Kidney problems also
strike diabetics frequently; the risk of kidney disease in some form is 15 to
20 percent in type 2 patients and is double that percentage in type 1
diabetics.7
Diabetes and the Gerson Therapy
Type 1 diabetic  patients, when treated with the Gerson Therapy , often
notice a great reduction in their insulin requirements, though many will
remain permane ntly dependent on insulin. When islet of Langerhans cells
are destroyed, the body , even in the best of health, cannot regen erate them. If the cells are only damaged, there is some chance that the body, aided by
the Gerson protocol, can heal and restore their function. Additionally , in patients presenting diabetes-associated degenerative
changes such as reduced vision, kidney damage, or circulation problems,
the therapy is often effective in reversing deterioration. Type 1 diabetes
patients do, however , need to indefinitely continue a menu plan very close
to the Gerson diet to maintain the best health. Type 2 diabetes  is far more easily corrected. Patients treated  with the
Gerson protocol are often able to eliminate the need for insulin
management. As mentioned previously , one potential cause of type 2
diabetes is a clogging effect on the insulin receptors due to cholesterol
deposits. Becau se the Gerson diet is very low in fat and contains no
cholesterol, it is highly effectiv e in rapidly reducing cholesterol. We hold
that Dr. Gerson’ s diet is able to quickly reverse this cloggin g problem,
allowing cell receptors to use insulin. Many Gerson Insitute personnel have
observed patients that are able to reduce their insulin dependence almost
immediately when following the Gerson protocol.Diabetic patients pursuing the Gerson Therapy in an inpatient setting will
receive an altered version of the Gerson diet with a reduction in sugar
intake. Patients frequently work  their way back toward the standard Gerson
protocol as their bodies respond to the therapy and begin to heal. After
several weeks, we have observe d cases of type 2 diabetes that are able to
resume the full Gerson protocol, including full amounts of the apple/carrot
juices that would otherwise have caused severe problems in a diabetic. Diabetes can be further complicated by many of the other problems it
brings to the body, most notably kidney damage. While the Gerson Therapy
is able to reverse a good deal of such damage, when the kidneys are past a
certain point—generally 20 percent or less of normal function—this
treatment progra m is no longer  effective. The same holds true for those
people who are under going or about to start dialysis, or for those who have
already under gone kidney transplant sur gery. A Summary of the Gerson Therapy Application for Diabetics
Type 2 diabetes can often be dramatically improved, and in some cases
overcome, using the Gerson Therapy . Type 1 diabetes patients will often see
a stabilizing effect in some cases with reversal of kidney damage and retinal
damage. Hypert ension is often eliminated. Type 1 patients are sometimes
able to discontin ue insulin completely , but this is not a common outcome. Glucose levels in the blood do require careful monitoring. In consuming juices and follow ing the diet, certain modifications are
made to the Gerson program. Apple juice is eliminated; grapefruit juice
replaces orange;  the apple/carrot juice is partly replaced with green juice,
depending on insulin intake. Raw vegetables replace fruits for snacking. All
honey , maple syrup, brown sugar, and other sweeteners are eliminated. If
glucose can be stabilized, one or two pieces of fruit per day may be added
to the diet. Melons are preferred. In takin g the Gerson-recommended medications, thyroid hormone is
reduced to 1 or 1 1/2 grains per day. Lugol is reduced to three drops daily . Potassium (K) is limited to 1 tsp per glass, except in cases of severe edema
where K may be increased to 2 tsp per glass. During healing reactions, the
individual’ s need for insulin may temporarily increase. Over time, the
requirement for insulin supplementation is usually completely eliminated intype 2 diabet es. Type 1 patients often continue to need some
supplementation, but other degenerative processes are usually arrested. GENETIC  DISORDERS
Genetic disorders generally do not respond to the Gerson Therapy , but
symptoms of genetic weakness can be improved. One case of cystic fibrosis
showed significant improvement while the patient followed the Gerson
program. Emphysema
Positive responses by emphysema patients have been observed when they
faithfully adhered to the Gerson protocol. Lung capacity can be increased
and related symptoms controlled. Heart Disease and V ascular Disease
High blood pressure responds exceptionally well to the Gerson Therapy . In fact, improvements are so great that the companions accompanying a
heart patient should be screened for antihypertensive effects, since we have
observed hypo tension in both patients and companions following
administration of the Gerson diet alone. Antihypertensive drugs should be
slowly decreased starting the third to fifth day of treatment. Malignant high
blood pressure can take longer to respond to the treatment. Heart disease does respond well to the Gerson program, and here is an
illustration: In October 1990, a man whom we’ll identify as Frank Winslow
checked into the Gerson Therapy hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, with a
multitude of health problems. He was extremely obese, weighing 303
pounds. Now forty-six years of age, Frank had already suffered a massive
heart attack at age thirty-eight, and it had left him not only with heart
damage, but with high blood pressure. Frank Winslow also suffered from gout and was taking standard antigout
medication. If he stopped taking  it for only one day, he would have a severe
gouty attack. He also had intractable diabetes. Even with his takingmedication and insulin, his blood sugar ran between 240 and 400 mg/dL
(where normal is below 120). So Frank was given the Gerson Therapy , modified somewhat because of
his high blood pressure and diabetes. Usually , as you may know by now, the
Gerson juicing program includ es thirteen glasses of fruit and vegetable
juices: one 8-ounce glass (225 grams) of orange juice, about five glasses
containing apples and carrots  in approximately a 35 to 65 percent
proportion, 1/3 apples to 2/3 carrots), three glasses of carrot juice given
with two capsules of liver powd er each, and four glasses of juice made with
various salad greens, also containing one small apple each. In order to
decrease his glucose intake somewhat, he was given not orang e juice but
grapefruit juice. And Frank’ s other juices contained fewer apples. He was
also given more green juices in the place of some of the carrot juice. Making an additional dietary adjustment which is usually done for
diabetics, this patient was not furnished with a fruit plate to eat in his room,
as the other patients ordinarily receive. Instead, Frank was serve d a plate of
raw vegetables: cut-up carrot sticks, green pepper strips, celery sticks, little
cauliflower heads, tomatoes—so that he would have something  to “nibble”
in case he was hungry . Outside of that, he could eat three full Gerson
Therapy meals at regular mealt imes. They included all organic vegetarian
foods, freshly prepared without any salt or fats, no frozen or canned foods,
and very limited herbal spices. Between his three meals and thirteen glasses of juice, plus his raw
vegetable plate daily , Frank was never hungry even for one moment. But he
did get rid of a pound a day for over two and a half months! Of course the
man was also administered the other components of the Gerson Therapy: 2
tsp of potassium compound in each glass of juice, along with a little
thyroid, Lugol’ s solution (iodine), and digestive enzymes. Frank was taken  off his antigou t medication from the first day and never
had another gout attack! He was also receiving the regular coffee enemas of
the Gers on Therapy and an intramuscular injection of 3 cc of crude liver
extract which contained 0.1 cc of vitamin B12 daily . Exceptionally (this next
medication is not given to nondiabetic patients), he also received three
times daily 200 mcg of chromium picolinate, a glucose tolerance factor . Meantime, Frank’ s blood pressure came down (without salt and fat, the
Gerson Therapy  usually produces reduction of blood pressure within a few
days); therefore, his blood pressure medication was lowered.Within five weeks, not only had Frank Winslow lost 35 pounds, but his
blood sugar was a normal 105 (from a high of 240) without his receiving
any medication or insulin. He continued to lose 1 pound a day until he was
a reason ably normal 205 pounds (at a height in his stocking feet of 6 feet 2
inches or 190 cm). All this time, consuming the right foods, the patient was
able to eat according to his appetite’ s needs without being hungry at any
time. One very important aspect of Dr. Max Gerson’ s therapy is the coffee
enema. When a patient of this diabetic type with other comp lications of
illness is losing weight rapidly , he is also metabolizing many of the toxins
that are stored in the fatty tissue . In other words, when the fat dissolves, the
chemicals contained in the fatty tissue go into the general blood circulation
and poison the patient if one does not intensively detoxify . The coffee
enemas help to open the bile ducts in the liver and allow the toxins to be
eliminated throu gh the bowel. (See full details of the Gers on Therapy
procedure in our separate chapt ers about the juices, food preparation, and
coffee enemas.) There are several interesting facts in this case that deserve attention. On
the one hand, it became obvious  to the Tijuana hospital’ s staff of physicians
that Frank was a typical case of low thyroid function, in addition to his
other problems. He was extremely overweight and had already suffered one
severe heart attack plus diabetes, all of which relate to his having a low
thyroid function. Also, both of his sons, aged fourteen and seventeen,
suffered from allergies and asthma, respectively . These are also signs of low
thyroid function (often hereditary) and immune deficiency . The boys had
them too. Still more astonishing in this family situation is the fact that Frank’ s
father , now about seventy-six years old, had been a patient on the Gerson
Therapy some seven years earlier , suffering from advanced pancreatic
cancer . His doctors had given him a “hopeless” prognosis, saying that he
had perhaps three to six months to live. He came to the Gerson Therapy
hospital facility in Tijuana, stayed faithfully on the Gerson Therapy , and
recovered comp letely . It is now over eight years since the senior Mr.
