[Moderator's note: "Holy thistle"is more commonly called "Milk Thistle" in the
UK. "Dr. Miller's Holy Tea" does not have a product licence for medicinal use in
the UK or USA and should be used with care especially in the young, elderly or
pregnant because it can have side effects and also interact with other
medicines, see for example
http://www.medicinenet.com/milk_thistle_silybum_marianum-oral/article.htm]

What is Dr. Miller's Holy Tea

• Holy Thistle
• Blessed Thistle
• Persimmon Leaf
• Malva Leaf (Chinese Mallow)
• Marshmallow

Holy Thistle: (Silybum marianum)
Traditional uses: Supporting the liver in the release of toxins.
Medicinal use for over 2000 years, most commonly for the treatment of
liver and gallbladder disorders. Blood purifier, Stomach and
digestive disorders. Strengthens heart, liver, kidneys and lungs.

Holy Thistle supports the liver in the release of toxins. Used
medicinally for over 2000 years, most commonly for the treatment of
liver and gallbladder disorders. Holy thistle products are popular in
Europe and the United States for various types of liver disease. 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 help ease chronic
headaches. Holy Thistle is 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.

Blessed Thistle: (Cnicus benedictus)
Traditional uses: Supporting the liver in the release of toxins.
Medicinal use for over 2000 years, most commonly for the treatment of
liver and gallbladder disorders. Blood purifier, Stomach and
digestive disorders. Strengthens heart, liver, kidneys and lungs.
Blessed thistle is also known as holy thistle, St. Benedict thistle,
cardin, and spotted thistle. This herbaceous annual has been
cultivated for centuries as a Blessed thistle is also known as holy
thistle, St. Benedict thistle, cardin, and spotted thistle. This
herbaceous annual has been cultivated for centuries as a medicinal
herb.medicinal herb. It was a component of many herbal remedies used
to combat the plague. The herb was cultivated in monastery gardens as
a cure for smallpox. Its specific name is in honor of St. Benedict,
the founder of a holy order of monks. The ancient Romans ate the leaf
fresh and boiled the root as a vegetable. Thistle was once used as a
nutritious fodder for cattle in Scotland, and the leaf, folded
between two slices of buttered bread, was eaten with the breakfast
meal. British and German Pharmacopoeias recognize that "bitters",
including blessed thistle, stimulate bile flow and cleanse the liver.
In Europe, blessed thistle, as a "bitter vegetable drug" is
considered to be a medicinal agent used to aid digestion and promote
health. The herb contains B-complex vitamins, calcium, iron, and
manganese.
Blessed thistle is considered by many contemporary herbalists and in
traditional folk use as a natural herbal tonic, astringent,
diaphoretic (increases perspiration), emetic (induces vomiting), and
stimulant. Both the blessed thistle and milk thistles are recommended
as a liver tonic, particularly when the liver disease is brought on
by alcoholism. It has been used in treatment of jaundice and
hepatitis.
A tea from the leaves, taken warm, will increase perspiration, reduce
congestion, and help to bring down fever. A mild infusion is
astringent and may relieve diarrhea, but a very strong infusion is
emetic and may cause nausea and vomiting.
Blessed thistle is considered to be one of the best herbs to
stimulate the flow of milk in lactating women (lactating women should
always consult their physicians before taking this herb), and its
emmenagogue action (promotes menstrual discharge) helps to regulate
female hormone balance and relieve menstrual pain. Blessed thistle
has also been used to treat the vaginal discharge known as
leucorrhea.
The herb is used in the commercial manufacture of herbal bitters, and
is considered a general tonic and digestive. Its bitter properties
increase the flow of bile and other gastric secretions. The herb may
stimulate appetite and relieve flatulence. Blessed thistle is said to
relieve melancholy and lethargy, and was traditionally fed to
mentally ill persons. It acts to increase blood circulation and aids
memory. Applied externally in poultice form, blessed thistle is a
good treatment for shingles, wounds, and ulcers. The plant has
antimicrobial properties. The essential oil has been shown to have
antibiotic action against infections, specifically Staphylococcus
aureus and S. faecalis. Blessed thistle has a history in folk use for
the treatment of heart ailments, cancers, and as a contraceptive, but
these, and other traditional uses, have not been confirmed by
research.
Historically, Blessed Thistle has been recommended as a treatment for
stomach upset, indigestion, constipation and gas. Some individuals
employ this herbs, as they would its cousin milk thistle, as a remedy
for gallbladder and liver disorders. However, there is only limited
clinical evidence to support it use medicinally. Notwithstanding,
many individuals report that blessed thistle is an effective
medicinal healing herb. A few studies show that blessed thistle may
be useful as an anti-inflammatory.
The related milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is commonly used as a
blood and liver purifier. Blessed thistle, likewise, is considered to
have a beneficial effect on the blood which, in turn, enriches the
milk. It has sometimes been stated that the herb was first cultivated
by Gerard in 1597, but as this book was published twenty years
previously it would appear to have been in cultivation much earlier,
and in fact it is described and its virtues enumerated in the Herbal
of Turner in 1568.

