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How can you judge the quality of a generic product?
I have been trying to figure out how to explain how I come to a conclusion
about this. It is pretty subjective. There are two things that go into
that judgement. One is whether the recipe is the public recipe (now traditional) if it
claims to be. The other is whether the herbs are of good quality and fresh.
The only way to tell if the recipe is the "traditional generic recipe" is if you know
what that is supposed to taste and smell like. I know this from
many years of brewing it, using the generic recipe and the best herbs I could get.
The tea should not taste acidic, if it does it
has too much sorrel in it. If it is bitter it is likely the 8 herb recipe,
because blessed thistle, one of the herbs in that recipe, is bitter.
The traditional generic recipe tastes earthy, is not sour at all, and is not bitter. It
should not taste bad.
I judge the quality of the herbs entirely by smell. I am sure this is not
perfect. But they should smell good and they should smell a lot. If they
don't smell much they are probably old. Old herbs are not going to be as
effective as fresh ones. Herbs that have been exposed to a lot of light and
air spoil faster. This is a good reason not to buy herbs from less than air
tight or clear containers in stores. The light is just as bad as the air,
so most of the time herb store products that are sold loose by the ounce are
not very fresh. As far as I know there is no way short of expensive
chemical analysis, to tell if claims about purity are true. You have to
decide who you are going to trust. If something is certified organic by the
Oregon Tilth, that is a good start. But it can still be stale. I think it
would be very difficult to judge the freshness of prepared tea, you can only
tell if the recipe is the one in the public domain or not. But if the herbs are old it
would not taste as strong as if they are fresh.
Products recommended below are "traditional" four herb recipes
using the "traditional" brewing method. I simply don't know enough
about 8 herb recipes to recommend any specific brands.
Same goes for capsules, extracts and tinctures,
which may or may not be worthwhile.
Again, many other brands on the
Generic Products page
may be just fine. Below are just the blends I have tested,
used and currently recommend.
Others will be added as I can afford to obtain and
evaluate them.
Jan Hodges
Mountain Rose Herbs
"essiac formula", 1 lb. for $25.00
"Manufactured in small quantities
to ensure quality... The products we carry are guaranteed fresh and
unlike other suppliers of herbal products who keep there merchandise
stored in warehouses for 8 - 12 months and sometimes 1 1/2 to 2 years!
Mountain Rose never sells or stocks products that are more then 1 - 3
months from harvest."
Contains Burdock root, Sheep Sorrel powder, Slippery Elm bark powder,
Turkey Rhubarb root, all certified organic.
Online orders processed and shipped within 24 hours.
Mainland US Shipping Rate for $25 order = $6.95
Blessed Herbs
"essiac tea formula", 3.3 lbs. for $71.50
Blessed Herbs is a family owned and operated business in the Upland Region of
Massachusetts. They say,
Blessed Herbs also sells the popular essiac book
by Cynthia Olsen, $11.95
Camas Prairie Tea
Needs.com appears
to be a very good online company
(they call the 3 lb. size "Caisses Tea"). 1-800-634-1380
If you "Google" for Camas Prairie Tea, you will find other sources
(supplied by Nutraceutical) with lower and higher prices
than the Needs company. For example, this is an online source with
lower prices:
Vitaglo.com
sounds too good to be true but appears to be a reputable company, 1-888-418-8156
Higher prices: totaldiscountvitamins.com (4 oz for $17.09,
3 lbs for $166.49), vitaminshoppe.com (4 oz for $15.29),
seacoastvitamins.com (4oz $12.99).
Shopping.com is paid to recommend others (like totaldiscountvitamins.com).
A Nurse's Herbal Tea
32oz Filled Amber Glass Bottle of Tea: $16.00
Shipping weight of a quart bottle of tea is 5 lbs. and if the orderform
shipping charge for your UPS Zone (generated by UPS, whose rates
reflect their fuel costs) exceeds your budget, the Dried 4.2oz Packet
is a more economical choice.
Chris Corpening is an experienced Registered Nurse with
alternative and herbal expertise, customers are in good hands.
Non-customers concerned about using the tea with their medical
condition may also ask questions of Chris.
Tehachapi Tea Co. & Nature Bookstore relates to the environment,
animals and children too, "Students come here on school field trips just to
see how spectacular our little museum is."
Ojibwa Tea of Life http://www.ojibwatea.com Michelle Kalevik Ojibwa Tea of Life Code W P.O. Box 200041 Denver, Colorado 80220 Fax: (303) 316-3971 Ojibwa Tea of Life dry herbs 4 oz for $18.00, 6 oz for $28.00
Stories in Karyn Seroussi’s book Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder refer to Ojibwa Tea of Life™. Michelle's company and participating individuals concerned with autism have designed materials and research for the use of this remedy, which are available on the site. Michelle Kalevik lives in Denver, Colorado, is a published herbalist, Holistic health researcher, Reiki Master, and founder of a holistic wellness support group. Michelle assists others by networking and locating holistic resources, complimentary health professionals, and treatment centers. Michelle Kalevik's "testimony" is included in the popular essiac book by Cynthia Olsen.
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