Seven Classic Medical Myths

Two U.S. researchers took seven common beliefs and searched the medical archives for evidence to support them. This is what they found.

Season's Greetings

I recently learned how to say Happy Holidays in the Ojibwe language (just don't ask me to pronounce it!):
Niibaa' anami'egiizhigad & Aabita Biboon.

Hospitals Increase CAM Services

According to a report released by the American Hospital Association (AHA), more than a quarter of surveyed hospitals are offering Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) programs to the patients they serve. CAM can include acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic, diet and lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, and massage therapy among other types of non-Western treatments.

CAM is increasing in hospitals due to patient's demands as more Americans are finding relief through alternative forms of health care.

Read more here.

Jump in CT Scans May Lead to More Cancer

As many as 20 million adults and 1 million children in the U.S. receive unnecessary computed tomography (CT) scans each year, potentially causing thousands of excess cancers in decades to come, researchers say....

Read the rest of the article at WebMd.

Five Healthy Reasons to Eat Sweet Potatoes

Many of us in the United States think of sweet potatoes as a perfect complement to a Thanksgiving table (even though ironically sweet potatoes were probably not on the dinner menu at the first Thanksgiving).

These naturally sweet, bright orange root veggies have been enjoyed for about 10,000 years, and with good reason -- sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables (much healthier than a regular potato).

Continue here to read the Five Healthy Reasons to East Sweet Potatoes.

Obesity, Cancer Strongly Linked

Excess weight can now officially be added to the growing number of factors that contribute to cancer, according to the UK's Million Women Study.

The study, which included more than 1 million UK women, found that 5 percent of all cancers in the UK -- or about 6,000 cases each year -- are caused by being overweight or obese.

Some of these cancers are of the:

• Esophagus

• Uterine lining

• Ovary

• Kidney

• Pancreas

• Breast (in post-menopausal women)

Read more here.

How Do You Patent "Wild" Rice?

Read this fascinating article from Orion magazine called Ricekeepers, about the Ojibwe and their struggle to keep their traditional wild rice paddys their own:

AS FALL TEMPERATURES CHANGE on the White Earth Reservation and the mist lifts off the lakes, the Ojibwe take to the waters. Two people to a canoe, one poles through the thick rice beds, pushing the canoe forward, while the other, sitting toward the front of the boat, uses two long sticks to gently bend the rice and knock the seeds into the canoe. The sounds of manoominike, the wild rice harvest, are the gliding of the boat through the water and across shafts of rice, the soft swish of the rice bending, the raining of the rice into the canoe. They are soothing sounds, reminding my people of the continuity between the generations. We have been harvesting rice here for centuries.

Continue...

Visit our Lens on Squidoo!

http://www.squidoo.com/essiac/

"New" Items Added to Specials

We've added two new items to our catalog. Okay, they are not technically new, but they are different.

The first is what we call a Dextox Pack, which contains enough essiac blend to brew a half-gallon, plus a bottle of our Milk Thistle. You save $4.00 when you order these two items together. Only $15.94 plus shipping.

The second is a Sampler Pack. We include a one-ounce packet, a two-ounce packet, and a four-ounce packet of essiac herbs. This will brew about seven quarts/liters of essiac tea, and you save $5.00 over ordering these items individually. Just $19.93 plus shipping.

Order today.

If you have any questions, visit our website, or please feel free to call John at (877) 8-ESSIAC.

Boiled Peanuts: Better for You

For lovers of boiled peanuts, there's some good news from the health front. A new study by a group of Alabama researchers found that boiled peanuts bring out up to four times more chemicals that help protect against disease than raw, dry or oil-roasted nuts.

These phytochemicals have antioxidant qualities that protect cells against the risk of degenerative diseases, including cancers, diabetes and heart disease.

Read the whole story here.

Should Health Insurance Cover Alternative Treatments?

In the United States, 36 percent of adults are using some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCAM). Add in megavitamin therapy and prayer, and that number rises to 62 percent.

The trend in health care is that more people are requesting alternative treatments, and health insurance companies are following suit.
Read the rest of the article from SixWise.com here.

Corpus Botanicus: A Temporary Herbal Apothecary Project

Just read about this neat art project in Portland, Oregon:

The Corpus Botanicus installation involves over 150 plants - many native to the region, and groups them in nine beds that each address a major system in the body: Respiratory, Skin and Muscles, Immunity and Lymph, Heart and Circulatory, Kidney and Urinary, Reproductive, Nervous System, Liver and Digestive and Spirit. About 2/3 of the plants will be planted this fall, with the remainder added in early spring. Each plant will be marked with its common and Latin name, and beds will be identified by system.

Read more about the project here.

Free Sample Offer Extended.

See previous post to send us your mailing address and request a free sample. If you'd rather call, our number is (877)8-ESSIAC. You can leave a voicemail with your address if you don't get an immediate answer. Make sure you mention you saw this offer on our blog. Thanks!

Free Sample Friday

The first five readers who email us their mailing address today will receive a free one-ounce sample of our essiac tea blend, enough to brew about a quart. You will also receive a coupon for 10% off your first order from our website.

Click here to send us your address! (United States only, please.)

Make sure you mention that you saw this offer on our "Got Essiac" blog.

Essiac Tea Coupon Code

Thanks for visiting our essiac blog. Please use discount coupon code "GOTBLOG" (without the quotes) to take 15% off your next order from our website. (Click on the green ORDER button on the left menu to go to the product page.)

Note that you must use the coupon code at the beginning of checkout, before you enter your name and other billing information.

This coupon expires October 15, 2007, so order today!

If you have any problems or questions, please feel free to call us at (877) 8-ESSIAC.

