Essiac Tea for Cancer

Nature’s Healing Powers

Modern medicine has forgone natural cures, ignoring traditional remedies passed down through centuriesof experienced healers, and focusing only on scientifically proven extracted chemicals. Whole herbshave all of Nature’s healing powers held within, and for the most part are gentler on our systems, especially over long term use. Many traditional remedies have a long history of effectiveness in a wide variety of disorders, and some have even shown promise in controlling cancer. One of the most widely recognized is the four herb formula known as Essiac, a botanical tea used as a Native American remedy for cancer back in the late 1890’s.

Essiac Tea Components

There are avariety of formulas used to make Essiactea, but the four herbs that are at the base of the tea are burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm bark, and turkey rhubarb root. The function that they all have in common is the ability to support the liver, which is our main filtering organ. Other preparations for the tea may include additional herbs for cleansing and cell repair, such as red clover and watercress. Because of the cleansing nature of the tea, it has been successful as a tonic and in assisting the liver during chemotherapy and radiation. The four main herbs used in Essiactea have many properties which make them useful in other ways as well as essential to the tea. These properties are as follows:

Burdock Root – This herb is used as a blood purifier, helping liver function while stimulating production of bile. It is known to neutralize poison, cleanses the lymphatic system, and has a reputation for tumor regression. It’s also used in macrobiotic diets.

Sheep Sorrel – This whole plant is used as a diuretic and blood cleanser. It improves liver, intestinal, and bowel functions, and has a reputation as a ¡®tumor buster.’ Its leaves are used for fevers and the roots are effective to treat kidney stones.

Slippery Elm Bark - This plant is used as a demulcent (medicine that soothes irritated or inflamed
mucous membrane) to carry toxins away from cells, expelling them through the bowels. It also supports the liver, spleen and pancreas, plus it soothes the intestinal tract.

Turkey Rhubarb Root – This herb is used to promote bile flow, stimulate colon, and help to restore the
stomach and liver. It also has having anti-tumor properties.

Finding Essiac

There are many fine sources of information on Essiac tea and the components of the Essiac formula. A few
of these include “Calling of an Angel” by Dr. Gary Glum, “Essiac, a Native Herbal Cancer Remedy” by Cynthia Olsen, and “The Essence of Essiac’ by Sheila Fraser Snow. You can find the tea in your local health food store or you can search online at numerous sites, including The Herbal Healer Academy, Jean’s Greens, and Mountain Rose Herbs.

Balancing Our Lives

Many natural healers believe that illnesses are caused by an imbalance in the energies of our body and
spirit. There are many reasons for these imbalances, such as stress, emotional upheaval, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, exposure to toxins, poor sleep patterns, or spiritual deprivation, but mostly they boil down to having an unhealthy lifestyle. The energies of plants can help us redirect our own energies and return us to a healthy, balanced state. The cleansing nature of Essiac tea is only one way to realign our lives to their proper balance where all things are possible, even eliminating cancer.