Winslow’ s recovery , and the man remains well today . He too had already
suffered three heart attacks prior to his diagnosis of pancre atic cancer . Today , as well, he remains free of heart disease, is active and enjoying life.There is something to be learned by studying this unique family situation. We see here another member of the Winslow family with low thyroid
function, suffering heart attacks and eventually cancer . Even though the son
watched this dramatic recovery in his father , he allowed himsel f to become
so seriou sly ill that he was close to death before presenting himself for the
treatment which had already saved his father ’s life! An impo rtant factor in the Gerson Therapy for heart disease is the use of
thyroid medication to increase metabolism, burn off fats, and use up
cholesterol. Obviously , thyroid hormone must be started at a low level in
order not to overtax the damage d heart. Second, food supplementation with
flaxseed oil helps to dissolve fat and cholesterol deposits in the arter-ics and
increase the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Also of great importance
is the use of potassium, which helps in enzyme function (also to dissolve
plaque) and keeps the blood from coagulating excessively; thus, potassium
reduces the danger of clots forming and causing heart attacks and/or
strokes. Dr. Gers on was aware early in the development of his therap y of the
extreme importa nce of potassium in treating all chronic disease. He stated
that, in his opinion, the beginning of all chronic degenerative disease is the
loss of potassium from the cell and the invasion of sodium (which we have
referred to as tissue damage syndr ome). In the area of heart disease, this
opinion about tissue damage syndrome was later stated by Professor
Demetrio Sodi-Pallares of the Mexico City University Medical School. He
wrote more than twelve books and over 300 articles on his treatment of
heart disease. Dr. Sodi-Pallares also states that, in his opinion, heart disease is not a
disorder of the heart but a disease of the body—particularly the loss of
potassium and excess sodium. He too, in his treatment of heart disease
patients, gives only a low-sodi um and high-potassium diet. It was much
after his original work with heart disease and many publications that he
became aware of Dr. Gerson’ s work and similar philosophy . Only Dr.
Gerson applied his low-sodium,  high-potassium diet to all chronic diseases,
with the same excellent results. Low sodium and high potassium  work well
in combination against all kinds of illnesses. Of course, the Gerson Therap y also includes many other items and
procedures, such as intensive nutritional therapy with many freshly
prepared juices, digestive enzymes, flax oil, and the detoxifying coffeeenemas. In arteriosclerosis and heart disease, Dr. Gerson achieved not only
improvement but long-term survival. Contrary to the belief and teaching of
orthodox medicine, in the Gerson patient arterial plaque and invasion is
reversible so that the artery walls become clear of plaque again. One other patient is Dr. Gers on’s longtime friend, Professor Henry
Schaefer -Simmern of New York City. This patient, in his mid-forties, a
heavy smoker, had suffered several heart attacks within a few days of each
other . He was barely alive with little blood circulation, as evidenced by his
blue lips. Professor Schaefer -Simmern was put on the Gerson  Therapy in
the late 1940s and remained alive and active into his middle eighties. Nearly all additional acute or chronic degenerative diseases may find
permanent corre ction by the patient’ s application of a modified Gerson
Therapy . HEPATITIS  A, B, AND C
We have observed apparent full remission and restoration of liver
function using the Gerson protocol. Treatment is identical to that of almost
any cancer chemotherapy patient. Liver enzymes should be carefully
watched. KIDNEY  DISEASE
Owing to the low-protein diet offered in the Gerson protocol, kidney
disease can be controlled and any remaining kidney function of not less
than 15 percent  can be maxim ized. Once patients have been started on
dialysis, they cannot be accept ed for treatment with the Gers on Therapy . Since kidneys won’ t be fully restored in most cases, kidney patients must
remain for the rest of their lives on the Gerson Therapy . METALLIC  TOXICITY
Lugol’ s solution should be reduced to one or two drops per day when
metallic toxicity is being conquered. The detoxification proces s should be
allowed to occur slowly . The modified Gerson regimen for chemotherapypatients in fair physical conditi on is normally used to overco me metallic
toxicity . MULTIPLE  SCLEROSIS
The Gerson Therapy has obtained excellent results in cases of MS. With
the proper nutrition and detoxification, the body is able to clear the
damaged myelin  sheaths, which insulate the nerves so that they can carry
electrical messages to the brain and back. Clearing the damaged
“insulation” may cause a temporary worsening of the symptoms,
frightening the Gerson patient. However , if one persists and stays with the
treatment, the body will restore and heal these sheaths, resulting  in ultimate
full recovery . Warning: MS is “assumed” to be an “auto-immune” disease. Namely , it is
felt that the body’s own immune system is destroying the myelin sheaths. With that assumption and with no other treatment choice, orthodox
medicine often treats victims of MS with immune-suppressants, such as
cancer chemotherapy . After such treatments, the Gerson Therapy is not
easily effective. Also, such patients are often treated for long periods of
time with prednisone. This, too, holds back recovery by the Gerson
Therapy . OSTEOAR THRITIS
More commonly occurring and less quickly debilitating than rheumatoid
arthritis, osteoar thritis is usually found in older people. It’s due to a slowly
deteriorating process in the joints, and it arises from the same underlying
damage caused by excess proteins which the body is unable to assimilate
and the kidneys cannot excrete. However , osteoarthritis is not accompanied
by the inflammatory process, so it’s slow to cause joint damage and
destruction. The disease is fairly  common to observe as hard, bony lumps in
the index finger , the little finger , or in almost any of the joints in the hands
and toes. Osteoarthritis eventually lodges in the lar ger joints as well. Both types of arthritis—osteo- and rheumatoid—are theorized to be
genetically related. There is good reason to support this theory , since in
either case we have to remem ber that the body is unable to handle theoverload of animal proteins. This would presume a weakened pancreas,
unable to generate the necessary proteolytic enzymes. The tendency to a
weak pancreas could well be inherited. But there is another point to consider . When a disease runs in the family ,
we have to remember that the family members are likely to eat the same
foods. Not only that, but the daughters will again eat the foods they have
learned to prepare from their mothers. In this way, the same type of diet will
be carried on through the family and into the next generation. At the Gerson Institute, we had an interesting illustration of this situation. A vivacious woman named Lillian Stomatis, aged about fifty-five, arrived
at the Gerson Therapy hospital to find relief for her rheumatoid arthritis. Her right knee was very swollen and so painful that she was unable to help
herself. In order to manage at the hospital, she brought her daughter Rosalie
along to help her walk to the bathroom, dress, and perform other personal
tasks. The daughter , an attractive young woman, was twenty-eight years old
and already clearly showed the beginning symptoms of arthritis. Still more
unfortunate, Rosalie had brought along her own daughter , a pretty little girl
in pigtai ls, aged five, who alread y had the first symptoms of arthritis! So we
see that the degenerative chang es of arthritis set in earlier and earlier in
each generation. The older people still have somewhat better reserves and are less
damaged by the toxins in the air, water , soil, and daily food and newer
drugs. The youn ger people are getting more and more used to taking drugs
for pain, discomfort, sleeplessne ss, low energy, and worse. This drug taking
causes more rapid deterioration. Moreover , in very young child ren, there is
always the additional problem of vaccination. There has been a great deal of evidence, as described by Robert A.
Mendelsohn, M.D., former head of the American Pediatric Society and
chief of a large pediatric hospital in Chicago before his death, that damage
to young  children has been caused by vaccination. In many children, the
introduction of attenuated germ s or viruses is sufficient to cause severe
damage, brain dysfunction, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr.
