Flor*Essence, "Essiac" as known in the market place today is comprised of 4 herbs: Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), Burdock Root (Arctium lappa), Slippery Elm Bark (Ulmus fulva), and Turkish Rhubarb Root (Rheum palmatum). Thousands know this recipe, and almost every herbalist on every corner has it, as it is considered to be public domain. However, this four-herb formula is a smaller version to the formula originally received and gradually refined by Canadian nurse Rene Caisse.

"Essiac" began decades ago when Rene Caisse heard of an herbal recipe from an elderly female patient, who was in an Ontario hospital where Rene was the head nurse. The recipe contained 8 herbs, given to the woman years before by an Ojibway medicine man. He offered his help, because he knew the woman was suffering from breast cancer. The patient recovered from her cancer and saw no return during the next 30 years. In 1922, she gave Rene the recipe in response to Rene's request that it could possibly helps others.

Rene used this ORIGINAL recipe two years later on her aunt, who was terminally ill with stomach and liver cancer. Her aunt recovered and lived another 21 years, dying of old age. Rene and her aunt's doctor began experimenting with the herbal tea and research began on mice. The doctor, Dr. R.O. Fisher, began using it on his terminally ill patients, and some improved greatly.

Rene and the doctor began to vary the formula. They injected one herb (Sheep Sorrel) and administered the others orally in liquid form. The Indian medicine man and his people never injected it, they simply made a tea, but researchers want to RESEARCH things to find out how they work, and so Rene became a researcher. Only one herb could be injected, and only into the muscle. It was painful for many very sick people, and many, very emaciated, hardly had any muscles for the injections. This method was used for some years and there was known successes about which stories were written. There were failures too, as many sufferers were so far gone; they had little time left. In others, the disease had damaged vital organs beyond repair.

The formula used varied slightly over the years from the ORIGINAL one that the woman received from the medicine man in 1892. This change happened as patients were monitored and results were seen. In 1959, Rene Caisse went to the Brusch Medical clinic in Cambridge, Mass. To join Dr. Charles Armao Brusch, MD, (private physician to President John F. Kennedy). She became partners with him with the intent of forming the "Rene Caisse Cancer Research Foundation" , a charitable foundation, whose purpose was the utilization of this treatment for cancer in humans. Rene was provided with three rooms for her use at the clinic and all her expenses were taken care of. They stayed partners, co-developers and co-owners until her death in 1978 at the age of 91.

Dr. Brisch, a medical doctor of noted background, had developed an interest in other natural forms of healing: the objective always the "well-being" of the patient. He had set up the first acupuncture clinic to collect research data, and it was operating in his medical clinic when Rene Caisse arrived in 1959. He was the first doctor in the Western Hemisphere to initiate a plan similar to Medicare within his clinic for those without money for medical help. He was extremely interested in herbs and their power to heal, which he learned from a long-time friend, a master herbalist from Lathrop, Missouri.

The objective at Dr. Brusch's Clinic was to prove the merits of this simple, non-toxic, herbal formula, used with great success on so many terminally ill patients. They began their research using oral treatment only. No other medication was used and the herbs were given on an empty stomach. In the hope of identifying the active ingredients, they experimented with variations of injectable solutions, each vial containing a different herb. This failed to isolate one single herb, proving that effective results are obtained synergistically through the unique combination of all herbs in the correct proportions. Consequently they returned to using the larger formula orally. This larger formula is now called "Flor*Essence" in the marketplace. A double blind study was done in which other herbal formulas were used, all of which proved to be inferior.

Ingredients

Sheep Sorrel

Rene Caisse felt this herb was the most active cancer fighter among all the herbs present. "The herb that is said to destroy cancer… is the dog-eared sheep sorrel, sometimes called sour grass," Renee Caisse observed that not only was sheep sorrel effective in attacking and breaking down tumors, it also was effective in alleviating many chronic conditions and degenerative diseases.

Sheep sorrel contains high amounts of vitamin A & B-complex, especially in its seed, C, D, E, K, p and vitamin U. It is also rich in minerals, including calcium chlorine, iron, magnesium, silicon, sodium, sulphur, and trace amounts of copper, iodine, manganese, and zinc. Other vital health- giving elements in sheep sorrel are the carotenoids and chlorophyll which are present in the leaves and stems, and several organic acids which include malic, oxalic, tannic, tartaric, and citric, an antioxidant.

