A. The Herbal Healer Academy was founded in 1988. The goal was to establish credibility in the field of natural medicine, offer quality correspondence training and do ongoing research into natural medicine. I also have a passion to find cures for incurables! The company was started with a $50.00 investment from my kitchen table and manual typewriter and has grown into an Internationally renowned company that ships natural medicine and education worldwide.

Q. How did your interest in the herbal product that Nurse Rene Caisse worked with come about?

A. Sun Bear was a friend of mine and I had read the Dr. Gary Glum article printed in his Wildfire Magazine about Essiac. I got the recipe from Gary Glum, ordered the 4 organic herbs, put the formula together and decided to let my students try it on their friends and family to see if it really was effective. The testimonials came flooding in on numerous ailments that were helped and we expanded to provide all our members with the tea. The news spread like "Wildfire" and one case in particular I remember in the very beginning. This man had cancer and the doctors gave him one week to live. He started taking the 4-HERB tea (my form of Essiac) and in a few months was doing fantastic. He was so excited he had 3,000 copies of our information run off and put it in the public library in his state. Of course we got many calls. Oh, yes and then someone else was healed of an ailment and got their story on a radio station in Florida and our phones went nuts for a week. That is how people heard about us, not from our advertising, as we didn't do any about Essiac, but by word of mouth from people we had helped.

Q. (The herbs are fairly well known as Essiac which is trademarked in Canada) Do you use Essiac in your practice?

A. I sell the Essiac made by Resperin so my customers have a choice. My research has mostly been on my own organic 4-HERB blend.

Q. Do you use the original four herbs?

A. Yes. That is the basic tea formula. We do add other herbs to this formula as required, but never do we dilute the original 4-Herbs.

Q. Do you suggest different strengths as a preventative?

A. Same strength is used, just less dose for prevention. 2 ounces once per day for daily maintenance, 2 ounces twice per day for regular liver cleansing, 2 ounces 3-5 times per day for cancer.

Q. Do you feel the herbs are more effective if they are certified organic?

A. You can't have certified organic wildcrafted herbs. For instance, Slippery Elm Bark is from a tree that is not grown with pesticides, etc. Wildcrafted slippery elm is fine by me for my formulas. It is of course organic! Our cultivated U.S. Burdock, Sorrel and Rhubarb are all organic. It is not the certified organic that makes them more effective, it is the knowledge and the expertise in the harvesting, drying and care of the herbs that is important. They must not be old, irradiated, handled poorly or be from outside the U.S. All the people in the long line from seed to me, are skilled herbalist and this is what makes the difference.

Q. Do you believe Essiac is beneficial in the treatment of various types of cancer as well as other diseases?

A. This formulation has proven so remarkable in the treatment of hundreds of unrelated ailments. It is helpful in all forms of cancer, but certain cancers require other aggressive supplements. I attribute the great success of this formula to it's cleansing action on the liver and blood system. I have seen it help and in many cases cure psoriasis, mysterious blood disorders, diabetes, glandular problems, chronic skin fungus, Gulf War Syndrome, weight problems, bowel problems, stomach disorders to name a few. I even have a few reports of people who have taken it and their gray hair turned back brown.

Q. It has been reported that Rene Caisse administered injections of the herbs. How do you feel about this?

A. Absolutely against my principles. The only known case of death using Essiac was from injections. The person I believe was very late stage cancer. I am opposed to any form of injection. It is not natural, and not what the Native American Healer of God intended us to do with these herbs. It should not be used by allopaths and their needles.

Q. There are several kinds of Essiac products in the marketplace these days. Do you have a preference say brewing the four herbs versus a tincture?

A. The 4-Herbs are better brewed from scratch than in any other form. They are more absorbable and are utilized easily. The tinctures have an alcohol base and in a critical care patient the liver is already compromised and does not need to process this alcohol. Secondly, alcohol extracts constituents from the herbs that our human bodies would not normally extract. We only used water soluble constituents, so in my opinion nothing but the fresh brewed tea should be given to a chronically ill patient. Now for maintenance in healthy people we make a liquid concentrate and I do recommend this for maintenance in a healthy person. We also have capsules, which can also be taken as a daily maintenance in a healthy person, but should not be used to treat an ailment. They don't absorb as well.

Q. What do you foresee in the future regarding herbal medicine?

A. The herbal medicine field is a very fast growing field. We currently have more than 5,000 students enrolled in our Naturopathic Doctor Program. When our people graduate there are hundreds of people asking them for advise. I believe the medicine of the future will be based on non-aggressive, non-toxic supplements and healing modalities that will promote body balance and overall wellness. The past system of merely treating symptoms will become extinct. People want to be cured and are becoming more interested in quality of life. We are researching new products all the time from all over the world. I am very excited about a natural Chinese eye drop formula that we are researching right now that dissolves cataracts. I have about 200 study cases and the first few results have been amazing. Can you imagine, an eye drop that safely dissolves cataracts! No surgery, no pain! I truly believe that God did not intent for us to be hurt to be healed and I have dedicate my life and my company to this belief.

Q. Will Essiac alone cure cancer?

A. I have seen this happen, but I would like to add that every person is different and when dealing with a life threatening ailment it is important that you get professional naturopathic help from someone skilled in handling your problem. There are many things that we have found that help that can be safely added into the daily supplement regime. Things like Shark Cartilage, Cat's Claw, Natural Antibiotics and Parasite Programs all have proven helpful.

Q. Can Essiac be taken along with Chemotherapy?

A. In my years of experience the answer is a definite yes! Hundreds of people have reported no hair loss and much less severe symptoms from the chemo, when they keep up with their tea. Most medical doctors when asked don't know if it is O.K., but it is and I highly recommend it.

Dr. Marijah McCain is founder of the Herbal Healer Academy, located in Mountain View, Arkansas, USA.