Cures from WAY down under?

More than 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered in water, and beneath the silvery waves and blue-green tides is a complex world teeming with undiscovered plant and animal life.

Researchers are well aware that many of the most powerful compounds from which some of the best drugs are made stem from nature's secrets … the jungles, the rainforests and also the oceans. In fact, about 75 percent of the top 20 hospital drugs and 20 percent of the top 100 most-prescribed drugs come from natural sources.

Read more about new discoveries here...

Herbal Remedies for Kids

Squeezed onto the shelves of your local drugstore, near the baby aspirin and children's cough medicine, is a steadily growing crowd of colorful supplements and herbs specifically for children. To many parents, these products are a safe first defense against the aches and pains of childhood, ones that can be tried before drugs with their sometimes risky side effects.

Read more here...

Herb-Drug Interactions are Uncommon

Herbal remedies are not just for health food stores anymore. The medications have gone mainstream, and as sales continue to rise, so do concerns about their interactions with prescription and more traditional over-the-counter drugs.

But new research suggests that potentially dangerous interactions may occur less often than are widely believed.

Read more here...

That's the Flax

Nutritionally speaking, flaxseeds are known to be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, both of which have demonstrated the power to combat heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Read more here...

Become a Proactive Cancer Patient

This year almost 1.4 million Americans will hear the words "You've got cancer," and in that instant their lives will be forever transformed.

Bianca Kennedy heard them five years ago, and, like most people, her initial emotion was shock, followed by the question, "Am I going to die?"

Read what happened here...

Nutrigenomics?

The new buzz in the science of nutrition is an exciting and somewhat controversial field of study known as nutrigenomics, or the "DNA diet" approach. Many believe that in the not-too distant future, we will be analyzing DNA and its genomic variants to develop personalized nutritional guidelines to target each individual's unique set of health requirements.

Read more here...

Limited time special sale on essiac

We got a bit carried away and packaged too many 1-oz packets of essiac this week here at essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com, so for a limited time, if you purchase 50 (a six to 18 month supply) you can get them for an impressive 60% off the individual price.

Click here to order...

Don't Ignore That Itch

Itching is not normally thought of as a serious condition, but anyone who's had a bout of poison ivy, a bad case of chicken pox or a chronic itch that wouldn't go away knows that itching can be extremely uncomfortable and even debilitating. Itching, or pruritus as it's known medically, can also signal a more serious issue, particularly if you have ruled out the more common and obvious causes.

Read more here...

Not exactly an herbal remedy, but still natural...

The Kangal Hot Spring with Fish, located in a green valley in Turkey surrounded by a barren countryside, has been sought out by sufferers of various ailments, most particularly psoriasis, ulcers, rheumatism and St. Anthony's fire.

Read more about the "fishy treatment" here...

Our Essiac Tea Prices (click to order)

From essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com:

One ounce bags (each makes a quart)
One for $4.99
Four for $15.95 (yield 1 gallon)
Ten for $29.95 (yield 2.5 gallons)
Twenty for $56.95 (yield 5 gallons)

Four ounce bags (each makes a gallon)
One for $12.95
Four for $39.95 (one pound)
Ten for $77.95 (2.5 pounds)
Twenty for $149.95 (5 pounds, cost about $7.50/gallon)

One Pound bags (each makes 4 gallons)
One for $29.95
Five for $129.95
Ten for $199.95 (less than $20/pound)

Herbal Medicine Awareness Week

May 19-26 has been declared Herbal Medicine Awareness Week in the UK.

"Herbal Medicine Awareness Week aims to celebrate the benefits of herbal medicine, but more importantly to highlight the work of the trained healthcare professionals who are registered with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists..."

Read more here...

Herbal Therapies for Cancer

Herbal therapies have been around for thousands of years and were widely prescribed by doctors until the late 1800s when the American Medical Association (AMA), a trade union of doctors committed to partnership with the budding pharmaceutical industry, used its economic and political muscle to suppress the use of natural substances. The use of herbs once was mainstream medicine but, because there is no great profit to be made from these unpatentable wonder drugs, they have lost their status as mainstream therapies.

Read more here...

Alternative Health Treatments for Animals, too

It's not just humans who turn to holistic medicine.

Natural animal treatments include animal communication, hair mineral analysis, chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, homeopathy and herbal medicine. There is also a market for natural products such as shampoo, flea and lice shield, skin cream, magnetic beds and blankets and flower essences to deal with sibling rivalry, confidence, fear and crises.

Read more here...

