| Essiac tea and its apparently potent cancer-fighting | | | | cure cancer. She believed it had the ability to purify |
| abilities have been in the spotlight for nearly 90 years | | | | the blood, to strengthen the immune system, and to |
| as the tea's proponents and critics continually | | | | allow the healthy cells to kill the cancerous cells. She |
| exchange ideas and insights on its true efficacy. | | | | said that tumors not destroyed by the tea would be |
| Essiac tea is recommended by proponents of | | | | shrunk and could be surgically removed after six to |
| alternative healthcare as a treatment for various | | | | eight weeks of treatment. She recommended at |
| forms of cancer. It is also used to alleviate | | | | least three months of additional weekly essiac |
| symptoms and side effects of conventional cancer | | | | treatments to ensure that any malignant cells that |
| therapy. The blend is currently considered to be a | | | | remained after the first phase and surgery were |
| "Phase III cancer treatment", meaning it is of | | | | totally destroyed. |
| sufficient strength to help in fighting moderately | | | | Her own mother, Friseide Caisse, was given essiac |
| advanced cancer but not enough to be integral to | | | | tea treatment after she was diagnosed with liver |
| the treatment of cancer in higher stages. However, | | | | cancer at the age of 72. After being told that she |
| this does not preclude its future addition to "Stage | | | | only had days to live, her mother was said to have |
| IV" treatment if conditions are warranted. | | | | recovered quickly and after a few months of |
| The medical community, on the other hand, has | | | | treatment with the tea, her cancer was gone. She |
| consistently refused to embrace the use of essiac | | | | lived to be 90. |
| tea as cancer treatment, even as some prominent | | | | Caisse reported that essiac tea had been the reason |
| physicians were among its strongest backers in 1938, | | | | that hundreds of her patients had been cured of |
| when they pushed for the tea blend's legalization | | | | their cancers. She sometimes administered the |
| before the Canadian parliament. | | | | formula as intramuscular injections. Most of the |
| Critics argue that some cancers considered as | | | | patients came to her after conventional cancer |
| incurable suddenly go into remission without adequate | | | | treatments have already failed. Indeed up to this day, |
| medical explanation. Others say that the placebo | | | | testimonials keep pouring in on from many patients |
| effect - the belief that the treatment is working | | | | relating how the blend have totally rid their bodies of |
| makes it effective rather than the treatment itself - | | | | cancer. |
| may help explain some of the successes encountered | | | | Still, the medical community seems very adamant in |
| by essiac tea in treating cancer. Consequently, | | | | their objections to the tea as a viable cancer |
| treatment of cancer via essiac tea is not approved | | | | treatment. In 2008, the U.S. National Institute of |
| by the American Medical Association or the American | | | | Health's Medline said that "there is not enough |
| Cancer Society. | | | | evidence to recommend for or against the use of |
| Essiac tea is a blend of 4 herbs that was used by | | | | this herbal mixture as a therapy for any type of |
| nurse Rene Caisse in the 1920s as a treatment and | | | | cancer." They said that none of the individual herbs in |
| possible cure for cancer. The word 'essiac' is her | | | | Essiac has been tested in rigorous human cancer |
| surname spelled backward. The four component | | | | trials. Even as testimonials and reports from |
| herbs of the tea are burdock root (arctium lappa), | | | | manufacturers are available on the Internet, they said |
| turkey rhubarb root (rheum palmatum), sheep sorrel | | | | that these cannot be considered scientifically viable as |
| (rumex acetosella), and the inner bark of slippery elm | | | | evidence. They concluded by recommending that |
| (ulmus fulva or ulmus rubra). | | | | individuals with cancer should not delay treatment |
| The sheep sorrel and the burdock root are the herbs | | | | with "more proven therapies." |
| known to kill and destroy cancer cells while the | | | | It should be remembered that persons should consult |
| turkey rhubarb root and the slippery elm bark help | | | | with their physician first before treating any condition |
| build the immune system and aid in the detoxification | | | | with essiac tea. It is also important to remember that |
| of the affected organs. | | | | essiac is often used in combination with traditional |
| Caisse first heard of essiac formula from a patient | | | | cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, |
| who met a Native Canadian Ojibwa healer. The healer | | | | and surgery. |
| said that the blend was intended to purify the body | | | | So while the general public still weighs the arguments |
| and balance the spirit. After hearing several more | | | | for and against essiac tea, it is worthwhile to note |
| first-hand accounts of its curative effects on cancer, | | | | that both sides have valid points, and that no side |
| Caisse began giving the tea to patients and found it | | | | holds a monopoly on the truth regarding essiac tea's |
| to have remarkable healing abilities. | | | | efficacy on cancer. |
| Caisse was totally convinced that essiac tea could | | | | |