Botanicals and 9-11: A True Story
By Viana Muller, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Whole World Botanicals
This 25th anniversary of the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center is causing us all to reflect on both the new political era into which we were ushered and the tragedy that affected tens of thousands of people. This anniversary brings up a memory that is both uplifting and dispiriting.
Like all of us in this country and even around the world – and perhaps especially those of us who live in New York City – I was in the state of shock over this event. I remember that morning of 9/11, a Whole World Botanicals’ staff member alerted me to a text she received saying that an airplane had flown into one of the towers at the World Trade Center. I ran to turn on the TV and heard commentators wondering whether this was an accident involving a small plane or a terrorist attack. I immediately thought it was a terrorist attack. As I watched the coverage, a few minutes later I witnessed the second plane plowing into the second tower.
What was there to do or to think? In that moment, I realized that this attack would almost inevitably inspire a massive counterattack by the United States, and I felt dismayed. Was there no alternative to attack, revenge, counterattack, and more revenge – an endless destructive cycle that would continue for years, cause countless lives lost, and squander billions of dollars? But my questions were quickly put aside as the physical reality of the attack became clear to our staff and me, even though our office was located 10 miles north of the Twin Towers. (WWB cofounder Elena Rojas-Martinez was in Peru at that time).
Even with all the windows closed on that bright sunny morning, the smell of chemicals seeped through the windows all day. By the next morning, my eyes were burning, and my throat was scratchy. I immediately took 2 teaspoons of our Royal Camu powder and 1 teaspoon of our Royal Cat’s Claw liquid extract, mixing them in a glass of water. A few hours later, I repeated this mixture, and by the end of the day I added in a teaspoon of Royal Chanca Piedra liquid extract to detox my liver.
As I took my botanicals, I shuddered to think about the impact on first responders and those who lived in the surrounding areas of Lower Manhattan. I saw the flimsy masks – or no masks at all – on the police, firefighters, and courageous bystanders who felt desperate to do something, although there was very little they could do. The devastation was so complete.
As the hours post-attack turned into days, I became increasingly alarmed about the utter disregard for the safety of the first responders. Everyone in authority in the city seemed to be either woefully ignorant or in complete denial about the health risks these courageous folks were exposed to. (It is only now, 25 years later, that we have learned that the New York City mayor was receiving reports that the air quality was not safe and was well aware of the risks).
At that time, I wondered what I could do to help remedy the situation. The authorities had declared the situation safe, and therapeutic botanicals had even less standing in the mainstream than they do now. What credentials did I have to sound the alarm? I did the only thing I could think to do: I posted a notice on our Whole World Botanicals website that said:
“Are you a First Responder at the World Trade Center catastrophe? Were you exposed to the harmful chemicals? Therapeutic botanicals can help protect you now. No charge to first responders for Whole World Botanicals products.” I also gave our phone number. No one responded. The internet was much less developed than it is now. And in addition, back then, there was even less public knowledge or confidence in the efficacy of therapeutic botanicals.
Three months later, in early December, the phone rang, and it was a firefighter from Los Angeles. After September 11th, he and some colleagues flew into New York to volunteer at the site. He had seen our announcement on our website. As he described his experience at Ground Zero, he coughed frequently. He told me he couldn’t work and couldn’t even do the regular exercises he and his fellow firefighters do to stay in shape. He had spent the three months since 9/11 consulting doctors and looking for help. The doctors had only prescribed antibiotics, which hadn’t helped him at all. In desperation, he started searching online for answers and found our offer.
We sent him detailed diet suggestions, along with a step-by-step protocol for using our Whole World Botanicals products. The guidelines included the order in which to start them and the dosage for each, to help him detox his body and strengthen his immune system.
First was our Royal Camu, with its powerful antioxidants to neutralize the cascade of free radicals bombarding all his organs, including his lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys. At the same time, we added Royal Desmodium to help address his chronic cough immediately. Next, we added Royal Cat’s Claw to strengthen his elimination system and give additional antioxidant support. This was followed by Royal Chanca Piedra to flush and detox his liver and kidneys, and taken as well for its antioxidant properties. We added Royal Maca to help restore his vigor and recuperative powers.
(By the way, he wouldn’t accept free product, and I had to fight with him to accept a wholesale price!)
About three weeks later, he called to reorder and told me that he was feeling “much better.” Then I didn’t hear from him for almost a year. In early December of the following year, I received an email from him telling me he felt fine and thanking me for the help we had given him. Reading his email, I felt the tears coming.
How wonderful to be able to help a single person, a hero, get back to health! And how sad that it was only one person.
