‘The decrease in the death rate is dramatic—the 
largest reduction of just about any intervention that’s been tried,’ said Dr. Carl S.Apstein, professor 
of medicine at Boston University. ‘Newer heart attack treatments, such as clot-dissolving drugs, 
typically cost hundreds of dollars per patient compared with less than $50 for GKI.”
While the treatment was supposedly abandoned because of ‘doubts as to its effectiveness,’ 
the author of the article states his belief that “the doubts were caused by the fact that the treatment 
was cheap and effective, so that the hugely expensive bypass surgeries, angioplasties, heart 
transplants, etc., would no longer be needed. It is interesting that the heart specialists now use the 
excuse that the treatment could be used by people who can’t afford more and those who live in 
the Third World.”
The Role of Cholesterol in Heart Disease
In the public mind cholesterol is vaguely linked to heart attacks and strokes, but not everyone 
knows how this connection works. Cholesterol, a soft waxy substance found among the lipids 
(fats) in the bloodstream, is produced naturally in the liver. It is needed for various important 
body functions, such as the production of hormones, including sex hormones and corticosteroids. Cholesterol is divided into Low and High Density Lipoproteins, or LDL and HDL respectively. HDL is considered necessary and beneficial, able to rid the blood of the harmful LDL. This can 
have a genetic origin, but is more likely to be caused by the average American diet that is far too 
rich in saturated fats, the obvious source of excess cholesterol. Some of the highest food sources of cholesterol, according to Dr. W. Virgil Brown, professor 
at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, are hamburgers, cheeseburgers, meat loaf, 
whole milk and cheese, steaks, hot dogs, eggs, and some more items. Since these foods make up 
a high proportion of the usual American diet, clearly they introduce far too much LDL cholesterol 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 5 2Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.cominto the blood. The result is that blood lipids, i.e., fats, are deposited in the walls of arteries and 
form plaque, which in turn causes atherosclerosis. The plaque reduces arterial blood flow, is rough 
and easily allows platelets to accumulate, causing clots which then block the artery altogether. If this occurs in the coronary arteries, which surround and supply the heart, it will cause a heart 
attack; if in the brain, the result will be a stroke. The Gerson treatment is exceptionally effective in not only reducing harmful cholesterol, 
but also in dissolving plaque and clearing the arteries for normal blood flow. Cases of cholesterol 
reduction by 100 points without drugs in just one week have been seen. The diet free from meats, 
fats, milk products, eggs, etc., contributes greatly to this success. But there is another important 
factor: the use of flax seed oil. Cold pressed from organically grown flax seeds, as discovered by 
Dr. Johanna Budwig 1, it is high in the important Omega 3 and low in the Omega 6 fatty acids. This ratio causes the excess cholesterol to be dissolved and carried off via the bloodstream and 
the liver. (By way of contrast, a high cholesterol diet is high in Omega 6 and seriously deficient in 
Omega 3 fatty acids.) As an immediate result of embarking on the Gerson Therapy, patients present a more normal 
level of cholesterol, and they are able to stop taking the statin drugs prescribed by their doctors. These drugs represent one of the largest markets for any prescription medication; they are liver-
toxic, but doctors feel impelled to use them to prevent heart attacks and strokes. By being able 
to do without statins, patients on the Gerson program avoid yet another source of toxicity. Any 
remaining cholesterol surplus is easily eliminated by the niacin (vitamin B-3), which is an integral 
part of the Gerson protocol. Of course smoking, another source of elevated cholesterol, is strictly 
banned on the therapy. The Gerson treatment not only helps to clear arteries of plaque, (which medicine claims 
cannot be done), thus avoiding strokes or more serious second heart attacks. It is also a natural 
method of prevention, even in people who may have a genetic predisposition to heart disease, and 
has also helped patients, who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, to recover and even 
restore some lost functions. Case History: In December 1993, the 87-year-old father of recovered Gerson patient M. 
W. suffered a heart attack. After the ambulance delivered him to the Emergency Room, he had a 
stroke. Subsequently he spent 3 weeks in the hospital’s intensive care unit, was given a pacemaker 
and a great deal of drugs, and eventually his wife was told to take him to a nursing home. M.W, 
however, persuaded her mother to take him home instead, and immediately rushed to join her 
parents. She was shocked at the sight of her father, sitting in a wheelchair, head drooping to one 
side, drooling. But she worked with him day and night, cautiously putting him on the Gerson 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 5 3Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comTherapy. At first she gave him a few juices while he was still taking all the prescribed drugs, and 
then slowly increased the intensity of the protocol. In three months the old gentleman was out of 
his wheelchair. In August 1994, eight months after the heart attack and stroke, he walked into the 
Department of Motor Vehicles office and applied for—and got—a driver’s license. He remained 
well, celebrated his 90th birthday in August 1996, and passed away a few years later. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Blood pressure, i.e., the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of arteries, plays 
an important role in health or disease. The average normal blood pressure is 120/80. When it 
rises over 140/90, it is considered abnormal and dangerous, linked to kidney disease and, as 
a contributory factor, to coronary artery and cerebral vascular disease. The standard medical 
response is to reduce the pressure with drugs, which, patients are told, they must take for the rest 
of their lives in order to preserve their kidneys. The increase in pressure can have many causes. The chief one is the narrowing of the blood 
vessels, essentially by cholesterol deposits forming plaque. Other causes include kidney disease, 
coronary artery disease, and hyperthyroidism (over-activity of the thyroid gland) . Stress, nervous 
tension or excitement can cause a temporary rise of the blood pressure. The standard allopathic medical treatment involves mainly the statin family of drugs. These 
reduce blood pressure, sometimes by as much as 25-35 mmHg ( millimeters on the mercury scale 
used for measuring). However, they are highly liver toxic. Moreover, doctors rarely inform their 
male patients that the statins cause impotence. This is not surprising, if we consider that the drug 
relaxes the pressure exerted on the arteries—including the pressure needed to cause an erection. Many marriages have been destroyed due to the effects of this drug. Since hypertension is generally believed to respond only to palliative drug treatment while 
remaining incurable, it may come as a surprise that it is easily overcome with the salt-free, 
vegetarian basis of the Gerson program. At the start of the treatment the patient continues to take 
the prescribed allopathic medication, but needs to reduce the dose by 50% after three days on the 
therapy, which has already started to work. By the sixth day the drug has to be cut out completely, 
since the patient’s blood pressure has become normal, and to lower it further to an abnormally low 
level might cause him or her to faint. High blood pressure, together with heart disease, is the No.1 killer in the U.S. Treated with 
the Gerson Therapy, to which it responds easily and quickly, it would lose much of its menace, 