Kelp: Medicine from the Sea

Based on an article found on herbalandalternativemedicine.com:

Kelp is a type of seaweed that is rich in vitamins, minerals and essential trace nutrients our bodies need. This "herb" makes an excellent all around vitamin that's particularly useful for women during menses, and it is believed to have medicinal properties as well.
(Note: kelp is also an ingredient in our eight-herb essiac.)

The full power of kelp comes from the number of nutrients it provides, and its natural iodine. Natural plant iodine is absorbed more slowly by the body than synthetic versions are, and this is safer as well as more useful for the body to absorb and use. Iodine is essential for the human body to operate properly. Iodine is specifically useful in regulating the thyroid gland, which plays a major role in moderating the body's metabolism.

When the thyroid is not functioning properly, it can cause extreme and chronic fatigue, weight gain or loss, and/or growth problems. By helping to regulate the thyroid naturally, kelp may assist with maintaining the body's growth, energy levels, and in balancing body weight too.

Additionally, the thyroid's release of iodine into the body helps prevent or fight diseases and infections. By helping to regulate and supplement the natural iodine levels in the body, kelp indirectly acts as an infection fighting herb.

The large amounts of vitamins and minerals contained in kelp are a true treasure. This herb is packed full of calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and other trace minerals. This makes it an excellent plant to use as a daily multi-vitamin, and the added iron and calcium is particularly useful for women.

Kelp is considered an essential herb for hair, nail and skin problems, because it helps these areas of the body to become stronger and healthier with regular use. Kelp helps rebuild cell membranes, and the high mineral content makes it an excellent choice for use during pregnancy because it normalizes glands and hormones, while providing the extra nutrients a woman's body needs while carrying a child.

Since kelp is a seaweed it is naturally salty, so it can also be used as a table salt substitute in cooking.

Some of the various health problems kelp has been used for over the years include: hair and nail growth or repair, clearing up skin problems such as acne, providing additional energy, regulating the thyroid gland, reducing morning sickness, as a pregnancy vitamin, and an all around daily vitamin.

For Successful Healing, Cancer Must Be Treated as a Multi-System Disease

You have just been diagnosed with cancer. Your oncologist is pushing you to begin chemotherapy immediately. You know that chemotherapy will make you sick, your hair fall out and leave you completely debilitated and dependent on someone to care for you. You will suffer severe side-effects that may leave your nervous system damaged, weaken your bones or damage your heart. You also realize that chances are your cancer will return after months of grueling treatments. You think maybe you would like to try alternative medicine but your oncologist is against it and you know of others who tried that route and died. What you may not know is this: Cancer can be healed naturally, and is done so every day, but it takes more than a multivitamin, a few supplements and a daily bowl of blueberries to accomplish complete healing.


Read more here.

Add Some Color to Your Diet

Studies show that variety provides cancer-fighting benefits. Grocery shoppers should bear in mind that good things come in colorful packages from Mother Nature. Dark or bright red, dark green, yellow, orange and blue or purple fruits and vegetables tend to offer the highest content of vitamins, antioxidants and other phytonutrients.

(Post note: Recent studies also indicate that no single fruit or vegetable can fight cancer alone, such as tomatoes in the fight against prostate cancer. But it is still thought that an all-around healthful diet high in colorful fruits and vegetables can help prevent damage to immune systems as people age.)

Read more about new colorful and healthy fruits and vegetables here.

Eat Your Artichokes

Artichokes are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, but it is their phytonutrient content that really makes them shine.

In fact, a study published in the July 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that artichokes ranked fourth in antioxidant content out of over 100 tested foods.

Artichokes were found to contain more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, raspberries, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes and a host of other fruits and vegetables (only blackberries, walnuts and strawberries had more).

Read more about artichokes and their benefits here.

Spice Up Your Health

Adding spices such as basil, oregano, garlic, curry, and rosemary to your diet can benefit your health, according to Suzanna Zick, a naturopathic physician and researcher at the University of Michigan Health System."

Adding herbs and spices can help you maintain a healthy weight. Plus, they can help prevent certain cancers, and even lower blood pressure, control blood sugar and improve cardiovascular health," Zick said.

Read more about how spices can boost your health.

6 Healthy Benefits of Papaya

Top Health Benefits of Papaya

Why eat papaya? It's delicious, refreshing and will support your health in the following ways, according to this article from SixWise:

1. Promote Good Digestion

2. Fight Heart Disease

3. Anti-Inflammatory Properties

4. Support Your Immune System

5. Protect Your Eyes and Lungs

6. Fight Prostate Cancer

eBay listing expires Thursday 8/30/07

Liver Cancer and Vitamin K

Researchers in Japan investigating whether vitamin K could prevent bone loss in women with liver disease have uncovered a surprising, secondary benefit—the vitamin also helped to prevent liver cancer in the patients.

People with viral cirrhosis from diseases such as hepatitis C are at an increased risk of developing liver cancer—about 80% of people with hepatocellular carcinomas have cirrhosis.

Read the entire article here.

Multivitamins during Pregnancy May Prevent Childhood Cancers

A new study published in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics suggests that taking multivitamins containing folic acid during pregnancy may help prevent the most common childhood cancers including leukemia (cancer of the blood stream and/or bone marrow), brain tumors, and neuroblastoma (tumors that grow in the nervous system).

Read the entire article from Healthnotes here.

Drinking More Coffee May Decrease Risk of Renal Cancer

Pooled data from several prospective studies have shown that increased intake of coffee and tea appears to decrease the risk of developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The details of this study appeared in an early on line publication in the International Journal of Cancer on June 21, 2007.

Read more here.

Citrus for Cancer

Citrus flavonoids, or naturally occurring plant compounds that function as antioxidants, may be effective anticancer agents, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute in Canada stated that tangeritin and nobiletin are citrus flavonoids that are among the most effective at inhibiting cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.

