However, if this extra effort brings 
on new symptoms or excessive fatigue, outside help must be brought in. Some people, particularly 
the breadwinner, are able to return at first to part-time work, later to a regular job. There is just 
one important condition: the patient must never eat lunch in a restaurant. He/she needs to eat the 
usual Gerson lunch at home, together with the freshly made green juice (which cannot be taken 
along to work), and also have some rest plus the midday enema. The carrot/apple juices can be 
taken to work in the morning, in a glass-lined thermos flask; another thermos full of juice needs 
to be ready for the patient to drink during the afternoon. Then on returning home the balance of 
the green juices can be taken, along with the missing enemas and followed by  rest. This arrangement only works if there is a person at home able to prepare all the Therapy Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 145Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comitems needed by the patient. The Trouble With Sunshine
Sunshine can be a source of good health; it can also be a killer. The difference lies in the degree 
of exposure we choose. The human body needs Vitamin D, which helps to maintain several organ 
systems and is essential for forming and maintaining healthy bones. However, very few foods are 
naturally rich in Vitamin D (some commercial foods are fortified with synthetic versions of the 
substance), so we need the Vitamin D, which is produced in our skin exposed to sunlight. The trouble is that the ultra-violet (UV) rays contained in sunlight can cause severe damage 
to cells. This partly explains why the widespread fashion for deep tanning has been accompanied 
by the doubling of skin cancer cases in the last few decades. Even those who don’t lie for hours 
practically naked on a sunny beach but have an outdoor job may develop skin cancer, since 30-
50% of UV rays reach us even on a cloudy day. All this means that Gerson patients must take great care to avoid sunburn, which causes 
immediate harm in the form of blisters, reddening and discomfort, but can also produce long-term 
damage, with dry, wrinkled skin as its mildest, and melanoma as its worst effect. The first rule 
is to keep out of sunshine between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the summer and in hot climates all the 
year round. It is still possible to enjoy brightness from a shady spot, but not close to water, which 
reflects back sunshine powerfully. Even at other times of day it is important to be well covered when outdoors. Light, white, 
long-sleeved cotton shirts, full length pants and wide-brimmed hats or white caps with visors give 
necessary protection. Healthy children need to be able to play outdoors and swim in summer, but they are even more 
sensitive to sunburn than adults. Unfortunately 90% of commercial sunscreens and sunblocks 
contain a chemical called Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), which is toxic and doubles its toxicity 
when exposed to sunlight. As the skin absorbs 60% of everything applied to it, obviously such 
preparations cannot be used by children. However, effective non-toxic sunscreens containing 
natural ingredients, such as Green Tea, are available and can be tracked down with a little effort. Complementary Therapies
These days there is a bewildering array of complementary treatments on offer and the question 
arises whether Gerson patients should use any of these. The simple answer is that anything that 
promotes healing and does not clash with the requirements of the Therapy is permissible and 
potentially helpful. However, there is no margin for error, so let us see which techniques are safe 
to use.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 146Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comReflexology or Zone Therapy dates back to Ancient Egypt, China and India. It is based 
on the principle that the feet and hands are a mirror image of the body, and that by applying 
pressure to certain points, especially on the feet, corresponding parts of the body are affected. The 
purpose of the treatment is to break up congestion, blockages and patterns of stress, and restore 
homeostasis, the body’s internal equilibrium. Reflexology does not claim to diagnose or cure, but 
it has a good record of improving general well-being. It must be used gently and cautiously with 
cancer patients, avoiding reflex points that correspond to affected areas of the body. Reiki  is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that promotes healing. Its 
practitioners claim that there is an invisible life force energy that flows through us and keeps us 
alive. If this energy becomes low, we fall sick and suffer from stress, so in order to heal the Reiki 
master channels the energy through his or her hands into the patient’s body. There is no need for 
massage, only for very gentle touch, but although the patient feels very little, the treatment is 
truly holistic, affecting body, emotions, mind and spirit. Because of its non-specific nature Reiki 
is able to help in any disease and works well with other medical or therapeutic techniques. The 
word itself consists of two parts: Rei means higher power, Ki stands for life force energy, so the 
implication is that Reiki is a spiritually guided way of restoring universal life force energy in 
those who need it. Acupuncture  originated in China some 2000 years ago, and has been known and increasingly 
practiced in the U.S. since 1971. Its essence is the stimulation of certain anatomical points on the 
body by penetrating the skin with thin metal needles and manipulating them by hand or electrical 
means. This is claimed to regulate the nervous system, activate the body’s own painkilling 
biochemicals and strengthen the immune system. Acupuncture has a proven record of good pain 
control and of hastening recovery from surgery. It can impart a sense of well-being and boosts 
depleted energy. Acupuncture needles, which cause minimal pain, were approved by the FDA 
for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. Today this ancient technique is used in the U.S. by 
thousands of physicians, dentists and other practitioners for the prevention or relief of pain, and 
members of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture use it on cancer patients in many 
hospitals and clinics. Yoga  first emerged in India some 5000 years ago. It has several varieties, including hatha 
yoga,  a physical discipline consisting mainly of stretching and breathing exercises, which has 
grown in popularity in the West since the mid-20th century. Being non-competitive, gentle, and 
accessible to people of all ages and levels of ability, yoga is ideal exercise for Gerson patients, 
who wish to improve their flexibility, stamina and muscle tone. Yoga postures, known as asanas,  
help to achieve balance and poise. The breathing exercises are soothing and relaxing and increase 
the supply of oxygen to the organism, a great advantage, since cancer cells can only thrive in 
an anaerobic, i.e., oxygen-free setting. Please note:  patients suffering from lung cancer or 
emphysema should only undertake breathing exercises under the supervision of a trained yoga Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 147Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comteacher, whose help would also be valuable to all beginners. Massage for Gerson patient must be limited to the mildest, gentlest kind, involving barely 
more than a soft stroking. Deep manipulation is strictly counter-indicated, because cancer patients’ 
muscles are normally weakened and vigorous handling could easily damage them. The only kind of massage Dr. Gerson recommended for cancer patients consisted of a twice-
daily rub of their skin before meals with a mixture of two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol and two 
tablespoons of wine vinegar in 1⁄2 glass of water. This method stimulates the circulation, opens the 
capillaries and. leaves the patients feeling refreshed and invigorated. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 148Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 21