Mendelsohn’ s warnings and writings were violently disputed by orthodox
medicine, but the fact remains that a large number of children became
brain-damaged owing to vaccinations. The other disease effects were more
difficult to prove. But we have to ask again about the underlying problem ofvaccinating against disease: What does vaccination do to cause disease
rather than prevent it? Toxins introduced into the body and not completely
excreted can cause enzyme inhibition. When particular enzymes are
blocked or inhibited, certain nutrients are improperly digested and excreted. And that is where disease begins. An eighty-two-year -old physician, H. R. Feinstein, M.D., of Los
Angeles, was seen at the Gerson Therapy hospital mainly because he
suffered from rather severe osteoarthritis pain in his hip and other doctors
had urged him to submit to a hip replacement operation. He refused and
came into the Gerson program instead. However , he had other problems. This physician maintained himself on medication for high blood pressure,
had a blood cholesterol count of over 300 (up to 200 is normal), and
suffered from a severe loss of hearing. Dr. Feinstein brought his wife along,
who also suffered from arthriti s, but her problem was rheum atoid rather
than osteoarthritis. She too was victimized by a high cholesterol count. The doctor was amazed that his cholesterol count came down by over
100 points in one week. Then he was able to reduce his high blood pressure
medication. Toward the end of their second week at the hospital, the
Feinstein’ s son was in a serious auto accident, and the father was,
understandably , very anxious and nervous. Just to be sure, he took an extra
dose of blood pressure medication and promptly had a fainting episode. The
Gerson physicians at the hospital were worried since this man, after all, was
eighty-two years old. So the physicians took emer gency measures. But they
found that Dr. Feinstein’ s blood pressure was simply too low from his
having popped down the medication. As time passed and the hyperten sion medication left his bloodstream, he
became normal again and was perfectly fine. By the end of the third week at
the hospital, the patient’ s hearing had vastly improved, and his blood
pressure remained normal without medication. The pain in Dr. Feinstein’ s hip disappeared, and his osteoarthriti s stopped
bothering him. Of course, his hip did not heal completely , but from an X-
ray exam ination he could see that the healing process had started and the
friction was down, eliminating the pain. In his wife’ s case, her swollen
finger , too, was improved, but due to her rushing off to her son’s side, Mrs.
Feinstein’ s treatment was interrupted and her results were not as dramatic. Another patient with osteoarthritis, Mrs. Marion Sands, a librarian aged
sixty-one, arrived at the Gerson Tijuana hospital with extremely deformedknuckles and fingers. She wore  a leather shaping form to hold her fingers
aligned in a normal position. She went through a three-week program and
went home with knowledge to help herself. After some two years on the
Gerson Therapy , at home, her hands became almost normal. The fingers
were straight and her muscles were restored so that she was able to use her
hands fairly well thereafter , never again needing any kind of leather brace. As mentioned before, patients suffering from osteoarthritis have long-
term, deep damage, and it takes a good deal of time and ongoing adherence
to the Gerson Therapy to slowly restore the bones and muscles. But the
important thing  is that it can be done if the patient has enough
determination and will stay long enough with this demanding and rather
restrictive nutritional therapy . OSTEOPOROSIS
In osteo porosis, patients suffer from decalcification of the bones. The
presence of that problem tends to produce a reaction from the average
allopathic physic ian. More often than not, he or she tells the patient to drink
plenty of milk (for calcium). Unfortunately , this is a simplistic and incorrect
approach to the problem. First of all, we must remember that excess protein as in milk causes the
disease in the first place. Second, we have seen in Pottenger ’s classic book
Cats, a Study in Nutri tion,8 that heat-damaged, pasteurized milk or cooked
milk products are not absorbed without the live enzymes and do no good at
all, only harm. Using calcium supplementation doesn’ t work, either . Calcium tablets are not well assimilated. Calcium has to enter the body in
the proper combination, together with active, live enzymes that we find in
carrot juice, juice from green salad leaves, and a great deal of fresh lettuce. In those fresh organically grown foods, the body receives not
pharmaceutical calcium but the complete mineral nutrients aside from
calcium: magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper , potassium, iodine, and
many more together with the active enzymes to allow the body to assimilate
these minerals and lodge them in the bones. In this manner , the Gerson
Therapy not only alleviates calcium deficiency but allows one’s body to
actually rebuild bone.The Gerson Therapy has been observed to be effective in improving
calcification of bone for osteoporosis. STEROID  TREA TMENT
When conventionally administered allopathic steroid treatment is
received by patients such as those with systemic lupus erythematosus,
rheumatoid arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, brain tumors, and other
conditions, such cortisone medication must not be discontinued suddenly
and the Gerson Therapy substituted in its place. Using appropriate
monitoring, the proper procedu re is to slowly wean the patient off steroid
medications as appropriately as possible. These sick people on steroids,
which have terrible side effects, are more likely to experien ce stomach
irritation. Acidol and niacin should be eliminated until five days after
steroids have been deleted from the bloodstream, and potassium should be
reduced to 10 or 20 tsp per day . SYSTEMIC  LUPUS  EPYTHEMA TOSUS , RHEUMA TOID ARTHRITIS, AND
SCLERODERMA
Upon elimination of steroids,  systemic lupus erythematosu s (SLE),
rheumatoid arthritis (RA), scleroderma (all collagen diseases) respond
exceptionally well to the Gerson Therapy . However , there will be poor
healing even with the Gerson Therapy in those situations where steroids
have been taken bv the patient  for periods over two years, or when the
patient has been pretreated with chemotherapy . For SLE and RA, enemas
should be limited to two to three per day. Reactions can be severe, and
patients must be monitored carefully during the reaction period. ULCERA TIVE COLITIS
People who are the victims of ulcerative colitis, even when bleeding, may
respond surprisi ngly well to the Gerson Therapy . We have observed several
people who have gone into full, long-term remissions. Chamomile replaces
coffee in enemas at the outset of treatment, and certain raw foods areavoided for a short period. Ulcerative colitis, Crohn’ s disea se, irritable
bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, and other intestinal difficulties do
show positive reactions when the Gerson Therapy is made the patient’ s
treatment plan. Refer ences for Chapter Seventeen
1
McPhee, S.J. ; Schroeder , S.A. “General approach to the patie nt; health
maintenance & disease prevention; & common symptoms.” In Curr ent
Medical Diagno sis and Treatment),  36th ed., ed. by L.M. Tierney , S.J. McPhee, and M.A. Papadakis. Stamford, Conn.: Appleton & Lange,
1997, p. 14. 2
Bishop, B. A Time to Heal: Triumph over Cancer: The Therapy of the
Futur e. New Y ork: Penguin Putnam, 1985. 3
Schauss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency . Seattle, Wash.: Life Sciences
Press, 1988. 4
Karam, J.H. “Diabetes mellitus  & hypoglycemia.” In Curr ent Medical
Diagnosis and Treatment),  36th ed, ed. by L.M. Tierney , S.J. McPhee,
M.A. Papadakis. Stamford, Conn.: Appleton & Lange, 1997, pp. 1069-
1109. 5
Kumar , P; Clark, M. Clinical Medicine. London: Balliere Tindall
Publishing, 1994, pp. 830-831. 6
Op. cit.,  Karam, J.H., p. 1090. 7
Ibid.,  Karam, J.H., p. 1096. 8
Pottenger , F Cats, a Study in Nutrition. San Diego, Calif.: Price Pottenger
Nutrition Foundation, 1983. OceanofPDF .comPart Four
USING THE GERSON APPROACH
OceanofPDF .comChapter Eighteen
PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACHES OF THE GERSON THERAPY
Gerson patients bear an extra heavy psychological burden. Often, they
come to the Gerson Therapy after having run the gauntlet of some difficult-
to-accept orthodox treatments. These establishment-type therapies offered
in North America are frequently adversely extensive, somewhat unpleasant,
uncomfortable, and sometimes life-threatening. The patient usually will
have already drained his financial resources, squandered his immunity , and
made heavy demands on his emotions. Such a situation happens  because of
a patient’ s need to go through frequent diagnostic laboratory procedures,
frightening clinical examinations, anxiety-driven biopsies, and numbers of
other upsetting medical or psychological experiences. The cancer patient especially is often traumatized by a widespread belief
