Gerson Community Call: Recent Episodes
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MELANOMA M.H., aged 40, was diagnosed with melanoma in her vaginal wall. This was confirmed by biopsy and subsequent surgery, followed by 25 radiation treatments and a four-month course of interferon. During this treatment, the cancer spread to her liver. The oncologists treating her thought that, with chemotherapy, the patient might live up to nine Case Histories of Recovered Patients months. Although M.H. was extremely weak and in serious pain, she refused that option and, in November 1996, embarked on the Gerson treatment in spite of her oncologist's warning against it. In September 1997, a scan showed that M.H. was clear of melanoma. Ten years later, she remains fit and well.
CHAPTER 2 7 Case Histories of Recovered Patients T he following well-documented stories of recovered Gerson patients I are just a very small sample of the considerable collection of such records in our archive. All of them refer to patients thoroughly diagnosed by biopsy, done mostly in U.S. hospitals; almost all of them were in a so-called terminal condition with widespread cancers that have never been cured by orthodox means.
GLUCOSE, FASTING BLOOD = SUGAR LABORATORY TEST Following a 12- to 14-hour fast, the glucose, fasting blood sugar (FBS) laboratory test measures glucose metabolism as required in diabetes mellitus. In the fasting state, blood glucose levels decrease, stimulating release of the hormone glucagon. Glucagon then raises plasma glucose by accelerating glycogenolysis, stimulating glyconeogenesis and inhibiting glycogen synthesis. Normally, secretion of insulin checks this rise in glucose levels. In diabetes, absence or deficiency of insulin allows persistently high glucose levels.
SERUM PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS LABORATORY TEST The major blood proteins of the body, albumin and four globulins, are measured in an electric field by separating them into patterns according to size, shape and electric charge at pH 8.6.
TOTAL SERUM CHOLESTEROL LABORATORY TEST This quantitative serum analysis measures the circulating levels of free cholesterol and cholesterol esters, and reflects the amount of cholesterol compound appearing in the body tissues. Both absorbed from the diet and synthesized in the liver and other body tissues, cholesterol is a structural component in cell membranes and plasma lipoproteins. It Gerson Laboratory Tests Explained contributes to the formation of adrenocorticoid steroids, bile salts, androgens and estrogens. A diet high in saturated fat raises cholesterol levels by stimulating absorption of lipids, including cholesterol, from the intestine; a diet low in saturated fat lowers them. Elevated total serum cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
SERUM GAMMA-GLUTAMYL TRANSPEPTIDASE LABORATORY TEST The laboratory test for serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is a measurement of obstructive jaundice in neoplastic liver disease and is also useful for the detection of excessive alcohol consumption. The GGT enzyme is sensitive to drug use and detects alcohol ingestion; therefore, it is used to determine compliance with alcoholism treatment. It also helps in the diagnosis of obstructive jaundice and liver cancer.
SERUM POTASSIUM LABORATORY TEST The laboratory test for serum potassium, a quantitative analysis, is the measurement of blood potassium for regulation of homeostasis, osmotic equilibrium, muscle activity, enzyme activity, acid-base balance and kidney function. Potassium (K +) is the body's major intracellular ion (a cation); small amounts of it are also found in the extracellular fluid.
CHAPTER 2 6 Gerson Laboratory Tests Explained G erson patients are able to monitor their own healing process by having regular laboratory tests of their blood and urine. Patients on the intensive therapy, and chemo-pretreated persons on the adjusted version, should have these tests every six to eight weeks; those on the modified protocol for nonmalignant diseases may only need them every three months.
CHAPTER 2 5 Overcoming Stress and Tension In the previous chapter, it was explained how the mind and body I interact every moment of our lives. In other words, our moods, emotions and general outlook have a measurable and direct impact on our physical processes and, above all, on the immune systemâ??that allimportant tool of the healing journey.