"Drugs" vs. "Supplements"

When consumers are diagnosed with a medical condition such as high cholesterol or obesity, they immediately begin a new regime of brisk walks and a diet of heart-healthy foods. Right? Not necessarily, says a Wharton marketing professor. If those consumers are taking a prescription or over-the-counter drug for their condition, they may actually toss back more chips and donuts. Those taking a supplement, however, may be more likely to eat broccoli and hit the treadmill.

Read more here...

The Ojibwe

According to oral traditions, the Ojibwe people first lived on the Atlantic coast of North America. About 500 years ago, many of them began migrating west.

By the mid-1700s, the Ojibwe had established themselves in what is today Central Minnesota. They supported themselves by hunting deer, bear, moose, waterfowl and small game; fishing the area's lakes and streams; gathering wild rice, maple sugar, and berries; and cultivating plants. Their houses were built on pole frames in wigwam shape and were usually covered with birchbark. Birchbark sheets were also used for keeping simple pictographic records of tribal affairs.

Ojibwa mythology was elaborate; the chief religious and superstitious rites centered around the Medewiwin, or grand medicine society. For healing, they relied on medicinal herbs gathered by the women and shamans. They were overwhelmed by new diseases brought by white settlers, which were deadly beyond anything they had seen. The Medewiwin was open to both men and women. Its members performed elaborate healing ceremonies to deal with sickness. Among the Ojibwe, the Medewiwin kept records on birchbark scrolls, an actual written record unique among the Great Lakes tribes. Beyond its healing and religious functions, Medewiwin membership crossed band lines and provided an additional element of political leadership binding the different Ojibwe groups to each other.

As the European settlers headed west, they grew in numbers, and so did their hunger for land. Before long, they began taking more tribal land and natural resources, changing the Ojibwe people's lives forever.

The Ojibwe are still one of the most populous and widely distributed Indian groups in North America, with 150 bands throughout the north-central United States and southern Canada. Ojibwe and Chippewa are renderings of the same Algonquian word, "puckering," probably referring to their characteristic moccasin style. "Chippewa" is more commonly used in the United States and "Ojibway" or "Ojibwe" in Canada, but the Ojibwe people themselves use their native word Anishinabe (plural: Anishinabeg), meaning "original people."

The Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians are members of a longstanding alliance called the Council of Three Fires. This alliance was a powerful one that often clashed with the Iroquois and the Sioux, eventually getting the better of both. The Ojibwe people were not as negatively affected by European epidemics as their densely-populated Algonquian cousins to the east, and they resisted manhandling by the whites much better. Very few Americans realize that the Ojibwe were a major power. Their location was well north of the main flow of settlement, and their victories over native enemies have never received proper credit.

Most of their lands were appropriated by the Americans and Canadians, a fate shared by all native peoples of North America, but plans to export the Ojibwe to Kansas and Oklahoma never succeeded, and today nearly all Ojibwe reservations are still within their original territory.

Each Ojibway band (tribe) has its own government, laws, police, and other services, just like a small country. The political leader of a band is called "gimaa" or "ogimaa" in the Ojibwe language, usually translated as "chief" in English ("chef" in French). The ogimaa used to be a male chosen by tribal council members, often from among the previous chief's sons, nephews, or sons-in-law, but today ogimaas can be of either gender and are popularly elected in most Ojibwe bands, just as mayors and governors are.

In 1990, 103,826 people in the United States claimed Ojibwa ancestry; most lived on reservations in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Montana.

Essiac is said to have come from an Ojibwe medicine man, but no one can really prove or disprove this theory.

There are many prominent Americans with Ojibwe ancestry.

Here are some fascinating Ojibwe links:

Culture of an Indian Nation

Native Tech: Ojibwe

The Ojibwe Learner Page

One of my favorite authors ever: Louise Erdrich

Ojibwe History

Wild Rice

White Earth Land Recovery Project

Soccer Kicks for Cancer

Soccer Kicks for Cancer is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's youth soccer program that sharpens kids' soccer skills and teaches them the value of community service. Kids get pledges of support from family, friends and neighbors for practicing soccer skills.

Read more (and donate) here...

Naturopaths to become "real" doctors in IL?

Alternative medicine doctors who use treatments such as acupuncture and herbal supplements are making a controversial bid to expand their turf in Illinois.

A bill pending in the Legislature would make Illinois the 15th state to license naturopathic doctors, or N.D.s, who favor natural treatments and shun most synthetic drugs.

Read more here...

Herbal Remedies by Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports, the bible of independent consumer ratings, has introduced a new database on thousands of herbs, dietary supplements and other natural medicines, a response to the enormous growth in the use of these products.