Watch Out—Pitfalls Ahead
 To err is human, and as humans we can make mistakes in any area of life. But when seriously 
ill people undertake a potentially life-saving program, such as the Gerson Therapy, even a 
minor blunder or oversight could cause a major setback. This way of healing demands a total 
transformation—not only of lifestyle but also of how the patients understand the principles of 
sickness, health and healing, and how they respond to their bodies’ needs. This understanding is 
all the more important, because the therapy forbids a great many things that are normal parts of 
the Western lifestyle, and patients need to know  the reason behind the strictures in order to accept 
them wholeheartedly. There is also the matter of observing the rules of the therapy, even without an authority figure 
to check or chide the patient, as there would be in a conventional medical setting. It takes maturity 
and inner strength to be one’s own supervisor and stay on the straight and narrow path—but the 
rewards are enormous and make it all more than worthwhile. Save Up Your Energy! So let’s take a close look at the possible mistakes, temptations and tripwires that a patient 
is likely to encounter, especially in the early stages of the Gerson protocol. Ironically enough, 
the first pitfall is the great improvement in the patient’s condition that sets in during the first few 
weeks on the full therapy, especially if these are spent at the Gerson hospital in Mexico. When 
such patients return home—this holds true especially for women—they look and feel better, are 
often free from pain, and so the family assumes that they can once again rely on the patients to 
take up all ‘normal’ duties and serve them. This is particularly heavy on the wife/mother, who 
probably feels guilty anyway for ‘letting down’ the family by being ill and having very real needs 
of her own; guilt may drive her back into her normal routine. Male patients normally have a more 
relaxed attitude on coming home, but even they want to start to work, take exercise, or deal with 
chores around the house. Neither behavior is acceptable. As stated before, patients need a great deal of rest. Their 
bodies are working hard to detoxify and heal, and that is more important than any domestic 
activity. Actually in most cases, although patients look remarkably better, they do feel tired and 
even weak for the first 2-3 months of the therapy, unable to indulge in much activity. And yet, 
instead of listening to their bodies’ message, some patients actually force themselves to be up, 
make their own food and juices (a 6-8 hour daily job!) and exhaust themselves. That is a serious 
mistake, almost guaranteed to undermine the good effects of the program.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 149Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.com A similar problem arises 3-4 months into the therapy, when the initial tiredness goes and 
energy returns to such an extent that patients feel virtually normal again. So they want to be fully 
active again and make up for ‘lost’ time; women launch themselves into major house cleaning, 
they wash curtains, scrub floors and attack mountains of ironing; men clear out the garage, and 
according to the season either shovel snow or cut the lawn, or even repair the roof, just to prove 
that they are fully functioning once more. The urge is understandable but must be resisted. Superficial improvements, e.g. increased energy, do not equal healing. Rest and more rest is still 
essential, to avoid a sudden downturn. It was one of Dr. Gerson’s important rules that patients should be in bed not later than 10 p.m, 
not reading or watching TV or listening to the radio—sleeping if possible, or at least at complete 
rest. The time before midnight is particularly valuable for the body’s self-repairing and restoring 
work and must not be curtailed. Bending the Rules
 Admittedly the dietary rules of the Gerson Therapy are pretty strict, and while most patients 
quickly get used to them, there are some who long for their now forbidden favorite foods—never 
mind that those had probably contributed to their health breakdown. These patients tend to think 
that surely having a “little extra” on the side every now and then can’t possibly do much harm, 
and would even raise their morale and improve their mood. Wrong, on all counts. First of all, how much is “a little,” and how often is “every now and 
then?” Furthermore, once the strict adherence to the protocol is broken, it’s easy and tempting to 
break it again. And again. Also, consider that since in this treatment the body receives instructions 
and messages via precisely calculated nutrients, each of which affects all the others, to disturb the 
process with occasional additions of salty, fatty, chemical-laden junk food sounds like a disastrous 
idea. Often it is not the patient but well-meaning visitors—friends, relatives—who suggest 
breaking the diet and having “a nice big steak to build you up!” They are the ones who question 
how a grown person can survive, let alone heal, on all that “rabbit food,” and even if the patient 
manages to ignore their advice, a certain irritation ensues. Please remember that people who 
criticize the Gerson protocol, including otherwise helpful and well-meaning health professionals, 
do so out of ignorance and incomprehension, and for that reason can be safely ignored. It’s best 
to ask your visitors and friends to please respect your choice of treatment, support and encourage 
you—or else leave you alone. Also ask those who suggest changes to the therapy: how many 
terminal patients have they saved with their advice?Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 150Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comBeing Firm With Friends…
 Of course it’s nice to have visitors to break up the necessary monotony of juices, meals and 
enemas, but only under certain conditions. One rule is never to allow anyone in the house who is 
suffering from a cold, however mild, a cough or a flu-y symptom. It takes 9-12 months before the 
patient’s immune system grows strong enough to deal with a cold or, worse still, flu; an infection 
of that kind could lead to complications that might even endanger the patient’s life. If a friend 
or relative thoughtlessly turns up while suffering from a cold or any other infectious condition, 
the patient MUST retreat to his or her bedroom and have no contact whatsoever with the visitor. To be that firm is very difficult when children and especially grandchildren come visiting—the 
patient wants to love and hug them, even if they are sneezing and spluttering, but it is not to be. Moreover, if the patient’s spouse gets a cold, he or she has to sleep in another room. …And With Friendly Doctors
 A friendly allopathic doctor willing to support a Gerson patient is a great asset, if he agrees 
to prescribe the necessary blood tests and urinanalyses. The problem arises when he reads the 
test results. If any item is out of the normal range, he suggests that the patient take some drug or 
medication ‘to bring it to the normal level.’ That, too, can be a serious mistake. The abnormal 
value will clear up on the Gerson Therapy, but allopathic drugs can cause damage. For example, 
we know of a doctor who noticed a somewhat low iron level in the patient’s blood and prescribed 
an iron medication. The trouble is that iron supplements are toxic, which automatically rules them 
out for Gerson patients. In time, with all the green juices, liver medication and Vitamin B-12, the 
blood readings will return to normal without drugs. (see Chapter 26 )
 Drugs can be life saving in acute illnesses and emergencies, but when it comes to chronic 
diseases, such as cancer, they only provide symptomatic relief at best, and can cause serious harm 
at worst. Keep this in mind if and when you are told by a no doubt well-meaning doctor that 
chemotherapy works faster and better than carrot juice. Keep your cool. And stick with the carrot 
juice. Flare-Ups and Mood Swings
 Healing reactions or so-called flare-ups are regular events on the Gerson Therapy  (see 
Chapter 16, pg. 126 .) These episodes can be frighteningly intense; at the same time the patient 