Medicinal Action and Uses: Tonic, stimulant, diaphoretic, emetic and
emmenagogue. In large doses, Blessed Thistle acts as a strong emetic,
producing vomiting with little pain and inconvenience. Cold infusions
in smaller draughts are valuable in weak and debilitated conditions
of the stomach, and as a tonic, creating appetite and preventing
sickness. The warm infusion - 1 OZ. of the dried herb to a pint of
boiling water - in doses of a wineglassful, forms in intermittent
fevers one of the most useful diaphoretics to which employment can be
given. The plant was at one time supposed to possess very great
virtues against fevers of all kinds.
It is said to have great power in the purification and circulation of
the blood, and on this account strengthens the brain and the memory.
The leaves, dried and powdered, are good for worms. It is chiefly
used now for nursing mothers the warm infusion scarcely ever failing
to procure a proper supply of milk. It is considered one of the best
medicines which can be used for the purpose.
It is said to have obtained its name from its high reputation as a
heal-all, being supposed even to cure the plague. It is mentioned in
all the treatises on the Plague, and especially by Thomas Brasbridge,
who in 1578 published his Poore Man's Jewell, that is to say, a
Treatise of the Pestilence, unto which is annexed a declaration of
the vertues of the Hearbes Carduus Benedictus and Angelica.
Shakespeare in Much Ado about Nothing, says: "Get you some of this
distilled Carduus Benedictus and lay it to your heart; it is the only
thing for a qualm... I mean plain Holy Thistle." The 'distilled'
leaves, it says 'helpeth the hart,' 'expelleth all poyson taken in at
the mouth and other corruption that doth hurt and annoye the hart,'
and 'the juice of it is outwardly applied to the bodie' ('lay it to
your heart,' Sh.), "therefore I counsell all that have Gardens to
nourish it, that they may have it always to their own use, and the
use of their neighbours that lacke it".
Turner (1568) says: "It is very good for the headache and the megram,
for the use of the juice or powder of the leaves, preserveth and
keepeth a man from the headache, and healeth it being present. It is
good for any ache in the body and strengtheneth the members of the
whole body, and fasteneth loose sinews and weak. It is also good for
the dropsy. It helpeth the memory and amendeth thick hearing. The
leaves provoke sweat. There is nothing better for the canker and old
rotten and festering sores than the leaves, juice, broth, powder and
water of Carduus benedictus." Formulated by Dr. Bill Miller, Ph.D. in
Nutritional Science, the Holy Tea is a unique herbal blend of safe,
all-natural ingredients designed to promote healing by gently
cleansing the digestive tract and detoxifying the body. The National
Cancer Institute write that holy thistle may have anti-inflammatory
and anticancer effects. Topically, a poultice of blessed thistle is
used to soothe skin irritated by burns, scrapes, shaving, sunburn,
and other relatively minor injuries. A poultice is usually a soft
cloth that has been soaked in a medication, possibly heated, and
applied to an aching or injured area of skin surface.
Precautions: There are no reported incidents of thistle toxicity.
However, as with most medicinal herbs, they should not be taken
during pregnancy. Children under two years should not be given the
herb. Lactating women should consult with a qualified herbalist
before using the herb.
Side effects and Interactions: None reported.
Persimmon Leaf: (Diospyros kaki)
Traditional uses: Allergies, Hay Fever, Itching, Rough Skin
Eating persimmon leaves inhibits weight gain and lowers lipid levels.
Supplementing a high-fat diet with powdered leaves taken from Native
American persimmon trees can inhibit weight gain and lower both food
intake and plasma lipid levels, research shows. Scientists believe
that the rich fiber and phenolic content of persimmon leaves, which
are commonly used to make tea in India, increases the amount of
lipids removed from the body as feces.
"Since the persimmon leaves have beneficial effects on hemostatsis,
constipation, hypertension, apoplexy, and atherosclerosis, they have
been broadly applied in food and medicine," says J Lee, from the
Ottogi Research Center in Kyonngi-do, The Republic of Korea and
colleagues.
To investigate if the leaves also improved metabolism and lipid
levels, the team fed three groups of rats either a normal control,
high-fat, or high-fat with powdered whole persimmon leaf diet, for 6
weeks. Eating the high-fat diet without persimmon leaves increased
the rats' body weight by an average 114% in comparison with those fed
the normal control diet. However, rats eating the persimmon leaf
supplemented high-fat diet had a final body weight similar to that of
the normal control group after 6 weeks.
"Thus indicating that persimmon leaf supplementation suppressed the
excess body weight gain that could be induced by high-fat feeding,"
say the authors in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology. They
added that these rats gained less weight because persimmon leaf
consumption suppressed their food intake, perhaps via the hormone
leptin, levels of which were higher in the leaf-supplemented group
than the high-fat only group.

