Re: Essiac/Flor Essence is it the same?

January 27, 2002

Hi Gaby,

In a message dated 01/27/2002 12:08:24 AM Eastern Standard Time,

gabriela_88mx@... writes:

> Could anybody tell me if Essiac tea and Flor Essence is more or less the

> same?

More or less the same? Yes. However, Flor-Essence also contains (in addition

to the Essiac ingredients) watercress, kelp, blessed thistle, &

RED CLOVER, and it's organic. Consequently, all else being equal I would

choose Flor-Essence (or CAN-SSIAC). For more info on Flor-Essence,

www.netrition.com/flor_essence_page.html

www.florainc.com/united_states/html/flor_essence.html

www.nutritionworld.com/articles/a-floressence.html

Leonard

January 27, 2002

Hi:

Could anybody tell me if Essiac tea and Flor Essence is more or less the same?

Flor Essence costs $ 40.00 USD a box with four bags, which make four litres. Any

comments?

Gaby.

Sovereign57 <sovereign57@...> escribió: Hi Joyce,

Thanks for sharing on the savings.

I just received a post card from http://www.herbalhealer.com They have the

4-herb (essiac) tea on sale for $13.00 reg $24.95 until April 30th. It makes 2

gallons and comes in 4 individual bags, no limit and you can freeze the dried

herbs until you are ready to use them. Anyone trying this tea for the first

time, start with 1 oz and build up to more as it does loosen up the bowels. My

neighbor told me she was constipated and I gave her some of the tea, she did not

heed my warning and wound up in the bathroom for an hour LOL. I shouldn't laugh

but we both did when she told me what she did. Now she asks me to save her some

when I make a batch since her back pain went away after getting cleaned out.

Eileen

Re: Nutrition & Vitamin Therapy - AstaFactor Antioxidant

A powerful antioxidant, ASTAFACTOR, is on sale and ends January

31, 2002.

As you know, late stage cancer and AIDS patients are full of free

radicals. Free radicals are also concentrated at areas of pain,

such as arthritic joints. Anti-oxidants help render these

dangerous free radicals harmless.

Phone Number: 800-480-6515

Coupon Code: TODAY 102

AstaFactor: Minimum 4 bottles @ 19.95 (Regular $29.95

You can also place your code online at:

http://www.astafactor.com

I don't know whether the Coupon Code works for new orders, but

you might inquire. By neutralizing free radicals, AstaFactor may

also lessen pain. Men have reported improvement with prostate.

People also report being more alert (smarter?) too.

\\\

=(o o)=

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--V---+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

January 27, 2002

I just wanted to add a little info to this since I already add the

additional ingredients that have been added to the original essiac formula

which is the basic 4 herbs. I would say Flor Essence is a good product to

choose if you are not already using any of the additional ingredients. I

think it is wise to always read the cautions on herb as well as any known

interactions with common medicines or allergies. Plus you might be able to

find the added herbs at a lower price locally. The flip side of this is, are

you getting enough of these beneficial herbs in the small amount of tea one

would consume of Flor Essence. Here's a little info on the added herbs.

Eileen

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

The blossoms should be checked over carefully for insects or other unwanted

pests also. I believe nature provides us with just about everything we need

for a healthy life. The trick is to take notice of what is there and figure

out what use each thing has. One example is red clover. It is found

regularly in fields and waste places and is so common as to be almost

unnoticable. This small plant, however, has much to offer. Along with its

medicinal uses, red clover was and still is used as cattle fodder. (1,2) It

may also be planted to replace nitrogen in the soil when rotating crops.

Medicinally it has been used as an expectorant and anti-spasmodic for hard

coughs and as an alterative, or blood purifier, for treating skin conditions

and cancer. (1,2,3,4)

The blossom is the part of the plant used in medicine and it is important to

pick only healthy specimens. The plant normally blooms from July through

September. Diseased clover, which may look the same as healthy , may contain

a poisonous alkaloid called slaframine. (2) If there is a question about

quality, it is better to go to another source. The active constituents in

red clover are phenolic glycosides, flavonoids, salicylates, cyanogenic

glycosides, coumarins and mineral acids. (1,3) It has a slightly sweet taste

and cool energy.