and tens of thousands of lives could be saved every year. Case history: G.C. at the time aged 54, suffered from a number of serious health problems 
when he arrived at the Mexican Gerson hospital, having been given a second death sentence 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 5 4Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comby his doctors a few weeks before. The patient was suffering from liver cirrhosis, acid reflux 
(highly unpleasant  return of acid into the esophagus from the stomach) , gastric ulcers, sleep 
apnea (temporary cessation of breathing) , pulmonary lung disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, 
chronic fatigue, and depression. He had undergone triple by-pass surgery, and had tried Viagra, 
then doubled the dose, without the hoped-for result. 17 months after starting the Gerson Therapy, all G.C.’s test results were within the normal 
range. His last examination was a total metabolic work-up, including tests for his liver, kidneys 
and all other essential organs. He reports that he is feeling great, has good energy—and no longer 
needs to even think about Viagra. In addition the patient’s wife had been doing the therapy alongside him. As a result her 
monthly migraine headaches that had landed her in hospital with dry heaves and even blackouts 
have ceased. She stopped smoking, looks younger, has better energy, and feels truly well. Diabetes
Diabetes is the No.3 killer of Americans, following heart and circulatory disease and cancer. We need to distinguish between two different types of the disease, namely juvenile, or ‘brittle’ 
diabetes, and age-onset diabetes mellitus. Both require a different approach, as set out below, but 
generally speaking it is fair to say that “the usual suspect,” namely the modern American diet with 
its excessively high sugar and fat content is largely to blame for the exponential rise in cases of 
diabetes mellitus. If you add up all the sugar that an average American adult consumes daily in 
the form of sweets, cookies, cakes, convenience foods, ice cream, and the worst culprits, namely 
soft drinks, the sum total is pretty frightening. The human body and its most concerned organ, the 
pancreas, are unable to deal with this onslaught, and after a while diabetes sets in. However, the 
causation of juvenile diabetes is a different story…
Juvenile or ‘brittle’ diabetes is described as ‘insulin dependent,’ 2 which is correct, since 
those suffering from it do not produce enough insulin to satisfy their bodies’ needs. Insulin is 
a hormone, secreted by the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. It is essential for the proper 
metabolism of blood sugar, and for the maintenance of proper blood sugar level. Insufficient 
production of insulin is generally due to severe damage to, or infection of, the pancreas, which 
leads to the Islets of Langerhans being damaged or partly destroyed. The remaining ones are 
unable to produce enough insulin. In many cases the problem starts in early childhood, hence the name ‘juvenile.’ Children 
tend to catch colds and flu fairly often; their concerned parents take them to a pediatrician, who 
routinely prescribes antibiotics. These suppress and temporarily clear the symptoms, but tend to 
damage the children’s immune system. As a result, more infections develop until at some stage 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 5 5Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comthe apparent flu is very severe, persists for some weeks and finally slowly clears. That flu turns 
out to have been pancreatitis, i.e., inflammation of the pancreas. A short time later the child is 
diagnosed with diabetes. In this case not enough natural insulin is produced, the child becomes insulin dependent and 
must be injected daily with the missing hormone. Sadly, the problem is life-long and worsens 
over time. Since the patient is advised to eat a largely protein-based diet, excluding carbohydrates, 
eventually the kidneys are affected, leading to the need for kidney dialysis. Further difficulties 
arise—plaque formation, circulatory problems, even loss of toes, feet or legs, due to insufficient 
circulation and resulting gangrene. During adolescence such children are unable to concentrate or 
do well in their studies, nor do they grow at the same rate as their peers. Even these multiple problems arising at a young age have been relieved by the Gerson 
Therapy. Obviously, the treatment has to be modified to suit the special needs of the patients: 
they are given less carrot and apple juice, more green leaf juice. Potatoes are cut out in favor of 
vegetables and raw foods, and little fruit is given, mainly apples and melons. Insulin is continued 
as needed. However, most patients are able to cut down considerably on the dosage used. One 
particular 12-year-old was able to decrease his insulin requirement by 2/3rds of the original dose, 
he became an “A” student and even caught up with his classmates’ growth. In other words his 
condition had greatly improved. However, he could not be cured, i.e., totally freed from his need 
for insulin, for it was impossible to restore the destroyed Islets of Langerhans, which should 
have produced the necessary natural insulin. This boy’s Gerson medication was augmented by 
chromium piccolinate to boost his insulin output, but it did not come back to normal. (see Part III 
of this Chapter, pg. 64). Caution:  once a patient has been started on dialysis, the Gerson Therapy cannot be used! Age Onset Diabetes Mellitus  is curable with the Gerson Therapy. About 85% of patients 
suffering from this condition actually produce an adequate amount of insulin. The problem is 
that this insulin is unable to reach the relevant receptors within the cells, for they are blocked by 
excess cholesterol. As far as the majority of Diabetes Mellitus patients are concerned, they benefit from the 
Gerson program that, with its exclusion of animal products, is free from cholesterol. More 
importantly, the restored enzyme activity together with the high Omega 3 content of the flax seed 
oil is able to clear the cholesterol from the body tissues. In most patients excess cholesterol gets 
cleared out within a week or two, even though they no longer take their cholesterol-lowering 
drugs. It also takes only a short time before the available natural insulin reaches its destination in 
the cells; the excess glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream is reduced to normal, so that there is no 
further need for insulin supplementation. These patients are also restricted at the start of the therapy in their intake of carrot and apple 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 5 6Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comjuice and sweet fruit, but they can before long embark on a regular Gerson Therapy with the usual 
juices, potato-rich meals, and oatmeal with fruit for breakfast. They, too, are supplemented with 
chromium piccolinate, but can drop this provided their blood sugar remains normal. Case History:  Our most severely ill diabetic patient was R.H. , a 41-year-old man weighing 
over 300 pounds. His blood sugar ran over 340 (normal below 120), and was uncontrollable 
with insulin and/or other medications. He had had a heart attack at age 38 and was left with 
dangerously high blood pressure—240/110 (normal 120/80), also uncontrolled by drugs. In 
addition he suffered from gout. If he omitted his gout medication for a single day, he had to 
endure an excruciatingly painful attack. On the Gerson Therapy he was eating mainly vegetables, raw salads with green juices, and 
his diet was restricted to one potato a day; instead of oatmeal in the morning he received a plateful 
of mixed raw vegetables. He also used the usual enemas and took chromium piccolinate along 
with the other Gerson medication. Insulin had to be continued at the start of the treatment as 
needed, the requirement being checked by regular blood tests. R.H. lost 1-2 pounds a day without ever being hungry. On top of his three regular meals he 