may also suffer from depression and a black mood. If the family then panics, the patient may end 
up in the Emergency Room of the nearest hospital, where the doctors are kind and concerned, and 
give the patient a shot or a pill to stop the symptoms. Unfortunately they also stop the healing, and 
that has caused serious problems in some cases. The fact is that the average allopathic doctor has Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 151Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comprobably never heard of a healing reaction, does not understand its symptoms and function, and 
therefore can’t be expected to handle it correctly. The proper way to deal with a flare-up is clearly 
set out in the relevant chapter, and should be followed closely. Psychological problems and mood swings are dealt with fully in Chapter 24 . Here we only 
want to acknowledge the power of occasional fits of negativity, when the patient not only feels 
physically unwell, with nausea, sweating, headache, horror of food and juices, and possibly fever, 
but is also mentally and emotionally crushed. The toxins cruising through the central nervous 
system and the brain are to blame, but all the patient feels is an urgent wish to stop the therapy, 
break out of all the restrictions and run away. This is a passing phase. It is wise to find out about 
it in advance, so that when it arrives, the patient is more or less prepared, and snaps out of it 
faster. Water Warning
   Don’t underestimate the importance of ensuring the purity of all the water used in your 
home. The worst offender is fluoride (see Chapter 5, pg. 37 ), so make sure that your water supply 
is free from this harmful chemical. If it is not, you must take special precautions. Unlike chlorine, 
fluoride is not eliminated by boiling the water! The only way to get rid of it is by distillation (see 
Chapter 9, pg. 94 ) 
   However, fluoride is also present in the water used for the daily shower. And although a 
shower needn’t take many minutes, even a brief exposure to warm water opens the pores, so that 
any undesirable component in the water gets quickly absorbed. There are two solutions to this 
problem. One is to take a sponge bath instead of a shower, in a gallon of warmed distilled water 
poured into a basin or sink. The other solution is to install a camping shower in the bathroom and filling it with warmed 
distilled water. Full description, various models and prices of this appliance are available on the 
Internet. Mind What You Read
 Knowledge is power, and it is the well-informed patient who is likely to make the right 
choices. However, the big and growing range of so-called health books and diet bibles is a 
dangerous area, full of contradictory theories and advice. Open-minded patients keen to learn 
new things read as many health books as they can find and end up confused, because although 
most nutritional methods are at least in part based on the Gerson Therapy, none is complete, or 
free from its author’s prejudices and subjective ideas. The chances are that if you read ten health books, you are likely to get twelve different 
opinions. Sadly, people who added to the Gerson protocol some ‘anti-cancer’ substances they Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 152Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comhad read about didn’t do well at all. So please wipe the slate clean. If you have decided to use the 
Gerson Therapy, inform yourself about it as thoroughly as you can and stay with it. After all, it 
has the longest and best track record. Cutting Corners
No one can deny that the Gerson Therapy is labor-intensive; at times it can feel truly 
overwhelming. When that happens, patients and/or their carers may feel tempted to ease things 
a little bit by changing the routine—say by preparing all the day’s juices in one go and storing 
them in the refrigerator, instead of making them fresh every hour on the hour as prescribed. But 
to do this undermines the treatment and guarantees failure, since the all-important enzymes in the 
freshly made juices have a short lifespan of some twenty minutes. After that time has elapsed, the 
minerals, trace elements and most vitamins may survive in the juices, but the living enzymes and 
their healing power will have been lost. Another temptation occurs when some ingredient of the Gerson program becomes hard to 
obtain, and the patient decides that something else will do just as well in the short term. But extreme 
caution is needed in such a situation. For instance, if organic carrots are not available, under no 
circumstances  should non-organic ones be used for juicing (or indeed eating). Commercially 
grown carrots are saturated with agro-chemicals; scrubbing and peeling them will not remove the 
poisons. As an emergency measure organic bottled carrot juice may be used, on its own or mixed 
with organic bottled apple juices. But it should be understood that this substitution must only be 
a short-term solution and not a matter of routine. One of the worst examples of substitution concerned a woman patient suffering from a 
collagen disease, who was doing well on the Gerson program until her supply of organic carrots 
dried up completely. Rather than search for another source, she and her husband decided to 
substitute orange juice for the elusive carrots, and so she began to drink up to eight glasses of 
freshly pressed orange juice a day. This would have been harmful to any Gerson patient; in this 
case it was disastrous, since citrus fruits are counter-indicated in all collagen diseases, and her 
condition deteriorated drastically. P.S. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Well, the price 
of getting well is the same: eternal vigilance to avoid pitfalls, resist temptations, and decline 
unasked-for advice from well-meaning outsiders who don’t understand what you are doing. However, you know what you are doing and why, and that is all that matters.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 153Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 22
Frequently Asked Questions
The Gerson Therapy is so fundamentally different from the usual pill-popping, symptom-
centered approach of orthodox medicine, that newcomers to this method of healing find some 
of its details puzzling. So it is important to explain the reasons behind the rules; once understood, 
they prove to be eminently logical. What follows is a random selection of the most frequently 
asked questions with the appropriate answers. Q: Why not steam vegetables for a short while, then use the water at the bottom of the pan in 
the soup, rather than cook all the life out of the vegetables over a long time? A: Dr. Gerson was very specific about using the lowest possible heat for cooking vegetables. High heat—steam is hotter than boiling water—changes the colloidal structure of the nutrients, 
particularly the proteins but also the minerals, and makes them hard to absorb and assimilate. Dr. 
Gerson even suggested putting a heat disperser under the pan to keep the heat just high enough to 
simmer the food slowly, until well done. This method does not “cook the life out of the food.” The only nutrients that are damaged 
are the enzymes, which die in temperatures above 140o Fahrenheit. But patients get a huge supply 
of enzymes in the fresh raw juices to make up for that loss. The lower heat preserves protein and 
mineral structures and some vitamins. Suggesting that the water remaining in the pan should be used acknowledges that the good 
nutrients, especially the minerals, have been leached out into the water—leaving the cooked 
vegetables without nutrients! This explains why steamed vegetables have very little taste. Another reason for cooking food slowly at the lowest possible heat is to provide the patient’s 
intestinal tract with ‘soft bulk,’ i.e., well done fiber, to cushion all the raw foods and juices the 
patient has to consume. Q: What about using a B-complex supplement to keep the B-vitamins in balance, since we 
use fairly large amounts of B3 and B12? A:  Dr. Gerson states in his book ( A Cancer Therapy—Results of 50 Cases, Appendix II, P. 
