Rene Caisse's Formula for Essiac ®
What is in the original recipe for the cancer curing tea.
There is some debate on how many herbs Rene used in her formula. These four herbs are consistently claimed to be the original ingredients in the tea.
The History of Essiac ®
One story is consistent. Rene Caisse, a Canadian nurse, was caring for an elderly woman at the Sisters of Providence hospital in the mid-twenties in northern Ontario where she was the head nurse. The elderly woman had scar tissue on one of her breasts and Rene asked her about it. Her doctors had told her she had advanced breast cancer. Not able to afford surgery to remove the breast, and out of fear of dying during surgery, the woman took the advice of an old Indian medicine man. Using just a small amount of herbs to make a tea, and drinking it every day, the woman claimed her cancer had been cured. The woman was eighty years old when Rene met her, thirty years after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Rene was fascinated with her story and wrote down the names of the herbs the woman had told her. A few months later Rene learned that her mother's only sister had been diagnosed with cancer of the stomach. Doctors gave her six months to live. Rene asked if she could try the tea under the supervision of the doctor. Permission was granted, Rene obtained the herbs she needed, and her aunt lived another twenty one years with no recurrence of cancer. Shortly thereafter they tried to arrest her for practicing medicine without a license. Fortunately, she was working with some very prominent doctors and was under their supervision so she was not arrested.
For nearly fifty years Rene treated patients and researched her newfound formula. She named it Essiac ®, her surname spelled backwards. In 1978 Rene sold the recipe to a company named Respirin for one dollar. Rene died in 1979. There are two video interviews with Rene. Part one is a documentary interview with info about her research and Part two is about the difficulties she had with the legalities of using Essiac ®.
The Herbs
The origins of the tea were said to be from an Ojibwa tribe. There is no evidence of where the information of the herbs actually came from. Only Rene's account of the woman who survived breast cancer is documented as accurate. There is also debate of how many herbs Rene used in her formula. Four herbs are consistently claimed to be the original ingredients in the tea.
Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella):
A common, and often invasive weed. Rene claimed this herb to be essential in the formula.
Burdock (Arctium lappa):
The long roots of this plant are said to have blood purifying properties.
Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra):
A tree with an inner bark that is very mucilaginous.
Indian Rhubarb: (Rheum officinale):
Also Turkey or Chinese rhubarb are said to have been used, as Indian rhubarb is hard to obtain. Root has anti-tumor properties.
The Formula
6.5 cups of burdock root - cut.
16 oz. Sheep Sorrel Herb - powdered.
1 oz. Turkey Rhubarb Root - powdered.
4 oz. Slippery Elm Bark - powdered.
Next article will contain instructions for preparation.
Disclaimer:
Neither the author nor Suite101 make claims to the effectiveness of Essiac or any of the herbs listed to treat any ailments or disease. The author is merely reporting events and claims of others. As with any herb or drug, always seek the advice of a medical professional before starting or changing a treatment plan.
