When The Complete Essiac Essentials book was written by Mali Klein in 2010, and even earlier in her work as founder of the Clouds Trust Essiac Charity in England, she was working with several patients using multiple Essiac formula variations, all different combinations of the herbs Rene Caisse was known to have worked with. The protocol also included varying dosage amounts and times.  Several sample programs used by "Steve," "Pat," "Mike" and "Susan" were outlined in the now out-of-print earlier book. For a long time we at Blue Moon Herbs talked about putting together something similar,  sufficient for a six-month regimen that would provide a roadmap for folks wanting to give Essiac a good try.

The question re: if there is a 'cancer protocol' or higher recommended dosage for Essiac for people with serious health issues is often asked as well as the question re: whether healthy people should take Essiac. The basic truth is that Essiac can benefit anyone who has room for improvement in diet and/or lifestyle patterns and wants to return to a more balanced state. Essiac can help a person regain and/or maintain that, as one practice in concert with many diet and lifestyle habits that support wellbeing. There are a lot of roads to wellness. The Essiac herbs grow alongside them, always there for us, and all of life, to continue on and be good all over again.  

Included in the Kit:

• Four 20g packets Essiac Extra (4- herb Essiac with Sheep sorrel 50% root)
• Two 10g packets Essiac Extra with Red Clover tea  6/20/25: 65% roots while supplies last
• Two 10g packet Essiac Extra Gold tea 6/20/25: 65% roots while supplies last
• The Essiac Essentials Handbook (Mali Klein, 2016, softcover, )

This program will last at minimum six months. One quart, (from 10g dried herbs) contains 16 two oz. servings. Based on the recommended average of one day/week off, this would mean that a 10g packet will provide about 2 1/2 weeks worth of tea if taken 2 fl. oz. per day.  The Combo Program adds up to a total of 216 2 oz. servings over seven months. For folks who stay at the lower end of the recommended dosage of one oz. per day, that doubles the number of servings to 432 one oz. servings over 14 months! The Combo Program, followed by two people, will provide for three months minimum.

Along with varying dosage, the Essiac Combo Program varies the basic Essiac formula (Essiac Extra with Red Clover and Gold Essiac Extra). This helps keep the immune system on its toes and it keeps the body more engaged in the healing process in general, as it takes in the variations.

All of the herbs in the Essiac Combo Program are the classic 4-herb Essiac Extra formula, with our highest Sheep sorrel root ratio (50% roots, 50% aerial parts) for extra potency. Two additional herbs Rene Caisse is known to have worked with were Red clover and Goldthread. Goldthread is not commercially available and so fellow Berberine-containing Goldenseal has been substituted in. 

Possible contraindications - Red clover and Goldenseal. The classic 4-herb Essiac formula has no known contraindications or side effects besides detoxification symptoms. Red clover may be contraindicated if you are on blood thinners, as some of its properties include anticoagulation. Research indicates that Red clover’s phytoestrogenic properties have been shown to increase bone formation in postmenopausal women.  Red clover also has coumarins, which are showing effectiveness against lung and breast cancers. Red clover has a high isoflavone content and isoflavones are thought to provide benefit when treating hormone-related cancers. Essiac with Red Clover’s coumarin content may duplicate the action of blood-thinning medication Always consult with your health care professional if you have any questions or concerns. In the case of Essiac Extra Gold, there is a precaution for people who have high blood pressure, and Essiac in general is contraindicated for pregnant or nursing women.

Brewing instructions for all the formulae are the same. See the included instructions or consult the Essiac Essentials Handbook for more detail.

• Dosage is the same for all three variations: 1 to 2 oz. per day, all at once or divided into two half doses. You can take up to 4 oz. per day for short periods as necessary.
• How to rotate the herbs: Feel free to adjust the rotation to suit your preferences. The main point is to vary the dosage using the Essiac 4-herb blend as a baseline, taking the Essiac Extra with Red Clover/Essiac Extra Gold in between. In any one day, take the Essiac Extra Gold and Essiac Extra with Red Clover teas instead of the 4-herb Essiac Extra, for variation, but not in addition to it.

Here is the basic protocol: Taking 2 fl. oz. per day for six days per week should amount to enough for one quart to last for a total of 18 days. 8 X 18 days = at least 20 weeks. If taking less than 2 oz. per day, it is recommended that you use 16 oz. (pint)  bottles or jars, so the +- three week shelf life window is not passed.

1. Make and take 2 quarts Essiac Extra 4-herb tea.
2. Make and take one quart Essiac Extra with Red Clover.
3. Make and take 2 quarts Essiac Extra 4-herb tea.
4. Make and take one quart Essiac Extra Gold.
5. Make and take 2 quarts Essiac Extra 4-herb tea.

Enjoy your healing journey! Essiac can help with that.