418), that patients were damaged when he administered Vitamins B1 and B6 to them. The 
Gerson protocol with its huge number of juices and fresh foods is very well balanced and has no 
need for supplements.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 154Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comQ: When can organic soy products be introduced into the diet? A: The short answer is never. Soy products of all kinds (tofu, flour, sauce, etc.) contain a 
substance that blocks absorption of nutrients, besides having a high fat content. A great deal 
of research material has proven the toxicity of soy, even when grown organically. The hype 
claiming soy’s usefulness in preventing breast cancer has turned out to be unsubstantiated and 
the opposite of truth: soy is likely to stimulate malignancy. Q: Proper food combining, not mixing starch and fruit, is supposed to be healthy . Why isn’t it 
used on the Therapy? A: Food combining is probably useful if applied to the average American diet, which is high 
in animal proteins and sodium (salt). Since all Gerson foods are vegetarian and all vegetables 
contain a certain amount of starch, it is neither necessary nor possible to separate those two 
substances. Q: Why not supplement Vitamins C and E, which help to boost the immune system? Surely 
one glass of orange juice a day isn’t enough? A: It is a general misconception that only orange juice contains Vitamin C. Not so. The juices 
used in the Gerson program are richer in Vitamin C than orange juice, and patients consume 
them in huge quantities every day. Raw salads and fruit increase the intake even further. Dr. 
Gerson himself insisted that no additional vitamins should be given to patients. Besides, we 
have found that pharmaceutically produced synthetic vitamins and minerals are poorly absorbed 
and can even be harmful. Q: Potatoes and tomatoes both belong to the deadly nightshade family and are banned from 
many dietary regimes. Why are they the most used foods on the Therapy? A: They are not! The most used items are carrots, apples and greens for juicing. Potatoes are 
extremely nutritious, high in potassium as well as in protein, and easily digestible (much more 
so than rice). Tomatoes are also valuable, as they contain vitamins and minerals, including 
lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant that has been extensively researched in recent years and is 
reputed to boost immune competence. Other vegetables belonging to the nightshade family , 
such as green peppers and eggplants, are also used in the diet and have never shown any toxic 
effects. Q: How many flare-ups or healing reactions can a patient normally expect? A:  There is no ‘normal’ number for these. The body produces them as long as it needs to heal! Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 155Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comAs a rule, the first healing reaction sets in some 6-8 days after starting the intensive treatment. The second one comes usually after about 6 weeks, and the third, which is often the most 
severe one, is generally observed after three to three-and-a-half months. In patients pre-treated 
with chemotherapy we further expect a so-called chemo reaction after some six months on the 
therapy. But these timings are not fixed and only suggest that the patient can expect healing 
reactions at certain intervals, which can vary widely in individual cases. Q: Are headaches a good sign? A: Certainly not. They may be a symptom of flare-ups, when the body is releasing its overload 
of toxins. In that case an additional coffee enema should be taken, to speed up the process of 
detoxification. In some rare cases the toxicity is so high that an enema does not relieve the 
headache. If so, one or more additional enemas are needed. In almost all patients, as healing 
progresses, headaches disappear forever, even if they had been a problem for many years. If headaches recur after the therapy has ended, the chances are that exposure to toxins or 
unsuitable foods has occurred and must be avoided in future. Q: When do patients begin to feel better and have more energy? A: Almost all patients, including extremely ill ones, feel better after the fi rst week on the 
therapy. Pain diminishes, appetite returns, sleep improves; in some cases even tumors recede 
or become softer. All this adds up to a great psychological boost; it also signals the moment 
when the patient has to be warned about an impending healing reaction, bringing with it days 
of feeling not well. A true rise in energy may occur in three to six months, depending on the 
age and condition of the patient. At that point it is most important that the patient continues to 
rest and doesn’t launch into multiple activities! The new energy must be used for healing and 
nothing else. There will be plenty of time later to build muscles and make up for lost exercise 
time. Trying to do so too soon can result in a serious setback. . Q:  How much of their increasing energy can Gerson patients use for exercise? Surely they 
needn’t save it all up for healing ? A: It all depends on the patient’s condition, but it’s wise to use great caution in all cases. To 
start with the worst scenario, for the terminally ill patient total complete rest, i.e., no exercise, 
is essential in the first few months. Such patients frequently experience a decline in energy after 
arriving at the Gerson hospital and assume that this is due to the lack of (animal) protein. Of 
course this is not correct—Gerson food is high in easily assimilated plant-based proteins, which 
amply cover the patients’ nutritional needs. The initial weakness is caused by the various healing processes: the release of toxins from 
the body tissues, and the destruction of tumor tissue that circulates through the blood stream 
before being excreted. Clearly, the body is working flat out to start healing itself and needs every Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 156Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comounce of energy it can muster. In such patients with advanced disease exercise should be entirely 
banned for at least three to five months. After the sixth month the patients normally experience a 
surge of energy. But at that point it is more important than ever to limit exercise, for misusing the 
newfound energy would seriously curtail the continuing healing process. We suggest no more than five-minute walks to start with, and only in mild weather, i.e., not 
in summer heat, nor braving winter blasts of icy wind! After 3-4 weeks exercise can be cautiously 
increased to 10 minutes. It’s also possible to start using a mini-trampoline, but only to the extent 
of raising and lowering the heels a summer heat, nor braving winter blasts of icy wind! After 3-4 
weeks exercise can be cautiously increased to 10 minutes. It is also possible to start using a mini-
trampoline, but only to the extent of raising and lowering the heels a dozen times without moving 
the body, and later do a little stationary walking. Recovering patients can gradually step up their exercise program, with the proviso that if 
they become seriously tired and unable to recover after a rest, the duration of the exercise must 
immediately be reduced to the last level that was comfortable. Gentle Hatha Yoga exercises can 
also be tried. But however well the patient feels, it is never wise to abandon healing in favour of 
exercise. After complete recovery it is easy to rebuild muscle strength. Q: Why is it so important for patients to avoid getting a cold? Surely even mild fl u won’t do 
us much harm? A: We have to assume that patients who have developed cancer have a seriously damaged, 
weakened immune system. If it weren’t so, there could be no cancer! With the intensive Gerson 
Therapy the immune system will be restored in time. However, that time could well mean a 
whole year, and until then colds and flu, caused by viral infection, remain dangerous, since the 
recovering immune system is not able to deal with them easily. Furthermore, viruses invade healthy cells and change their genes in the same manner as 
cancer tends to change the genetic structure of normal cells. These changed genes are called 
oncogenes. If the patient contracts a viral invasion before the immune system is sufficiently 