Tangeritin is a flavone that is found in tangerine and other citrus peels. Tangeritin is commercially available as a dietary supplement. Nobiletin is one of the citrus bioflavonoids and can be found in fruits such as lemon, orange, tangerine, grapefruit, etc.

Read more here.

Burdock (Arctium lappa)

A long but informative article about Burdock (one of the main ingredients in essiac) and its many uses and properties can be found here, along with pictures.

Who really gets chemo?

"If you have cancer, a big factor in your chemo decision is profit. Medical Oncologists are the cancer doctors that give chemotherapy...

- Bottom line? If your medical oncologist is confident that you can make your co-payments, you'll get the most expensive drugs on the market whether you need them or not."

Read an article from Question Authority that discusses who and who does not receive chemo, and why.

Cancer Myths

From abc.com:

Is the risk of dying of cancer in the United States increasing? Can cell phones cause cancer?

The fact that many Americans answered questions like these wrong -- the answer to both is no -- is evidence that many fall victim to prevailing myths about cancer, according to new research.

Read more here.

Ojibwe Wild Rice Stuffing

(From npr.org, Nov. 23, 2006)

Ojibwe Wild Rice Stuffing
Makes 3 cups, or enough to stuff a 10-pound turkey.

Ingredients:
1 cup wild rice from Native Harvest
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/3 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Rinse wild rice in three changes of hot tap water.

In saucepan over high heat, bring the wild rice, and chicken broth to a boil.

Reduce heat and cover. Simmer until wild rice has absorbed the broth, about 20 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and let cool.

In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter. Sauté celery, onions and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes until tender.

Stir in the rice, salt, sage, and thyme. Let cool.

Stuff in the cavity of the turkey, chicken or buffalo roll.

Just a reminder

Only a few days left to use coupon code BLOG15 to receive 15% off your order of $50 or more!

This coupon expires 7/31/07 and may be combined with our free shipping offer (in the US only) on orders of $60 or more.

It's Not Your Fault

From Barbara Ehrenreich's blog: "What Causes Cancer? Probably Not You."

Excerpt:

Even if veggies and smiles don’t cure cancer, aren’t we still entitled to blame some people for their diseases? Lack of exercise and dietary indiscretions play a role in the development of diabetes and coronary heart disease, so we indulge in self-gratifying contempt for the fat lady scarfing down Doritos. But before you rush to judgment, ask yourself: What nutritional alternatives does she have? (And, yes, I know they have “salad” at Wendy’s now, but they don’t offer apples on Amtrak.) As for exercise, gym memberships easily cost $500 a year, and far too many of us are forced to spend 10 hours or more a day sitting in a cubicle, a car or a bus.

CAM Goes to Med School

While CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) and conventional medicine have long held each other at arm's length, major medical schools have begun to incorporate information about these non-conventional techniques into their curricula. The idea is that doctors need to know about CAM -- if only to keep up with what their patients are already doing to heal themselves.

Read the rest of the Washington Post article here.

Is milk thistle effective in cancer treatment?

Milk thistle extract, an herbal remedy since the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, is today one of the most popular herbal supplements, with U.S. retail sales of nearly nine million dollars.

Read what some researchers are saying about milk thistle and cancer.

Thank you for visiting

As a thank you for reading our blog, please use coupon code BLOG15 to receive 15% off your order of $50 or more.

This coupon expires 7/31/07 and may be combined with our free shipping offer (in the US only) on orders of $60 or more.

A letter from Loretta

Dear Lisa,
I am a satisfied client of essiac tea and am determined to continue taking it. My story is very long. To make it short and useful for other people, let me tell you that I had breast cancer in 2003 and it was advanced. It was located in two places in my left breast and had already reached the lymph nodes. I had chemotherapy, mastectomy and radiotherapy.

In May last year, the cancer came back, this time in my liver. I was devastated and full of fears of dying. My oncologist immediately put me on a new long term chemotherapy treatment and I tried to keep working as I had done the first time I had cancer. Suddendly, I realized that this time my body was much weaker and tired. My psychological attitude was also less optimistic and I was losing confidence in the treatment and in my capacity to heal.

A friend of mine started encouraging me to read web sites and testimonials of people who healed themselves with alternative medecine. It was surfing that I discovered your site and the essiac tea which became my daily companion. I have been taking the aggressive dose, following your instructions, three times a day during my whole chemotherapy treatment. Now I finished the clinical treatment and have been without chemotherapy for more than five weeks. I have kept taking the tea, diminishing the dose to one cup a day, and my blood tests and scanners have shown that cancer is dying.

My doctor had intended to start a new localized treament on the liver which I feared, but in front of the results, he has decided to call it off . Now he gave me a new appointment for the end of August because he said he wants to be really sure that I am doing fine, but I feel that I will be.

I believe that essiac tea has been one strong reason for my recovery. I have also stopped working and dedicated my entire time to heal. This time, I spent every day doing relaxation exercises, deep breathing and making serious decisions to be well, love my body and life, and gain new energy through being creative. I went back to paint and write. Thanks my new daily rhythm, I was able to respect the timing for taking essiac tea, which is two hours after eating, three times a day.

Following this regular discipline has also helped me abandon stressing and toxic habits and remember that my body needs special attentions. I have learned, through this experience, to live with passion and to find peace.

This new awareness has become like a second skin. One year from now, I will be celebrating my radiant health with people I love. Essiac tea will be my guest.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story with you.

Loretta R, France

Essiac worked for Molly!