The new database -- believed to be the most comprehensive of its kind -- contains detailed and easily accessible information on the safety, effectiveness and possible harmful interactions of nearly 14,000 supplements.

Read more here...

Tibetian Yoga and Breast Cancer

Can a routine of yoga help ease the side effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients? Possibly. The US government's National Cancer Institute (NCI) has decided to spend $2.4 million to find out.

Read more here...

Weeds are Wonderful

During the height of summer, Vanessa Mardones' grocery bills drop to almost nothing.

As a trained herbalist, she can look outside and see dinner where others see only weeds.

"Last summer I could cook myself an entire meal with things from my back yard," she said. "I'd steam nettles and burdock and make a salad with chickweed and dandelion leaves, which I'd eat with sunflower seeds and a vinaigrette."

Read the rest...

Happy Mother's Day

from all of us here at essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com!

Charlie the Garlic Guru Guy

Garlic works wonders. Just ask Charlie Fox. Without it, the almost-79-year-old "guru of garlic" is convinced he wouldn't be here today. "Garlic saved my life," Fox insisted during a recent interview on the many therapeutic properties of the bulbous herb.

Read more here...

Herbal Remedies Gaining Popularity

Focus in health care has changed from treating problems to maintaining wellness, which often involves the use of alternative or complementary medicine.

Read more here...

Changes are inevitable

It has been said that change is the only constant in the universe. We experience transformations large and small every single day. At certain critical points in life, the size and scope of change can sometimes cause us to react with fear, anger or increased anxiety. This is only natural. While the world at large tends towards constant change, the human mind thrives on stability and routine.

Read more here...

Don't ignore those hiccups...

A mildly nagging case of the hiccups every now and then is an almost universal experience. However, a troubling new study suggests that persistent, chronic hiccups may be a significant early warning sign of cancer of the esophagus.

Read more here...

Acupuncture and cancer

Many families will experience cancer and want to do everything they can to help patients heal. Most people today with cancer seek the best of conventional cancer care and the best of complementary medicine. Acupuncture can ease many of the side effects of cancer and is increasingly becoming part of an individual's comprehensive treatment program.

Acupuncture can help cancer patients to manage the symptoms of their disease and its treatment. Research continues to validate the role of acupuncture with conventional cancer care.

Read more here...

It Takes a Big Man to Swing a Pink Bat!

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Hulking Jim Thome. Rugged Manny Ramirez. Brawny Adam Dunn. "The thought

of these big macho men, swinging pink bats to help women with breast cancer ... what a novel idea," Louisville Slugger president John Hillerich said Tuesday.

Major League Baseball granted special permission for players to use the colorful bats — baby pink, at that — for Mother's Day. They're part of a weeklong program to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Read the rest here...

Detox, anyone?

Dextoxification entails ridding the body of various toxins absorbed from the earth’s atmosphere, food, soil, and water. Toxins can be found in a variety of consumer goods, such as food, cosmetics, pesticides, paint, and gasoline. Detoxification helps to eliminate these toxins from the body and as a result may improve immune function, hormone function, and psychological wellness. Some practitioners believe detoxification may also aid in the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular problems, diabetes, arthritis, obesity, and cancer; however, very little research has investigated these claims. Forms of detoxification include fasting and diets, colon therapy, vitamin C therapy, and chelation therapy. It is best to seek professional help when determining a form of therapy.

Essiac is also known to help with detoxification.

Find the Right Attitude and Save Your Life

LAST August Cobden (AU) farmer Alan Bellman was diagnosed with terminal cancer with a tumour in his bowel and seven in his liver.

A fortnight ago he was told he didn't need a scheduled radiation appointment as he was in the first stages of remission.

``I was told I had 15 to 18 months to live but that wasn't good enough,'' Mr Bellman said.

Read the rest here...

Coffee is good for you.

Coffee is number one source of antioxidants from PhysOrg.com

Coffee provides more than just a morning jolt; that steaming cup of java is also the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Scranton (Pa.). Their study was described today at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.


[...]

Drug/Herb interactions

Although nothing has ever led us to believe essiac is not basically safe, you should always let your doctor or health care provider know you are taking it, as well as any other supplements, herbs, vitamins, etc. you may be using.

An excellent source for drug/herb interactions can be found in the book Herb Contraindications And Drug Interactions, Second Edition (Paperback) by Francis Brinker.