that nothing much can be done to conquer cancer . And that view may be
true in many cases, judging from the high mortality rates accompanying
most forms of allopathic chemotherapy and radiation therapy . Even the newly accepted immunotherapy has its unwelcome pitfalls. From the conventional viewpoint, a patient may be led to believe that in the
end, cancer is unbeatable. The cancer patient and his or her family may arrive at the Gerson
treatment facilit y depressed and, in many instances, taken over by a range
of negat ive feelings, including worry , grief, fear, sadness, anger , irritability ,
and self-centeredness. Even for these depressed, anxious, and generally
unfortunate people, the Gerson Therapy of fers healing and hope. We have  observed that other patients who strive to employ the Gerson
procedures at an earlier , less-damaged stage often have fewer difficulties
overcoming their lack of wellness. Receiving Gerson Therapy sooner rather
than later is better for achieving healing and health maintenance. Either way, the two types of unhappy patients, early attendees and later
arrivals, embark on the unfamiliar Gerson treatment outside the bounds oforthodox medicine. Consequently , they do face a long, demanding,
monotonous, and lonely labor , with strong hope and determination, but with
no guarantee of success at the end. Psychological aspects do play a role in
the healing process, and either the standard or the modified Gerson protocol
will provide some procedural guidelines. PSYCHOLOGICAL  ASPECTS OF THE  GERSON  THERAPY
Because of cancer ’s life-threatening nature, patients beset by malignant
neoplasms in particular and those who suffer from other chronic diseases
progress faster and more comp etently toward healing when they receive
psychological support. An important factor of the Gerson Thera py is that its
several detoxification aspects have excellent effects on the patient’ s
outlook. The inherent toxicity of the standard American diet (SAD) and
lifestyle tends to bring toxins into the blood and general systemic
circulation. These poisons also reach the brain and tend to affect the mind
by increasing anxiety , depression, fear , panic, and more. Just starting with the detoxification of the Gerson Therapy , in a few days
the patients improve considerab ly, feel more confident, and exhibit greater
emotional stability. Nevertheless, we are advocates of additional
psychotherapeutic help whenever available. Dr. Gers on once  stated that more human beings die of panic than from
cancer . The body involves but one part of the illness. When the sickness also
produces fear, the combination causes a systemic accumulation of more and
more toxins in the body and a quickening of physiological deterioration. A
better understanding of fear and the other negative emotions and what they
do to someone on the mend is essential. Inasmuch as our every human thought and emotion equals a biochemical
act, the science of psychoneuro immunology tells us that feelings, moods,
and gene ral outlook affect each person’ s immune system. It is boosted by a
hopeful, determined outlook and undermined by a despairing, helpless
attitude. If the truth be known, any cancer diagnosis equals mental and
emotional trauma with reactions  ranging from despair and panic to apathy
or rage, all of them powerful negative perturbations of the conscious mind. These emotions hamper the affected individual’ s immunity to a
malignancy’ s deadly attack.Since the aim of Gerson perso nnel is to rebuild the diseased  patient’ s
damaged immu ne system, psychological factors must not be allowed to
sabotage physical healing. A holistically oriented therapist dispels mental
and emotional (psychic) nega tivity in order to reinforce the physical
(somatic) immunity . If you are working on your own as the patient or as a
caregiver for such a patient without the support of a Gerson hosp ital setting,
our advice is to focus your healing procedures on handlin g negative
emotions. They are destructiv e and must be eliminated. The patient’ s
traumatized negative inner state must be reprogrammed and turned positive. “No attempt should be made to cure the body without [curing] the soul,”
wrote Plato nearly 2,400 years ago. Body and mind are inseparable; they
sicken together and must be healed together . Otherwise, chances for success
in regaining health will be greatly lessened. Neither the Gerson program nor
any other therapeutic method will work effectively if somet hing in the
patient’ s consciousness keeps saying no to life. Indeed, negative  emotions have a devastating effect upon the function of
the body , and especially the nervous system. The stressful experiences
arising from negative emotions cause unhealthy stimulation of the
autonomic or involuntary division of the nerves, including both the
sympathetic and parasympathe tic branches. Blood pressure, heart rate,
respiration rate, and oxygen consumption are increased. Glucose is
needlessly used up. Kidney filtration, gastrointestinal secretions, and
activity are decreased, affecting  digestion and the release of body wastes
and toxins. Insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite, listlessness, avoidance, and
boredom are observed in the patient. All of these physical faults manifesting themselves in the autonomic
nervous system must be diluted and countered to the point of eliminating
them. How may somebody do that for himself or herself? How might a
therapist help the patient to neutralize such negative physiological
responses? The renowned author Norman Cousins, Ph.D., furnished his
readers with substantial healing  tools when, in his best-selling Anatomy of
an Illness,  he described how positive emotions are powerful mobilizers for
the patient’ s natural healing resources. EMPHASIS  ON POSITIVE  EMOTIONS AS  POWERFUL  HEALING  TOOLSPositive emotions are powerful  weapons in the unwell individual’ s war
against disease. Laughter , courage, tenacity , love and consideration for
others, and a connection to the patient’ s own understanding of spirituality
are all positive passions or sentiments. Dr . Cousins wrote:
 
Increasingly , in the medical press, articles are being
published about the high cost of the negative emotions. Cancer , in particular , has been connected to intensive states
of grief or anger  or fear. It makes little sense to suppose that
emotions exact only penalties and confer no benefits. At any
rate, long before my own serious illness, I became convinced
that creativity , the will to live, hope, faith, and love had
biochemical significance and contribute strongly to healing
and to well-being. The positiv e emotions are life-giving
experiences.1
 
The French physicist and Nobel laureate Marie Curie, Ph.D., stated,
“Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time
to understand more, so that we may fear less.” The understanding of a
disease process and its cause should be the first step in conquering any
sickness. Identifying the underly ing reason that an illness exists will enable
a distressed patient to comprehe nd the workings and purpose of the Gerson
program and why it’ s bound to be ef fective. Someone critica lly ill will likely find it difficult to conce ntrate on
thoroughly learning Dr. Gerson’ s concepts; consequently , the family or
accompanying caregiver must assist with this function. Understanding and
accepting the Gerson approach to achieving wellness takes away some of
the fear by showing that there is hope of reversing the disease process. Words alone will not obliterate all of the fear, and we acknowled ge that a
favorable result is really what counts. Early improvement in the diseased
state will do more than anything else to resurrect hope. Many patients
newly arriving at a Gerson health facility have lost the will to eat and drink. But that situation soon changes for the better . The Gerson progr am helps
such a person over this difficult  period, giving the individual simple foodsand juices which the body is able to easily digest. Such an easing of the
metabolism is vital, for then we will see a restoration of blood flow, an
improvement in the nervous system, and an overall pickup of bodily
functions. The patient begins to eat, drink, and sleep much better , and
almost immediately he or she starts to feel strengthened. An interest in life
is stimulated. Probably for the first time since the patient heard his or her
diagnosis and prognosis, there is a prospect of living a long life. There can
be a future. SOME FUNCTIONS OF A  CAREGIVER  (FAMIL Y MEMBER OR  FRIEND )
Still, a drastic change of lifestyle is required by the Gerson Therapy . For
the patie nt, living each day inevitably has its ups and downs with healing
crises occurring all too frequently . The healing process offers a severe test
for even the most committed patient. It becomes the job of any caregiver to
lighten that patient’ s burden with steady support, empathy , and well-focused
counseling. How are these caregiving functions carried out? By the
caregiver ’s achieving full completion of specific beneficial tasks. They
include:
• Creating a safe space for the patient to occupy through total listening