A letter we got yesterday:


Dear Lisa (Essiac Tea),
Appreciate the opportunity to tell you how pleased, thankful and optimistic I am since using essiac tea for my "baby". Since she was diagnosed with Insulinoma (malignant pancreatic cancer) I have been administering essiac tea in Molly's food. Molly is a 13 year old West Highland White Terrier and the joy of my life. I was told by several vets that she would not live more than a month or two; that was nearly six months ago. She is doing remarkably well. Has more energy, a great appetite and started chasing squirrels again. Most amazing was the total disappearance of a growth on her face just below her eye. She developed a lump on her face which grew slowly over the past two years. It didn't just shrink, it disappeared. Her nose was beginning to show suspicious signs of the initial stages of cancer as well. It was scaly and filled with mucous. Her nose has completely cleared up too. Essiac tea was recommended by a woman who overheard me telling a friend about Molly's dire prognosis. She told me that her vet had prescribed essiac tea for her dog and it worked miraculously. Having almost lost all hope and not getting much encouragement from my vets, I decided to give your essiac a try. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers and the makers of essiac tea.
Yours truly,
Fred Feldman
Head Men's/Women's Tennis Coach
Bard College

Coffee & Liver Cancer

Can coffee reduce the risk of liver cancer? According to findings published in the medical journal Gastroenterology it can.

Read more about it on The Cancer Blog.

Four Herb vs. Eight Herb Essiac

Many folks ask us which is "better"--four herb or eight herb essiac. Let's look at the truth.

There are two primary formulas for essiac tea used today. Here's a brief explanation of the differences (and similarities) the two recipes.

The "original" essiac recipe which was found by the Canadian nurse Rene Caisse in 1922 consisted of four herbs. This is the formula which she successfully used in Canada for over four decades. It is also the recipe that she submitted to the Canadian medical authorities in 1937 for their evaluation. The four herbs she used in this formula were burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm, and rhubarb.

Read the rest here at our website.

Cancer & Herbal Medicine

An interesting (but very long) article called: Food, Medicine, Poison & “Molecular Vitalism" (Novel Conceptual and Clinical Tools for the Botanical Treatment of Cancer) can be read here.

An excerpt from the article:
The emerging integrative model of cancer treatment recognizes the importance of botanical medicine. However, despite extensive positive research data from experimental and preclinical studies, and the anecdotal clinical experience of many practitioners, patients and cancer survivors, its potential in this field remains largely untapped and large-scale clinical trials are generally unavailable. The reasons for this are multifactorial, and include historical, political, and cultural factors – and almost invariably a misunderstanding of the core principles of herbal medicine itself.

10% off Your Order

Use the coupon code "REAL8" for 10% off your order from Essiac Tea Herbal Remedies. This code must be entered after you place items in your cart and hit the "Check Out" button. You will then see this: If you have a gift certificate or Discount Coupon, enter the number here.

The code is good for all essiac products and our milk thistle, as well. May be combined with the free shipping offer we are currently offering to our US customers. The coupon code is valid until 12/31/07.

Pesticides on Your Food?

Animal and human studies on individual pesticides have shown that they contribute to an alarming number of health problems like:

• Cancer

• Fertility problems

• Brain tumors

• Childhood leukemia

• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

• Birth defects

• Irritation to skin and eyes

• Hormone or endocrine system problems

• Nervous system damage

Read this informative article from SixWise.com to find out which fruits have the most pesticides (and which have the least.)

Alternative Remedies Re-examined

Doctors used to toss cancer treatments like ginseng tea into the category of "unproved remedies" along with faith healing and laetrile. But the medical profession's disdain didn't stop most cancer patients from trying a wide array of these alternative treatments in their desperate hope for a cure, or at least comfort.

Today, scientists are gaining respect for home cancer remedies as carefully designed studies show that some may actually work.

Read the entire Boston Globe article on alternative cancer remedies here.

6 more cancer myths and urban legends

“Social networks may play a role in the creation or propagation of myths,” said David Haggstrom, research scientist, Indiana University Cancer Center. “The proliferation of health information on the Internet may also contribute to cancer myths. "

Because yesterday's post was so popular, here are 6 more myths about things that supposedly "cause" cancer.

Another Cancer Urban Legend

Don't Drink Bottled Water Kept in Car?

Forwarded email warns women not to drink bottled water that has been left in a car because the heat supposedly releases cancer-causing toxins which 'leak' from the plastic into the water

Description: Email rumor
Circulating since: April 2007 (this version)
Status: False
Analysis: click here to read the explanation.

The Cost of Cancer Drugs

Thanks to the Freakonomics blog, we found this interesting and enlightening article about the cost of cancer drugs, featuring an interview with Genentech's CEO Arthur D. Levinson.

An essiac endorsement we found

From Paula P's blog:

I'd like to put together a research study on the effects of Essiac tea. My mother began drinking it after being diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer at the age of 65 and we really believe it played a big part in her full recovery.

Read the rest here.

Sale on 2-ounce bags on ebay!

Check out this listing on ebay where you can purchase up to 25, 2-ounce bags of essiac for $4.99 each (regular price $6.99) plus shipping is FREE if you are in the US! Hurry, this listing is only up for a week and there are only 25 bags available at this price.

Each 2-ounce bag brews a half-gallon of fresh essiac tea. This is enough for about three weeks on the regular dose, or one week on the aggressive dose.

Click here to view the sale.

This is Good To See

Herbal remedies show promise as cancer therapies.
Studies indicate ginseng, flaxseed might one day be cancer treatments.

Eat Your Veggies (and Your Fruits!)

We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is a good way to try to prevent cancer and other health issues, but many of us have a hard time eating enough servings per day. On the blog "Dr. Razavi's Good to Know Info" we found several websites that have good suggestions to help you eat more of these nutritious foods:

• Fruits and Veggies Matter
• Fruits &Veggies: More Matters!
• American Dietetic Association

Bon Appetit!

