Essiac: Native's Gift enhanced by modern methods

Body Electric

Anyone into natural health, herbal remedies or alternative cancer treatments has heard of an old Ojibway Indian remedy that nurse Renee Caisse found out about from a hospital cancer patient who had been cured by a tribal herbalist. For more than 50 years since then, people from all over the world went to Ontario for cancer treatment with Essiac. The majority of those came by referral, with their physicians certifying they had incurable or terminal cancer and that they had been given up by the medical profession as untreatable.

So many terminally ill patients became well again that public pressure forced the Canadian Parliament to react. In 1939, with the support of a petition of 55,000 signatures, Essiac was almost 'officially' legalized by the Ontario state government as an approved cancer therapy. The Royal Cancer Commission hearings concluded Essiac was indeed an effective cancer treatment; even those who were not cured, usually because of irreversible damage to major organs, lived considerably longer than the prognosis, and without pain. Clinical trials revealed no sign of toxicity, even with doses as high as six ounces a day, although the Canadian Journal of Herbalism points out that two of the ingredients have a high oxalic acid content, making it unsafe for kidney ailments or arthritic conditions. However, the journal goes on to say, "Essiac is not a hoax or a fraud".

But the Canadian Medical Association and the Cancer Commission lobbied against the measure, and it failed by three votes. This defeat at the hands of the cancer industry, according to Dr Gary Glum in his revealing book, "Calling of An Angel", was only because of political skullduggery that continues to the present day.

A couple of formulas later emerged, each claiming to be "the original" Essiac. The Healing Hand Network, sidesteps this issue, saying "Native's Gift is based on the ancient herbal knowledge of our own North American indigenous people." This company offers the traditional formula, made on native land.

Outlining how it works, "The formula elevates the enzyme system ...it elevates the hormone system which elevates the immune system, so the body can cure its own disease", says Dr. Glum, who then reveals, " ..... I also worked with the AIDS Project in Los Angeles through their Long Beach and San Pedro districts. The had sent 179 patients home to die. They all had pneumocystis carinii and histoplasmosis. Their weight was down to about 100 pounds. Their T-4 cell counts were less than ten. The Project gave me five of these patients. I took them off the AZT and the DDI and put them on The native formula three times a day. Those are the only ones alive today. The other 174 are dead."

US predident John F. Kennedy's physician, Charles Brusch, is said to have declared in 1959, "Essiac has merit in the treatment of cancer". Dr. Banting, discoverer of insulin, was also greatly impressed. "Miss Caisse," he said, "I will not say you have a cure for cancer, but, you have more evidence of a beneficial treatment for cancer than anyone in the world." When it was tried on several diabetics after first withdrawing the insulin, the diabetic condition improved, and continued to improve until there wasn't any diabetes. "The Native Formula must actuate the pancreatic gland into normal functioning," said Dr. Banting. "Otherwise, the patient would have had to take treatments for the rest of her life, just as she would have had to take Insulin."

Even though the native remedy didn't quite make 'official' status, it highlights the fact that while most mainstream drugs today (around 75%) are based on medicinal herbs, unexploited native alternatives exist for such ailments as AIDS, cancer, blood disorders, sexual dysfunction, pH imbalance, anxiety disorder, immune deficiencies, or as a general health tonic. The basic differences between these ancient and modern remedies are differences of standardisation and potency. Where both the original Ojibway remedy and the modern one is a herbal blend that is brewed into a tea, the formula that was such a phenomenal success early on was primarily given as an extract at the clinic, with some herbal tea also sent home with the patient. This fact was not lost on the executives of the Healing Hand; their processing involves modern factory methods for more exacting standards; CEO Lawrence Barrett said in an interview that they make an extract of controlled molecular size, which greatly improves the consistency of the batches and the bioavailability of the components.

Having seen their patients and clients results in overall health improvement and combating illness, the medical profession is taking note. The Healing Hand Network has just added two M.D.'s, a Veterinarian, a Certified Herbalist (CH) and a Rhodes PhD to their Medical Advisory Board and they have also received interests from two medical clinics and 2 wellness centers. Alternative health professionals are flocking to these recipes as they SEE marked improvements in their clients overall well being as well as dramatic recovery of minor to major illness.

See the Healing Hand Network online for product info.

Duncan Crow: 250-748-6967 to get involved.

Duncan Crow

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