and of fering nonjudgmental attention. • Building a healing partnership  with the patient, turning him or her into
an active ally able to share responsibility for the therapeutic process. • Dispelling the superstitious fear attached to cancer . This is done by
reprogramming the patient’ s consciousness, helping to reframe harmful
concepts; and by identifying self-defeating patterns and eliminating them. • Exploring the patient’ s belief system and the family dynamics  in which
he or she is embroiled. If the family dynamics are negative or hostile to
the therapy , an attempt must be made to reverse such dynamics. Or, get
the patient out of the disruptive environment. Or, take the source of
disruption away from the patient’ s environment. • Dealing with resentment and unfinished business facing the patient. • Coping with the drastic mood swings and sometimes antisocial
behavior that can accompany the detoxification process. A caregiver is very necessary to prevent the patient from deciding that
the Gerson treatment program is impossible to face at home on one’s own.The caregiver assists a patient in almost all aspects of accom plishing the
Gerson Therapy . It starts out with shopping for food and moves on to
securing deliveries, cooking the foods, checking on helpers, preparing
juices, allotting juice portions, establishing the daily routine, keeping on top
of the program routine, washin g up endlessly , making the enema coffee,
offering aid if an enema goes askew , coping with healing reactions and
other forms of flare-up, relievi ng boredom, injecting enthusia sm into the
treatment, and above all, causing sanity to prevail for both patient and
caregiver . The caregiver needs to be prepa red for alterations in emotions that arise
as the patient’ s body is freed of its residual poisons. Journalist and
psychotherapist Beata Bishop of London, England, tells us, “Physical
detoxification inevitably brings  about psychological detoxifi cation, too. Toxins passing through the central nervous system evoke strange reactions
and out-of-char acter behavior: violent mood swings, snappin ess, anger ,
instability , unfair accusations, and aggression. The patient’ s normally
civilized behavi or gives way to drives and emotions that have been denied
and repressed for a long time, perhaps since childhood.... It is part of the
process. In whatever capacity we work with the patient, we remain calm,
caring, unchanged, waiting for the inner upheaval to pass.”2
TOOLS AND  METHODS FOR  PSYCHOLOGICAL  IMPROVEMENT
To offset the negative psychological aspects of serious illness—whether
cancer , heart disease, diabetes,  arthritis, serious infections, or any other
form of degenerating pathology—practitioners of the Gerson Therapy are
taught to incorporate certain considerations into their treatment programs. The extracurricular considerations include a number of psychology tools
and methods for patient application:
1. Employing relaxation techniques,
2. Creating visualizations linked to self-healing,
3. Engaging in simple meditations,
4. Repeatedly using af firmations,
5. Educating and developing the imaginative power of the right brain that
is creative, artistic, and idealistic,
6. Reversing negative family dynamics,7. Emphasizing positive actions in all situations or relationships,
8. Fully understanding the Gerson  program to bring about confide nce and
a willingness to become involved in such a demanding, rigid, and
comprehensive treatment which asks for so much self-discipline,
9. Removing internal physical pain relatively quickly by use of coffee
enemas and other sources of detoxification, and
10. Steadily exhibiting symptomatic results the patient sees and feels. Below , we briefly discuss the first five methods and tools. These five
afford a psychological uplift for the person who is ill with cancer or another
life-threatening disorder . Use a Relaxation T echnique
For fifteen minutes, three times a day—upon arising, after lunch, and
before retiring—relax deeply by use of a progressive relaxation  technique. First relax the head, next the neck, then the shoulders, and in progression all
of the rest of the body from top to bottom completely down to the toes. This relaxation is achieved by proceeding with the technique taught by
Jose Silva of Silva Mind Control fame. Here is how to proceed:
1. Sit comfortably in a chair or lie on the floor . 2. Close the eyes and relax. 3. Take a deep lung-filling inhalation. 4. During exhalation, relax the body even more. 5. Count slowly backward from 100 to 1. 6. Daydream about some peaceful place you know . 7. Mentall y verbalize a strong affirmation such as “I will always maintain
a perfectly healthy body and mind.”
8. Go into the well-practiced creative visualizations you’ve develo ped for
yourself which provide the greatest comfort.3
Create V isualizations
There is a basic technique of creative visualization which Shakti  Gawain,
renowned pione er and teacher of the consciousness movement, offers to her
students. It involves the following step-by-step procedure:1. Apply your personal method of relaxation, perhaps the same technique
suggested by Jose Silva;
2. Imagine a healthy state of the body that you want very much to
possess;
3. Imagine this healthy body state in your possession, admire it, enjoy it,
show it to loved ones and friends;
4. Make some positive statements  (affirmations) about this healthy body
state;
5. End the visualiz ation with firm avowals that you will have this healthy
body state permanently .4
Once relaxed and able to visualize readily , start the healing process in
earnest. Picture the body with its growing tumor , and imagine that tumor
stopping its growth. Then see it getting smaller . During each of these
relaxation sessio ns, visualize the tumor shrinking a tiny bit more than the
last time. Also imagine the very active immune system, however you may
picture it, with that protective system’ s all-encompassing white blood cells
(leukocytes), which consist of the lymphocytes, the phagocytes, the
monocytes, and much more. Engage in Simple Meditations
Meditation, a state of conscious ness in which one stops awareness of the
surroundings so the mind can focus on a single precept, leads to rest and
relief from stress. It takes patience and persistence to develop the power of
concentration required in meditation. The mind will naturally  wander to
other things and images. One’ s attention must be returned to the subject
over and over again. It may be frustrating to discover just how easily the
attention wanders. Consider that the subject of a meditation is similar to that
of a tar get; stray thoughts will often prevent hitting the bull’ s-eye.5
A wide variety of meditation techniques are used to clear the mind of
stressful outside disturbances. The method that follows below , as taught by
Dr. Lawrence LeShan, is just one of many meditation procedures that we
could describe. Meditation is a purposefully directed and harmonious application of the
mind. And the Indian Yogi Maharishi’ s teachings ask: “What is the mind? Itis only a bundle of thoughts. Stop thinking and show me then, where is the
mind?”
Psychotherapist Lawrence LeShan, Ph.D., another pioneer who explores
therapeutic and ethical implications of meditation and visualizations, offers
us a means of reaching into the mind by counting breaths. It is a technique
used in Zen training, and the object is to be doing just one thing as
completely and fully as possible. The single thing, in this case, is counting
one’s exhalations. “Strive to be aware of just counting breaths and be as fully aware of it as
possible,” Dr. LeShan advises. “All your attention is gently and firmly and
repeatedly broug ht to bear on this activity . The goal is to have your whole
being involved in the counting.. .. In this exercise one is paying as full and
complete attention as possible to the counting itself. Thoughts, feelings,
impressions, sensory perceptions, to the degree that they are conscious, are
a wandering away from the instructions.”
We suggest that you draw in your senses by counting the breaths up to
four counts. Then begin the coun t again. To fill up the time elaps ed between
counts, add the word “and” after each of the exhalation counts. Thus you
would count “one”—“and”—“two”—“and”—“three”—“and”—“four .”
Then repeat the count. This is a very fine technique for bringing you into a
meditative state.6
Repeatedly Use Affirmations
Among the most important elements of creative visualization are
affirmations, strong and positive statements declaring that something exists
or is already so.7 When an individual states, “I am getting better and better ,”
the mind tells the body . Be assured: The body believes everything that it
hears the mind say . The stream of thoughts that runs through one’s mind are
vital to the body’ s health, for if the ideas and words we use are
unknowingly negative, a small amount of this negation attaches itself to
one’s physical self. Those words get stuck in the mind and seep out to the
rest of oneself. And, if the nega tive notions are knowingly painful to others, those ideas
are disaffirmations that come back to destroy you. Remember that oldcliché which has proven itself all too true: “What goes around comes
around.”