We Have Milk Thistle

While essiac does not contain milk thistle (it has blessed thistle instead), we have been doing a lot of research into this important herb lately, and would like to share our info.

Read about (and order) milk thistle here.

(Note: our coupons and free shipping apply to milk thistle orders as well as our essiac, or the two products may be combined.)

Great Essiac Specials You May Not Have Seen

We have two really nice specials going on at our website right now, which many customers seem to be unaware of. If you order one-ounce packets (makes about a quart) without the labels, you can get 50 for $99.90, or 100 packets for $189.70. This is a significant savings over the price for bags with individual labels. You will still get brewing and storage instructions.

And since we are having a free shipping offer on orders of $75 or more, either one of these orders would ship for free in the continental US.

Order today by clicking one of the product links above!

Four Healthy Reasons to Eat Fennel

Fennel is full of beneficial nutrients including vitamin C, fiber, potassium, manganese, folate, niacin, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. It also provides these other good-for-you benefits:

• Phytonutrients
• Antioxidants
• Fiber
• Folate

Read more about the benefits of fennel at SixWise.com.

30,000 Visitors

Our website essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com hit over 30,000 visitors today. Thank you!

Another Round of Free Samples

We have another batch of free samples to give away (US and Canada only, please.) If you are one of the first to respond, you will receive a one-ounce packet of our eight-herb essiac, enough to make a quart. This will last about 10 days at a low dose. You will also receive a coupon good for 10% off your next order.

To get your sample, please click here to fill out our contact form, and be sure to include your name and shipping address. You may also call John at (877) 8-ESSIAC toll-free and give him your information.
One per person/household, please. Supplies are limited and we reserve the right to remove this offer at any time.

Authentic Essiac (Part 8)

End Up With The Best.

Nurse Rene Caisse died in 1978, and Dr. Brusch died in 1993. Their authentic essiac formula, however, lives on.

We firmly believe that the eight herb formula which was found to be best in the Brusch clinical trials is the most effective form of essiac tea available today. We recommend drinking it just as it was taken in these studies: in brewed tea form (avoid using pills, capsules, or pre-made tea bags), unstrained, and taken on a completely empty stomach.

Order Your Authentic Essiac Today.

Authentic Essiac (Part 7)

What Finally Happened

After further research by Brusch and Caisse, an oral essiac formula was developed which contained eight herbs, including the original four herbs from the old formula that was designed to be injected. Exclusive rights to the authentic essiac formula were left to Dr. Brusch in 1977 (a year prior to Rene Caisse's death), though some accounts state the year as 1978. This formula was deemed by both parties to be the most effective formula to date.

The eight herb formula Rene Caisse shared with Dr. Charles Brusch consisted of: burdock root, blessed thistle, kelp, red clover, sheep sorrel, slippery elm bark, Turkish rhubarb root, and watercress. Dr. Brusch performed eight years of clinical research on the “new” oral form of essiac. He even dosed himself with it, when he fell ill with cancer. Brusch later confidently made the claim that this eight herb essiac alone cured his cancer.

During several clinical trials held at the Brusch Medical Research Center, Brusch and Caisse tried essiac capsules, tablets, and tinctures, among other methods. Over and over, they found that the method of administering treatment which resulted in the most potent and effective formula was to leave the herbs in the liquid after brewing, creating what we now call authentic Essiac Tea.

Authentic Essiac (Part 6)

Resperin Gets The Formula

In 1977, after repeatedly refusing to share her formula with anyone over the years, and under immense pressure, Rene Caisse signed over a four herb formula to Resperin Corp. of Canada under the stipulation that Resperin complete rigorous clinical tests on the essiac. Her agreement granted permission to Resperin for the use of essiac in research only, and specified that if the Company did not complete the required tests, Dr. Charles Brusch would then have complete ownership of the formula (because Dr. Brusch and Caisse had performed clinical tests on essiac together in the 1960's). As it happened, Resperin breached their contract with Nurse Caisse by never completing the tests, but they still held on to the formula.

Authentic Essiac (Part 5)

Introducing Dr. Charles A. Brusch

One of the essiac formulas being tested was a four herb version meant to be injected through the skin. This four herb formula was never meant to be consumed orally. In 1959, Rene Caisse decided to take further action to seek approval for her remedy. Since physicians weren't permitted to inject this formula without government approval, she was concerned that her valuable work may be lost forever. Dr. Brusch invited Rene Caisse to his Brusch Medical Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in an attempt to work together and develop an oral formula which had the same effectiveness as the injection. There were fewer government rules and regulations surrounding a formula made to drink as opposed to an injection administered by shot.

Authentic Essiac (Part 4)

How Did Essiac Develop?

After many years of research, Nurse Caisse, along with interested doctors she knew, developed a version of the essiac formula that was to be injected into the patient. This treatment by injection turned out to yield more consistent results in the patients. (All of this information has been documented in a hand-written oath by Rene Caisse as well as signed papers by staff physicians.)

Rene Caisse attempted to get a permit from the Canadian Ministry of Health to allow health providers throughout Canada to inject the authentic essiac formula, but she was never successful in this attempt. Around this same time, Dr. Charles Brusch's older brother had heard about Caisse's work, and decided to research the information on his own. However, he was also unsuccessful in convincing the Canadian Government to officially recognize Rene’s essiac formula.

About Authentic Essiac (Part 3)

Where Did Essiac Come From?

It is thought that essiac was initially used by Native Americans for the purpose of treating sicknesses at a time when there was little or no cancer. It is intriguing to note that this original essiac blend was not actually created with the goal of treating cancer in mind.

Many years ago, while Rene Caisse was working as a nurse in a Canadian hospital, one of her patients gave her some of this Native American herbal blend and told Caisse that she was using it to treat her breast cancer. Rene Caisse was astounded to learn that the woman's cancer had been halted! However,this primitive version of essiac was not effective in every case; in fact, many patients died in spite of being treated with the essiac. In all fairness, many of these people had nowhere else to turn at that point, treatment-wise.

