Vitafit - essiac tea  250g

Essiac is an Ojibwa Indian preparation of synergistic, high quality, potent herbs. Taken as a tea, Essiac has been used in Canada for the last 100 years. The herbal mixture is simple - mostly Sheep's sorrel leaf, Burdock root, Turkish Rhubarb Slippery Elm.

Essiac was originally a Canadian Ojibwa Indian preparation of common herbs growing wild in Canada, used by a French Canadian nurse, Rene Caisse, to treat hundreds of people with cancer, diabetes and other metabolic illnesses, earlier in the century. It has now re-emerged in better shape that ever, despite efforts to suppress its use.
The herbal mixture is simple - Mostly Sheep's sorrel leaves and stems (Rumex acetosella) and Burdock root (Arctium lappa) with the addition of some Turkish Rhubarb Root (Rheum palmatum) and Slippery Elm bark (Ulmus fulva).
This initial formula has been made up as a tea and mixed with apple juice (in order to keep it) and used in the Auckland area since August 1992. A company in Canada is making an alternative form of Essiac, which has other herbs added and has been recommended in the treatment of AID's, M.E and arthritis. The company as yet is not prepared to disclose this improved formula.
The early benefit from this preparation is the feeling of well being and positive ness. Users become easier to live with and have more energy.
Why Essiac is Effective - Essiac is a synergistic preparation. The ingredients, as well as the quantities of ingredients, work together. They enhance each other. No one knows exactly why. Analysing the compound does not clarify the matter. It seems to be important to make the original herbal mixture as directed, by drying the herbs naturally - not freeze drying - and then using purified water in their preparation. Maybe this preparation preserves the life force.
The prepared tea can be kept for 2-3 years in preserving jars, away from heat and light, but this takes a lot of space and is costly to transport. It is better to make it up as needed from the prepared herbs.
Rene Caisse felt Essiac worked on the glands, improving digestion, reducing the tumours and detoxifying the liver. This explains why people feel good in such a short time after using it. People who use it daily are reputed not to get colds. Some people have started taking it when they have not been expected to live more than a few weeks. These people are not only alive, but feeling positive about living and are now gaining strength. Those whose condition is much less grave are getting on with their lives, free of fear.
One of the pronounced effects on the body after using Essiac for only a short time is that it regulates the bowel. Lazy or stagnant as well as over active bowels seem to regulate. Piles disappeared in a few days in a 50 year old arthritic. Once digestion and absorption are taking place in the body, metabolic toxins are not being produced, which takes a great load off the liver.
The main milestone when a person starts taking Essiac appears to be 6 weeks, 3 months and then 6-12 months. No one locally has been on it this long, but overseas reports indicate these periods a being significant. All those taking Essiac are positive about their condition and feel better and despite the relatively brief period Essiac has been known about in NZ, its users all report benefits and improvements. (This information has been extracted from the February, 1993 edition of "Soil Health" magazine)

Please note that there is discoloration to the container, but this will not affect the contents. 

Benefits

Rene Caisse felt that Essiac worked on the glands, improving digestion and detoxifying the liver.

Ingredients

At the time of manufacture, each 45 grams of powder contained not less than: Burdock root 26.1gm, Sheep Sorrel leaf 14.4gm, Slippery Elm 3.6gm and Turkish Rhubarb 0.9gm. Store in a cool dry place. Yeast, starch and gluten free.