The practice of silently verbalizing affirmations (or speaking them aloud)
allows the verbalizer to replace negative, stale, worn-out programming from
the past with positive or constructive concepts and themes to transform
attitudes and expectations abou t life and health. You can write down the
affirmations too or chant them as rhymes or sing them as songs. Repeatedly
using af firmations is vital for bringing about healing. Exponents of the Gerson Therapy encourage the application of tangible
health-producing affirmations having to do with acute or chronic illnesses
and infectious or degenerative diseases that are causing difficulty . Here we
offer just a few samples of affirmations you might create and use for
yourself:
• Every day in every way I am getting better , better , and better . • I am vibrantly healthy and radiantly beautiful! • I am healthy and whole and complete in myself. • I give thanks now for my life of perfect health and happiness. • I am happy to be alive and well, anticipating what the future brings. • I now recognize and accept the excellence of my healing path. • I love and appreciate myself just as I am. • I am conquering illness because the treatment is working. At this point we have some suggestions about how to use affirmations to
create health and happiness:
1. Always phrase affirmations in the present tense, as if what you aim for
already exists. See your goal as being reality now and as something to
come. That’ s because everythin g is created first in the mind before it
becomes manifest in the physical. 2. Phrase affirmations in the most constructive manner possible by
stating what is definitely wanted, rather than what is not wanted. Avoid
disaf firmations except when eliminating emotional blocks or bad habits. If it is necessary  to say somethi ng negative, follow up immediately with
another thing that’ s positive. 3. Use shorter affirmations instea d of longer ones so that they remain
clear and convey strong feelings. 4. Hold on to the affirmative statement only if it fits you well and feels
right for your body and mind.5. Have the affirmation produce a feeling of belief within you by
suspending doubts or hesitations about its practicality . 6. Use affirmations repeatedly whether alone or in combination with
creative visualizations. (Affirmations accompany visualizati ons very
well.) Develop the Imaginative Power of the Right Brain
It’s only in the last century and a half that real progress has been made in
understanding the mind’ s work ings, and even that progress has shown us
how much is yet to be learned. Just when scientists think they have located
areas where activities such as thinking, remembering, and speaking are
based, a new situation appears which proves that the answer is by no means
certain. Yet we are gathering knowledge about the imaginative power of the
right brain—at least we know that the mind is infinitely more subtle than
was previously thought. Everyo ne who possesses what has been called a
“normal” mind actually owns a much larger ability and potent ial than had
been determined a mere fifty years ago.8
The brain of each human being has two sides, the left hemisphere and the
right hemisphere. Each side of the brain has different mental functions
which scientists refer to as lateralization,  meaning that various mental
abilities are parceled out laterally (to the left or right side). The left hemisp here functions most effectively for purposes of reading,
writing, arithmetic and number skills, calculation, spoken language and
language skills , scientific skills, reasoning, linear processing, logical
procedures, and right-hand control. The right hemisphere best controls
music awareness, spatial construction and artisitic intelligence, holistic
thinking, imagi nation, insight,  intuition, three-dimensional and pattern
perception, and left-hand control. Added to these, the right brain deals with
relaxation, imagination, creativity , visualization, medit ation. and
affirmations.9
As an interesting aside, women have more-developed left hemispheres
and thus outperf orm men on tests of verbal fluency . And wom en do better
on remembering  details. In navigating through the world, however , men
possess more of a sense of a spatial map in their mind, while women payattention to and use local landmarks as guides. The mental differences
between the sexes may be partly due to hormones.10,11,12
Inasmuch as the right hemisphere provides more efficacy with the
psychology of surviving cancer , we highly recommend that the person with
a degenerative disease develop the imaginative power of the right side of
the brain using the methods we have described. References for Chapter Eighteen
1
Cousins, N. Anatomy of an Illness. New Y ork: W .W. Norton & Co., 1979,
p. 86. 2
Bishop, B. “Psychological considerations for the Gerson patient.” In
Gerson Therapy Physician’ s Training Manual. Bonita, Calif.: The Gerson
Insititute, 1996, p. 62. 3
Silva, J.; Stone, R.B. You the Healer . Tiburon, Calif.: H.J. Kramer , 1989,
p. 18. 4
Gawain, S. Creative Visualization. Novato, Calif.: Nataraj Publishing,
1995, pp. 27-28. 5
Ozaniec, N. Meditation for Beginners. London: Hodder & Stoughton
Educational, 1995, p. 2. 6
LeShan, L. How to Meditate. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1974, pp. 58-
59. 7
Gawain, S. Creative Visualization. New  York: Bantam Books, 1982, pp. 21-26. 8
Buzan, T. Use Both Sides of Your Brain. New  York: E.P Dutton, 1974, p.
13. 9Leviton, R. Brain Builders! (West Nyack, N.Y: Parker Publishing Co.,
1995, pp. 330-331. 10
Herlitz, A.; Nilsson, L.G. ; Back man, L. “Gender Differences in Episodic
Memory .” Memory and Cognition  25(6):801–81 1, 1997. 11
Sherwin, B.B. “Estrogen and cognitive functioning in women.”
Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
217(1): 17-22, 1998. 12
Fink, G.; Sumner , B.E. ; Rosie, R.; Grace, O.; Quinn, J.P “Estrogen
control of central neurotransmi ssion: effect on mood, mental state, and
memory .” Cellular and Molecular Neur obiology  16(3):325-344, 1996. OceanofPDF .comChapter Nineteen
HOW T O FOLLOW THE GERSON THERAPY ON YOUR OWN
What are the characteristics of a person who survives cancer or another
“incurable” disease? We, whose work entails furnishing information for
coping with incurables, have observed the traits shown by those  who thrive,
even against life-threatening odds. T o open this chapter , we are sharing such
information. Every day, the incurable disease survivor embarks on a healing journey
and:
• asks lots of questions and makes multiple new health discoveries;
• seeks out others knowledgeable about health care;
• questions the practices of conventional oncological medicine (COM);
• examines of ferings in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM);
• uncove rs and then puts aside the abundant myths perpetuated  by both
medical disciplines (COM and CAM);
• associates closely with a higher spiritual power;
• keeps faith in, acquires hope for, and expects healing from that higher
power;
• abandons self-pity and accepts personal responsibility for homeostatic
bodily functions;
• avoids stressors and masters stress; and
• prepares a set of principles for living well and abides by them. In the October 1999 issue of the Townsend Letter  for Doctors & Patients,
Al Schaefer of Seattle, Washington, discusses the successful cancer
survivor . Mr. Schaefer writes: “The survivor questions him/her self and
wonders what steps to take for correction—how to recover [and remain in a
state of wellness]. He/she asks [informed persons], ‘If you were in my
shoes, what would you do?’ ”
The cancer survivor discovers that there is a definite belief system about
malignancy programmed into allopathic doctors that trickles down tomedical consumers through the journalistic media, which invariably take
their material from organized medicine’ s propaganda mechanisms. This
programming states: “Cancer is death; it is tumor; tumor is autonomous;
under no circumstances can it be conquered!” If accepted by a cancer
patient, these erroneous beliefs severely hinder recovery and are likely to
come true. Alternately , when they are not believed their falsity becomes
apparent, and the person with cancer survives splendidly .1
A second set of falsehoods leveled at the public by a brainwashed North
American medical orthodoxy is that (1) surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy
is the only effective cancer treatment, and all other therapies  should be
considered quac kery; (2) biopsy , excision of the lump accompanied by a
pathology examination, CAT scans, mammograms, X-ray films, and other
forms of high technology are the most reliable diagnostic methods; (3) food
quality and good nutrition have no effect upon cancer ’s progre ss; (4) early
detection and treatment increas e the odds of survival; and (5) if someone
with cancer lives five years, such an interval counts as a cure of the disease. The above five propaganda pronouncements are unmitigated myths
perpetrated by the cancer industry , usually for financial gain. The knowing
cancer survivor recognizes statements such as these as coming from
allopathic sourc es. He/she knows that they are sheer fantasies, and
subsequently , develops more accurate personal beliefs based on observation
and education. “Identifying these fabrications as altogether wrong and harmful to the ill
individual, I know there must be a more effective way to gain healing and
health maintena nce,” says the “incurable disease” survivor who puts the lie
to such an inaccurate label. This positive-minded patient seeks out and finds
the better way. In doing so, he or she becomes totally confide nt and self-
reliant. Some survivors  discover their inspiration through the actions of an
empathetic health professional who has become disenchanted with the
various conventional myths of medicine. This doctor radiat es love for
patients who eventually do push him or her into some form of alternative
method of healing—a rare physician who deserves to be cherished. Other
patients become  inspired by the testimonies of survivors who are proof that
cancer or another illness is reversible. Tumor , for instance, turns out to
merely be a symptom of some  pathology that’s treatable, but to which
treatment had not yet been applied.The “incurable disease” survivor becomes anchored in reality . He/she
wastes no time searching for “silver bullets” or some anticance r vaccine or
another form of “miracle” cure repeatedly being promised but never
delivered by the cancer establ ishment. It’s realized by the sophisticated
individual that our cancer industry reaps vast profits each time it predicts
such a cure if only enough money could be donated. Instead of a miracle cure, the disease survivor searches for nontoxic
alternatives and asks, “How many have been helped by this treatment? Do
you know someone who recove red by its use? Can I talk to the recovered
person? Does it have detriment al side effects? What are they? Also, what
are the product’ s ingredients or the method’ s procedures?”