About Authentic Essiac (Part 2)

What is “Authentic”?

An "authentic" product is one that is 100% what it says it is on the label, and that is of the highest quality. Our authentic essiac formula is the one that is proven to be most effective when it's taken by mouth as a tea. We guarantee that it contains every ingredient listed on the label, and that these herbs are top-quality and fresh.

About Authentic Essiac (Part 1)

What is Authentic Essiac?

It’s crucial that you use authentic essiac to get the full benefits you may experience using essiac tea. While the four herb formulas that you might have heard about probably do have some effect, Nurse Rene Caisse and Dr. Charles Brusch ultimately found the eight herb formula to be most effective.

It is important to distinguish between "original" and "authentic" to understand how to choose the best essiac. As with almost everything in life, original versions of formulas, herbal or otherwise, aren't always the best. In fact, it's unusual to find that the first version of anything is the best! Often, when a new product is “discovered”, it is researched and experimented with, and then tested over and over again for results. With time (and usually some tweaking), the effectiveness of most products, including herbal remedies, tends to improve.

To be continued...

Order Your Authentic Essiac Today.

10 Vitamins & Nutrients You Can Take Too Much Of.

An estimated 150 million Americans take dietary supplements on a daily basis in an effort to add nutrition to their diets.

However, be wary of the mindset that if a little is good, more is even better. While it's nearly impossible to overdose on vitamins from eating whole foods, it is possible to get excessive, potentially harmful amounts of nutrients when taking them in supplement form.

Find out which ten vitamins and other nutrients can be dangerous when taken in excess by reading the rest of the article from SixWise.com.

"Cancer Update" is Urban Legend

From Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center:

"An email falsely attributed to Johns Hopkins describing properties of cancer cells and suggesting prevention strategies has begun circulating the Internet. Johns Hopkins did not publish the email, entitled "Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins," nor do we endorse its contents."

You can read the email hoax at Snopes.com.

New 2-Ounce Packets Available

We are now packaging essiac in 2-ounce polybags, each of which brews about a half-gallon of tea. (This is in addition to the one-ounce, four-ounce, pound, and bulk packaging we already carried.)
You can purchase these packets individually or in multiples of four, ten, twenty, twenty-six (the six-month supply) or fifty-two (one packet each week for a year). As always, the more you buy at once, the lower the price per pound and the more you save on shipping.

Also please note we are still running our Free Shipping On Orders $50 and Over (continental US only).

9 Unusual Green Things You Can Eat!

If your diet is lacking in healthy greens, or if you're looking to experiment with a tasty and healthy side dish tonight, the following greens deserve a spot on your table. They're incredibly good for you, low in calories, easy to prepare and, best of all, they're delicious!

From SixWise.com, a list of nine uncommon leafy green vegetables you should try, along with their nutrients and health benefits.

Negative Advertising by Other Companies

Recently it's come to our attention that a website has been created by a Canadian re-seller of essiac, who tries to portray our eight-herb essiac as "counterfeit" and "cheap."

This is a site that has the nerve to charge $34 for a tiny box of essiac powder, or $38 for a small bottle of pre-made tea. They don't even tell you how much of the product you are getting when you order.

This site is upset that we have exposed the fact that they are massively overcharging for their product, and therefore their sales are way down, understandably. They even claim to have not made a profit in the past eight years, which is laughable. So they have chosen to attack our site, and other sites selling eight-herb essiac.

I'm really sad that a retailer would resort to spending money on negative advertising like this, when they should just be charging a lot less for their product.

Please, if you see websites like this, take their rants with a grain of salt. Our essiac is not "cheap," nor is it "counterfeit." We do not buy their "rejected," leftover herbs. Ours are premium herbs purchased in large amounts from a well-respected organic herb grower in California.

Furthermore, we are not "far too busy" to talk to our customers, as the president of this Canadian company apparently is, according to their site.

We're proud of our product, and we stand behind it 100%. We are the real thing. Give us a try, or call us right now for a free sample. (US only, please.)

Open Letter to Elizabeth Edwards

"The Leaf Lady" wrote an interesting letter to the Edwards family, which you can read in its entirety here.

4 Natural Foods For Diabetics

From Health Digest Daily:

1. Banaba leaf
2. Garlic
3. Fenugreek
4. Essiac

Read the whole article, with more details on these foods, here.

9 Surprising Diabetes Risks

Find out if your lifestyle habits are risk factors for developing diabetes, and what to do about it, thanks to Fitness Magazine.

Why Do Prescription Cancer Drugs Cost So Much?

From the Wall Street Journal's new health blog:

Drug companies have long said the high prices of medicines reflect the costly and risky process of bringing them from the lab to the clinic. Now, at least one executive has publicly added a second reason for the high prices: People are willing to pay.

Read more here.

Del Asks A Good Question

In his blog "Cancer--It's Your Body, It's Your Fight," regular essiac user Del asks the reader

Why Do We Insist In Putting The Cart Before The Horse?

What is "Tisane"?

From our website, with help from Wikipedia:

A tisane, ptisan or herbal "tea" is any herbal infusion other than from the leaves of the tea bush (Camellia sinsensis). The English word "tisane" originated from the Greek word πτισάνη (ptisanē), a drink made from pearl barley.

Tisanes can be made with fresh or dried flowers, leaves, seeds or roots, generally by pouring boiling water over the plant parts and letting them steep for varying amounts of time, depending on the ingredients. Seeds and roots can also be boiled on a stove. The tisane is then strained, sweetened if so desired, and served. Many companies produce herbal tea bags for such infusions.

