Essaic Tea

[JC145]

What does anyone think about Essiac tea?  Does it interfere with chemo?  Does it help in any way?

I have an acquaintance that swears his Father-in-law and another relative have kept their cancer in remission by drinking this tea.  I know the cancer community doesn't think much of it.

What are your thoughts?

Judy

[Jan214]

I have not looked at the recipe and I was thinking of a fruit smoothie, which I make all the time.  If you are suggesting sage I guess I better look at that recipe.  I grow sage along with a ton of other herbs.  If I chew on a sage leaf, which I don't usually find nauseating will that work the same way?   This is the first time I will be having chemo in the summer and I grow spearmint, chocolate mint and lemon mint.  I am going to try chewing some of the spearmint and see if that helps also.  Mint tea or mint candies sometimes help a mild case of nausea.  I don't like hot tea in the summer and I try to avoid candy as much as possible.  I do drink iced tea all summer (no I don't put 1 cup of sugar in it like most southerners) and I put mint in it so maybe it will help.  I am still making them give me Aloxi and Emend this time.  Thanks for the tip.  Any tips on how to gain 15 lbs in 9 days?  My onc wasn't happy with my weitght at my last checkup so he really isn't going to be pleased on my 1st chemo day on the 10th.

[SimplyStar]

Mix some sage in with the smoothie  , should help with the nausea.

[Jan214]

I did not know about the smoothie with whey.  I will have to look at it because when I mix it with water like they said to do it is so nasty I can't drink it when i am nauseous, but i hadn't thought of putting it in a smoothie.
Thanks for telling me about that.

[msjazz]

Sorry, my laptop erased where she posted it. It is under her journal.   Donna

[msjazz]

Hi , Knotmeg posted her culinary website this past week. She has a wonderful sounding smoothie there with whey protein that she makes her mon.   Donna

[Jan214]

Dear Judy,

This is one of those things that have had studies done as Alan said at very prestigious and respected institutions.  My onc didn't say no exactly when I asked him about it last year, but he did say he'd rather I didn't.  He has approved all of my other supplements so I follow his advice on that stuff.  I had a very good Naturopathic Dr who worked with a nutritionist to come with with ways for me to get the stuff i need while I am throwing up all of the time. Of course, you have to be careful with ND's because not all states license or regulate them.  I had to go to DC to find one that was licensed.  Well, I could have gone to Kansas, but why would I when I could go to DC?  One of the things I use is Whey Protein.  You know we have to have 75 g of protein a day and no way am I eating salmon every day.  It is about 33 g so it really packs a punch.  

My onc said that green tea has been proven to be beneficial in a LOT of illnesses and there are no side effects.  I don't particularly care for it, but my onc said that studies are showing that black teas are just as good so I am sticking with my Earl Grey.  They originally thought that the fermentation process for black teas altered the EGCg (and don't ask me to spell that out, I never get it right) but the two main illness fighting compounds in black tea are unaltered so that is good news to those of us that don't like green tea.

Good luck Judy, I hope you find the supplements that work best for you.  Oh, by the way, that whey protein is nasty, but most days I just can't eat enough to get all I need and it goes down quick enough.
Take care,
Jan

[JC145]

Thank you all for your comments.   I am going to run it by the MD's I work for and my gyn/onc as well.  I have a feeling I'll be drinking more green tea.  

I have relatives in Canada so I should be able to get the "real" thing if I decide to go that route.

Again, thanks to all of you for your info.

Judy

[alanpvegas]

Hi Judy,

In general you are looking for the quality of the leaves for this tea (before anything else)...you will be surprised at the varied quality out there.  The Sheep Sorrel is the one that is supposed to kill cancer cells and some of the others are used as part of boosting the immune system.

That being said, there are many many many reasons you should NOT take this formula.  The 'tea' part of it is deciving and because many with cancer have other symptoms that arise, such as colitis, kidney disease, tumors that are enroaching, bowel obstructiosn, diahrhhea, increased levels of iron in your blood, etc, etc.   So using it with chemo?  Ehhh...there are those who say no issues, other who warn against it.  I would side on caution (I don't know what your chemo is).

Further, the NCI, Memorial Sloan Kettering, ACS, etc. have ALL researched this and found no HUMAN cancer fighting properties of this tea meaning lab results don't match what happens in humans.  In-fact, a study on lab rats with breast cancer cells showed this tea not only did not help with the cancer, it INCREASED the amount of tumors (and also in size).  Yeah...scary.  Is it technically health?  Sure...but...

I know I say this *all* the time, but I was impressed with how Memorial Sloan Kettering allows Maitake D-Fraction to be used with *all* their chemos (there is no side effects or interference with chemo's...the worst it can do is nothing, however it has often showed synergetic effects with chemo).  

Good luck...keep fighting!

[SimplyStar]

Yes I researched it, I found that,  in it's original form, it is one of the oldest suppliment drinks,  it holds a patent in Canada. It is a combunation of 4 different herbs, and has many copy cats now.  When we ran this past Mayo, they did not approve or disapprove of it.  The nutritionist told us there had been some small studies made with it, some with positive results, but she also said that the studies done on Green tea provided the same or better results. They recommended that any suppliment  be passed by the chemo company  offering the chemo and also the clinics for safety, altho she said no negative  reports had ever been given for Essiac tea.  If the story is true about its development it came from a Canadian Indian source, and the nurse gave it to her patients in her clinic. As it is a natural suppliment it cannot be given FDA approval here in the states.  Leslee received one shipment from a relative in Canada, but after that relies on Green Tea.  Takes at least 2 cups per day of it.   Marty

[Kimchi]

This product came up early last year and lots of information was posted about it...U might want to check the archives...If I recall SimplyStar did a lot of research for Leslee about this.

[Hazel30]

I've been curious about it as well for my Mom.  My best friends father in law drank it and was in remission for almost 5  years.  But I think it must be brewed a specific way otherwise it has no affect.  Plus you must use the real herbs and not the immitation that is sold all over the internet.  

I've been reading this site  http://www.****.

[dian07]

Hey there, Judy.....I cannot answer that question but there is this guy....Alan P.Vegas can and if he is reading maybe he will touch base!  Maybe go to the archives and see if there is anything mentioned there.....hopefully you find something.....so glad to hear it seems to be helping your Father-in-law and that other relative!
Peace.
dian