprising good side effects as days, weeks and months go by. These include a better complexion, no headaches, no bad breath, little odor during bowel movements, plus more energy and clearer thinking.

Herb Lax®

One cannot study the Shaklee product Herb-Lax® without gaining a profound respect for our founder Forrest C. Shaklee, Sr. 

What an amazing mind he had to conceive such a product at the time he did.    Remember, interest in herbal medicines had waned considerably during the middle of the last century.  Herb-Lax was the second product he developed, and it has truly withstood the "test of time" remaining one of Shaklee's favorite products. Dr. Shaklee knew that proper elimination of waste from the bowel is one of the keys to optimal health. 

It is said that 90% of degenerative diseases are related to, or worsened by, the food we eat passing too slowly through our intestinal system. The fact that Herb-Lax® contains Senna leaf powder and is therefore a laxative is a no-brainer.  Practically everyone in the medical or herbal community would understand that.  What Dr.  Shaklee did to make his signature product unique was to blend an additional eight herbs with the Senna leaf powder to enhance its intended use  - that being to speed up the movement of foodstuffs through the intestinal system.  He was able to accomplish this without the usual unwanted side effects of taking a laxative.  Another great consideration about this product is that the label states a serving size of four tablets.  That would indeed cause a gentle bowel movement within several hours. I think it is interesting to note that by taking less than the serving size, one can effectively speed up the flow of food and waste through the intestinal tract without causing diarrhea.

 Why does it work the way it does?  Certainly, several of the herbs contained in this product produce a laxative action.  In addition to the aforementioned Senna leaf powder, buckthorn bark powder, licorice root, blue malva powder, and culver root have shown some laxative action. 

They do, however, along with the other herbs present, fulfill other functions within the GI tract to complete the action. For example, licorice root, alfalfa, fennel seed and anise seed aid in digestion.  Licorice root also reduces the production of stomach acid (good for heartburn?); and relieves gas, as does anise seed.  Anise seed also acts to relieve stomach cramps.  Rhubarb is unusual in that in can cause a laxative effect, and it has the opposite effect in small doses!

****************************************************************** 

My elderly 89 year old father takes HerbLax daily and has for years and
years -- I have been in Shaklee since 1978—recently he had a colonoscopy (just
because they thought he should since he had not had one for years)  I guess
they thought he should have something wrong at his age, right.

During the procedure the doctor asked my dad--"Do you take Shaklee HerbLax?"
"My dad said Yes, I do every day" (think he takes 2 or 4). Doctor said
I thought so because the colon is a darker color. I have several other
people with colons like yours and they all take Shaklee.  Dad is getting
worried, "Is it bad?"  "No," he said, "I wish all my patients had colons
like yours--your colon is that of a 20 year old person, that is good, it
couldn't be better."

So I guess this is living proof that Dr. Shaklee was right and knew what he
was talking about.      Sharon Rowe