Although it has not been studied extensively in the scientific community,

traditionally red clover tea is used internally to treat chronic skin

conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis; to relieve coughs, especially

from bronchitis or asthma; to help strengthen liver function; and to clean

the blood. (1,2,3,4) It is often recommended for children with eczema/asthma

syndrome. (3 ) Externally, the tea may be used as a hot compress to relieve

arthritic pains and gout. (1) To make red clover tea, steep 4-6 dried

blossoms in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten if

desired. Drink 2-3 cups daily for 4 to 6 weeks. (4) A syrup can be made from

the tea by adding honey, vegetable glycerin, or simple syrup to use for

stubborn, dry coughs. (1) Take 1 teaspoonful to 1 tablespoonful, depending

on age, 4-5 times a day. Red clover tincture may also be used for eczema and

psoriasis. It is part of the famous Hoxey Formula for treating cancer,

especially lymphatic cancer. Red clover ointment may be applied to lymphatic

swellings. (1)

The only potential side effect of red clover is regulating blood

coagulation. Because of the naturally-occurring salicylates in the plant, it

keeps blood from being too sticky, but no reports of thinning the blood too

much have been recorded. People on anti-coagulant therapy such as aspirin or

Coumadin (warfarin) should monitor coagulation times carefully and

co-ordinate therapy with their health care provider. It may be possible to

replace aspirin with red clover tea ot tincture or to reduce the amount of

warfarin needed for the desired effect, but phasing out of prescription

medication needs to be done with strict supervision.

Having survived another New England winter cooped up inside most of the

time, I look forward to warmer spring days to open windows, to hang out

laundry for that " fresh air " smell and to clean out sand and grit from

everywhere. Just as spring cleaning the house and yard are important, so is

spring cleaning ourselves. It's time for internal cleansing, and a month of

red clover tea daily is one way to do your body good.

Blessed Thistle

Herb InformationName: Blessed Thistle

Biological Name: Cnicus benedictus

Compositae

Other Names: Holy Thistle, Saint Benedict thistle, spotted thistle, cardin,

bitter thistle, blessed cardus, blessed thistle

Parts Used: Herb

Active Compounds:

The sesquiterpene lactones, such as cnicin, provide the main beneficial

effects of blessed thistle. The bitterness of these compounds stimulates

digestive activity, including the flow of saliva and secretion of gastric

juice, which leads to improved appetite and digestions. There is some

evidence that blessed thistle also has anti-inflammatory properties.

History:

Folk medicine utilized blessed thistle tea for digestive problems, including

gas, constipation, and stomach upset. This herb was also used for liver and

gallbladder diseases, in a similar way as its well-known relative, milk

thistle.

Monks once grew blessed thistle as a cure for small pox. Early herbalists

believed that the herb was a cure-all. They noted that the plant could both

prevent and cure headache, provoke sweat, help memory, strengthen the heart

and stomach, and cure external problems such as festering sores, boils, and

the itch.

Nineteenth century herbalists prescribed an infusion, or tea, made from the

plant tops as a treatment for fevers and for liver and respiratory ailments.

Remedies For:

Blessed Thistle may be useful in:

Indigestion and heartburn

Poor appetite

In herbal medicine today, blessed thistle is used as a contraceptive and to

treat cancer as well as infections, heart and liver ailments, and fevers.

Holy thistle is believed to have great power in the purification and

circulation of the blood. It is such a good blood purifier that drinking a

cup of thistle tea twice a day will cure chronic headaches.

Also used for stomach and digestive problems, gas in the intestines,

constipation, and liver troubles.

It is very effective for dropsy, strengthens the heart, and is good for the

liver, lungs, and kidneys. It is claimed that the warm tea given to mothers

will produce a good supply of milk. It is also said to be good for girls

entering womanhood as a good tonic.

Description:

Although native to Europe and Asia, blessed thistle is now cultivated in

many areas of the world, including the United States. The leaves, stems, and

flowers are all used in herbal preparations.

An annual herb, growing to about 2 feet tall. The brown stem is hairy and

erect. The lance shaped leaves have a spiny edges and may be either lobed or

cleft (deeply cut.) The plant produces numerous yellow flowers (May -

August) arranged in a head at the tip of a branch or stem.

Dosage:

Many people take 2 ml three times per day of blessed thistle tincture.

Approximately 2 grams of the dried herb can also be added to 250 ml (1 cup)

of boiling water and steeped ten to fifteen minutes to make a tea. Three

cups can be drunk each day.

Taken best at bedtime as a preventive of disease.