Essiac is a great example of a tisane. The eight herbs are mixed together, ground, and then boiled in water. The mixture is then cooled and left to steep overnight.

Of course, with our essiac blend, all you have to do is open the pre-measured package and add the herbs to the water--we do all the selecting, grinding, mixing and measuring of herbs for you!

7 Foods That Help Boost Your Immune System

LifeScript writes about seven kinds of food that can help your immune system. In a nutshell, they are:

1. "Fatty" seafood
2. Proteins containing zinc
3. Most plant foods (fruits and vegetables--well, DUH!)
4. Citrus fruits and other foods containing vitamin C
5. Nuts
6. Garlic and onions
7. Yogurt

You can read the article in detail here.

Foods they suggest avoiding are sugars and most fats (well, DUH, again!)

Americans Increasingly Medicating Their Pets

Americans have begun to medicate their dogs, cats and sometimes other pets much as they medicate themselves.

They routinely treat their pets for arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, allergies, dementia, and soon maybe even obesity. They pick from an expanding menu of mostly human pharmaceuticals like steroids for inflammation, antibiotics for infection, anti-clotting agents for heart ailments, Prozac or Valium for anxiety, even the impotence drug Viagra for a lung condition in dogs.

Increasingly, they buy at people pharmacies or online and sometimes pay with health insurance.

Read the rest of the article here.

(If you're looking for something to help your pet, essiac can be a great choice.)

Essiac and Rene Caisse Documentary

Watch a fascinating, rarely-seen documentary on essiac and Rene Caisse, filmed in the 1970's.

Part One of Two:


Part Two of Two:

Free Shipping on Orders $50 and over!

Hurry! Order your fresh eight-herb essiac tea blend from us by the end of March, and we will ship your order for free, if it totals $50 or more. Be sure to select the "free" shipping option at checkout. Offer good through the end of March, 2007. No coupon needed.

Coupon Code--Save 10%

When ordering from our website, use the code "REAL8" to save 10% on your order (not including shipping/postage.) Coupon code is good the rest of this year, until 12/31/07, and may be used more than once. Coupon also works for ordering our milk thistle product.

Please feel free to call our toll-free number: (877) 8-ESSIAC [outside North America please call (919) 357-3539] with any questions you may have about essiac tea. Leave a message if we can't answer immediately (we're probably helping another customer) and someone will call you back quickly.

Essiac Tea Possesses Antioxidant and DNA-Protective Activity

March 25, 2006

“Research from the United States reported that essiac tea possesses antioxidant and DNA-protective activity.
"Essiac, a tea reportedly developed by the Ojibwa tribe of Canada and widely publicized as a homeopathic cancer treatment, is prepared from a mixture of four herbs Arctium lappa, Rumex acetosella, Ulmus rubra and Rheum officinale. [Note: our formula has four additional herbs, for enhanced effectiveness.] Each of these herbs has been reported to possess antioxidant and anti-cancer activity," explained M. Ansarin and colleagues, European Institute of Oncology.

"Essiac itself has also been reported to demonstrate anti-cancer activity in vitro, although its effects in vivo are still a matter of debate. We prepared an extract of Essiac tea from a concentration of 25 mg/mL and boiled it for 10 min. From this preparation we used concentrations of 5, 10, 25 and 50% to measure Essiac effects. In this study, we examined the effects of Essiac on free radical scavenging and DNA damage in a non-cellular system, as well as the effects Essiac on lipid peroxidation using the RAW 264.7 cell line," the scientists noted.

They continued, "We observed, using electron spin resonance, that Essiac effectively scavenged hydroxyl, up to 84% reduction in radical signal at the 50% tea preparation concentration, and superoxide radicals, up to 82% reduction in radical signal also at the 50% tea preparation concentration, as well as prevented hydroxyl radical-induced DNA damage. In addition, Essiac inhibited hydroxyl radical-induced lipid peroxidation by up to 50% at the 50% tea preparation concentration."

The researchers concluded, "These data indicate that Essiac tea possesses potent antioxidant and DNA-protective activity, properties that are common to natural anti-cancer agents. This study may help to explain the mechanisms behind the reported anti-cancer effects of Essiac."

Leonard and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology (Essiac tea: Scavenging of reactive oxygen species and effects on DNA damage. J Ethnopharmacol, 2006;103(2):288-296).”

Brattleboro Reformer (Vermont)

Watercress new hope in cancer fight

Watercress, the leafy green vegetable favored in salads and soup, could be promoted to the rank of a superfood alongside broccoli, blueberries, dark chocolate and baked beans, with new research suggesting it can help reduce the risk of cancer.

Read the rest of the article here.

(Watercress is one of the ingredients in our eight-herb essiac. it is not present in the four-herb formula.)

Request Your Free Sample Today.

We still have a few samples available; see instructions below:

We are proud to offer a one-ounce sample of our superb essiac tea eight-herb blend, TOTALLY FREE. No shipping, no handling, nothing. This is for North American customers only, but we won't charge you a thing. Just send us your mailing address. We'll send you the sample right away, complete with brewing instructions. We won't spam you later, either. Promise.

Click here to go to our website. Then click on the Contact button in the left-hand column. Fill out the contact form. In the comments box, please indicate you would like a free sample. A little effort on your part, but absolutely free!

Our free samples are very limited, so please request yours today! Limit one per address/family.

Medical Students Believe in CAM

From a recent large-sample survey of first- and second-year medical student attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine ("CAM") in the curriculum and in practice:

Nearly all (91%) students agreed that "CAM includes ideas and methods from which Western medicine could benefit"; more than 85% agreed that "knowledge about CAM is important to me as a student/future practicing health professional"; and more than 75% felt that CAM should be included in the curriculum.

