- Essiac Tea Recipe
- Essiac is the name of its discoverer spelled backwards. Rene Caisse was a Canadian nurse who as fate would have it met the husband of a breast cancer patient who attributed her survival to four herbs used by the Ojibwa Indians to treat malignant conditions. Ms. Caisse took a serious interest in the treatment and observed that the herbs seemed to have a direct effect on the pancreas, reducing or eliminating the requirement for insulin among diabetic patients. Caisse theorised that some sort of deficiency caused abnormal glandular functioning that was corrected by her hypodermic use of the Ojibwa herbs.
Since Essiac is now a very well known treatment, it is important to point out that while Caisse did provide the herbs for oral use, most of her greatest success would seem to have involved the injectible form of the herbs. They would obviously be more potent and fast-acting if administered in this way. Caisse actually felt quite strongly that this method of delivery was the only way to assure that the body could resist malignancy.
According to the providers of the optimally known version of the formula, "all four herbs normalize body systems by purifying the blood, promoting cell repair, and aiding effective assimilation and elimination. When combined, their separate beneficial effects are synergistically enhanced."
- Burdock Root (Arctium lappa)
- Burdock is the main herb in the formula adapted from the Ojibwa tradition. Interestingly, it is also a key herb in Hildegard of Bingen's 12th century CE internal tonic for cancer. If it is effective for this, it is a reasonable alternative to shark cartilade and the overharvest-ing of a species. Others disregard the herb to such an extent that it is omitted from some textbooks. Scientific studies in Germany (1967 CE) and Japan (1986 CE) concluded that burdock root has powerful antifungal and antibacterial actions. It is such a beneficial blood purifier that it is capable of even being used with venomous bites. Unlike the Ojibwas and Caisse, most herbalists combine burdock root with yellow dock and sarsaparilla in which case it would have extremely valuable blood purifying actions. Even by itself, it is highly regarded as the herb of choice for conditions such as eczema.
- Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva)
- Slippery elm ought to be one of the most nourishing and protective herbs Nature has to offer. It is highly mucilaginous and soothing and is the primary ingredient in many Native American poultices, including the one used by Dr. Eli G. Jones, one of history's greatest cancer specialists.
- Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
- Though sheep's sorrel is capable of being found in most temperament zones, its medicinal uses were first learned from Native Americans. As with burdock root, it is a diuretic and detoxifier. Also, as with other docks, it is has laxative properties, quite gentle, though nevertheless useful for detoxification of the gastrointestinal tract. In it contraindicated for people prone to forming kidney stones, perhaps for the reason that it is a rich source of trace minerals.
- Indian Rhubarb (Rheum palmatum)
Turkey Rhubarb Root (Rheum palmatum)
- Rhubarb is an astringent herb with a major purging effect that is tolerable to most people. Nevertheless, it has a long history in China and many other parts of the world as a laxative and effective treatment for many gastrointestinal problems. Due to the tannins (which cause the astringency), this herb is constipating in small doses and laxative in higher doses. Therefore, a proper formula is required to bring about the intended purging of the colon without cramping. It has been used extensively for the treatment of candida albicans as well as bacterial infections, especially Staphylococcus aureus. Studies suggest that one of its primary constituents, rhein, safely reduces infections in the eliminatory system that contributes to inflammation.
- Equipment
-
- A one or two gallon stainless steel pan with a lid; this will depend on how much tea you are making.
- A second stainless steel pan of appropriate size into which you can strain the contents of your first pan.
- A stainless steel fine mesh strainer. A 'V' shaped strainer is paramount
- A stainless steel funnel.
- A large stainless steel or wooden spoon.
- 500ml (16oz) amber bottles with tops; a minimum of six bottles for seven British pints and twelve bottles for 1.75 British gallons of water.
You will find that boiling and straining the tea will considerably reduce the amount of liquid with which you start.
- Water
-
- Use either fresh spring water or sodium free distilled water.
- You may use bottled (still) spring water from the supermarket.
- 7 British pints (or one American gallon) = 3.98 litres:
- 1.75 British gallons (or two American gallons) = 7.95 litres.
- You may purchase distilled water, if you prefer to use that, from chemists' shops.
- CAUTIONS:
-
- Avoid the use of plastic or aluminium while you are preparing essiac tea.
- Do not expose the tea to sunlight; this will destroy its beneficial properties.
