Question about lead

[Eternal Paradox]

So Ive been kind of interested in trying some Ayurveda products but I've read online that many contain nearly toxic levels of lead. Is this true? How can something containing a toxic component be good for your health? This is what Im trying to -avoid- through natural living.

[pathfinder]

Ayurveda is a modality which directs diet. Look at the articles on this site for guidance as to how to find the correct diet for you. http://powerof3info.fatcow.com/
You may have to spend time locating the articles, but they are a lot easier to understand than many sites I've been on.
Some of the online products are probably not good, but some are- you'll just have to judge for yourself by looking at the ingredients. The only reason I can think of for using lead is as a preservative and as there are many healthier options I can't imagine many of them would contain it.

[thisisnotharmless]

Heavy metals get absorbed into herbs naturally if they're grown in soil or near standing water that has been contaminated. Some heavy metals are naturally occurring, though usually they're a side effect of human activity. The point is, it's not something that gets intentionally added in (generally speaking,) so what you want to look for are companies that thoroughly test all their products.

Maharishi Ayurveda Products International (MAPI) is kind of the house standard when it comes to safe and authentic Ayurveda supplements. They're on the pricier end, but they test all their products three times for heavy metals and other contaminants before they're sold.

[norseman]

Food standards limit Lead content of food and drink at not more than 10ppm [ just out of interest Arsenic is 1ppm ]

Lead in stored in the bone marrow and is slowly excreted via the kidneys. I worked for ten years in the Lead Refining Industry and through simple industrial hygiene methods, have a Blood Lead which is below the population norm. TOXIC Lead poisoning is extremely rare these days and is generally the result of old Lead plumbing in water supply. This was said to be a major factor in the downfall of the Roman Empire.

Lead is one of the commonest metals in the Earth's crust.