It has been reported that chlorophyll:

Inhibits chromosome damage and this action may effectively block cancer.
Increases your resistance to X-rays.
Eliminates germs and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria.
Reduces the damaging effects of radiation burns.
Stimulates the regeneration of fresh tissue.
Purifies the liver and relieves pancreas inflammation.
Dramatically raises the oxygen level in the tissue cells.
Cleanses the walls of the blood vessels.
Strengthens the cell walls, which may improve the function of the heart, intestines, lungs, uterus, and vascular system.

Burdock Root

It has been known for centuries to natural healers throughout the world as a powerful blood purifier. As a blood purifier burdock root may clear congestion in circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory and urinary systems. It can help to eliminate excess fluids in the body and stimulate the elimination of toxic waste materials, which will relieve liver disorders and improve digestion.

Burdock root is rich in vitamins, B-complex, E and P. It also contains, in high amounts, chromium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, zinc, sodium and potassium. The root is composed mostly of carbohydrates, largely inulin (not insulin!) some mucilage and starches, and some sugar.

Inulin, the principle ingredient in burdock root, has been shown to have remarkable curative powers. Inulin helps strengthen the organs and its natural sugar content helps to regulate blood sugar metabolism. (In fact Flor-Essence has been shown to eliminate the need for insulin in diabetics. Inulin reportedly is a powerful immune modulator because it is said to hook onto the surface of white blood cells and make them work better.

In animal experiments, burdock root extracts have been shown to destroy bacteria and fungus cultures, as well as showing strong anti-tumor activity.

Slippery Elm Bark

The principle component of slippery elm bark is mucilage. Mucilage is a naturally formed viscous or sticky fiber, which consists of a gum dissolved in the juice of a plant. The mucilage in slippery elm bark is similar to that found in flax seed. Slippery elm bark is one of nature's miracle cleansers. Its sticky substance dissolves mucus that has been deposited in organ tissue, lymph glands and nerve channels.

Slippery elm bark's sticky adhesive quality also lubricates the bones and joints, gathers up dissolved toxic waste material from all areas in the body including the bowel and then helps to discharge them. Slippery elm bark like all the herbs in Flor-Essence is rich in both vitamins and minerals.

Rhubarb Root

Another remarkable detoxifying herb, which has also been used throughout the world for centuries because of its proven healing properties. As early as 220 B.C. the Chinese were using rhubarb root as a medicine because they believed it to eliminate excess heat from the small intestines. Excess heat in the small intestines was an indication (according to Chinese medicine) of toxins in the blood, which they felt was responsible for many diseases.

Rhubarb root purges the body of bile, parasites, and stagnating food by stimulating the gall duct to expel toxic waste matter. It has been shown to alleviate chronic liver problems by cleansing the liver.

Rhubarb root has been shown to improve digestion and increase the appetite. It has also been shown to help heal ulcers, alleviate disorders of the spleen and colon, relieve constipation, and help hemorrhoids and bleeding in the upper digestive tract.

Studies in the 1980's have shown rhubarb root extract to contain antibiotic, anti-microbial and anti-tumor properties. Rhubarb root, in addition to having concentrated amounts of both vitamins and minerals, contains a remarkable substance called rhein. Recent studies at the Oriental Medicine Research Center in Tokyo, Japan indicate rhein inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the intestines. It is believed that rhein is also effective against candida albicans, fever and inflammation, as well as pain.

This information does not begin to touch on the healing possibilities of the individual core herbs in Flor-Essence, nor does it describe the additional healing properties of the vital potentiating herbs: Watercress, blessed thistle, red clover, and kelp.

However, once again, it should be emphasized that the true healing power of Flor-Essence is derived from the synchronous effect (the "unified spirit') of the entire formula, not from the sum of the individual healing properties existing within the herbs present in Flor-Essense.

Preventative or Tonic:

• Shake the Flor*Essence liquid well before use.
• Measure out 1 or 2 oz (28-56 ml.) once daily.
• Dilute with an equal or double amount of unflouridated, boiled hot water.
• Sip slowly.
• For best results, take on an empty stomach either a.m. or p.m. prior to retiring.

Extra Strength (For Active Illness):

• Measure out 2 oz (56 ml.) once or twice daily.
• Dilute with an equal or double amount of unfloridated, boiled hot water.
• Sip Slowly.
• Take on an empty stomach, in p.m. prior to retiring and in a.m. 1 hour before breakfast.

Maximum Strength:

• Measure out 2 oz (56 ml) three times daily. Dilute with equal or double amount of unfloridated, boiled, hot water.
• Sip slowly. When improved or stable, cut back to twice daily.