This formula carries one of my favorite pieces of history from this tradition. After one of Dr. John Christopher’s arrests, he was told never to use the word “cancer” again. Not long after, in a private conversation about Red Clover, Dr. Schulze told him, “I just can’t help myself. Red Clover is the antidote for cancer.” Chaparral carries the same kind of reputation, long credited as one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants. I share these exactly as they have long been told within this tradition, as historical claims and not medical guidance. But they’re part of why this formula has the reputation it does.
This is the strongest blood and lymph cleanser I use, built on the same tradition as the famous Hoxsey Formula and Dr. Christopher’s Red Clover Tonic. Everyone on our 5-day cleansing program takes it, and it’s the core of the program for the most serious cases, where its whole job is to support the liver in clearing disease and built-up toxins out of the blood.
What a Good Blood and Lymph Cleanser Contains
A good formula for a deep blood and lymph cleanse might contain these twelve herbs:
- Red Clover Blossoms, 2 parts. A core blood cleanser, prized in the old-time cleansing tonics.
- Chaparral, 2 parts. A desert shrub long used in the Southwest as a strong internal cleanser.
- Burdock Root, 1 part, and Burdock Seed, 1 part. Classic blood-purifying herbs, used for centuries alongside Red Clover.
- Yellow Dock Root, 1 part. A liver and blood herb common in old-time cleansing blends.
- Oregon Grape Root, 1 part, and Goldenseal Root, 1 part. Bitter roots that support the liver’s own cleansing work.
- Poke Root, 1 part. Supports the lymph.
- Bloodroot, 1 part. One of the historic herbs of the Hoxsey tradition this formula draws from.
- Garlic Juice, 1 part. For its own cleansing and immune support.
- Lobelia Seeds, 1 part. A relaxant that keeps the whole system moving.
- Cayenne, 1 part. For circulation, carrying the other herbs through the body.
“Parts” can be any measure you like, as long as you use the same one for every herb. By weight, that’s 2 ounces each of Red Clover and Chaparral and 1 ounce each of the rest, with the garlic juice stirred into the extract.
Putting It Together
Put the dry herbs in a glass jar and pour in 80-proof vodka. Once the herbs have settled, you want about 60% herb sediment on the bottom and 40% liquid on top. Shake the jar every day. The traditional timing follows the moon, from the new moon to the full moon, about two weeks. I prefer to let my extracts sit a full three months, which makes them good and strong. Then strain and bottle the liquid.
How Much and How Often
- For serious illness: ½ teaspoon every 3 hours.
- For general cleansing: ½ teaspoon three times a day.
These herbs are strong, and strong-tasting. They are cleansers, not a gentle daily tonic, and they do their best work with a real cleanse: plenty of water, fresh juice and herbal teas through the day to carry out what they loosen. If you feel some nausea or an upset stomach, that can be the body’s cleansing response; back off the amount and give the body time to catch up.
Cayenne moves the cleansing out through the skin as well. If the skin is already carrying an extra load, as with eczema or psoriasis, or if you have a nut allergy, the eleven-herb blood cleanser is my second choice. It’s the same class of cleanser, without the Cayenne.
For Lymph Congestion
Because it cleanses the lymph, this formula is also my internal support for lymph congestion and blockage, such as lymphedema. For a swollen area, pair it with the Mullein and Lobelia salve laid on as a pack. I wrote more about that in Understanding Lymphedema.
This is shared for educational purposes, from my own study and experience. It is not medical advice.
