Burdock Root is one of the primary Essiac tea ingredients. It grows primarily in Asia and Europe. Historically, burdock has been used to treat a number of health problems such as arthritis, viruses, common colds, and skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It supports good digestion, soothes the digestive tract and helps many stomach conditions. It is an effective aid in the treatment of respiratory disorders, abscesses, joint pain, urinary problems, ringworm, wounds and ulcers.

Burdock root oil, also known as Bur oil, is used in scalp and hair treatment. It is said to effectively improve the quality of hair, reduce dandruff, and decrease hair loss.

Traditionally, it has been used in a number of additional ways: as a diuretic and as a diaphoretic to induce perspiration which aids in burdock’s primary use: as a blood and liver cleanser. Almost all disease, but especially cancer, is caused in part or in whole by toxic overload, so the Essiac tea ingredients include this powerful cleansing herb.

Today, we are constantly being overexposed to cancer causing poisons in the earth, air, food and water. This is why cancer has reached epidemic proportions. Burdock root is one of the most powerful blood and liver cleansers there is. In conjunction with other herbs, it should be a part of anyone’s cleansing regimen and it is a must for anyone battling liver problems or a malignancy.

I have used burdock root extensively in my practice both in the Essiac cancer cure herbal medicine and in my Cleansing Tea which is used by my clients in the treatment of acne, diabetes, hypoglycemia, arthritis, hepatitis C, abscesses, boils, blackheads, fibroids, gout, infections, and any type of cancer.

The use of burdock to aid in cancer treatment is one of the best examples of how holistic medicine deals with the cause of the problem. By cleansing out the built up toxins that caused the tumor in the first place, it helps to solve the problem by addressing the underlying factors that brought about the disease. This is why burdock root is an Essiac tea ingredient. In synergy with the other three herbs, it performs the crucial blood and liver cleansing that must occur if cancer is to be beaten.

Burdock root has also been consumed as a food for thousands of years because of its medicinal properties and plays a major role in the macrobiotic diet. It is quite popular throughout Asia, particularly in Japan. Burdock is very crisp and has a sweet, mild flavor.

It contains many important nutrients: amino acids, fiber, potassium, calcium and is low in calories. A large percentage of the root is made up of complex carbohydrates known as FOS which eliminates bacterial pathogens and significantly increases beneficial bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract. This results in immune stimulation which suppresses abnormal cell growth, another reason why burdock is an Essiac tea ingredient.

The high levels of FOS in burdock root also help to keep blood sugar levels consistent and reduce hypoglycemia. Burdock root also contains several powerful antioxidants. Anti-oxidants kill free radicals which cause disease and aging. Burdock has been shown to help protect the body against cellular damage and abnormal growths. The tea also has powerful anti-inflammatory activity but most importantly, it reduces liver damage from toxic chemicals and enables the body to restore health to the liver. It is a critical Essiac tea ingredient.

According to Rene Caisse, sheep sorrel was the most active Essiac tea ingredient for cleansing, detoxification and the stimulation of cellular regeneration. When isolated, it appeared to act almost immediately on the physiology of cancerous tumors. It was found to be the primary herb responsible for the destruction of cancer cells and the reduction of the growth of the tumors.

Historically, it has been used by close to a dozen Native American and Native Canadian tribal groups to treat a number of ailments such as scurvy, excessive menstruation, fevers, skin conditions, blood disorders, diarrhea and inflammation, as a diuretic, to strengthen the heart, as a digestive aid and for throat and mouth ulcers. It can be applied as a poultice to boils and cancerous sores.

The herb is a powerful antioxidant, boosting the immune system and killing free radicals, the mutated molecules that cause disease and aging. It contains Vitamins A and B complex, D, E, K, P, U and is particularly high in vitamin c. It also contains generous amounts of important minerals: calcium, chlorine, iron, magnesium, silicon, sodium, sulfur, and trace amounts of iodine, zinc, manganese and copper. This powerful nutritional profile is one of the main reasons why Sheep sorrel is one of the Essiac tea ingredients.

At one time, sheep sorrel was commonly grown in gardens and was consumed as a salad green regularly, not only for its health benefits, but because of its delightful lemon-like tang. It is beneficial to consume a few leaves with meals as it will aid digestion and may act as a cancer preventive. Sheep sorrel is the single most important Essiac tea ingredient.

Native to eastern North America, slippery elm is a deciduous tree that grows to approximately 20 feet in height. Used medicinally by Native Americans for centuries, it is what we call a mucilagienous herb. When the white inner bark is made into a tea or ingested into the body, it turns into a gel like substance that coats and protects the entire digestive tract, from the tip of the tongue to the rectum. For this reason it has been used to treat a number of digestive problems such as ulcers, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux, Crohn's disease and diarrhea.

Historically, it has also been used for wound healing, burns, boils, skin inflammation (cold sores, razor burns, scrapes, sunburn), to boost the adrenal glands and to and draw out impurities. This is one of the reasons it's included in the Essiac recipe as the cleansing of toxins and poisons is one of the primary goals in healing cancer.

When I think about slippery elm, the word soothe comes to mind. It has provided so much relief for so many of my clients who suffered from colitis, acid reflux, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. But the really special thing about slippery elm is that it not only provides relief, it helps to heal the underlying condition as well, clearing up lesions and inflammation in the digestive tract.

Another reason slippery elm was included in the Essiac remedy was to preclude any digestive inflammation that could result from one of the other ingredients, turkey rhubarb. Turkey rhubarb is an herbal laxative that has powerful cleansing effects upon the colon, but sometimes causes inflammation. The inclusion of slippery elm insures that there are no negative outcomes from the turkey rhubarb.

The Turkey Rhubarb root (the part which is used medicinally) is thick, oval in shape, with long, tapering branches. On the exterior, it is brown, inside it is a deep yellow color. The leaves of the Turkey Rhubarb are somewhat rough to the touch. The plant grows rapidly and can grow as tall as eleven feet. It is harvested after six years and is usually aged twelve to eighteen months. Only the root should be used as the leaves are toxic due to high levels of oxalic acid.

A powerful purgative, turkey rhubarb has been in use for over 2000 years. The ancient Chinese used it not only for colon cleansing, but also for treating disorders of the colon, spleen and liver. Chinese physicians use it to treat ulcers, gall bladder problems, diabetic neuropathy and toothache.

In small doses, it can help diarrhea, in larger doses, it will move the bowels by stimulating the smooth muscles that push fecal matter through the intestines. It has anti-bacterial, anti-tumor and diuretic properties and is also used for inflammations of the skin such as boils.

Turkey Rhubarb is an essential ingredient in Essiac because of it's powerful detoxifing effects (toxic overload is always involved in cancer), anti-tumor properties and colon cleansing action. Remember, all disease starts in the colon. The very first step in healing any problem is to make sure that the bowels are moving (at least twice a day). Never forget: a clean colon is a prerequisite for healing.