Safety:

Blessed thistle is relatively safe and free from side effects. Anyone with

allergies to plants in the daisy family should use blessed thistle

cautiously.

Don't make the tea too strong as it may cause vomiting.

Watercress Packs a Punch Against Cancer

The Daily Telegraph London

Barbara Rowlands

July 16, 2001

Watercress

Watercress spells summer. It brings a sharp nutty taste to cool soups and

its crunchy, forest-green leaves - not quite as classy as rocket - add bite

to salads. Devotees use this unassuming vegetable to create mouth-watering

sauces, sandwiches and salad. But once summer's over, so is most people's

consumption of watercress.

Now we are told that we should eat it all year round for its health-giving

properties. Recent research, conducted by scientists at the Institute of

Food Research in Norwich and the Innes Institute, concluded that

watercress was " an exceptionally rich dietary source " of two groups of

compounds that act together to prevent the development of cancer.

These two compounds are glucosinolates, substances found only in the

brassica family of cruciferous vegetables (other members are kale, rocket,

broccoli, mustard cress, cabbage, pak choi, Brussels sprouts and

cauliflower), which are good at preventing the development of cancers of the

lung and gastrointestinal tract.

Watercress came from Ancient Greece and remains an integral part of

Mediterranean cuisine. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is thought to

have decided on the location for his first hospital because of its proximity

to a stream, which was a good source of the plant.

It may now embellish dinner plates in restaurants from Edinburgh to Exeter,

but in 19th-century England it was the staple of the working classes, most

often eaten for breakfast in a sandwich. If the family was too poor to buy

bread they ate it raw and so watercress became known as the " poor man's

bread " .

Soon it was grown commercially in the chalk streams of Hampshire and Dorset

and taken up to Covent Garden. Street sellers bought it and sold it in

bunches to be eaten hand-held - a way of eating cress that is still reputed

to be a good cure for a hangover. Whether you are hung over or not,

watercress is best eaten raw - its full, pungent taste is at its strongest

and the anti-cancer compounds are released from both leaves and stems when

you chew it.

The plant is a rich source of vitamins A, B, and C, plus iron, folic acid

and many minerals. It is packed full of antioxidants which " mop up " harmful

free radicals that can damage DNA and cause cells to become cancerous. But

its true power lies in its more specific anti- cancer potential.

The Norwich study, conducted in the laboratories of the Institute of Food

Research, took three years to complete. Watercress is one of the richest

sources of a glucosinolate called glucophenylethyl isothiocyanates (PEITC),

which is known to have anti-carcinogenic properties. But researchers at

Norwich found that it also contains another glucosinolate -

methylsulphinylalkyl isothiocyanates - more usually found in broccoli and

Brussels sprouts, and that together they formed a powerful anti-cancer

weapon.

These two compounds found in the mustard oils in cress have the ability to

destroy cancer cells, inhibit the effect of cancer- inducing substances and

stimulate cell defence systems against these carcinogens.

" We were surprised because it was generally accepted that all of the

beneficial properties of watercress were due to PEITC, " says Professor

on, who headed the study. " This makes it doubly potent. "

The research follows a study published last September in The Lancet, which

showed that PEITC protected against lung cancer. American research has shown

that eating 2oz of watercress three times a day eradicates a potential

carcinogen from tobacco in a group of smokers, and studies have also shown

that PEITC has the ability to trigger the self-destruction of cancer cells,

particularly in cancers of the colon, bowel and rectum, as well as the lung.

Some American clinics even advocate a watercress diet as a means of

combating cancer.

Thankfully, you don't have to munch through crates of watercress to get some

benefit. Prof on recommends eating watercress about three times a

week, raw or in soups and purees.

The news that watercress is a little power plant comes as no surprise to Dr

Ann , a herbalist and senior lecturer in Human Nutrition at the

University of Reading. " It's a shame that people don't eat more dark leafy

vegetables because as soon as you see dark green you're seeing

antioxidants. "

Company;

Kelp has good Antibiotic properties

Kelp has been found to offer good protection from many kinds of modern

pollutants, carcinogens and toxins, including radioactive materials. Brown

kelp is the primary source of algin, a kind of fiber which has also shown

also having shown considerable anti radioactive properties, and is also very

hypocholesterolemic. Important effect of kelp is its ability to increase

resistance to fevers and infections. That property is partly due to the

herbs antibacterial action, partly to its nutritive value, and partly to

unknown causes.