Essiac and Diabetes

What many people don't know when they try to deal with their diabetes, is that there are herbs and plants that may help you. Essiac may be one of these herbal products.

This herbal combination is made up of sheep sorrel, slippery elm, burdock root, and turkish rhubarb root, as well as watercress, red clover, blessed thistle, and kelp, mixed in specific proportions. It has been used as a form of alternative treatment for cancer patients since as far back as the early 1920s. The tea that you can make from essiac has been reported to lower blood sugar levels and minimize the need for medications for people who suffer from both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Learn more about essiac on our website.

What's "The Secret"?

Does the way you think impact your health? This article from Sixwise.com talks about a new film called "The Secret":

Disease cannot live in a body that's in a healthy emotional state," at least, so says author Bob Proctor in the film, "The Secret." "The Secret" -- which is not being shown in theaters, but rather is being spread through a viral, grassroots marketing campaign -- discusses a centuries-old principle that has earned a "new-age" reputation but is now starting to branch into the mainstream.

"The secret is the Law of Attraction. Everything that's coming into your life you are attracting into your life. And it's attracted to you by virtue of the images you're holding in your mind," Proctor says.

Click to read more...

"Dirty" Burdock Root is Cleansing.

Burdock root is one of the key ingredients in our eight-herb essiac. Read more about its other uses:

WHAT IS IT? The dirty-looking root is native to North America, Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional herbal medicine for centuries to assist with cleansing the skin and blood. Not only used in herbal medicine, it is also a favorite vegetable in Japan. Burdock root, also known as gobo root, can be found in most Japanese stores and grocery stores sporadically throughout the year.

Continue learning about burdock here.

Even the lowly parsley can fight cancer.

From SixWise.com:
Parsley contains volatile oils that have been found to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, particularly those in the lungs. The oils are not only cancer-fighting, they're also known to neutralize carcinogens including those found in cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke. Parsley also contains folic acid, which has been found to help prevent colon and cervical cancers.

Read more about this remarkable garnish here.

We now carry Milk Thistle.

While eight-herb essiac tea is definitely still our specialty, we've been very impressed lately by what we've been reading about milk thistle. After a lot of research, we have found a great source for quality milk thistle at a good price.

Read about and order your milk thistle here!

When "free" really isn't.

I was amused today to find a "competitor" site offering "free" two-ounce essiac samples. They mail to the continental US only, and they will send you the "free" sample for a $9.95 shipping charge.

THEN they have the nerve to say elsewhere on their website that they aren't making any money from shipping, that they only charge the customer what it costs them to mail you the product.

Let me tell you something. There is nowhere in the US that it costs $9.95 to mail two ounces of anything, unless you send it overnight. Which I'm pretty sure this "competitor" is not doing.

We are proud to offer a one-ounce free sample of our superb essiac tea eight-herb blend, TOTALLY FREE. No shipping, no handling, nothing. This is for US customers only, but we won't charge you a thing. Just send us your mailing address. We'll send you the sample right away, complete with brewing instructions. We won't spam you later, either. Promise.

Click here to enter your info and request your free sample. In the comments box, please indicate you would like a sample.

Our free samples are very limited, so please request yours today! Limit one per address.

Do Americans age 50 and older talk with their physicians about their use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) — diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products not presently considered part of conventional medicine including herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic, and acupuncture?

Find out here.

Toxic Waste May Hold a Cure

Organisms known as extremophiles -- which literally means "someone who loves extremes" -- may one day provide a cure for cancer and other diseases, and already help clean up toxic oil spills. How? The organisms hold a variety of secrets that allow them to survive in circumstances where most other species would perish.

Read more about these unique creatures here.

OZ tells cancer patients to avoid soy

New research in Australia has found that a high consumption of soy-based food can be harmful to cancer sufferers.

The New South Wales Cancer Council says while soy foods can slightly lower the risk of contracting breast cancer, latest research shows that high doses of soy can actually stimulate the growth of existing cancer.

A statement by the state council says research also found that soy supplements can interfere with breast cancer treatment.

Read the rest here.

Request Your Free Essiac Sample Today!

The first eight people who send their mailing address to me (lisa@essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com) will receive absolutely free a one-ounce sample of our eight-herb essiac tea blend (enough to brew about a quart/liter) along with a set of brewing instructions. US or Canada addresses only, please. We do not share or sell addresses, so your information is safe.

If you need more infomation on essiac tea, visit our website:
essiac-tea-herbal-remedies.com

Good luck!

Online Praying Helps

Breast cancer patients who pray in online support groups can obtain mental health benefits, according to a new study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research that was funded by the National Cancer Institute.

Read the rest of the article here.

Choline Helps Prevent an Array of Diseases

Choline is a B vitamin that has only within the past decade begun to receive attention. The body does make (small amounts) of choline on its own, but diet is a major source of the nutrient. However, as Americans' diets are often inadequate (and based on too many junk foods), scientists realized that some people are at risk of choline deficiency, and a recommended daily intake was established in 1998.

Getting enough choline is an important way to ensure your health. Research has uncovered that choline is beneficial in the following ways:

Click here to read the rest of the article from Sixwise.com.

9 Healthy Foods That May Surprise You!

What you didn't know might help you.

Eating healthy may be virtuous, but it just doesn't seem like that much fun. This article from Forbes.com lists nine foods that are both tasty and good for you, in moderation.

Spices and herbs may help you avoid disease

magine going to your doctor with joint pain and leaving with a prescription for ginger.

Before the advent of synthetic drugs, that might have happened. Herbs and spices have a long history as folk medicine, and not without merit.

Today, researchers are working to quantify their health benefits.

"We don't have enough evidence to say herbs and spices are 100-percent disease-preventing, but several have positive outlooks," says Milton Stokes, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Read the rest here.