Alternative Cures With the Use of Essiac Tea

Essiac tea is a combination of burdock root, slippery elm inner bark, sheep sorrel and Indian rhubarb root. Rene Caisse, a Canadian nurse, developed this formula for cancer in the 1920s. Each herb has a cleansing and stimulating effect on the immune system and the internal organs. Essiac tea is an alternative cancer cure. This immune-strengthening tea is also good for warding off colds and flus, cleansing the system and staying healthy.

Essiac for Cancer

• Burdock root is a blood cleanser, and it stimulates the sweat glands and urinary system. Slippery elm soothes and nourishes the internal organs and tissues. Sheep sorrel is a detoxifier that stimulates sweating, and rhubarb root helps to cleanse the liver. Nurse Rene Caisse used this formula for many years, often with reported success. To read more about her work, visit the Rene Caisse website at http://www.essiacinfo.org/index.html. Though many people have reported a positive outcome from the use of Essiac tea, there are currently no studies to prove that Essiac has any effect on cancer.

Infusions and Decoctions

• Making Essiac tea at home is easy to do. Most teas you are probably used to are infusions. An infusion is the result of steeping leaves or flowers in boiling water. Essiac tea is a decoction. Boiling powdered herbs in water and then straining off the liquid makes a decoction. The decoction process extracts minerals from the herbs and roots. If you make an infusion with the Essiac herbs you are only getting the vitamins and volatile oils. An infusion of these herbs makes a healthy tea, but to gain the full benefit of Essiac, you must make a decoction.

Making Essiac Tea

• To make a decoction you need to start with powdered herbs. Make sure you buy herbs from a trusted source and always chose organic herbs when available. To make the initial mixture combine 6 ½ cups of burdock root, 1 lb. of powdered sheep sorrel, 1/4 lb. of powdered slippery elm bark and 1 oz. of powdered rhubarb root. Mix the powder well and store in a cool dry place. To make your first decoction add 1 oz. of the powdered herb mixture to 32 oz. of water. Place the mixture on the stove and boil for ten minutes. Let it sit over night. In the morning reheat the mixture and then strain the liquid through a fine screen. You can store your Essiac tea in the refrigeratpr. Rene Caisse recommended taking 1 oz. a day mixed with warm water. This is still considered an adequate daily dose for illness and for a general immune strengthener.