restored, a dangerous, even potentially life-threatening situation arises, which must be treated 
with ozonation, extra immune boosters, possibly selenium, and more. Therefore prevention is 
obviously vastly preferable. Don’t allow anyone, especially children with colds or flu anywhere 
near the patient! CAUTION: even if the patient recovers well from a cold or flu, it is possible that 
tumor tissue recurs and grows. Q: I know that the purpose of the coffee enema is not to promote evacuation, but it does that 
anyway, especially on the 5-a-day routine. So why must I also take that ghastly castor oil? A: Seriously ill cancer patients usually carry a huge toxic load of tumor tissue. As this load Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 157Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comis attacked by the recovering immune system and gets excreted, lar ge amounts of toxins are 
released into the blood stream, collected by the liver, and released into the small intestine for 
eventual evacuation. Most people don’t realize that the transit from the release by the liver/bile 
system to the anus can take many hours, even with the regular five daily enemas. During that 
time it is unavoidable for the body to re-absorb some of those toxins. Castor oil is needed to remedy that situation. The oil rapidly clears the entire intestinal tract, 
not just the colon, and especially the small intestine, where the re-absorption would take place. The same cleansing effect would also benefit non-cancer patients who, due to so-called civilized 
living, are carriers of large amounts of not just the colon, and especially the small intestine, where 
the re-absorption would take place. The same cleansing effect would also benefit non-cancer 
patients who, due to so-called civilized living, are carriers of large amounts of toxic substances 
other than tumor tissue. They may well recover without the castor oil enemas, but using the 
additional detoxifying by orally taken castor oil speeds up healing. Q: Can I do this therapy at the same time as receiving chemotherapy treatment? A: It seems a contradiction to poison the body on the one hand with chemotherapy drugs, 
and on the other to detoxify it at the same time with coffee enemas, juices, etc. So sharp is 
the contrast between the two approaches that patients who come to the Gerson Therapy after 
chemotherapy has failed to help them, have to go on a reduced form of the Gerson programme 
for at least six months, to allow for the gradual detoxification of the body. You may, however, 
support your body during chemotherapy by switching to the Gerson diet and having no more 
than 3 glasses of freshly made juice and one enema a day, as long as you realize that you are not 
doing the Gerson Therapy. Q: If this therapy is so effective, why isn’t it recognized by the medical authorities? A:  As is well known, the present orthodox medical system is dominated by the huge and 
powerful pharmaceutical companies. They even control, via substantial donations to medical 
schools, what is being taught to medical students: drugs, drugs and more drugs to suppress 
symptoms. But drugs never heal, with the result that chronic degenerative diseases are termed 
“incurable.”
The Gerson Therapy cuts totally into drug use, and therefore drug sales, by healing the 
body of its true underlying problems—the disturbances in the entire metabolism, the diminished 
immune system and the damaged essential organs. Thus the whole body can be healed, “cured” of the underlying problems, and health is restored. The problem is that the big pharmaceutical companies cannot make money out of natural organic 
food, such as a sack of carrots. So they fight the nutrition-based therapy as long as they can. They 
know that the public is beginning to understand what is going on.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 158Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comQ: There are so many different kinds of cancer. How can the same therapy be right for all of 
them? What about specialization? A: It is true that when the body is severely damaged by toxins, steady irritation, genetic causes 
or any other reason, normally it is the weakest part that breaks down and allows the wild cell 
growth, which equals cancer. Hence the wide variety of malignant disease. However, the Gerson 
Therapy works on the entire organism; it restores the body’s defenses, so that it becomes able 
to attack and destroy malignant tissue, which is actually foreign to it. The healthy immune 
response kills and removes this “foreign” tissue, no matter what its name, origin or location! This doesn’t mean, of course, that precise minor adjustments are not made in the program, 
according to individual needs. But beyond that, specialization is a mistake, since the bottom line 
remains the need to heal ALL the body systems along with the immune system, including the 
mineral balances, the hormone system, the essential organs—everything. Only that ensures true 
healing. Q: Can the Gerson Therapy be used on small children, and how is it scaled down to suit 
them? A: Yes, small children respond extremely well. (see Case No.15 in “A Cancer Therapy—Results 
of 50 Cases,”  where the patient was an 8-months-old boy. Of course since then we’ve had many 
successes, with patients ranging from toddlers to teens.) Medication is scaled down more or less 
according to their weight, but they are well able to take juices, even from a nursing bottle, and 
generally don’t need coffee enemas before the age of 2-3. Q: What’s the earliest age a baby can be given carrot juice? A: There are some babies that are allergic to EVERY type of milk: mother’s milk, when the 
mother is ill, goat’s milk, soy milk, formula, everything. Such babies have been raised on 
NOTHING but organic carrot juice, starting at a few weeks of age. The juice gives them all the 
nutrients they need and they grow up totally well and healthy. Q: Some people are terrified of needles. Why can’t they take the liver extract with B12 by 
mouth? A: People who are afraid of needles are surprisingly not afraid of putting every kind of poison 
into their bodies, including nicotine, alcohol and all sortsof toxic painkillers and other drugs. The problem is that when they are terminally ill, the body is so severely depleted that oral 
administration is insufficient to make up for the deficiency to stop cancer growth. The other 
problem is that we already use liver powder, which is not enough, and B12 (which is needed to 
enhance the production of healthy red blood cells) is poorly absorbed in almost all people. For 
proper absorption of B12 orally, the body needs the so-called ‘intrinsic factor,’ which very few Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 159Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.compeople have. So they must get B12 faster and more efficiently by intramuscular injection. By the way, if the injection is correctly delivered into the ‘gluteus medius’ (as Dr. Gerson 
instructed), not into the ‘gluteus maximus,’ as most doctors and nurses wrongly do, it is entirely 
painless. Q:  Beet is generally considered a very healthy vegetable. Why is it not used in the juices? A:  Beet IS a healthy vegetable and it is all right to use it as such. Dr. Gerson avoided it for 
juicing, probably because it is very sweet (beets are used in sugar production). Also, it is a 
powerful cleanser, and patients already undergoing systematic detoxification should not be 
given any extra cleansing substance. However, small amounts used occasionally as vegetable 
will not do any harm. Q: Since these days even organic produce is lower in nutrients than it used to be, shouldn’ t 
patients be given extra vitamins and minerals? A: It’s true that organic produce is not as rich as it used to be. However, synthetic vitamins and 
minerals, which the pharmaceutical industry uses in its supplements, are almost always poorly 
absorbed. Moreover, some are outright damaging (see Appendix II in “A Cancer Therapy ”), 
such as Vitamins A and E and several of the B vitamins. A & E are found in fish oils and soy 
oil. These have to be avoided, since the fatty substances stimulate tumor growth. The only B 
vitamins that are important to use are B3 (niacin) and B12. The others disturb the metabolism; Dr. 