- Do not freeze the tea.
- Do not microwave the tea
- If a green mould appears, throw the tea away.
- Do not ever store the tea in plastic bottles.
- Store the bottles of tea upright.
When using Essiac, Caisse noted that tumors often become harder at first and then they soften and disappear.
- Seven Pint Recipe (One American Gallon)
- This is a twenty-eighth of the full amount of herbs to be added to 7 British pints of water
or one American gallon
- 24.1g (0.85oz) Burdock Root
- 16.2g (0.57oz) Sheep Sorrel (powder if possible)
- 1.1g (0.04oz) or 1/4 tsp. Turkey Rhubarb Root Powder
- 4g (0.14oz) Slippery Elm Bark Powder
- Total scale weight of mixture = 45.4g (1.6oz)
- One and three-quarter Gallon Recipe (Two American Gallons)
- This is a fourteenth of the full amount of herbs to be added to 1.75 British gallons of water or two American gallons
- 48.5g (1.71oz) Burdock Root
- 32.3g (1.14oz) Sheep Sorrel (powder if possible)
- 2g (0.07oz) or 1/2 tsp. Turkey Rhubarb Root Powder
- 8.5g (0.3oz) Slippery Elm Bark Powder
- Total scale weight of mixture = 90.7g (3.2oz)
- Preparing the Amber Bottles for Essiac Tea
- Before using the bottles you might choose to get rid of the disks of waxed cardboard that are sometimes in the tops. If the manufacturers have glued them in they may get messy when you are sterilising them. You might choose to boil yours and then scraped out as much of the remaining glue as possible with the end of a small blunt knife. You might get rid of the remaining glue with white spirit. Then you might wash each top very well in soapy water and boiled them all over again. You only are required to do it once.
A disadvantage of using heat to sterilise bottles is that the insert of any bottle top will probably disintegrate during the process. It is important therefore to find bottles that have tops that will still have a high-quality seal without them.
- Sterilising the Amber Bottles for Essiac Tea
- You ought to sterilise the bottles and tops every time you make essiac tea.
Sterilise them shortly before you require them.
The easiest way to do it is by heating the bottles in the oven. To do this stand them upright (without their tops) in an ordinary roasting tin. Then put them for a period of ten minutes into the oven at a temperature of 230 degrees Centigrade. Take them out of the oven and let the bottles cool in the tin. Boil the tops in a pan of water for about ten to fifteen minutes. Do this at the same time as sterilising the bottles. Put the tops back onto the bottles when both have cooled down a little, putting them aside until you need them.
- Making Essiac Tea
- The original formula, as given by Rene Caisse, is listed below. We are reprinting here her exact instructions for a two-gallon batch, although you would probably not require such a large amount at one time.
Ingredients:
52 parts: Burdock Root (cut or dried) (parts by weight)
16 parts: Sheep Sorrel (powdered)
1 part: Turkey Rhubarb (powdered) or 2 parts domestic Rhubarb
4 parts: Slippery Elm (powdered)
Later in her life, while working with Dr. Charles Brusch in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rene added small amounts of four other herbs to her basic four-herb formula. These extra four herbs were added as follows: Kelp (2 parts), Red Clover (1 part), Blessed Thistle (1 part), Watercress (0.4 parts). We consider the addition of these four extra herbs optional.
Here is the cooking method that most essiac tea recipes
recommend you to use:
Bring the water to the boil. Drop in the essiac herb mixture, stir, cover and boil hard for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the tea stand covered for 6 hours; then remove the cover and stir. Return the cover and let the tea stand for another 6 hours. Turn on the heat and bring it just up to the boil.
Strain the tea into another stainless steel pan. Wash the first pan thoroughly. Strain the tea once again back into the original pan. Pour it into the sterilised amber bottles straight away and screw on the tops. Cool and store the bottles of tea, upright, in a refrigerator or a cool dark place. Keep the bottles refrigerated once you have opened them.
There is substantial time and effort required to assemble all the required supplies to make your own essiac tea formula. If you choose not to make your own tea, though still will to use it, here are two websites that you may choose to use. Night-Thunder International is not affiliated with either of these companies and only gives then as a possible choice to making the recipe yourself!
The Original Essiac ® Company
Ojibwa Tea
An alternative remedy
- Recommended Doses
- The most common recommended dose is 4 fluid ounces of tea daily; half in the morning
and half in the evening.