was given a plate of raw vegetables for snacks in his room. (Non-diabetic patients receive a fruit 
plate to eat as snacks during the night or between meals, should they feel hungry.) His vegetable 
plate contained carrot and celery strips, tomatoes, cauliflower florets, and radishes. His gout 
medication was discontinued immediately after starting the treatment, without bringing on an 
attack. At the end of 10 weeks the patient’s blood sugar was normal and he was able to discontinue 
the insulin injections. His weight had come down by almost 100 pounds, and at 6’2” he weighed 
an almost normal 210 pounds. Finally his blood pressure had also dropped to a normal level 
without the need for drugs. Part II
Confronting Chronic Conditions
Unfortunately the diseases described so far are not the only ones inflicted on us by the faulty, 
health-destroying dietary habits of modern civilization. Nowadays people truly dig their graves 
with their teeth, not realizing the harm they are doing to themselves. And as various serious 
diseases have crept up on us silently, becoming part of our way of life—and death, we tend to take 
them for granted and no longer question their growing prevalence, or why they cut short the lives 
of so many people in their prime. Now is the moment to ask questions, listen to the answers and change our lives for the better. The good news is that the severe health damages caused by the wrong diet can be undone by 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 5 7Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comthe right one. And this applies as much to the killer diseases we have reviewed as to the many 
chronic degenerative conditions that can drag on for many years, causing much pain, discomfort, 
depression and poor quality of life. Modern medicine can ease the pain with allopathic drugs, 
but is unable to eliminate the basic problem; indeed many people believe that their arthritis or 
osteoporosis is incurable. But they are wrong. And although the Gerson Therapy’s best-known 
achievement is its successful healing of cancer, it also has an extraordinary track record in dealing 
with so-called incurable chronic conditions. Chronic Immune-Deficiency Diseases
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This condition is also known as ME, standing for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Along with 
many other diseases caused by inadequate immune competence, it is spreading dramatically. Sometimes referred to as “Yuppie Syndrome,” it used to be known as the Epstein-Barr disease. That was a more accurate description, since its cause was found to be the body’s inability to 
overcome the Epstein-Barr viral infection. As there are no medical treatments to overcome 
viruses—antibiotics are useless against them—the disease is considered not only incurable but 
also untreatable. In due course, with people suffering from worsening symptoms of weakness, inability 
to concentrate, aches and muscle pains, it was discovered that the underlying cause was not 
exclusively the Epstein-Barr virus, viz. that this virus had possibly mutated into other forms, and 
that perhaps other viruses were also involved. At this stage the disease was re-named as Chronic 
Fatigue Syndrome, referring to one of its main symptoms. Unfortunately the change of name still 
left it ‘incurable.’
Case History: What we already know about the Gerson Therapy’s ability to rebuild a 
damaged, severely deficient immune system should make it clear why it is so effective against 
this condition. One patient’s dramatic response to the therapy illustrates the process well. It 
concerns W.D., a middle-aged engineer who after twenty years was forced to leave his job, when 
the viral infection hit him. He was given the California ‘Disabled Driver’ plaque, although there 
was some doubt as to whether he was able to drive at all. At times he was even unable to find his 
own car, could not balance his checkbook, and complained of “the black cheesecloth that falls 
over me.” On the full therapy, in his own words he soon felt “not as well as my colleagues, as I 
had wished, but much better, with new energy, a brighter outlook, and feeling again like 25 at age 
55! My coordination, eyesight and hearing are so good—I can do everything today that I couldn’t 
do at 30.”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 5 8Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comMultiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is supposed to be an autoimmune disease. In such diseases it is 
claimed that the patient’s immune system attacks its own tissues and causes lesions or other 
damage. In MS, it is stated, “Infiltrating lymphocytes ( white blood corpuscles) , predominantly T-
cells and macrophages, degrade the myelin sheath of nerves.” 1 Nerves are conductors of electrical 
impulses and require insulation in the form of myelin sheaths, in order not to short out. When the 
myelin sheath is damaged, electrical shorts occur, sending false messages along the nerves. These 
cause the typical symptoms of MS.
MS usually develops in people aged between 20 and 40 and is more common in colder 
climates than in milder ones. Its symptoms include poor coordination, unsteady gait, nystagmus 
(uncontrolled eye movements ,) and urinary urgency. In the early stage of the disease it often goes 
into spontaneous remission, only to recur in a more severe form. Eventually many sufferers have 
to use a wheelchair; some even become bedfast. The only difficulty in applying the Gerson therapy to MS is that in the early weeks of the 
treatment MS patients typically experience a worsening in their condition. This is probably 
caused by the detoxification process removing the products of the infection from the lesions 
in the myelin sheaths. The cleansing causes an additional temporary loss of insulation and in 
consequence a worsening of symptoms. This understandably scares the patients, several of whom 
have abandoned the therapy, mistakenly assuming that it didn’t work and was instead aggravating 
the disease. Yet if an MS patient persists, the cleared lesions, with the help of the hyper-alimentation 
and detoxification of the Gerson program, allow the sheaths to re-form, proving that MS is not 
incurable. Also, since the therapy actively restores and strengthens the immune system, clearly 
MS cannot  be an autoimmune disease. If it were, an enhanced immune system would make 
recovery impossible. Case History:  Born in 1960, J.S. was raised on a ranch, where he lived all his life, exposed 
to a wide range of agricultural toxins. He suffered several accidents, the first serious one at the 
age of 6, which left him with an uneven gait. After a severe fall causing injury to his shoulder, he 
was given powerful painkillers to enable him to function. The first symptom of an as yet unknown disease was a fall, caused by his inability to control 
the movement of his leg. Subsequently he lost most of his sight in one eye. In March of 1995, when 
he was 35, J.S. was examined by a neurologist at the Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, Montana, 
and found to be suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Although this disease often brings on 
partial remissions followed by exacerbation, J.S. enjoyed no periods of ease—his condition went 
from bad to worse. His doctors told him that there was no hope of a cure for him.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 5 9Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comIn February of 1996 J.S. embarked on the full intensive Gerson Therapy. His energy increased 
almost at once, his walk became even, and he was able to work on the ranch while staying on 
the demanding Gerson schedule. By the Fall of that year his eyesight had improved and his other 
symptoms were gone. By 2002 his only remaining symptom of MS was a somewhat weakened 
sight in his affected eye. To date, J.S. is able to manage 16-hour days on the ranch and is no longer 
affected by heat, which used to debilitate him. He stays close to the Therapy, as does the rest of 