Gerson found that they cause damage to the patient. Even if organic foods are lower in nutrients, with 13 glasses of freshly made juice a day 
the patient’s body is thoroughly flooded with vitamins and minerals in their living, active form, 
that even the sick body is able to assimilate—and they are being  given in truly huge amounts, 
to replenish the sick, damaged organs. Pharmaceutical vitamins and minerals, even so-called 
‘organic’ ones from plant sources, are usually not, or only poorly absorbed, so that some go into 
the system and others do not. This causes new imbalances. Q: Why can’t a cured patient after a year or two start eating a normal diet? A: In theory a ‘cured’ patient could start to eat a ‘normal’ diet. But what is normal? Canned, 
tinned, preserved with chemicals, artificially flavored and colored, frozen food? Most patients 
no longer want to eat this type of stuff and know that it is not healthy or indeed ‘normal.’ Not 
only that, they are unwilling to return to the very foods that caused their disease in the fi rst 
place! The next question is: what exactly is a cured patient? How do we know if the organs are fully 
restored, and whether the immune system can function despite the input of toxic artificial food? Will the defenses be lost or weakened again? How soon?Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 160Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comThere is more and more information showing that meat and all animal products (cheese and 
all dairy produce, fish, poultry and eggs), are heat damaged, making proteins largely damaging 
to the human body rather than providing it with healthy nutrition. (see T. Colin Campbell’s book, 
“The China Study”). Q: What lifestyle changes should a recovered patient introduce? A: The patient must bear in mind that household chemicals (cleansers, bleaches, solvents, 
polishes and paints) are toxic and must be avoided. Also, many—in fact most—cosmetics 
applied to the skin enter the blood stream and are toxic and should be excluded. Especially 
harmful are underarm gels, creams or sticks to block perspiration. Healthy perspiration is 
odorless. The body attempt to detoxify through perspiration; blocking it forces the toxins back 
into the lymphatic system. (see Chapter 5, pg. 41 )
Q: How long will I have to do the therapy? How long until the tumor is gone? How long until 
the pain is gone? How long until I can exercise? How long until I can eat (whatever)? A: Questions beginning with “How long …?” cannot be answered with any certainty . It all 
depends on the questioner’s individual circumstances and condition. How large is the tumor, 
how far has it spread? How old is the patient, and how much damage has he/she suf fered from 
drugs or surgery, or inflicted on him/herself with junk food, smoking and other self-destructive 
habits? How faithfully will the patient and family follow the therapy , day in day out for 
whatever time is necessary? Hence no precise answer in terms of weeks or months is possible. But there is an overall answer that my son Howard learned in the US Navy . When faced with 
the possibility of hanging on to the bridge of a submarine that temporarily submer ged due to a 
high swell, he asked: “ How long  will I have to hold my breath?” The incredulous senior officer, 
after pausing for a few seconds to assess this neophyte, simply said, “As long as it takes!” Can’ t 
improve on that. Q: Carrot juice is high in sugars. From several sources we hear that carrot juice feeds  
tumors. Is that true? A: All fruit and many vegetables contain complex carbohydrates, which are not actual sugars, 
but form the basis of human nutrition. Contrary to the false claims of some practitioners, carrot 
juice does NOT feed tumors. If it did, the Gerson Therapy would kill every cancer patient! The 
truth is that carrot juice plays a very important part in healing. Rather than harming patients, 
it supplies them with plenty of beta carotene, which is converted in the body to Vitamin. A, 
and with many other vitamins. Moreover, as one of the most complete sources of minerals, it 
contains most of the essential ones in an easily absorbed form. Carrot juice is even high in plant 
proteins and as a result represents an excellent provider of total nutrition and healing.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 161Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.com 
Q: With all the enemas being used in the course of the two years on the therapy, will I 
become dependent on enemas forever? A: Certainly not! Please bear in mind that the purpose of the enemas is not to clear stools from 
the intestines; indeed, they only reach part of the colon and don’ t interfere with evacuation. This explains why some Gerson patients are able to pass normal stools between enemas. If 
constipation was a problem before embarking on the therapy, once the liver and the intestines 
are fully restored, the patient develops “regular” bowel movements. The enema routine need 
not threaten the recovered “regularity,” and in most cases, when the therapy has come to an end, 
normal evacuation takes over without a hitch. In exceptional cases, when this does not happen, 
at worst the patient will have to take a half-strength enema daily as a morning routine. To quote 
Dr. Gerson’s emphatic rule, 
“Never let the sun set on a day when you haven’t moved your bowel!”