Essiac interactions are not well studied scientifically. Most potential interactions are based on theoretical and known reactions associated with herbal components of essiac: burdock root (Arctium lappa ), sheep sorrel ( Rumex acetosella ), slippery elm bark ( Ulmus fulva ), and Turkish rhubarb ( Rheum palmatum ). However, the interactions of these individual herbs are also not well studied. Our formula also contains blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus), kelp (Laminariales) , red clover (Trifolium pratense), and watercress (Nasturtium officinale).

How are botanicals commonly sold and prepared?

Botanicals are sold in many forms: as fresh or dried products; liquid or solid extracts; and tablets, capsules, powders, and tea bags. For example, fresh ginger root is often found in the produce section of food stores; dried ginger root is sold packaged in tea bags, capsules, or tablets; and liquid preparations made from ginger root are also sold. A particular group of chemicals or a single chemical may be isolated from a botanical and sold as a dietary supplement, usually in tablet or capsule form. An example is phytoestrogens from soy products.

Common preparations include teas, decoctions, tinctures, and extracts:

• A tea, also known as an infusion, is made by adding boiling water to fresh or dried botanicals and steeping them. The tea may be drunk either hot or cold.
• Some roots, bark, and berries require more forceful treatment to extract their desired ingredients. They are simmered in boiling water for longer periods than teas, making a decoction, which also may be drunk hot or cold.
• A tincture is made by soaking a botanical in a solution of alcohol and water. Tinctures are sold as liquids and are used for concentrating and preserving a botanical. They are made in different strengths that are expressed as botanical-to-extract ratios (i.e., ratios of the weight of the dried botanical to the volume or weight of the finished product).
• An extract is made by soaking the botanical in a liquid that removes specific types of chemicals. The liquid can be used as is or evaporated to make a dry extract for use in capsules or tablets.

Note: the formula sold on our website, commonly called "essiac tea", is meant to be prepared as a decoction rather than an actual tea. For more info, visit essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com.

Teens + Vitamin D = Less Cancer?

Women who begin supplementing with vitamin D in their teen years can dramatically reduce their risk of developing breast cancer later on in adulthood, a new study finds. Conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, the study was presented at the recent annual conference of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Read the rest here...

Exploring the World with Herbs and Spices

According to the American Spice Trade Association, herbs and spices have been used in foods for centuries. Archeologists estimate that as early as 50,000 B.C., primitive humans had discovered that parts of some aromatic plants help enhance the taste of food. By the time of Columbus' 1492 voyage seeking a more direct passage to the rich spices of the Orient, it was common for towns to pay their taxes and rents in pepper.

Read the rest of the article here...

Herbs or Drugs?

People who pay attention to print and broadcast ads probably are convinced that a prescription drug exists to cure any ill—even illnesses they didn't realize they had. The same consumer might conclude that herbal medicines are worthless—or dangerous, in fact, if the knitted brow of the television news anchor is any indication. "A new study reveals St. John's wort no more effective than a placebo in treating depression . . . "

Most news anchors missed the revelation in that same study that the prescription drug Zoloft also was no more effective than a placebo. They didn't follow up the story to discover that the study itself is now on trial, its protocol questioned even by one of the leading scientists who helped initiate it.

Much larger concerns about pharmaceutical medicines growl and huff outside the studio door, but few members of the mainstream media seen able to tear themselves away from the party line (pharmaceutical drugs good, Herbs weird) long enough to investigate.

The issue isn't whether the best choice is synthetic pharmaceuticals or natural herbs—the answer to that question is as individual as the compounds and the illnesses being considered. The issue is why the American public can't get its hands on enough well researched, unbiased information to even make informed choices.

Read the rest of the article here...

What is the secret herb?

Researchers at the University of Manchester are testing a secret herb in a bid to stop the severe hot flushes that besiege breast cancer patients on hormone treatment.

Professor Alex Molassiotis, of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, says the herb - one of the mint family, found in any kitchen - is thought to stop the hot flushes and night sweats which can be so bad that some women have to change their clothes three or four times a night.

Read more...

I've never eaten a whole artichoke

But apparently it's worth the trouble.

Read here...

Chain of Bras for Breast Cancer

Women in Cyprus strung together the world’s largest bra chain on Sunday in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness and encourage women to have regular check-ups.


Read the rest of the article here...

Probiotics--A Billion Good Bugs

Did you know that your digestive tract contains more than 400 types of “friendly” bacteria? These little guys, commonly referred to as probiotics, help reduce the growth of harmful bacteria and promote a healthy digestive system. That’s right! Probiotics are live bacteria with clinically-documented health benefits.

Read the rest of the article here...