his family. CAUTION :  The artificial sweetener Aspartame, sold under the names of NutraSweet and 
Spoonful, is highly toxic to the nervous system and can mimic many symptoms of MS. It is 
claimed to have caused the current epidemic of apparent MS, which has nothing to do with 
the genuine disease. In many cases the fake condition has been reversed simply by removing 
aspartame from the patients’ diet. ( see Aspartame, Chapter 5. pg. 21, pp. 3 )
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
This virus, credited with causing AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is 
spreading rapidly and unchecked. The chemotherapy that has been developed as a treatment is 
at best yielding only temporary relief. No effective immunization has yet been found. Since the 
disease is clearly associated with a depressed immune system, it stands to reason that the Gerson 
Therapy should be able to overcome it. As far as we know, that is happening. However, most of the 
Gerson work is performed in Mexico, but since the Mexican Health Department does not allow 
HIV-positive patients to be treated there, we have had very little experience with the condition. In fact, two patients with active HIV infections, who were treated at home with the Gerson 
Therapy, have recovered and became negative. Still, we feel uneasy to claim that the therapy is 
successful, with only two recoveries of HIV-positive patients on record. The only other evidence we have of nutrition, combined with a selenium supplement, being 
effective in treating HIV , comes from a book, What Really Causes Aids,  by Professor Harold 
D.Foster 2. Dr Foster discovered that in areas where the soil was rich in selenium, the population 
had good resistance to HIV , while in areas with selenium deficient soil the opposite applied: 
people were much less resistant to infections and suffered from many diseases, including cancer. He was also able to demonstrate that patients with positive HIV disease could be turned around 
and made negative with the correct diet and adequate selenium supplementation. Surprisingly, he 
found that the Brazil nut is the natural food highest in selenium, seven times richer than the next 
highest selenium-containing food.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 6 0Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comHepatitis B & C
Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, should not exist. The liver, this vitally important organ, 
has tremendous reserves beside its own immune system. Therefore under normal circumstances 
its powerful resistance to infections protects it from hepatitis. But the fact that this disease exists 
and is spreading points once more to the increasingly weakened immune system of the general 
population. Essentially hepatitis B & C are pretty much the same. They are only classified under different 
names because each is caused by a different virus, known as Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C virus 
respectively. In either case the disease is contagious; nursing is supposed to pay maximum 
attention to the cleanliness of linens, dishes, food, etc. The only available orthodox treatment 
consists of rest and a good diet. The disease causes liver enzymes to rise. Unfortunately, although these enzymes are often 
reduced as the patient overcomes the first acute stage of the disease, they do not return to normal. This means that the patient is never wholly clear of the disease. In time the liver becomes more 
seriously damaged, the liver enzymes rise again and the viral load increases. This process can 
eventually lead to hepatoma ( primary liver cancer)  or other malignancies.. Since the Gerson Therapy is able to strengthen and restore the immune system, we have seen 
a number of recoveries from hepatitis, including the return to normal of the liver enzymes. Case History: L.M., aged 54, was sick, had no energy, couldn’t walk across the street and 
was unable to digest her food. Eventually she was diagnosed at the University of Chicago as 
suffering from chronic active aggressive hepatitis with liver cirrhosis . Her liver enzymes were extremely high: SGOT 1360 (normal 0-30), and her doctors said that 
she might have two years to live. She started on the Gerson Therapy in January of 1995. Within three weeks her SGOT 
dropped dramatically by 200 points, but her recovery was slow: it took 1 1⁄2 years for her liver 
tests to become normal, and only after two years was she back “to her old self.” To quote her 
recent statement, “I feel better than ever and I have incredible ener gy.”
Collagen Diseases
Collagen is an insoluble fibrous protein, found in the connective tissues of the body, including 
skin, bone, ligaments and cartilage. It represents 30% of the body’s total protein content. Collagen 
diseases are caused by various conditions, such as a weakened liver and digestive system, or by 
the accumulation of inadequately digested animal protein. The following diseases belong to this 
category.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 6 1Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comSystemic Lupus Erythematosus
This is also assumed to be an autoimmune disease. Its ‘etiology is unknown,’3 meaning that 
its cause is not understood. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a serious condition, able 
to affect every organ. Its symptoms are numerous and severe. One of the early ones is the so-
called “butterfly rash,” resembling the open wings of a butterfly, that appears on either side of the 
nose. SLE is described as a chronic inflammatory disease of connective tissue in the skin, joints, 
kidneys, mucous membranes, and the nervous system. It is not unusual for the disease to cause 
the patient’s death. Despite its ominous reputation, SLE is eminently curable with the Gerson Therapy. How long 
it takes to heal depends on the kind and length of conventional treatment patients have received. In extremely severe cases, treated by prednisone ( steroid hormone used as an anti-inflammatory 
agent)  for a long time, it takes longer to restore the liver, the adrenals and the immune system. Still, even in such cases healing is possible. Case History:  A.B. was born in 1951 in Australia. Married at the age of 20, she developed 
soreness and swelling in her knees and joints. During her second pregnancy all her symptoms 
disappeared, only to return after the birth of the baby. For some five years her doctors were unable 
to discover what was wrong, until in late 1976 a Melbourne specialist diagnosed A.B. as suffering 
from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. His diagnosis was confirmed by the analysis of a specimen 
in the U.S.
During 1978 A.B. had periods of total incapacitation. In 1979 her knees would swell up to the 
size of footballs; her doctors would drain them and inject cortisone. In spite of taking painkillers, 
she spent the nights sobbing. By 1992, the pain was so bad that A.B. required morphine, and her 
doctors admitted that there was nothing else they could do to help her. At some stage in 1992 
her husband found out about the Gerson Therapy, which seemed to offer some hope, but A.B. objected to the idea of coffee enemas and refused. Some months later, however, she was so ill that 
she agreed to try the Gerson program. Shortly after starting on the treatment A.B. could urinate normally, which, her husband 
reported, she had been unable to do for many months. Her healing reactions were violent, but the 
enemas provided relief. A.B. admitted occasionally straying from the diet, but every such trespass 
necessitated a trip to the hospital for morphine! By 1994 the patient had improved considerably, 
and for the first time in 20 months she enjoyed longer and longer periods without pain. By early 
1999 she was drug-free and remains so, able to run their country property—quite an achievement, 
since a few years earlier she had been unable to lift a plate from the table. Nor is she suffering 