A cancer survivor continues to nourish his/her body with excellent food
containing all the essential nutrients and cleanses it internally and
externally . One’ s body is considered a temple for the soul. The patient has
become vegan with the ingestion of no animal products, drinki ng from ten
to fourte en glasses of vegetable or fruit juices a day. All drugs,  soft drinks,
coffee, chocolate, and processed  foods are avoided. And only those certain
adjunctive practices or medications permitted by the Gerson program are
brought home to be introduced into the body . If engag ing in the Gerson Ther apy at home, the supposedly “incurable
disease” survivo r requires self-discipline, determination, and the vigorous
pursuit of huma n body knowledge. He or she becomes a student of organic
agriculture, nutritional science, body detoxification, psychology ,
visualization, meditation, the politics surrounding cancer ’s medical
treatments, and much more general information connected with
degenerative diseases. This individual becomes an educator about what’ s
pure, good, and true for the welfare of body and mind. There is much
sharing with others. Most of all, although difficult to pursue, complete
recovery from illness using the program developed by Dr. Max Gerson
continues for the patient at home. Without any question or doubt, an incurable disease survivor affirms that
self-administering the Gerson Therapy at home is the principal means by
which one ensures that perfect health remains evermore. AN INTRODUCTION T O SELF-ADMINISTERING  THE GERSON  THERAPY A T
HOMETo unde rstand and apply the Gerson Therapy at home to increase the
chances of beating back most of the incurable diseases, the balance of this
chapter offers a quick reference format for various aspects of the healing
program. It also explains recen t developments in adjuvant therapies, too. Practical help for those seeking the required materials and suppl ies used for
the Gerson Therapy , sometimes difficult to obtain, is given. The authors,
primarily Charlotte Gerson, who is most conversant with her father ’s
therapy , are drawing on more than forty years of experience in “curing the
incurables”. For peop le who are afflicted, or who have loved ones suffering  with all
types of life-threatening degenerative diseases, starting immedi ately below
with informatio n about adjuvant therapies we show how patients can
become their own healers. Because the Gerson Therapy is the primary management tool for
eliminating illness, any agent, material, technique, or procedure added to it
must be characterized as adjuvant, or supportive in nature. No adjuvant
agent should be used at the expense of a regular Gerson procedure or
medication in the hope of improving that adjuvant’ s performance. If a
Gerson-trained physician makes an alteration in the healing program,
however , adjunctive treatment under that doctor ’s supervision is
permissible. Furthermore, always consult your Gerson Therapy physician
with regard to any promising new addition to the treatment. ADJUNCTIVE  THERAPIES  THAT FIT INT O THE  GERSON  PROCEDURE
The procedures and materials listed below are available at all Gerson
facilities in a form compatible with the Gerson Therapy . Pleas e be aware
that each Gerson Center is separately owned and licensed by the Gerson
Institute. At any given facility , certain additional therapies cited below may
or may not be available. The Gerson-trained physician in charge may
choose to recommend the addition of one or more of such adjunctive
therapies. Laetrile,  the purified form of amygdalin, which occurs naturally in the
pits of apricots and in some  other foods, is a cyanogenic glycoside
(containing cyan ide). While it is nontoxic, laetrile by itself does not cure. Itis used as an analgesic and has other purported anticancer properties. Lactrile is not part of the routine Gerson Therapy . When a Gerson patient elects to add lactrile to the Gerson program, this
supplemental material must in no way replace the central and continuous
work of the Gerson Therapy . (Some laetrile therapists have recommended
dietary measures counterproductive to natural healing progress with the
Gerson Therapy . Do not follow those non-Gerson measures.) Polarizing treatment,  described in Merck’s Manual of Standar d Medical
Procedur es, aids potassium travel through the cell membrane by a transport
mechanism. It is an addition to the Gerson protocol pionee red by Dr.
Demetrio Sodi-Pallares, a noted Mexico City cardiologist and researcher . The basic polarizing solution, GKI, is necessary to provide a transport
mechanism to help potassium (K) travel through the cell membrane for
those patients who are deficient  in K. It is combined with glucose (G) and
insulin (I) together as an intravenous injection. Polarizing treatm ent promotes healing in the diseased heart and in tissues
damaged by cancer and other degenerative diseases. Patients with edema in
the extremities note a rapid reabsorption and release of the fluids from the
body . Oxygen therapies,  including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ozone (O3)
therapy , boost serum oxygen levels to revitalize normal cells while
damaging viruses and other pathogens. It may be absorbed throu gh the skin
by bathi ng in it (4 to 5 pints of 3 percent H2O2 in a standard-size bathtub),
applied topically , or insuf flated rectally . Ambient air ozone generators are
used to benefit patients by delivering O3. In addition to the usual intensive Gerson Therapy , some adjuvant
procedures such as those mentioned and several others are being made
available in the Gerson hospita l or other Gerson facilities but at an extra
charge. Live cell therapy , the ingestion by injection or orally of fetal tissue cells
for the strengthening of speci fic organs, is more effective after good
detoxification has taken place. It should not be tried during the initial stages
of Gers on Therapy . It may be available on request from your Gerson
Therapy facility . Pancr eatin , highly  concentrated pancreatic enzymes for dissolving and
digesting tumor tissue, help patients if they carry a heavy tumor load. Theadditional intensive pancreatin has improved the patient’ s ability to
eliminate many kinds of neoplasms. Tahebo tea (pau d’arco or lapacho), has been shown repeatedly to have
anticancer properties. It is used as a tea by native Indians of the Americas. Vitamin C, administered orally and recta lly, works to offset the free
radical pathology connected with chemotherapy and radiation. Hyperthermia/Hydr otherapy , full-body immersion in a bathtub
containing hot water to elevate the body temperature to 104°F for the
induction of a mild fever , tends to deteriorate tumor tissue. It’s best used
after the administration of laetri le. This combination of hot tub fomentation
with laetrile is one of the best remedies for overcoming pain. It dulls and
calms the discom fort and is a great assist to detoxification by improving the
blood flow and lymphatic circulation. Patients with nervous system disease
such as MS should not be subjected to high temperature. Cool compresses
are more beneficial for them. Important: not to be used with fluoridated
water systems.
_OceanofPDF.com_The_Gerson_Therapy_-_Charlotte_Gerson_Morton_Walker.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Kidney problems also
strike diabetics frequently; the risk of kidney disease in some form is 15 to
20 percent in type 2 patients and is double that percentage in type 1
diabetics. 7
Diabetes and the Gerson Therapy
Type 1 diabetic  patients, when treated with the Gerson Therapy, often
notice a great reduction in their insulin requirements, though many will
remain permane ntly dependent on insulin. When islet of Langerhans cells
are destroyed, the body, even in the best of health, cannot regen erate them. If the cells are only damaged, there is some chance that the body, aided by
the Gerson protocol, can heal and restore their function. Additionally, in patients presenting diabetes-associated degenerative
changes such as reduced vision, kidney damage, or circulation problems,
the therapy is often effective in reversing deterioration. Type 1 diabetes
patients do, however, need to indefinitely continue a menu plan very close
to the Gerson diet to maintain the best health. Type 2 diabetes  is far more easily corrected. Patients treated  with the
Gerson protocol are often able to eliminate the need for insulin
management. As mentioned previously, one potential cause of type 2
diabetes is a clogging effect on the insulin receptors due to cholesterol
deposits. Becau se the Gerson diet is very low in fat and contains no
cholesterol, it is highly effectiv e in rapidly reducing cholesterol. We hold
that Dr. Gerson’ s diet is able to quickly reverse this cloggin g problem,
allowing cell receptors to use insulin. Many Gerson Insitute personnel have
observed patients that are able to reduce their insulin dependence almost
immediately when following the Gerson protocol. Diabetic patients pursuing the Gerson Therapy in an inpatient setting will
receive an altered version of the Gerson diet with a reduction in sugar
intake. Patients frequently work  their way back toward the standard Gerson
protocol as their bodies respond to the therapy and begin to heal. After
several weeks, we have observe d cases of type 2 diabetes that are able to
resume the full Gerson protocol, including full amounts of the apple/carrot
juices that would otherwise have caused severe problems in a diabetic. Diabetes can be further complicated by many of the other problems it
brings to the body, most notably kidney damage. While the Gerson Therapy
is able to reverse a good deal of such damage, when the kidneys are past a
certain point—generally 20 percent or less of normal function—this
treatment progra m is no longer  effective. The same holds true for those
people who are under going or about to start dialysis, or for those who have
already under gone kidney transplant sur gery. A Summary of the Gerson Therapy Application for Diabetics
Type 2 diabetes can often be dramatically improved, and in some cases
overcome, using the Gerson Therapy. Type 1 diabetes patients will often see
a stabilizing effect in some cases with reversal of kidney damage and retinal
damage. Hypert ension is often eliminated. Type 1 patients are sometimes