Q: Since this therapy bans animal products, where do I get my protein? A: It is a mistake to believe that all protein is of animal origin. On the contrary . Most vegetables 
contain very adequate amounts of protein that is easily absorbed, well digested and assimilated. Thanks to these qualities it produces healing, rather than feeding tumor tissue, bringing on 
arthritic conditions, damaging kidneys, and giving rise to other health problems caused by the 
heavy consumption of animal protein. Carrot juice, a mainstay of the Gerson program, is high in 
protein; so are potatoes, oatmeal, and most vegetables. It is no accident that the strongest and largest land animals, i.e., elephants, bulls, orangutans, 
bison and others are vegetarians and obtain their protein from grasses, plants, leaves, and fruit. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 162Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 23
Life After Gerson
By now it should be clear that recovering from a life-threatening disease on the Gerson Therapy 
is a difficult journey: a long and hard process, demanding courage, patience and perseverance—
and certainly worth every ounce of effort. Besides defeating the potential killer, this way of 
healing is also a great investment in a long and healthy future. We have many recovered patients 
on record who enjoy excellent health and vitality well past the age that is generally assumed to 
bring on all manner of illnesses and all-round physical and mental decline. Not many therapies 
can claim to be lifesavers and powerful rejuvenators as well! Coming off the therapy at the right time has to be handled with care. Just when is the right 
time is a tricky question. To stop too soon, before all the essential organs are restored is a great 
mistake, likely to lead to a recurrence. In Dr.Gerson’s time rebuilding the body’s defenses after 
cancer took some 18 months. Today that is no longer enough. The world is infinitely more toxic 
and people are more seriously damaged than they were half a century ago; as a result, cancer 
patients need two full years to recover on the therapy. Even that may not be enough for those who 
have been pre-treated with chemotherapy prior to starting the Gerson protocol—it is difficult to 
set a time limit for them. (see Chapter 18 )
Patients suffering from non-malignant diseases which respond well to the Gerson Therapy 
(see Chapter 19 ) can be fully healed in a year or 18 months, on a less demanding protocol than 
the one prescribed for cancer patients. While coming off the treatment too soon is dangerous, staying on it for too long doesn’t 
seem to do any harm. Stopping the therapy has to be a gradual process. Provided all is going 
well, juices, enemas and medication are slowly and gradually reduced, as set out in the Annual 
Schedule, pg. 132 . By the end of two years, patients may manage on 8 juices and one enema a 
day; or, if the bowel function is regular on its own, one or two enemas a week. If this reduced 
program feels comfortable, with no headaches, no constipation and no new symptoms, juices may 
be cut down to 5 or 6 a day, and enemas dropped altogether. But as a ‘health insurance’, it is wise 
to drink a few freshly made organic juices every day—indefinitely. Eating Wisely
Changing over from the strict dietary rules to a more permissive regime also needs care. During the treatment the body has got used to the best possible nutrition—fresh, pure, tasty Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 163Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comorganic vegetarian food that is easily digested and provides all the necessary nutrients for health 
and fitness. It would be a grave mistake to switch from such a wholesome diet to the so-called 
normal variety, heavy with meat, poultry, cheese and chemical-rich convenience foods, and risk a 
serious upset. Besides, in our experience, recovered patients with their “clean” systems don’t feel 
tempted by such foods, even if during the long treatment they did fantasize about some “forbidden 
fruit” or other. Above all, they find anything salty quite distasteful. On the saltless Gerson regime 
their taste buds have recovered from the paralysis caused by the highly salty foods of the past; 
now they find anything salty unpleasant and even offensive. (Just like former smokers, who find 
it impossible to stay in a smoky room, let alone start smoking again.) Of course once a recovered patient is in a truly good condition, with all systems working 
well, it is all right to attend a banquet, a wedding, or a birthday celebration and “binge” a little. But afterwards digestive enzymes should be taken for a few days, accompanied by a daily enema, 
to get rid of the mess and feel good again. Please don’t discard your enema bucket. An “upside 
down coffee”, in Gerson parlance, helps if you have a headache, a toothache, even an incipient 
cold or a general malaise. Also, hang on to your Norwalk or other juicer, instead of switching over 
to bottled juices; they won’t help to keep you well. Patients who had been very seriously ill must take extra precautions to preserve their new-
found health. We suggest that however long they have been off the therapy, they should go back 
on the full intensive program for two weeks twice a year. (Spring and Fall, the times of seasonal 
changes are best for the purpose.) During those two weeks they should drink10-13 juices a day, 
eat only freshly prepared organic foods, avoid animal proteins and take 3 or more enemas daily. If this return to the strict Gerson protocol produces a healing reaction, which these patients would 
recognize at once, the body is obviously clearing up some fresh damage, and the strict program 
should be extended for another two weeks. If, however, no new symptoms pop up, the patient is 
doing well and can stop the “refresher course” after two weeks. The Art of Maintenance
Originally Dr.Gerson suggested that recovered patients should maintain their good health 
by ensuring that 75% of their diet consisted of “protective” foods, namely organic fruit and 
vegetables high in nutrients, vitamins, minerals and enzymes, to keep the immune system in 
prime condition. The remaining 25% of food was to be “at choice”. Unfortunately this division 
is no longer applicable, since the freely chosen foods would be far too damaging. We therefore 
have to urge former patients to stay with 90% of “protective” foods, and have at most 10% of their 
intake consist of freely chosen items. Even so, they should NEVER return to fast foods, junk foods containing pesticides, food 
additives and other toxic stuff, and most certainly not touch items such as hot dogs, spiced Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 164Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.commeats and sausages laced with preservatives, or cheese—the very foods that contributed to the 
breakdown of their health in the first place. However, if some serious dietary indiscretion occurs, 
it is wise to go back on the full therapy for a few weeks and clear up the body, rather than risk 
long-term damage. Needless to say, great care must be taken with alcohol; very occasionally a 
little wine may be enjoyed, but only if it is organic. Commercially produced wines, made from 
frequently sprayed grapes, are to be avoided. If you know what to avoid and what to hang on to, maintenance quickly becomes an easy 
and pleasant routine. And the answer to the question, “Is there life after Gerson?” is a clear and 
resounding YES!Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 165Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comCHAPTER 24
Psychological Support for 
the Gerson Patient
By Beata Bishop
Gerson patients and others interested in the therapy often wonder why, apart from one or two 
passing references, the psychological aspect of healing does not figure in Dr. Gerson’s 
epoch-making book.1  The reasons for this apparent omission are simple. For one thing, Dr. Gerson 
wrote his book solely from the point of view of the physician-scientist, excluding all other 
considerations. For another, psycho-oncology, a branch of psychology specializing in the care of 
cancer patients, did not come into being until the early 1960’s, after Dr. Gerson’s death. However, 
by now it has become an important specialty in its own right that needs to be included in any 
healing protocol claiming to be holistic. Holistic medicine is based on the insight that body and mind are two sides of one coin; they 
sicken together and must be healed together. Whatever affects the one will affect the other. This 
is particularly relevant to the Gerson Therapy, whose powerful effects extend beyond the body to 
the patient’s non-physical self as well. While detoxifying the body, the combined impact of the 
juices, the food and the coffee enemas reaches the brain and the central nervous system, causing 
strong emotional reactions, mood swings and uncharacteristic behavior in the unsuspecting 
patient. For that reason alone—and it is not the only one—the psychological side of the healing 
journey must be properly understood and adequately handled. Neglecting it poses the risk of 
some repressed psychological problem sabotaging the therapeutic process. Since body and mind interact and influence each other every moment of our lives, it makes 