FIRST AID FOR THE MIND There are simple ways to dispel the newly diagnosed patient's sense of hopelessness and isolation. The first step is to demystify the disease and discuss it openly, in a natural voice, without avoiding the dreaded word "cancer." One of the very first advantages which the intending Gerson patient experiences is the calm assurance with which his or her problem is approached, with the clear message that yes, it is possible to be healed and not just put into remission (which is the best orthodox medicine has to offer).
PART III Essential Extras T o complete your experience of using the Gerson Therapy for the best possible results, the following chapters contain a mixture of advice, information and encouragement specially chosen to speed you on your way. Until now, we have largely concentrated on the care and healing of the body. However, body, mind, emotions and spirit cannot be separated; they are parts of a greater whole and must be treated as such.
CHAPTER 2 3 Life After Gerson By now, it should be clear that recovering from a life-threatening dis- ease on the Gerson Therapy is a difficult journeyâ??a long and hard process, demanding courage, patience and perseveranceâ??and certainly worth every ounce of effort. Besides defeating the potential killer, this way of healing is also a great investment in a long and healthy future. We have many recovered patients on record who enjoy excellent health and vitality well past the age that is generally assumed to bring on all manner of illnesses and all-round physical and mental decline. Not many therapies can claim to be lifesavers and powerful rejuvenators!
Q: What lifestyle changes should a recovered patient introduce? A: The patient must bear in mind that household chemicals (e.g., cleansers, bleaches, solvents, polishes and paints) are toxic and must be avoided. Also, manyâ??in fact mostâ??cosmetics applied to the skin enter the bloodstream, are toxic 8 and should be excluded. Especially harmful are underarm gels, creams or sticks to block perspiration. 9 Healthy perspiration is odorless. The body attempts to detoxify through perspiration; blocking it forces the toxins back into the lymphatic system.
BENDING THE RULES Admittedly, the dietary rules of the Gerson Therapy are pretty strict and, while most patients quickly get used to them, there are some who long for their now-forbidden favorite foods (never mind that those had probably contributed to their health breakdown!). These patients tend to think that surely having a "little extra" on the side every now and then can't possibly do much harm, and would even raise their morale and improve their mood.
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES These days, there is a bewildering array of complementary treatments offered and the question arises whether Gerson patients should use any of these. The simple answer is that anything which promotes healing and does not clash with the requirements of the therapy is permissible and potentially helpful. However, there is no margin for error, so let us see which techniques are safe to use.
CHAPTER 2 0 Things to Remember I n this chapter, we present a number of miscellaneous items in support of your efforts to improve and protect your health. Knowledge is power, and the emergence of the so-called "expert patient" around the world is a sure sign that more and more people are willing to take responsibility for their health and well-being. No doubt you are one of them. We hope you will find the following information useful.
CHAPTER 1 9 The Gerson Therapy for Nonmalignant Diseases F rom his long clinical practice, Dr. Gerson was able to establish that a patient suffering from a nonmalignant disease had a sick, damaged liver, while the liver of someone with a malignancy was severely toxic (poisoned). Based on this difference, he adjusted the treatment accordingly, creating a less-intensive therapy for nonmalignant conditions. At the same time, he specified that, if patients in the latter category followed a stricter protocol closely resembling the full intensive therapy, they recoveredâ?¢faster.
CHAPTER 1 7 The Full Therapy T he full therapy is prescribed for general cancer patients who are I not severely weakened and have not been pretreated with chemotherapy. The hourly schedule in Table 17-1 covers the first three to four weeks of the treatment. For subsequent reductions, see the annual schedule in Table 17-2.
NAUSEA If, despite the nausea, the patient is able to drink the juices, by all means continue to provide them. If he or she develops a severe aversion to the green juice, warm it gently (undiluted) to body temperature by standing the container in a warm water bath, pour the juice in the enema bucket and infuse it rectally as a retention implant. This is not an enema and should not be expelled.