from the frequent infections, which used to plague her.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 6 2Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comRheumatism; Arthritis
There are various forms of rheumatism, mostly referred to as an arthritic condition. In many 
cases it manifests simply as a passing inflammation of muscles and joints, which may occasionally 
recur, but it does not cause a permanent problem. According to medical information, its cause is 
unknown, and there is no specific treatment for it. Its most widespread form is Osteoarthritis,  normally a disease  of ageing, which causes 
chronic changes, most frequently in the weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, vertebrae). It is 
characterized by an overgrowth of bone, forming spurs and a lumpy deformity of the joints. Also, 
the cartilage (firm connective tissue ensuring that bones in joints don’t touch ) becomes thin and 
wasted, so that bone rubs on bone, causing wear and tear and sharp pain. While conventional 
medicine can only relieve pain but not halt the progress of the disease, the Gerson Therapy 
has obtained good responses, by relieving pain and dissolving some of the bony deformities. If persevered with, it can halt the advance of the disease and even reverse it to some extent. However, as in other diseases involving bone lesions, healing is slow, and often patients are not 
willing to engage in the long, labor-intensive Gerson treatment. Instead, they are satisfied with as 
much pain relief as modern drugs can give them. The etiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)  is also unknown, and the condition is essentially 
treated with drugs for symptomatic relief. The disease can spread to every joint in the body, 
causing swelling and deformities, along with severe pain. It is routinely treated with aspirin, 
prednisone and more powerful pain relief drugs. Since RA is also assumed to be an autoimmune 
disease, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues, it has even been treated 
with cancer drugs in order to disable the immune system. Far from bringing benefits it caused the condition to worsen, so that for those patients healing 
on the Gerson Therapy took longer. On the other hand patients not pre-treated with such drugs 
respond extremely well and fast to the Gerson program and its restoring of the immune system. Since RA is aggravated, if not caused, by the excessive consumption of animal protein, the 
protein-restricted Gerson Therapy produces an immediate reduction of swelling, the easing or 
total elimination of pain, and the start of healing. In time patients recover completely . Case History : In 1970 D.P. was a high school athlete of great promise. Her trainer suggested 
that she drink a lot of milk, to strengthen her muscles and supply calcium. Within a year, before 
her twentieth birthday, she developed rheumatoid arthritis, with swollen and inflamed joints, 
lumps and calcifications. Orthodox treatment with prednisone and gold proved to be ineffective; 
by 1976 D.P. was bedfast, suffering constant pain. All her joints were stiff: fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. In addition she 
suffered from heart palpitations and labored breathing. She was pale, anemic and hypoglycemic, 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 6 3Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comcould barely walk or sleep. In May of 1979 D.P.arrived at the Gerson hospital; in six weeks she 
was virtually free from pain, most of the lumps in her joints were dissolving and her wrists started 
to regain their mobility. By 1981, two years after starting on the Gerson protocol, she was able to 
water-ski, got married and started a family. Scleroderma
This third member of the group of collagen diseases is also described as having an ‘unknown 
etiology.’ It causes a chronic hardening and contraction of the skin and connective tissues, which 
makes movement such as bending, especially of the fingers, difficult if not impossible. The 
disease can eventually spread to internal organs as well. Despite its apparent hopelessness, this condition also improves rapidly on the Gerson 
program and can lead to complete recovery. ASSORTED ENEMIES OF HEALTH
In the following we are presenting a variety of very different conditions and complaints that 
blight the lives of vast numbers of people in the developed world. They represent only a tiny part 
of the grand total of chronic conditions—estimated to number around 1500—that are erroneously 
accepted as inevitable and incurable. Despite their surprisingly varied nature, these enemies 
of health have one thing in common: they originate in faulty nutrition and therefore respond 
positively to the Gerson protocol. Asthma
This inflammatory disorder of the airways is widespread and growing more frequent all the 
time. An estimated 20 1⁄2 million Americans of all age groups suffer from it. In an asthma attack the 
muscles surrounding the airways tighten up; at the same time the lining of the air passages swell. As a result less air can pass in and out, causing wheezing, shortness of breath and/or coughing. Attacks can last from a few minutes to a whole day or more and can become dangerous, besides 
causing anxiety and even feelings of panic to the sufferer. Asthma has many causes. General pollution in the atmosphere, pollen, dust mites and mulds 
indoors are among them, but food allergies and intolerance, and adverse reactions to drugs can 
be the main culprits. Asthma also has a strong psychosomatic connection, especially in young 
children (in whom it often clears up spontaneously when the emotional roots are eliminated), but 
here we are concerned with the physical-nutritional aspects only . When these are at fault, asthma—especially in the case of children—is easily cured with 
a relatively minimal change of diet and lifestyle. For any age group, the best-known potential 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 6 4Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comtriggers of an attack, namely cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits and wheat, must be eliminated one by 
one, to see which one has to be excluded for good. For children, it is essential to omit all milk and 
milk products. This flies in the face of conventional medical advice, as mothers discover when 
they consult their pediatrician about their child’s asthma. They are told to make sure that the child 
gets adequate milk, which is essential for growth and development—yet over many months, even 
years, the prescribed medications are unable to cure the condition. However, it disappears readily 
if milk is excluded from the child’s diet. In adults recovery takes a little longer since as a rule, having been treated with drugs and 
inhalants for years, they have suffered more severe damage. Therefore, instead of just dropping a 
few food items, they need to follow the less intensive form of the Gerson Therapy, which excludes 
animal proteins. Asthma is curable irrespective of age, with one warning: if the patient has been 
treated for a long time with prednisone, healing becomes difficult. In many other diseases long-term treatment with prednisone produces the same degree 
of excessive damage and takes longer to overcome. Case History : D.B. ’s problems, as recalled by her mother, started when she was six months 
old and suffered her first asthma attack. By her second birthday she had an attack every two 
months, each one lasting seven days. The little girl was tested for forty different allergens, then 
given drugs and immune shots every three weeks. This regimen went on for six years. The shots made her sick. Her arms swelled up and her eyes became puffed. Later her mother 
discovered that the drugs her daughter was taking caused liver damage. When she asked her 
doctor about this, he declared that in view of the severity of D’s asthma, the liver damage caused 
by the drugs was the lesser evil. Searching for a better answer, D’s mother accidentally found out that nutrition could have 
something to do with her daughter’s problem. She found out about the Gerson therapy when D. 