able to discontin ue insulin completely, but this is not a common outcome. Glucose levels in the blood do require careful monitoring. In consuming juices and follow ing the diet, certain modifications are
made to the Gerson program. Apple juice is eliminated; grapefruit juice
replaces orange;  the apple/carrot juice is partly replaced with green juice,
depending on insulin intake. Raw vegetables replace fruits for snacking. All
honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, and other sweeteners are eliminated. If
glucose can be stabilized, one or two pieces of fruit per day may be added
to the diet. Melons are preferred. In takin g the Gerson-recommended medications, thyroid hormone is
reduced to 1 or 1 1/2 grains per day. Lugol is reduced to three drops daily. Potassium (K) is limited to 1 tsp per glass, except in cases of severe edema
where K may be increased to 2 tsp per glass. During healing reactions, the
individual’ s need for insulin may temporarily increase. Over time, the
requirement for insulin supplementation is usually completely eliminated intype 2 diabet es. Type 1 patients often continue to need some
supplementation, but other degenerative processes are usually arrested. GENETIC  DISORDERS
Genetic disorders generally do not respond to the Gerson Therapy, but
symptoms of genetic weakness can be improved. One case of cystic fibrosis
showed significant improvement while the patient followed the Gerson
program. Emphysema
Positive responses by emphysema patients have been observed when they
faithfully adhered to the Gerson protocol. Lung capacity can be increased
and related symptoms controlled. Heart Disease and V ascular Disease
High blood pressure responds exceptionally well to the Gerson Therapy. In fact, improvements are so great that the companions accompanying a
heart patient should be screened for antihypertensive effects, since we have
observed hypo tension in both patients and companions following
administration of the Gerson diet alone. Antihypertensive drugs should be
slowly decreased starting the third to fifth day of treatment. Malignant high
blood pressure can take longer to respond to the treatment. Heart disease does respond well to the Gerson program, and here is an
illustration: In October 1990, a man whom we’ll identify as Frank Winslow
checked into the Gerson Therapy hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, with a
multitude of health problems. He was extremely obese, weighing 303
pounds. Now forty-six years of age, Frank had already suffered a massive
heart attack at age thirty-eight, and it had left him not only with heart
damage, but with high blood pressure. Frank Winslow also suffered from gout and was taking standard antigout
medication. If he stopped taking  it for only one day, he would have a severe
gouty attack. He also had intractable diabetes. Even with his takingmedication and insulin, his blood sugar ran between 240 and 400 mg/dL
(where normal is below 120). So Frank was given the Gerson Therapy, modified somewhat because of
his high blood pressure and diabetes. Usually, as you may know by now, the
Gerson juicing program includ es thirteen glasses of fruit and vegetable
juices: one 8-ounce glass (225 grams) of orange juice, about five glasses
containing apples and carrots  in approximately a 35 to 65 percent
proportion, 1/3 apples to 2/3 carrots), three glasses of carrot juice given
with two capsules of liver powd er each, and four glasses of juice made with
various salad greens, also containing one small apple each. In order to
decrease his glucose intake somewhat, he was given not orang e juice but
grapefruit juice. And Frank’ s other juices contained fewer apples. He was
also given more green juices in the place of some of the carrot juice. Making an additional dietary adjustment which is usually done for
diabetics, this patient was not furnished with a fruit plate to eat in his room,
as the other patients ordinarily receive. Instead, Frank was serve d a plate of
raw vegetables: cut-up carrot sticks, green pepper strips, celery sticks, little
cauliflower heads, tomatoes—so that he would have something  to “nibble”
in case he was hungry. Outside of that, he could eat three full Gerson
Therapy meals at regular mealt imes. They included all organic vegetarian
foods, freshly prepared without any salt or fats, no frozen or canned foods,
and very limited herbal spices. Between his three meals and thirteen glasses of juice, plus his raw
vegetable plate daily, Frank was never hungry even for one moment. But he
did get rid of a pound a day for over two and a half months. Of course the
man was also administered the other components of the Gerson Therapy: 2
tsp of potassium compound in each glass of juice, along with a little
thyroid, Lugol’ s solution (iodine), and digestive enzymes. Frank was taken  off his antigou t medication from the first day and never
had another gout attack. He was also receiving the regular coffee enemas of
the Gers on Therapy and an intramuscular injection of 3 cc of crude liver
extract which contained 0. 1 cc of vitamin B12 daily. Exceptionally (this next
medication is not given to nondiabetic patients), he also received three
times daily 200 mcg of chromium picolinate, a glucose tolerance factor. Meantime, Frank’ s blood pressure came down (without salt and fat, the
Gerson Therapy  usually produces reduction of blood pressure within a few
days); therefore, his blood pressure medication was lowered. Within five weeks, not only had Frank Winslow lost 35 pounds, but his
blood sugar was a normal 105 (from a high of 240) without his receiving
any medication or insulin. He continued to lose 1 pound a day until he was
a reason ably normal 205 pounds (at a height in his stocking feet of 6 feet 2
inches or 190 cm). All this time, consuming the right foods, the patient was
able to eat according to his appetite’ s needs without being hungry at any
time. One very important aspect of Dr. Max Gerson’ s therapy is the coffee
enema. When a patient of this diabetic type with other comp lications of
illness is losing weight rapidly, he is also metabolizing many of the toxins
that are stored in the fatty tissue. In other words, when the fat dissolves, the
chemicals contained in the fatty tissue go into the general blood circulation
and poison the patient if one does not intensively detoxify. The coffee
enemas help to open the bile ducts in the liver and allow the toxins to be
eliminated throu gh the bowel. (See full details of the Gers on Therapy
procedure in our separate chapt ers about the juices, food preparation, and
coffee enemas. ) There are several interesting facts in this case that deserve attention. On
the one hand, it became obvious  to the Tijuana hospital’ s staff of physicians
that Frank was a typical case of low thyroid function, in addition to his
other problems. He was extremely overweight and had already suffered one
severe heart attack plus diabetes, all of which relate to his having a low
thyroid function. Also, both of his sons, aged fourteen and seventeen,
suffered from allergies and asthma, respectively. These are also signs of low
thyroid function (often hereditary) and immune deficiency. The boys had
them too. Still more astonishing in this family situation is the fact that Frank’ s
father, now about seventy-six years old, had been a patient on the Gerson
Therapy some seven years earlier, suffering from advanced pancreatic
cancer. His doctors had given him a “hopeless” prognosis, saying that he
had perhaps three to six months to live. He came to the Gerson Therapy
hospital facility in Tijuana, stayed faithfully on the Gerson Therapy, and
recovered comp letely. It is now over eight years since the senior Mr. Winslow’ s recovery, and the man remains well today. He too had already
suffered three heart attacks prior to his diagnosis of pancre atic cancer. Today, as well, he remains free of heart disease, is active and enjoying life. There is something to be learned by studying this unique family situation. We see here another member of the Winslow family with low thyroid
function, suffering heart attacks and eventually cancer. Even though the son
watched this dramatic recovery in his father, he allowed himsel f to become
so seriou sly ill that he was close to death before presenting himself for the
treatment which had already saved his father ’s life. An impo rtant factor in the Gerson Therapy for heart disease is the use of
thyroid medication to increase metabolism, burn off fats, and use up
cholesterol. Obviously, thyroid hormone must be started at a low level in
order not to overtax the damage d heart. Second, food supplementation with
flaxseed oil helps to dissolve fat and cholesterol deposits in the arter-ics and
increase the ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Also of great importance
is the use of potassium, which helps in enzyme function (also to dissolve
plaque) and keeps the blood from coagulating excessively; thus, potassium
reduces the danger of clots forming and causing heart attacks and/or
strokes. Dr. Gers on was aware early in the development of his therap y of the
extreme importa nce of potassium in treating all chronic disease. He stated
that, in his opinion, the beginning of all chronic degenerative disease is the
loss of potassium from the cell and the invasion of sodium (which we have
referred to as tissue damage syndr ome). In the area of heart disease, this
opinion about tissue damage syndrome was later stated by Professor
Demetrio Sodi-Pallares of the Mexico City University Medical School. He
wrote more than twelve books and over 300 articles on his treatment of
heart disease.
The risk is double the percentage of type 2 diabetics.
What is the risk of kidney disease for type 1 diabetics?
The therapy can reverse kidney damage, but only if the damage is not too severe (less than 20% of normal function).
Can the Gerson Therapy reverse kidney damage in diabetics?
The therapy aims to rebuild the damaged joints and bones, but this process takes time and requires a long-term commitment to the program.
What is the Gerson Therapy's approach to treating osteoarthritis?
The therapy focuses on detoxification, nutrition, and relaxation techniques to promote healing, and patients are encouraged to become their own healers.
What is the Gerson Therapy's approach to treating cancer?
The therapy should not be used in combination with other treatments, as it can be ineffective in such cases.
Can the Gerson Therapy be used in conjunction with other treatments?