To make 1 cup of mix to brew with 2 gallons of
distilled water:
Burdock root (cut) = 1/2 cup
Sheep Sorrel (powdered) = 3/8 cup
Slippery Elm bark (powdered) = 2 Tablespoons + 2
teaspoons
Turkey rhubarb (powdered) = 1 teaspoon
Approximate number of bottles of tea made, depending on water loss
1 cup herb mix + 2 gallons of water = about 224 liquid ounces of tea
will fill fourteen 16-ounce pint bottles, or seven 32-ounce quart bottles.
1/2 cup herb mix + 1 gallon of water = about 112 liquid ounces of tea
will fill seven 16-ounce bottles, or three and a half 32-ounce quart
bottles.
1/4 cup herb mix + 1/2 gallon of water = about 56 liquid ounces of tea
will fill three and a half 16-ounce bottles, or almost two 32-ounce
quart bottles.
Supplies Needed Do not use anything made of aluminum.
Stainless steel kettle with lid (or glass, UK unchipped enamel, CND
granite pot)
Stainless steel sieve
Large stainless steel or wood stirring utensil
Stainless steel funnel or 2-cup glass measuring cup
Glass bottles can be amber, colored or clear glass
Sizes of kettle and how many bottles depend on amount of tea prepared.
3 gallon kettle and 14 bottles are ideal for 1 cup herb mix + 2 gallons
of water.
Bottles and lids can be sterilized by one of these methods:
1) Boil for 10 minutes with a little food grade peroxide or Clorox.
2) Boil bottle caps, put bottles in 250 degree oven for 10 minutes.
3) Soak for 5 minutes in 1 ounce 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide
plus 11 oz. distilled water.
4) Soak for 5 minutes in 1/2 teaspoon Clorox plus 1 gallon distilled
water.
5) 16 oz. size bottles can be sterilized in a microwave oven
carefully.
The water you use for making essic tea should be as pure as possible.
Don't use tap water. Most people use distilled water. Nice but not vital,
you can "re-energize and re-oxygenate" distilled water by shaking it well
or setting it in the sun for a few hours.
Preparation is pretty much the same in essiac books
by Snow/Klein and Cynthia Olsen:
Mix dry ingredients thoroughly.
Measure out desired amount of dry ingredients.
Pour proportionate amount of water into pot.
Bring water to a rolling boil with the lid on.
Stir dry ingredients into boiling water.
Replace lid and continue boiling at reduced heat for 10 minutes.
Turn off stove. Scrape down sides of pot and stir mixture thoroughly.
Replace lid, let pot sit and cool undisturbed for 10-12 hours (overnight).
Reheat to steaming hot, but do not let it boil.
Turn off heat and allow herbs to settle for a few minutes.
Pour hot liquid through sieve to catch sediment.
Use funnel to fill sterilized bottles, put lids on.
Allow bottles to cool, then tighten lids.
Store in dark cool place, always refrigerate an opened bottle.
Essiac contains no preservatives, discard if mold develops. "When in
doubt, throw it out".
Unopened bottles can be stored in a cool, dark place, or keep all the
bottles in the refrigerater. Don't freeze essiac or warm it up in a microwave
(use hot water to dilute and warm it).
Directions for Use according to the book Essiac
Essentials:
1 fluid ounce (30 ml) essiac tea per day, diluted in 2 fluid ounces
(60 ml) hot water.
This should be sipped, preferably at bedtime on an empty stomach.
Food should not be eaten within one hour before/after drinking the
tea.
As a daily tonic or to enhance the immune system:
Take half a fluid ounce (15 ml) per day, diluted in one ounce hot water.
According to Sheila Snow and Mali Klein on page 38 of their book Essiac
Essentials,
"It is very important to use the dosage as Rene recommended, which
was based on more than 54 years' experience. Rene was very concerned about
this, which is why she personally administered the dose to her patients.
Depending on special circumstances, very occasionally in her later years,
she would sometimes advise an initial dose of one fluid ounce twice daily
for the first five, ten or (rarely) thirty days before reducing to one
fluid ounce once a day."
Rene Caisse is quoted as saying, according to the same book,
"There is no need to to exceed this dose."
"People will not stick to the dose I give. They'll decide on their
own
-- if a little's good, a lot's better. That's the way they think."