Several studies have shown kelp has good activity against many pathogenic

microorganisms. It kills both gram positive and gram negative bacteria,

including Staph and Strep, brucella, bacillus, Klebsiella, proyeus, E. coli,

salmonella, etc.

Most researchers believe the antibiotic property is due to brominated

pheolic compounds ( and not to the iodine). In one study, the diets of one

of each of seven pairs of monozygotic (identical) twin cows were

supplemented with kelp for seven years. During that period the cows with

kelp-supplemented diets yielded more milk and had a much lower incidence of

mastitis than did the controls. Since mastitis in cows is usually caused by

insanitary conditions, the antibiotic property of kelp was probably

responsible for the difference.

Kelp Inhibits and Prevents Cancer

Kelp has conclusively shown to prevent breast cancer in women (especially

Japanese women who use kelp as a part of the Daly diet). Several mechanisms

have been proposed to explain this effect:

Kelp supplies a source of nondigestive fibre. This would increase fecal

bulk. For example, alginate powder has been used successfully, without

irritation or side effects to treat constipation in humans. The relationship

between a high fiber/bulk diet and low colon cancer rates is well known.

Kelp reduces cholesterol levels through inhibition of bile acid absorption

and could therefore prevent cancers caused by faulty metabolism of bile

acids.

By altering the nature of fecal flora, it may render harmless the colon

bacteria that could be carcinogenic.

Kelp may exert all anti-cancer effects through a direct cytotoxic effect.

Secondary to this last property, kelp may mediate enhancement of the body's

immune response system against potential carcinogens.

Kelp has Cardiotonic Activity

Besides the hypotensive property, but in conjunction with it, several

components of kelp, including laminine, have been shown to have good

cardiotonic action.

Two cardiac principles were isolated from nekombu ( the basal part of the

blade of a laminariaceous seaweed). Fatty acids of C14, C16 and C19 were

found to stimulate the isolated frog heart, while histamine dihydriodate was

found to accelerate the isolated guinea pig atrium. Histamine and iodine

content of nekombu were 501 mg/kg and 3200 mg/kg respectively, indicating 36

% of the total iodine present in nekombu is in the salt form of histamine.

In another test, extract from Undaria was found to increase contractile

force in mouse whole atria, thereby showing good inotropic action. Another

fraction of the same seaweed was found to increase contractile force in rat

right and left atria; the fraction had no effect on the rate of

spontaneously beating rat atria, but had a positive inotropic action in the

left atria. It was determined this fraction did not have histamine-like

action.

Kelp has Hypotensive Properties

In Japan, " kombu " , a preparation of the blades of various kinds of

Laminaria species, has been employed as a hypotensive agent form for many

years.

Research interest in the product picked up recently when one investigator

found that human hypertensive patients who drank " kombu " experienced

significant improvement in blood pressure readings, subjective well- being

and cardiac efficiency, without any side effects. Other studies have

obtained the same results, in humans and in rabbits, rats and other animals.

The active principles are believed to be histamine and laminine, though

evidence exists other

cardiotonic principles may be present in various species of kelp finding

their way into the " kombu " medication. Studies on independent species of

Laminaria have also found lamanine to be hypotensive.

Kelp inhibits uptake of radioactive compounds from the diet

Canadian researchers have found algin, an extract of brown kelp, though

non-digestible, can prevent living tissue from absorbing radioactive

materials, including strontium-90, barium, mercury, zinc, tin, cadmium and

manganese. These results have been replicated in other labs.

Strontium-90 is dangerous because it has a great affinity for calcium and

will accumulate in food substances high in that mineral (e.g. milk and green

leafy vegetables). Contaminated calcium will carry the pollutant directly to

the bones where it damages the marrow. Kelp blocks this mechanism by

preventing the strontium-90 from being absorbed in the body. It forms

insoluble salts by stripping the metal ions from the calcium molecule. The

salts are unabsorbable and are harmlessly excreted in the urine and feces.

Kelp Contains Iodine and several other Nutrients

Kelp is generally recognized as an excellent source of iodine. But kelp

contains a good

deal of additional nutritional value as well. It not only absorbs iodine

from seawater, it also sponges up an enormous supply of essential nutrients,

including protein, essential fatty acids, carbohydrates, fire, trace

elements, sodium and potassium salts, alginic acid, iron, copper, magnesium,