Malva Leaf (Chinese Mallow):
Traditional uses: Demulcent (soothes and softens irritated tissues,
especially mucus membranes) diuretic, emollient (softens the skin)
galactagogue (increases blood flow in nursing mothers) gentle
stimulation of the bowels.
Often made into a tea to soothe the membranes of the digestive
system. Malva Leaf is mildly astringent and diuretic and used to
treat gastroenteritis, The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook: A Home
Manualstomachache and conditions of the spleen. The Chinese use Malva
Leaf as an expectorant and as a gargle for sore throat. Malva Leaf is
also thought to be a mild laxative. The seeds are used in Tibetan
medicine, where they are considered to have a sweet and astringent
taste plus a healing potency. They are used in the treatment of renal
disorders, the retention of fluids, frequent thirst and diarrhea.
The word "malva" is derived from malakos, which in Greek
means "soothing"; not surprisingly, malva tea is often given as a
gargle to reduce throat inflammations. Drinking the tea also helps
calm stomach and intestinal irritation. Warm compresses can draw
toxins from pimples, abscesses and other skin inflammation while cool
tea compresses can help to relive superficial burns. The leaves of
Malva sylvestris, otherwise known as blue mallow, are rich in
mucilage. The mucilage of M. sylvestris is made up of high molecular
weight acidic polysaccharides (Classen B, et al., Planta Med 64(7):
640-44 (1988)). The leaf tea is traditionally believed to be useful
as an anti-inflammatory, decongestant, humectant, expectorant, and
laxative. It has also been used internally for soothing sore throats,
laryngitis, tonsillitis, coughs, dryness of the lungs, and digestive
upsets. Mallow is also used as a poultice for healing wounds and skin
inflammations. In traditional medicine, mallow leaf tea is also used
against abnormal growths of the stomach and to alleviate urinary
infections (Bisset NG (ed). Malvae folium-Mallow leaf. In Herbal
Drugs and Phyto-pharmaceuticals (1994, CRC Press, Stuttgart, pp 313-
316).
The Herbal Handbook: A User's Guide to Medical HerbalismThe Malva or
Chinese Mallow plant (Malva verticillata) is a member of the
Malvaceae family which also includes the Marsh Mallow and the
Hibiscus. The leaves have a mild pleasant flavor. Malva has been
cultivated in China for over 2,500 years, and is now cultivated in
some countries of Europe as a tasty salad green. Malva seed contains
mucilage, polysaccharides and flavonoids. In traditional medicine,
the Malva leaf was often made into a tea to sooth the membranes of
the digestive system. It is a demulcent (the mucilage soothes and
softens irritated tissues, especially the mucus membranes), mild
diuretic, emollient (softens the skin), and a mild laxative (a gentle
stimulant of the bowels). Malva Leaf teas are used in the treatment
of renal disorders, the retention of fluids, frequent thirst, and
diarrhea. Malva Leaf has been used to treat stomach ache,
gastroenteritis, irritable bowel, and conditions of the spleen. The
Chinese use Malva Leaf as an expectorant and as a demulcent gargle to
soothe a sore throat. It can also soothe a bronchial irritation in
persons with bronchitis or emphysema. (Beware of Chinese Mallow teas
which also contain Senna or Cassia angustifolia, which are strong
laxatives and can create dependency. Dr. Miller's Holy Tea does NOT
contain Senna.
The seed contains mucilage, polysaccharides and flavonoids. It is
demulcent, (soothes and softens irritated tissues, especially the
mucus membranes) diuretic, emollient, (softens the skin) galactogogue
(increases milk flow in nursing mothers), and gentle stimulation of
the bowels. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine, where they are
considered to have a sweet and astringent taste plus a healing
potency. They are used in the treatment of renal disorders, the
retention of fluids, frequent thirst and diarrhea. The weedy Malva
Leaf has been used interchangeably for food, tea and medicine for
thousands of years. The Aztec's used Malva Leaves for Bronchitis,
Tonsillitis, Gastroenteritis, Pleuresia (Inflammation of the membrane
that covers the lungs), Leucorrea or White Discharge, Inflammation of
