The Miracle Of Essiac Tea

To begin explaining what essiac is, we start at the roots. This tea originated in Ontario, Canada. Its name was derived from the name of a heroic Canadian nurse named Rene Caisse. So, simply put, essiac is Caisse spelled backwards! She was heroic in the sense that she never became rich selling this tea which she believed to have helped cancer patients.

To add to that, she operated her Bracebridge cancer clinic, way back in 1930's, without asking for payments even if she has to pay a monthly rent of $1 per month. The first treatments made using the brew in the early 1920's proved to be fruitful. In her autobiography, Rene described vividly how essiac tea came to be. It all started with a simple bath. One of Rene's nurses was bathing an old patient when Rene noticed that one of the old woman's breasts had a scar.

Naturally inquisitive, she wanted to know why this is so. The old woman told her that 30 years back, she was in Northern Ontario with her spouse when she felt that her right breast had pain and swelling. She was then taken to some doctors in Toronto to have her condition checked. To their utter shock, she was told that it was cancer in its most advanced stage. It was imperative for that right breast to be removed but before undergoing the surgery, she consulted the medicine man who told her that he could help cure her.

The man who was actually Indian, showed her what herbs he will use to make a tea drink. Miraculously, that woman was already 80 years of age when Rene saw her. The old woman testified that she never suffered from the disease again. It was an amazing story and Rene would have just forgotten about it if not for her doctor friend who attested that the weeds used in making the tea could help cure cancer. Since then, Rene Caisse was an active advocate of the tea drink.

The 4 phenomenal herbs used in making the tea are: 1. Burdock root contains Vitamin A, selenium and Inulin that strengthens organs such as the spleen, liver and pancreas. 2. Slippery Elm inner bark primarily contains mucilage, which is an enemy to toxins. It targets problems in our circulatory system specifically the restoration of plasma and lymph. 3.

Indian Rhubarb root has malic acid and rheine. This herb eases bowel movement by cleansing the intestines, 4. And Sheep sorrel that has silicon, and some vitamins and minerals. Just like the previous herbs, it aids in digestion and proper excretion. Aside from helping the digestive, excretory and circulatory systems, this tea also helps the immune system (strengthens the 'soldiers' which fight harmful substances that enter our body). Now that we know what we're going to drink and how this is going to give us health (or help restore it), let's get down to the modern essiac.

Today, the trademark belongs to Resperin Canada Limited (Caisse sold the name to them for just a dollar). If the original 'recipe' originated from a medicine man, then today's essiac has only one recipe that is available for everyone to peruse. This is the formula that was concocted by Doctor Gary Glum and is authenticated by other authors: 6 1/2 cups of Burdock root (cut into the size of peas) 453 grams of Sheep Sorrel (in powder form) 113 grams of Slippery Elm bark (powdered) 28.

35 grams of Turkey Rhubarb root (also in powder form) Also, use 1 cup of the mixture for every 2 gallons of distilled water when brewing. It is very important to mix the ingredients well. How? This way: 1. First, mix the herbs thoroughly. 2. Pour in the cup of pure water into a pot.

3. Boil. 4. Put in the herbs and cover again. 5. Boil for 10 minutes.

6. Leave the pot overnight. The next day: 7. Reheat the brewed ingredients but do not bring to a boil. 8. After reheating, let it stand just for a few minutes then transfer the brew into bottles.

Do not pour in the sediments. 9. Let the bottles cool down before putting the lids. 10. Refrigerate only once opened. Keep the brewed mixture in a dry place, tightly sealed, and make sure that it is not hit by direct sunlight.

Air and light are known to have damaging effects on the brew. Now, how do we drink it? Take 30ml of the tea everyday but it needs to be diluted to 60ml of hot water. There should be no food intake before drinking the tea. It is preferably sipped before going to bed.

Now, knowing all these, how about a cup?.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://tea.topicgiant.com where you can learn more about essiac tea.