Directions for use:
Heat 2 ounces or 4 tablespoons of distilled water, and then mix it with 2 ounces or 4 tablespoons of the tea taken directly from the refrigerator.
Pour the tea into the measuring device, instead of sticking the spoon into the jar. This habit will protect against contamination. Keep the tea refrigerated at all times. Shake well each time before pouring.
Take it on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours after eating. Wait 2 more hours before eating after taking the tea.
Beneficial times to take it are at bedtime, or upon awakening. More seriously ill persons can take it safely 3 to 4 times daily, spaced out, as described above, separated from meals, by two hours. It is not going to do you much benefit to take it with meals. It will not work all mixed up with your dinner. That would just be a waste of money.
- Disclaimer
- We think that it is important for us to state that we do not have any medical training whatsoever. Neither have we any personal knowledge of essiac tea's effects on specific types of cancer or any other dis-ease or condition.
We do not claim that Rene Caisse's essiac tea cures anything. There is not any medical or scientific evidence to prove that it does. There have unfortunately not been any clinical trials of any type of essiac tea up to date.
- Miscellaneous Notes
-
Burdock Root is capable of being toxic.
- It has been reported that two of the herbs contain high oxalic acid content, making the remedy unsafe for people with kidney ailments or arthritic conditions.
- Humans with NHL (Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma) ought not to use essiac tea for the reason that it stimulates the immune system's B cells.
- It has been reported that essiac tea is capable of assisting humans other than those with cancer; some of these dis-eases and conditions are Aids, Alzheimer's, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Diabetes, Lupus and Multiple Sclerosis.
- Cancer and AIDS sufferers, or other ill people, may wish to twice daily take 4 tablespoons (2 ounces), once in the morning, 5 minutes before eating, and once in the evening, at least 2 hours after eating.
- What ESSIAC Promises To Do:
- Following is an additional list of potentially promising therapeutic activity likely to be found in the ESSIAC decoction and/or in its individual components, when applied under favourable conditions. It may:
- Prevent build-up of excess fatty deposits in artery walls, heart, kidney tubules and liver.
- Regulate cholesterol levels by transforming sugar and fat into energy.
- Halt diarrhea, check internal hemorrhaging and overcome constipation.
-
- Counteract the detrimental effects of aluminium, lead and mercury poisoning.
- Strengthen and tighten muscles, organs and tissues.
- Destroys parasites in the digestive system and throughout the body.
- Make bones, joints, ligaments, lungs, membranes strong and flexible, more durable and less vulnerable to stress.
- Nourish and stimulate the brain and nervous system.
- Promote the absorbtion of fluids in the tissues.
- Remove toxic accumulation in the fat, lymph, bone marrow, bladder and alimentary canal.
- Neutralize acids, absorb toxins in bowel and help to eliminate both.
- Clear the respitory channels by dissolving and expelling mucus.
- Relieve the liver of its burden of detoxification by converting fatty toxins into water-soluble substances that are capable of being easily eliminated through the kidneys.
- Assist the liver to produce lecithin, which forms part of the myelin sheath (a white fatty material that encloses nerve fibers).
- Reduce, perhaps eliminate, heavy metal deposits in tissues, especially those surrounding the joints, to relieve inflammation and stiffness.
- Improve the functions of the pancreas and spleen by increasing the effectiveness of insulin.
- Purify and cool the blood.
- Increase red cell production and keep them from rupturing.
- Increase the physical body's ability to utilize oxygen by raising the oxygen level in tissue cells.
- Maintain the balance between potassium and sodium within the body so the liquid fluid inside and outside each cell is regulated: in this way cells are nourished with nutrients and cleansed.
- Convert calcium and potassium oxalates into a harmless form by making them solvent in the urine, and regulating the amount of oxalic acid delivered to the kidneys, thus reducing the risk of stone formulation in the gall bladder, kidneys or urinary tract.
- Protect against toxins entering the brain.
- Protect the body against radiation and x-rays.
- Relieve pain, increase the appetite and provide more energy with a sense of well-being.
- Speed up wound healing by regenerating the damaged area
- Increase the production of antibodies like lymphocytes and T-cells in the thymus gland, defenders of our immune system.
- Inhibit and possibly destroy benign growths and tumors.
- Protect the cells against free radicals.
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