was nine years old, and changed the entire family’s eating habits. Although D. did not take coffee 
enemas, having adopted the complete Gerson dietary approach, she never had another asthma 
attack. She is now 38 years old, able to have a golden retriever and play with it without any 
allergic or asthma attacks. Allergies and Food Intolerance
According to one authoritative definition, allergies are acquired or inherited abnormal immune 
responses to a substance (allergen) that does not normally cause a reaction. These reactions do 
not always occur after the first exposure and may need a second or later occasion to be triggered. Allergens can be foodstuffs, pollen, house dust, detergents, indoor mold, household chemicals, 
and a multitude of other substances. They cause a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from skin 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 6 5Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comredness, itching, swelling of tongue and throat, to difficulty in breathing, diarrhea, abdominal 
cramp and vomiting. The most severe reaction to a food allergen, anaphylactic shock, is sudden, 
intense and potentially fatal, involving various parts of the organism and needing immediate 
medical help. Food intolerance is a much milder reaction to certain edible substances. It does not involve 
the immune system and its symptoms are limited to gas, bloating and abdominal pain. The 
obvious answer to this and to stronger food allergies is to monitor the body’s reactions and avoid 
the harmful substances. Probably due to increased all-round pollution and the malfunctioning immune system of 
the general population, allergies of all kinds are more widespread than ever. According to one 
estimate, one in three people are affected by some kind of allergy, and more than 50 million 
Americans are believed to have nasal allergies. Orthodox medicine treats allergies with symptom-
suppressing drugs, which may bring relief but invariably have undesirable side ef fects. By contrast, Gerson patients generally overcome most of their food allergies on the pure 
organic foods they consume. The improvement often arrives surprisingly quickly. For instance, 
one patient’s severe allergy to carrots disappeared in one day. Another person’s allergy to onions 
ended within the first week of treatment. On the other hand, hard-to-digest foods, which are 
actually forbidden for Gerson patients, such as seafood, soy, milk, nuts and peanuts, would 
continue to cause them allergic reactions. Many patients who suffer from migraines, which they believe are of allergic origin, find 
almost immediate and lasting relief after starting the therapy. Even intractable allergic reactions 
to inhaled items, such as pollen or certain smells, are reduced by the therapy; in some cases, they 
even cease for good. And while Dr. Gerson banned the consumption of berries at the start of the 
treatment, since they often cause allergic reactions, after 18-24 months on the protocol patients 
may eat them without suffering adverse reactions. Addiction
Addictions of all kinds are the plague of our times. They come in many forms and, if they 
persist, invariably lead to ill health and even death. People become addicted for many reasons. The young start experimenting with street drugs, because it is trendy. Others try to soften their 
psychological/emotional problems by getting drunk or taking hard drugs. Indeed, people can 
become addicted to almost any substance, such as alcohol, tobacco, sleeping pills, sugar, milk, 
tranquilizers, painkillers, prescription drugs, and of course food—the major addiction behind the 
alarming spread of obesity. Yet apart from all other factors, most addictions are caused—or at least aggravated—by 
nutritional deficiency. The body actually craves nutrients , not drugs or drink and certainly not 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 6 6Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comjunk food. But the addict does not realize this and keeps consuming the wrong substance, leading 
to ever-stronger craving. In the many cases of addiction we have seen, the newly arrived patient, on being given an 
hourly glass of freshly pressed organic juice, loses the craving almost immediately. However, 
withdrawal symptoms may appear almost at once, since the body is now able to release the 
large amount of toxic residues it has stored for a long time. These are carried to the liver via the 
bloodstream and must be eliminated. The coffee enema fulfils that task very efficiently, so much so that addiction, even to the 
heaviest street drugs, and the ensuing withdrawal symptoms, have been overcome on the Gerson 
therapy in as little as three days. Medical morphine, in some cases of severe pain administered  
for many months, takes longer to clear out. Case History: Some nine years ago E.H. , a young man aged 34 was admitted to the Mexican 
Gerson Hospital. He told a sad story: All his friends who had been using street drugs were dead! He was aware of displaying ominous symptoms himself and frankly believed that if the Gerson 
treatment could not help him, he too would also be dead in about three months’ time. E.H. was 
not only seriously addicted to cocaine, he was also a heavy smoker, and the combination of those 
two poisons caused him severe breathing difficulties and chest pain. As most people with substance addiction, he too was terrified of withdrawal symptoms. Indeed, these are sometimes almost unbearable if the patient is unable to get his “fix.” Fortunately, 
tackling drug addiction by the Gerson method makes it possible to deal easily with the problem. As E.H. was drinking his 13 glasses of freshly prepared organic juices, he immediately noticed 
that his cravings were almost completely gone. When the withdrawal symptoms set in almost at 
once, he also realized that the coffee enemas dealt with them very well. As a result he enjoyed 
very good days, filled with fresh nutrients that overcame all cravings, and coffee enemas that 
cleared withdrawal symptoms. However, the nights were a different matter. At the Gerson clinic the last juice arrives 
around 7 p.m. and the last enema is usually taken around 10 p.m., after which the patient goes 
to sleep; that means that for some eight hours his body receives no support. Sure enough, E.H. 
was wakened by heavy nightmares some four hours after retiring: the tissues were releasing the 
accumulated toxins into his blood stream, with no means to evacuate them. In such cases, E.H. 
was told, a coffee enema had to be taken in the middle of the night. He was provided with some 
fruit in order to replenish his blood sugar and a little herb tea for fluid. A coffee enema cleared the 
toxins and E.H. was able to enjoy a dreamless sleep till the morning. This night-time routine continued for three or four nights, after which the withdrawal 
symptoms were cleared during the day and the patient’s nights were undisturbed. The real problem 
for recovered addicts like E.H. is their return home. If his regular home life involves friends or 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 6 7Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comrelatives who use addictive substances, it is easy for him to relapse and undo all the good work 
of the Gerson Therapy. Hyperactivity
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is much in the news these days. It 
refers to children who show disturbed, hard to manage behavior: constant overactivity, lack of 
concentration, aggression, impulsiveness and distractibility. In the official view it could be caused 
by central nervous system dysfunction—a debatable opinion. Over thirty years ago Dr. Benjamin Feingold, M.D., developed a dietary treatment for this 
condition, which is in strong sympathy with the Gerson principles. He excluded all artificial 
flavors and colors, all preservatives, some kinds of sugars, yeast, salicylates, and prescribed 
instead fresh, preferably organic foods. His method attracted enthusiastic support and sharp 
criticism, the latter mainly from the food industry. Since then many naturopaths and nutritionists have had good results, treating ADHD children 
by simply changing their diet to wholesome organic food, excluding all additives. Unfortunately 
orthodox physicians, who are unfamiliar with dietary principles, prescribe hyperactive youngsters 
the drug Ritalin, a highly addictive substance closely resembling cocaine. Not surprisingly the 
side effects, including permanent brain damage, are dire. The drug is prescribed even for children 
younger than six years old, sometimes on the say-so of a nurse who considers the child ‘ill 
behaved’ and wants to keep him/her quiet and obedient—in fact zombie-like. It is a terrifying fact that nearly two million American children are drugged with Ritalin, 
and the number is rising. Mothers are grateful for Ritalin, which eliminates their children’s 
destructiveness and aggression, since they don’t understand the true—nutritional—cause of such 
behavior, and therefore don’t know how to deal with it sensibly and effectively. Their pediatricians 
don’t know, either, how to advise them correctly—all they are trained in is the use of drugs. ( see 
Ritalin  in Chapter 5. pg. 64)
Even the mildest form of the Gerson protocol puts an end to ADHD in no time at all. Depression
All over the developed world depression is rapidly becoming a major mental health problem, 
causing much suffering and incapacity, loss of earnings, plus growing expenditure on treatment, 
mainly by drugs. According to the World Health Organisation, by 2020 clinical depression will 
become the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Alarmingly enough, already now more 
and more children and adolescents become depressed; many of them react by developing eating 
disorders or committing self-harm.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 6 8Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comWe need to differentiate between two kinds of depression: one caused by psychological, the 
other by physical factors, although they often affect each other. Human life has never been free 
from problems and difficulties, and the resulting depression needs to be alleviated by professional 
psychological help and support. (Ways to deal with depression caused by a cancer diagnosis are 
described in Chapter 24) 
Here we are concerned with the physical basis of depression, turning our spotlight on the 
brain. Clearly, our thinking, outlook, feeling reactions, handling of daily problems, as well as 
control of movement, physical coordination and many more vital activities are directly related to 
the brain. Thus its function is basic and depends on the health and correct working of the brain 
cells. Although it is a relatively small organ compared to the total body mass, the brain uses up 
some two-fifths of the body’s intake of oxygen and a fifth of its blood supply. We may safely 
assume that it also requires a large amount of nutrients—vitamins, minerals and enzymes—to 
perform its incredibly complex tasks. Since the so-called “normal” American diet is chronically 
short of such nutrients, obviously the brain’s needs are not fulfilled. Yet as part of the Central 
Nervous System (CNS), the brain’s tissues are so specialized that, unlike the tissues of other 
organs, most of them are unable to re-grow, i.e., reproduce themselves. From this it follows that if the brain cells are inadequately nourished, they cannot function 
properly, their fragile balance is disturbed and certain mental disturbances occur, including bi-
polar disorder, schizophrenia, insomnia, chronic anxiety, and, above all, depression. Most of 
these conditions have been alleviated by up to 90% by vitamin (inositol) treatment (see Carl C. 
