Essiac Tea as a Cancer Cure

Essiac tea is an herbal blend of four herbs, burdock root, slippery elms, sheep's sorrel and turkey rhubarb. Burdock root and sheep's sorrel are believe to have cancer-curing properties, and the other two herbs detox the organs and boost the immune system.

Rene Caisee

• In 1922, a Canadian nurse named Rene Caisse was tending an elderly woman when she noticed some scar tissue on one of her breasts. The patient told Caisse that she had been diagnosed with breast caner some years previously but had not been able to afford the surgery for it. The patient went on to say that she has come across an Indian medicine man who had given her an herbal teas, claiming it could cure her cancer. The patient followed the medicine man's instructions and claimed he had saved her life. Almost a year later a retired doctor told Caisse of an herb that he believed could cure cancer. The nurse recognized it as one of the herbs the elderly woman had mentioned. The herb was known as sheep's sorrel. In 1924, when Caisse's aunt was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to try out the herbal tea on her, in the hope of saving her life. The tea worked and her aunt continued to live for a further twenty years. After this time Caisse worked to adjust and perfect the original formula and the final version was comprised of burdock root, slippery elm, sheep sorrel and turkey rhubarb. She dedicated the rest of her life to treating cancer patients with this herbal remedy.

Effects of Essiac Tea

• According to Dr. Andrew Weil, studies have shown that essiac tea has no affect whatsoever on cancer symptoms. Weil states that many of the essiac formulas on the market today can cause side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea and flu-like symptoms. Furthermore, he claims that Rene Caisse never revealed her exact essiac tea formula, so there is no way of telling if the formulas on the market today are in any way similar.

Sheep Sorrel Studies

• Though sheep sorrel is thought to be a cancer fighting herb, the affectivity of essiac tea is largely anecdotal. Although it may have proven effective in a minority of cases, it does not guarantee that it will work in other cases. There have been a few minor laboratory studies on the potential for this herb to cure cancer, but there have been no human studies.