sense to try to ensure that both are in good condition. The therapy works on the body—but what 
about the psyche, the inner world of emotions and drives, and is it really important that they, too, 
should be in good health? The answer is yes—and here is why: 
There is now solid scientific evidence to prove that our moods, emotions and general outlook 
have a direct and measurable impact on our immune system. The proof comes from psycho-
neuro-immunology (PNI), a new medical specialty, which has been rapidly developing since 
the late 1970s, thanks to a better understanding of brain chemistry and of the subtle connections 
that exist on the cellular level of the organism. Put briefly, the limbic system of the brain and the 
central nervous system releases certain hormones that fit into receptor sites located throughout the 
body, causing them to release other hormones. The quality of these hormones determines whether 
the immune system is boosted or weakened, switched on or off; and that quality, in turn, depends 
on our emotions, prevailing mood, beliefs and self-image.Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 166Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comA positive, hopeful, determined attitude strengthens immune competence, while despair, 
negativity and fear weaken it. A traumatic event or lasting depression can overwhelm our cells 
and disturb their normal functioning. In that light our every thought and feeling can be seen 
as a biochemical happening. According to neuroscientist Dr. Candace Pert 2, co-discoverer of 
endorphins,  “Cells are conscious beings that communicate with each other, affecting our emotions 
and choices.” It is equally true that our emotions and beliefs af fect the activity of our cells. Fear Is The Enemy
As a recovered Gerson patient and practicing psychotherapist myself, I know the devastating 
emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis. It is a major trauma, which evokes powerful emotions: 
panic, shock, rage—or hopeless resignation and numbing despair. To make things worse, there 
is also a sense of isolation, as if having cancer excluded one from the rest of humanity and from 
normal everyday life. But the overriding and overwhelming feeling is fear. I know this profound 
fear from my own experience, and that of the many patients I have worked with over the past 23 
years. Although there are many other life-threatening diseases, probably none of them is able to 
induce the same abject, debilitating fear as cancer. There are good reasons for this. One is the growing incidence of the disease. Most people 
know someone who has died of cancer after much suffering, having endured drastic treatments 
with horrendous side effects but no hope of a cure. To find oneself suddenly confronted with 
the same fate is truly terrifying for all those who see a cancer diagnosis as an automatic death 
sentence. Then there is a non-rational fear, too, that interprets cancer as an intruder, an evil alien 
that has breached our defenses, is growing and spreading beyond our control and will eventually 
kill us. Panic-stricken patients are in no state to realize that tumors don’t come from outer space 
but from their own malfunctioning organisms, where ‘law and order’ on the cellular level has 
broken down. The shock of the diagnosis is usually made worse by the average physician’s way of 
announcing it. Doctors are not trained in the art of communication. They hate to give bad news 
and protect themselves by becoming withdrawn, remote and cold, at the precise moment when 
the sick person would most need human warmth and support. If the patient then spends time in an 
average hospital, the sense of dependence, loss of autonomy and privacy will make the prospects 
look even bleaker. The patient becomes a passive sufferer, with no say in what is being done to 
him or her. In the telling phrase of the brilliant thinker and author, the late Ivan Illich, “Modern 
medicine turns the patient into a limp and mystified voyeur in the grip of bio-engineers.”3 
 These observations apply to cancer patients diagnosed and treated in a conventional medical 
framework. But as almost all patients come to the Gerson Therapy after that system had failed 
them, it is important to recognize their depressed or scared state and do something about it at once. Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author .Page 167Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comOrdinary human empathy and caring demand that we try to dispel their fear and hopelessness. Just as importantly, in the light of PNI’s findings there are sound medical reasons for urgently 
relieving the patients from their huge emotional burden and steer their negative orientation 
towards a positive outlook. “No attempt should be made to cure the body without the soul,” wrote 
the Greek philosopher Plato nearly 2,400 years ago—a powerful endorsement of the body-mind 
link in healing from an unimaginably remote past. If something deep down in the patient’s inner world does not want to live, even the tried 
and tested Gerson program cannot do its best. That something may have nothing to do with the 
cancer diagnosis. It could be an almost forgotten early emotional wound, a severe loss, a deep 
resentment, or some unfinished business with a loved or hated person. Or else we may be dealing 
with someone who conforms to the so-called ‘cancer-prone personality,’ as defined by Lawrence 
LeShan4, pioneer researcher of the body-mind link in malignant disease.
_OceanofPDF.com_Healing_the_Gerson_Way_-_Charlotte_Gerson.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        However, if this extra effort brings 
on new symptoms or excessive fatigue, outside help must be brought in. Some people, particularly 
the breadwinner, are able to return at first to part-time work, later to a regular job. There is just 
one important condition: the patient must never eat lunch in a restaurant. He/she needs to eat the 
usual Gerson lunch at home, together with the freshly made green juice (which cannot be taken 
along to work), and also have some rest plus the midday enema. The carrot/apple juices can be 
taken to work in the morning, in a glass-lined thermos flask; another thermos full of juice needs 
to be ready for the patient to drink during the afternoon. Then on returning home the balance of 
the green juices can be taken, along with the missing enemas and followed by  rest. This arrangement only works if there is a person at home able to prepare all the Therapy Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007. All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author. Page 145Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www. thegersonway. comitems needed by the patient. The Trouble With Sunshine
Sunshine can be a source of good health; it can also be a killer. The difference lies in the degree 
of exposure we choose. The human body needs Vitamin D, which helps to maintain several organ 
systems and is essential for forming and maintaining healthy bones. However, very few foods are 
naturally rich in Vitamin D (some commercial foods are fortified with synthetic versions of the 
substance), so we need the Vitamin D, which is produced in our skin exposed to sunlight. The trouble is that the ultra-violet (UV) rays contained in sunlight can cause severe damage 
to cells. This partly explains why the widespread fashion for deep tanning has been accompanied 
by the doubling of skin cancer cases in the last few decades. Even those who don’t lie for hours 
practically naked on a sunny beach but have an outdoor job may develop skin cancer, since 30-
50% of UV rays reach us even on a cloudy day. All this means that Gerson patients must take great care to avoid sunburn, which causes 
immediate harm in the form of blisters, reddening and discomfort, but can also produce long-term 
damage, with dry, wrinkled skin as its mildest, and melanoma as its worst effect. The first rule 
is to keep out of sunshine between 10 a. m. and 3 p.
How long will I have to do the therapy? How long until the tumor is gone? How long until
With all the enemas being used in the course of the two years on the therapy, will I
Since this therapy bans animal products, where do I get my protein? A: It is a mistake to believe that all protein is of animal origin. On the contrary. Most vegetables
The patient must never eat lunch in a restaurant.
What is the most important condition for a patient to follow when returning to work?
Because they contain a toxic chemical called Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) which is toxic and doubles its toxicity when exposed to sunlight.
Why is it not recommended to use commercially available sunscreens?
No, because they are poorly absorbed and can be harmful.
Can patients use supplements or vitamins?
No, they should start with short walks and gradually increase the duration and intensity of their exercises.
Can a patient start exercising immediately after starting the Gerson Therapy?
Because it is important to ensure that the body's defenses are fully restored before reintroducing foods that may have contributed to the development of their disease in the first place.
Why are patients advised not to return to their normal diet after being cured?