Pfeiffer, Ph.D., M.D., Mental and Elemental Nutrients,  Keats Publishing, Inc.,1975. P.g145). Double Nobel Prize Laureate Linus Pauling has also stated that 60% of schizophrenics treated 
with megavitamins either improved or had complete relief of symptoms (ibid., Pg.12). Dr. Abram 
Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D. first discovered that niacin (Vitamin B3) lowered cholesterol, and that 
excess cholesterol was a contributory factor in schizophrenia. He was able to restore thousands 
of schizophrenics to normalcy by treating them with megadoses of niacin and ascorbic acid 
(Vitamin C.)
Under normal circumstances the brain is protected from the penetration of toxins (poisons) 
by the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB), a membrane that controls the passage of substances from 
the blood into the brain. The BBB can be damaged and broken down by microwaves, radiation, 
hypertension ( high blood pressure),  infection, and most importantly by severe toxicity of the 
organism, which stops the barrier from blocking the penetration of poisons into the brain.. Hence 
the vicious circle of inadequate nutrition and toxicity spins on, and depression and other kinds of 
mental ill-health set in. Almost as bad as the proliferation of clinical depression is the recent development of drugs to 
relieve the condition. These highly toxic drugs are prescribed even for young children, although 
the well-known side effects include severe worsening of the depression, to the point of suicide or 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 6 9Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comhomicide. By way of contrast, the standard Gerson treatment is able to alleviate the depression 
fairly quickly, even in patients who have already undergone drug treatment and are suffering 
from its side effects. The therapy’s detoxifying coffee enemas, and the flooding of all body 
tissues, including the brain, with the needed nutrients, is the quickest and safest way to relieve 
depression. Case History: Some eight years ago, as Charlotte Gerson was traveling far and wide all over 
the USA, giving lectures to numerous groups, she stayed at a charming little motel. The manager, 
P.B., was interested in her work, and in the course of their conversation he told her that he was 
suffering from severe clinical depression, controlling the condition with prescription drugs. He 
also admitted that he had been in Viet Nam and had been exposed to “Agent Orange.”
When Charlotte told him more about the nutritional approach to healing, P.B., aged around 
50, purchased the Gerson publications and began to follow the therapy on his own at home as 
best he could. In December of 2006 he reported that he had recovered, was able to discontinue all 
medical drugs, felt very well, since he no longer suffered the side effects of those drugs, and led 
a normal active life. Crohn’s Disease
The medical term for this condition is regional ileitis. It is a chronic inflammation of the 
lower two-thirds of the small intestine, the ileum,  and as a rule alternates between periods of 
aggravation and remission. The patient suffers from diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, 
anemia, and eventually, often after several years, intestinal obstruction. According to Taber’ s 
Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, “The cause is unknown.” As orthodox medicine has no cure for 
this condition, the final outcome is usually surgery, removing a large portion—or even the entire 
length—of the colon, and installing a colostomy bag. Case History : M.G. was only 15 when she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. She spent 
much of that year commuting between her home and the General Hospital in Sault Ste.Marie, 
Ont., Canada, missing much of her schooling. Several times when visiting the hospital she was 
on the verge of developing bowel obstruction; being unable to absorb her food, she weighed only 
78 lbs. Her physicians suggested surgery, but this was refused. Just in time her family discovered 
the Gerson Therapy and the young girl started on it at home. Although her bowel was nearly 
obstructed, the coffee enemas brought immediate relief and she no longer needed to visit the 
hospital. After three months the pain was gone, her energy had returned; within one year she 
gained 26 lbs and was able to attend school regularly. She remains well and at present is studying 
medicine. Migraine
Migraines are described as frequently unilateral ( one-sided)  paroxysmal (sudden, severe) 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 7 0Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comattacks of headache. The sharp, throbbing pain is normally accompanied by hypersensitivity to 
light and sounds, nausea and/or vomiting; attacks are recurring and can last from 4 to 72 hours. Migraines are extremely common: over 10 million Americans are regular sufferers. Medical 
treatment is limited to pain relieving drugs, sometimes as powerful as morphine, with various 
undesirable side effects. For instance, one of the most commonly prescribed American drugs 
was recently found to boost the risk of excessive acidity in the blood, leading to the formation of 
kidney stones. Migraines can be caused by a number of factors. Some are due to dental problems, such as 
a poorly aligned bite or muscle imbalance in the jaw. In other cases the cause is a blockage or a 
minute dislocation in the spine or the neck, which needs to be corrected by expert chiropractic 
treatment. But the overwhelming majority of migraines is caused by allergies or intolerance to 
certain foods. The most frequently identified “usual suspects” are cheese, chocolate and citrus 
fruits. As a young doctor, Dr. Gerson often suffered from severe debilitating migraines. After 
experimenting with various diets, he discovered that his problem was caused by toxic foodstuffs, 
mostly salty and heavily spiced meats. In order to heal himself, he developed a salt-free, low fat 
vegetarian diet that became the basis of his nutritional protocol; after further refinements and 
improvements this gave birth to the Gerson Therapy, used to this day world-wide to heal the vast 
majority of chronic degenerative diseases. Many patients who embark on the Gerson program rapidly recover from their long-standing 
migraines, and remain pain-free unless they revert to the foods that sparked off their attacks in 
the past. Endometriosis
The endometrium is the mucous membrane lining the uterus. During the fertile years of a 
woman this lining is shed every month, if the secreted ovum is not fertilized and implanted in 
the tissue. When the organism or the hormone system is malfunctioning, the endometrium can 
spread to various sites throughout the pelvic area, including the abdominal wall. As the condition 
worsens and the menstrual cycle does not get regulated, endometrial tissue may spread throughout 
the body, becoming a malignancy “resembling metastatic pelvic carcinoma” ( Taber’ s Cyclopedic 
Medical Dictionary). Case History : The experience of S.T. illustrates this progression perfectly. This patient had 
gynecological problems at the very start of her menstrual periods. Thirty-five years later she was 
diagnosed with endometriosis and had a number of D & C’s ( scraping of the uterus)  to remove 
endometrial plaque. In the end she had a partial hysterectomy, yet her problems continued, and 
finally in 1979 a Pap smear showed cancer of the cervix with ‘atypical’ ( irregular, not conforming 
to the normal) cells in her blood. She also noticed lumps in her breast, but these were not further 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 7 1Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.cominvestigated. A hysterectomy was arranged for her, but she declined the operation and changed her 
diet. Some time before she had heard a lecture by Charlotte Gerson and had decided at the time 
that if any of her family members developed cancer, they would embark on the Gerson Therapy. S.T. stayed on the strict Therapy for two years. She was cured and remains fit and well, 
leading a busy life. Morbid Obesity
This condition is defined in Taber’ s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary 3 as “Obesity of such 
degree as to interfere with normal activities, including respiration.” Weight in excess of 100 
pounds above normal average for the individual’s age, sex and build is considered ‘morbid.’ 
