Essiac Essentials

— should be avoided by women who have oestrogen-dependent breast and gynaecological tumours.
    For all non-oestrogen dependent cancers — i.e. of the prostate, brain, skin, lung, stomach, colon etc. — drinking a fresh infusion of the flower heads up to three times daily may have a beneficial effect. Buy the whole dried flower heads, as opposed to ‘rubbed’ flowers (i.e. broken up flower heads). The herb should retain some of the colour of the fresh flowers and should smell distinctly sweet. Refuse to accept faintly scented, orange-brown rubbings.
     
    Harvesting:
    Only the flower heads are used. They can be gathered from May to November and can either be used fresh or dried to store for future use. They should be gathered on a dry day in perfect bloom and dried quickly to retain as much of their full colour as possible. Do not pick or use the fresh flower heads if they are already fading to brown.
     
    Infusion:
    Pour a cup of boiling water on to 1-3 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb. Infuse for 10-15 minutes. Drink up to three times daily. A little lemon juice can be added if desired. It is a good idea to buy a small teapot and keep it specifically for the Red clover tea. A small stainless steel teapot + tea strainer travel well if you are going on holiday and cannot take your nightly four-herb Essiac decoction with you. Red clover tea packs light and is not dependent on special storage conditions short term.
    Some people take the decoction of the four Essiac herbs at bedtime to work separately overnight while the body is most rested, then drink the clover infusion as a refreshing drink to complement it during the day. As a strong tea, Red clover tea is very effective as a gargle and can be used four or five times daily. Fomentations and poultices have been used to treat external cancerous skin conditions and indolent ulcers.
     
    ANALYSIS
    Vitamins : Antioxidants A, C + P; vitamin B-complex as Bl, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12.
     
    Minerals : Free radical scourging copper, manganese, selenium, zinc; biotin; chlorine; chromium; magnesium.
     
    Other constituents : Inositol: which is coumaric acid occurring as its lactone coumarin, a plant oestrogen, coumestrol, a naturally occurring germination inhibitor; glycosides — as a phy-tosterrol glucoside, a quercitin glucoside, a phenolic glycoside + cyanogenic glycosides {“that apparently damage first those cells that are actively dividing” and this “had led to attempts to harness the toxicity of tumour cells” — Simon Mills, 1991); antioxidant flavonoids; salicylic acid; isorhamnetin; trifo-lianol; essential oil; trifoliin; a hydro-xymethyloxyflavone, pratol; sugars including rhamnose.
     
    KOMBUCHA TEA
    This is made from fermenting a natural fungus or culture, essentially a living organism, with sweetened black or green tea. Kombucha originated in the Far East and dates back two thousand years. It has been described as a highly nutritious food drink, a potent detoxifier, an immune enhancer and effective metabolic balancer. We have had some verbal indication of benefits obtained from using Kombucha alongside Essiac, but no long-term reports as yet. ( See “Resources and Suppliers” section)
     
    VITAMINS C & E:
    Some people have reported successfully taking supplements of Vitamin C from 500 — 1000mg daily with 400ius Vitamin E in addition to Essiac. In The Handbook of Antioxidants, 1996, Sharon V. Landvik et al. report:
    “Based on cell culture and animal studies, it appears that vitamin E and other antioxidants (i.e. vitamin C and the cartenoids, including beta-carotene) may alter cancer incidence and growth through their action as anticarcinogens, quenching free radicals or reacting with their products...”
     
    SPIRULINA
    Described as ‘concentrated green super food’, the blue-green algae Spirulina has a vegetable protein source of 65% — higher than any other natural food. It has one of nature’s highest chlorophyll and beta carotene levels. Spirulina’s total mixed carotenoids (natural antioxidants) equal 0.37%. Its naturally occurring blue protein pigment, phycocyanin, has been suggested as being active in strengthening the body’s resistance to cancer through the lymph system. Easily absorbed by the body, it brings quick recovery from malnutrition and acts as a valuable food supplement in stimulating a return to a normal appetite during recovery from debilitating illness. It should be considered when undertaking a vegan diet to control cancer. (