Sheila Snow's article "Old Ontario Remedies - 1922: Rene Caisse ESSIAC"
(which appeared in the Canadian Journal of Herbalism, July 1991) says these
are Rene Caisse's instructions:
Take one ounce of Essiac with two ounces of hot water every second day
at bedtime, on an empty stomach two or three hours after supper.
Do not eat or drink anything for at least one hour after taking Essiac.
Continue the treatment every other day for thirty-two days, then take
the treatment every three days.
Always keep Essiac refrigerated but never in the freezer.
Notes about side effects, although side affects
are rare when taking essiac:
Diarrhea, headache, lower-back kidney ache, flu-like symptoms or upset
stomach are usually caused by too high of a dose and not drinking enough
water. Cut dose back to half the amount of essiac or stop for a few days,
drinking a gallon of water every day to flush out your system (not juice,
tea or other beverages). Anyone taking essiac should increase their water
intake.
Allergy to essiac tea can also develop (rash and itchiness) if you take
too much for too long. Some herbalists recommend using a "5 days on, 2
days off" rule with any herbal concoction.
Notes about who should not use essiac, and who
should use caution:
Kathy Sedler has pages about Side Effects and Who Should Not Take Essiac
Tea on her site at motherearthherbs.com (she quit selling essiac herbs
to devote herself to research and writing).
According to Kathy Sedler's research, do not take essiac if you are
pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive, if you have kidney disease, are
prone to kidney stones or kidney infections, have ulcers or colitis, have
a history of increased levels of iron in your blood, or have tumors that
are encroaching on a major blood supply. Children under the age of 12 should
not take this tea.
On the same page, Kathy Sedler's "When To Use Caution In Taking Essiac"
is for those taking anticoagulant prescriptions, cardiac glycosides (like
Digoxin), those with a cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder) and
osteoporosis. Kathy has this caution for people with diabetes,
"Diabetics who are insulin dependant may need to
adjust their dosage, also those on anti-diabetes medications. All diabetics
should monitor their blood sugar closely while on this tea. Some of the
constituents in this tea can affect the way glucose and insulin are taken
up in the cells and utilized. Many people find they need less medication
while taking this tea. This is not always the case, but is worthy of mention."
Rene Caisse discussed diabetes here and also here in her "I Was Canada's
Cancer Nurse".
Rene Caisse Herbal Remedy (essiacsource.com) made
by Michael Miller is an 8 herb formula. "We have used and studied both
the 4 herb formula and the 8 herb formula, and have decided to manufacture
and sell the 8 herb formula. We consider it slightly better than the 4
herb formula."
Michael Miller formula
Burdock Root 60.5%
Sheep Sorrel 19.5%
Rhubarb Root 4.8%
Slippery Elm bark 4.8%
Kelp 4.8%
Blessed Thistle 2.4%
Red Clover 2.4%
Watercress 0.3%
Rene Caisse formula percentages according to Snow and Klein
Burdock Root 53%
Sheep Sorrel 36%
Rhubarb Root 2%
Slippery Elm bark 9%
Rene's recipe has significantly more Sheep sorrel, which may be the
important herb. Rene's recipe also has less Rhubarb root (too much of that
herb will cause diarrhea). As for marked differences of Burdock root and
Slippery Elm bark, who really knows their value? As for the value of the
added 4 herbs, who really knows for sure?
This makes a year's supply for $5.00 or ?3.72, according to Essiac Essentials.
Herb Volume Weight Form % of Recipe
Burdock root 4.25 ozs. 120g pea-size cut 53%
Sheep sorrel 2.8 ozs. 80g powdered 36%
Slippery Elm bark 0.7 ozs. 20g powdered 9%
Turkey rhubarb root 0.18 oz. 5g powdered 2%
Another approach is to use volume measurements, if you are allergic
to metric measurements. The trouble with volume measement is that herb
volume can vary widely depending on supplier.
The purpose of this site is to provide information
and education about all aspects of essiac including the history, recipes,
available books, controversial issues, marketer ethics and comparison shopping.
This may help consumers avoid being mislead or
ripped off by unethical essiac marketers.
There is no scientific evidence that proves Rene
Caisse's formula cures, alleviates or prevents any disease or condition.
Essiac "testimonies" are not medical proof and are usually promotion fodder.
Talk to your health care provider before taking any kind of alternative
herbal supplement.
* These statements have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products do not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information contained
herein is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is
not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
Consult your physician before beginning or making changes in your diet,
supplements or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illness
and injuries, and for advice regarding medications.
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