Not so long ago, excessively fat people drew curious or critical glances in the street. These days 
there are too many of them to receive attention. The rapid worldwide spread of fast food outlets 
and the exponentially growing sales of convenience foods have sparked off a global epidemic of 
dangerous obesity in all age groups. On March 10, 2004, it was repeatedly announced on the radio (KNX-1070 AM Los Angeles), 
that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta has upgraded obesity in the U.S. as the No.1 
preventable cause of disease, displacing smoking from that position. The word ‘morbid’ means ‘of the nature of or indicative of disease,’ and indeed the Medical 
Dictionary quotes obesity as a contributing factor to the following diseases: Diabetes Mellitus 
(Type 2), hypertension, and some types of cancer. This edition of the Dictionary was published 
in 1993. At that time it was estimated that 34 million adults in the U.S. were overweight. A more 
recent statement (2001) by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) declared that 
almost two-thirds of American adults are overweight. The 1980 figures for obesity have doubled 
by 2001; Diabetes Mellitus has increased ninefold since 1958, and heart disease remains the No.1 
cause of death. Worst of all, obesity has become widespread among children. Fat kids are referred to as 
“Small Fries—the Offspring of Couch Potatoes.” Between 1980 and 1994, obesity in American 
children increased by 100%; currently one in four children is obese, as reported by Frank Booth, 
Ph.D. and Donna Krupa 4. Lack of exercise is an important contributory factor to this tragic state 
of affairs, since—according to the above authors—the average child spends 900 hours a year 
in school, and 1,023 hours watching TV .
_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:

        ‘The decrease in the death rate is dramatic—the 
largest reduction of just about any intervention that’s been tried,’ said Dr. Carl S. Apstein, professor 
of medicine at Boston University. ‘Newer heart attack treatments, such as clot-dissolving drugs, 
typically cost hundreds of dollars per patient compared with less than $50 for GKI. ”
While the treatment was supposedly abandoned because of ‘doubts as to its effectiveness,’ 
the author of the article states his belief that “the doubts were caused by the fact that the treatment 
was cheap and effective, so that the hugely expensive bypass surgeries, angioplasties, heart 
transplants, etc. , would no longer be needed. It is interesting that the heart specialists now use the 
excuse that the treatment could be used by people who can’t afford more and those who live in 
the Third World. ”
The Role of Cholesterol in Heart Disease
In the public mind cholesterol is vaguely linked to heart attacks and strokes, but not everyone 
knows how this connection works. Cholesterol, a soft waxy substance found among the lipids 
(fats) in the bloodstream, is produced naturally in the liver. It is needed for various important 
body functions, such as the production of hormones, including sex hormones and corticosteroids. Cholesterol is divided into Low and High Density Lipoproteins, or LDL and HDL respectively. HDL is considered necessary and beneficial, able to rid the blood of the harmful LDL. This can 
have a genetic origin, but is more likely to be caused by the average American diet that is far too 
rich in saturated fats, the obvious source of excess cholesterol. Some of the highest food sources of cholesterol, according to Dr. W. Virgil Brown, professor 
at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, are hamburgers, cheeseburgers, meat loaf, 
whole milk and cheese, steaks, hot dogs, eggs, and some more items. Since these foods make up 
a high proportion of the usual American diet, clearly they introduce far too much LDL cholesterol 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 5 2Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www. thegersonway. cominto the blood. The result is that blood lipids, i. e. , fats, are deposited in the walls of arteries and 
form plaque, which in turn causes atherosclerosis. The plaque reduces arterial blood flow, is rough 
and easily allows platelets to accumulate, causing clots which then block the artery altogether. If this occurs in the coronary arteries, which surround and supply the heart, it will cause a heart 
attack; if in the brain, the result will be a stroke. The Gerson treatment is exceptionally effective in not only reducing harmful cholesterol, 
but also in dissolving plaque and clearing the arteries for normal blood flow. Cases of cholesterol 
reduction by 100 points without drugs in just one week have been seen. The diet free from meats, 
fats, milk products, eggs, etc. , contributes greatly to this success. But there is another important 
factor: the use of flax seed oil. Cold pressed from organically grown flax seeds, as discovered by 
Dr. Johanna Budwig 1, it is high in the important Omega 3 and low in the Omega 6 fatty acids. This ratio causes the excess cholesterol to be dissolved and carried off via the bloodstream and 
the liver. (By way of contrast, a high cholesterol diet is high in Omega 6 and seriously deficient in 
Omega 3 fatty acids. ) As an immediate result of embarking on the Gerson Therapy, patients present a more normal 
level of cholesterol, and they are able to stop taking the statin drugs prescribed by their doctors. These drugs represent one of the largest markets for any prescription medication; they are liver-
toxic, but doctors feel impelled to use them to prevent heart attacks and strokes. By being able 
to do without statins, patients on the Gerson program avoid yet another source of toxicity. Any 
remaining cholesterol surplus is easily eliminated by the niacin (vitamin B-3), which is an integral 
part of the Gerson protocol. Of course smoking, another source of elevated cholesterol, is strictly 
banned on the therapy. The Gerson treatment not only helps to clear arteries of plaque, (which medicine claims 
cannot be done), thus avoiding strokes or more serious second heart attacks. It is also a natural 
method of prevention, even in people who may have a genetic predisposition to heart disease, and 
has also helped patients, who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, to recover and even 
restore some lost functions. Case History: In December 1993, the 87-year-old father of recovered Gerson patient M.
Less than $50.
What is the cost of the GKI treatment compared to other heart treatments?
The deposition of LDL cholesterol in the walls of the arteries.
What is the primary cause of atherosclerosis, according to the text?
Food allergies or intolerance.
What is the primary cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis, according to the text?
Not specified in the text.
What is the primary cause of ADHD, according to the text?
Lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet.
What is the primary cause of morbid obesity, according to the text?