the Cervix, Inflamed Hemorrhoids, Colitis, Rectiti, Intestinal
Infections, Cutaneous Diseases and to Soften Tumors and Abscess.
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis):
Traditional uses: Soothe and support the intestines. Relief of coughs
and irritated throats. Traditional remedy for respiratory tract,
particularly in cases of irritating coughs with bronchial congestion.
Used to treat sore throat and to alleviate heartburn, and stomach
problems. Mild anti-infective and immune-boosting properties.
Considered a cure-all by the ancient Greeks.
The Marsh Mallow or Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) was used by the
ancient Greeks to remedy bruises and bleeding, and as a mild
laxative. It was used in medieval Europe for indigestion and
diarrhea. The Marsh Mallow root or leaf was traditionally used to
soothe and support the intestines. It is rich in calcium, zinc, iron,
sodium, iodine, vitamin B complex, and pantothenic acid. Herbs high
in mucilage, such as Marsh Mallow and Malva Leaf (of the same
family), are often helpful for symptomatic relief of coughs and
irritated throats.
Mallow has expectorant and demulcent properties, which accounts for
this herb's historical use as a remedy for the respiratory tract,
particularly in cases of irritating coughs with bronchial congestion.
Marsh Mallow root and, to a lesser extent, Marsh Mallow leaf both
contain significant percentages of mucilage, a natural gummy
substance that does not dissolve in water. Like other mucilage-
containing substances, Marsh Mallow swells up and becomes slick when
it is exposed to fluids.
The resulting slippery material coats the linings of the mouth,
throat, and stomach to relieve irritation and control coughing
associated with respiratory conditions such as smoker's cough. Herbs
high in mucilage, such as Marshmallow, are often helpful for
symptomatic relief of coughs and irritated throats. Mallow has
expectorant and demulcent properties, which accounts for this herb's
historical use as a remedy for the respiratory tract, particularly in
cases of irritating coughs with bronchial congestion. Marsh Mallow
may also have mild anti-infective, immune-boosting, and diuretic
properties. In the British Herbal Compendium the use of Marsh Mallow
is listed for gastroenteritis, peptic and duodenal ulcers, colitis,
and enteritis. Topically, Marsh Mallow is used to soothe and soften
irritated skin, and as a remedy for cuts, wounds, abscesses, boils,
burns, and varicose veins. The edible leaves are used as salad greens
in France.
It is an old-time remedy for bladder infection, digestive upsets,
fluid retention, intestinal disorders, kidney problems, sinusitis and
sore throat. Marshmallow is a natural source of beta-carotene, amino
acids [amino acids are the "building blocks" of protein], minerals
and vitamins and is often used as a filler in the compounding of
pills. Primary chemical constituents in Marshmallow include
substantial mucilage, polysaccharides, flavonoids Formulated by Dr.
Bill Miller, Ph.D. in Nutritional Science, the Holy Tea is a unique
herbal blend of safe, all-natural ingredients designed to promote
healing by gently cleansing the digestive tract and detoxifying the
body. The National Cancer Institute write that holy thistle may have
anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. (quercetin), kaempferol,
asparagine, tannins, lecithin and pectin. The great demulcent and
emollient properties of Marshmallow make it useful in cases of
inflammation and irritation of the alimentary canal and of the
urinary and respiratory organs. Recently, Marshmallow has been used
as an expectorant to treat a variety of upper respiratory problems.
Marshmallow also contains large amounts of vitamin A, calcium, zinc
and significant amounts of iron, sodium, iodine and B-complex
vitamins. Like slippery elm, Marshmallow reduces inflammation and has
a calming effect on the body. Topically, marshmallow is used to
soothe and soften irritated skin. It also sooths irritation and
inflammation caused by bronchitis, urinary tract infections, colitis
and other problems such as constipation.

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