• Frequently Asked Questions •

We rebranded! Our company name has changed from Tehachapi Tea Company, LLC to

A Nurse's Tea, LLC but we have the same people making the same essiac with a fresh new look and vision. Nothing has changed except the size of the pots, so rest assured that we are more equipped and ready to provide you with the highest quality fresh-brewed essiac tea on the market than ever before.

The whole, matured sheep sorrel plant is in all of our essiac products. Our Pacific Northwest grower organically wildcrafts, cuts and sifts it for us. We practice sustainable harvesting whereupon a portion of the root system is left behind so that the plant can continue to grow. We supplement this with additional root we grow in our organic gardens, which are propigated from seeds obtained from these Pacific Northwestern-grown matured sheep sorrel plants.

We encourage people to try (for at least 2 months for each) different brands and formulas to see which one works best. Despite what you may hear, no 2 essiacs are exactly the same due to many reasons, as explained in this FAQ section. In terms of benefits, everyone responds different to medications as we are unique in our chemical compositions and how we process everything. Herbal remedies are no exception.

A decoction is an herbal brewing technique involving the extraction of nutrients from hardy herbs via boiling and extended steeping. Essiac's herbs are dense, strong, and require boiling then steeping for 10-12 hours to fully extract all nutrients possible into the distilled water.

The term 'tea' has become somewhat of a blanket term for herbal beverages, which is why it is often used to describe essiac. However, an authentic tea requires the use of the camellia sinensis plant, native to East Asia. A hot herbal drink that does not contain sinensis is most likely just an infusion. That is, unless it's a decoction, like essiac!

Check out our How to Brew page for instructions on brewing your own essiac at home.

Dry: Always store your herbs in a dry, cool, dark, and preferably air-tight container to maximize their life. Much like medications, dried herbs lose their potency over time, with light and heat often accelerating this process.

Wet: We recommend amber glass bottles for essiac storage and not plastic, as we worry about chemical leaching and light exposure during longterm storage. If you are using clear glass containers, I wouldn't worry too much about light exposure. The container will be in your closed refrigerator the majority of the time.

BTW - DO NOT INJECT ESSIAC, EVER!

Not only is injecting a non-medically approved substance dangerous, it is illegal for companies to sell them. There are no benefits to herbal injections, only risks.

As for capsules, consuming tough and hardy herbs (even if powdered) in capsulated form and expecting the stomach to extract the same nutrients it would from an extracted and prepared liquid is something we don't recommend, and only because we worry about inadequate absorption.

In medicine, it's universal knowledge that the best way to quickly and effectively get material into a patient's system is by the following methods:

1. Intravenous

2. Sublingual (under the tongue)

3. Ingestion of a liquid

4. Tablet or capsule with medicine specifically designed for quick intestinal absorption

Our personal belief is that essiac is most effective in liquid form, so we don't offer it or instruct it to be brewed or taken in any other fashion.

Essiac is a decoction, which means it requires boiling and steeping for much longer than an infusion.

The original essiac recipe calls for an extended steeping process of ten to twelve hours. Thus, when it comes to small, individual tea bags, we don't recommend steeping less than five minutes, even if powdered. We maintain that to unlock the blend's full strength, it must steep for much longer, preferably after boiling.

Essiac tea bag infusions are fine for getting the essiac taste and maybe some intestinal detoxification, but we don't believe they have the power of a full-blown essiac decoction.

We go into more detail in the How to Enjoy section of this site, but literature, experience, and feedback tell us that if you want a basic daily essiac detox, 2oz a day is fine.

If you are wanting to increase the possible effects of essiac on your system, then we recommend 6oz a day (3oz in the morning and 3oz at night), but cut back if you experience any gastrointestinal discomfort. Try to take essiac on an empty stomach at least one hour after and ten minutes before any food or medications.

Personally, we drink around a quarter bottle each day (about 8oz for each of us), but we've been on this tea for decades and don't recommend that for everybody!

Essiac has a deep, rich, tangy, earthy flavor when brewed properly. It's an aquired taste for many (we've been drinking it so long that it tastes better than any other tea or coffee to us), so we detail various healthy methods to sweeten or enrich the taste in the How to Enjoy section of our site.

Yes and no!

But moreso no!

To start, the 4-herb essiac recipe is more commonly brewed compared to the 8-herb version, with different brewers exploring numerous variations and approaches therein. As a proponent of the original 4-herb recipe, we use organic sheep sorrel (root & shoot), burdock root, slippery elm bark, and turkey rhubarb in distilled water.

Another point separating different brands of essiac-- and influencing the final product's efficacy-- is the quality of herbs used. This may vary based on numerous factors:

1. Honest botanical source. Some less reputable herb growers and tea manufacturers have been known to swap out herbs with cheaper substitutes due to cost, availability, etc.

2. The presence of contaminants, whether picked up at the farm or the brewery.

3. The farm or garden's growing conditions: termperature, geography, time of harvest, possible micro-organisms, heavy metals, pesticides, etc.

4. Harvesting of the correct plant part: leaves, stem, root, etc.

5. Preparation of the herb: drying, cutting, grinding, etc.

6. Cooking methodology: boiling, simmering, steeping, amount of heat, duration, etc.

7. Storage: containers used, storage enviornment, presence of light, etc.

You can rest assured, however, that all our herbs are sourced from ethical, reputable, and organic North American farms and orchards. Our prices reflect this, but we believe it's worth it to ensure we're getting the best ingredients for our tea and thus for your body.

Robinson A, McGrail MR. Disclosure of Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use of Medical Practitioners: A Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2004; 12(2-3): 90-98.

Dreskin, SC. A Prescription Drug Packaged in China and Sold as an Ethnic Remedy. JAMA. 2000; 283(18):2393.

Ng Th, Chan Yw, Yu Yl, Et al. Encephalopathy and neuropathy following ingestion of Chinese herbal broth containing podophyllin. . 1991; 101(1):107-113.

Tomlinson B, Chan Ty, Chan JC, Crichtley Ja. Toxicity of Complementary Therapies: An Eastern Perspective. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2000; 40(5): 451-456.

This issue isn't considered as controversial nowadays, with most essiac sellers unanimous on turkey rhubarb (rheum palmatum) root being the best and most authentic herb to use. There is, however, a vary winding and often confusing history to the many different rhubarbs, their identifications, and their usages in medicinal remedies.

Our research in the early days of A Nurse's Tea led us to this excerpt from The Herb Society of America Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses by Deni Brown (1995):

"The two main medicinal species of rhubarb are R.palmatum, introduced into Europe in 1762, and R.officinale, introduced in 1867. The cultivation of R.palmatum was given high priority in the 18th century. A map of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (originally a physic garden), dated 1777, indicates a very large area devoted to its cultivation. R.palmatum is one of the most widely used Chinese herbs. It was first mentioned in the Shen Nong Canon of Herbs, which dates back to the Han dynasty (206BG-AD23). Rhubarbs contain anthraquinone glycosides, which act as strong laxatives.

Several species are used medicinally, including R.officinale, R.australe (Himalayan rhubarb, Indian rhubarb), and the hybrid R.palmatum x R.coreanum (Japanese rhubarb). Many other names exist, such as "Turkey rhubarb," and "Dutch rhubarb," which usually refer to the commercial source... rather than the country of origin. These rhubarbs vary slightly in chemistry but are used interchangeably."

In short, there are many variations of rhubarb out there, but the consensus among essiac brewers and followers of Caisse's story is that turkey rhubarb (rheum palmatum) is the most effective and authentic essiac rhubarb, which is why we use it too.

I have come across those persons (and animals including my own) who just could not tolerate the taste of the tea. So, in order to get them to be able to take it without throwing up, I have suggested adding natural substances (honey, for example) that are healthy for the body. In no way have I noticed that doing this made any difference in customer response. Taking the tea is better then not taking the tea, so my guidelines are based on years of living and breathing essiac to the tune of manufacturing 1/2 million bottles over the past 25 years. I could publish a book on just the anecdotal evidence I have but it is illegal to publish and sell the tea in the U.S. Barbara, I appreciate you taking the time to compare, but it is impossible to match all pricing across the board because of those extra fees. Take good care of yourself and have a blessed day!