OXYGEN TREATMENTS Two compounds containing extra oxygen are useful tools of pain control. One is hydrogen peroxide (H202), namely water (H 20), plus an extra oxygen atom attached to it with a single bond. The other basic compound, oxygen (02), can also have an additional oxygen atom attached, resulting in 03 (ozone). Despite ozone's reputation as an irritant, properly used oxygen treatments are a powerful aid in pain control and healing.
CHAPTER 1 5 Pain Control Without Drugs A large percentage of patients arrive at the Gerson hospital in pain or on heavy pain-control medication, including morphine, codeine or the two combined (e.g., in the drug OxiContin ® ). These drugs are highly toxic' and, since detoxifying the body is the basic aim of the Gerson Therapy, every effort has to be made to control the patients' pain without the use of toxic drugs.
THE CASTOR OIL TREATMENT As we explained above (p. 163), the toxins released from the liver by the all-important coffee enema still have a long way to travel (down the 25- to 27-foot-long small intestine, then through the 4 to 5 feet of large intestine) before they can leave the body via the anus. In the course of this evacuation, it is unavoidable that some of the released toxins get reabsorbed.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS Many patients learn the enema routine without difficulty and enjoy the feeling of lightness and added energy yielded by the practice. Others, however, experience difficulties, which need to be eliminated. Some of the problems that may arise are listed below.
The use of coffee as enema material began in Germany towards the end of World War I (1914-1918). The country was blockaded by the Allies and many essential goodsâ??among them, morphineâ??were not available, yet trainloads of wounded soldiers kept arriving at field hospitals, needing surgery. The surgeons had barely enough morphine to dull the pain of the operations but none to help patients endure the postsurgical pain; all they could do was to use water enemas.
CHAPTER 1 3 All About Enemas T o the uninitiated, the coffee enema is the most surprising and apparently bizarre element of the Gerson Therapy. Critics like to attack and ridicule it without bothering to find out its purpose and function. Yet, without this simple tool of detoxification, the Gerson method wouldn't work.
THE ALL-IMPORTANT JUICES Only four kinds of juice are used in the treatment of all categories of patients, except for a few minor exceptions. The basic juices are: â?¢ Apple/carrot juice â?¢ Carrot-only juice â?¢ Green juice â?¢ Orange juice Occasionally, for special cases, a different juice may have to be substituted. For example, diabetics receive grapefruit juice instead of orange juice, since grapefruit contains less sugar; sometimes a fruit juice, such as apple juice, is given to patients with collagen diseases who should not drink citrus juice.
CHAPTER 1 2 Preparing Food and Juices The Basic Rules A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting. â??Abraham Maslow Assuming that your kitchen is now fully equipped for your healing Gerson routine, and that you have banished from your home all forbidden foods and substances, the moment has come to find out about the all-important task of food preparation. The rules are simple, but they must be observed faithfully to secure the best results.
CHAPTER 10 Forbidden Foods A McDonald's "Breakfast for Under a Dollar" actually costs much more than that. You have to factor in the cost of coronary bypass surgery. â??George Carlin
Dishwasher Soap Most dishwashers are equipped with two wash cycles followed by one rinse cycle. Since the Gerson Therapy does not involve the use of greasy food or baking dishes, it is best to use one wash cycle and ensure that the soap is cleared by using two rinse cycles. In that way, the dishwasher soap should be completely eliminated, with no toxic residue remaining on dishes.
CHAPTER 8 Why Does the Gerson Therapy Work? T he basic principles of the Gerson protocol are simple and clear and its practice has been yielding remarkable results for more than 60 -years. However, the question remains: Is there any current scientific research to confirm the methods Dr. Gerson developed partly intui-tively, partly through constant study and clinical observation, but without sophisticated research facilities, all those decades ago?
CHAPTER 7 Restoring the Body's Defenses I look forward optimistically to a healthy, happy world as soon as its children are taught the principles of simple and rational living. We must return to nature and nature's God. â??Luther Burbank (1849-1926)
Multiple Myelo m a Like leukemias, this condition does not belong in the class of solid tumors. It is a disease of the bone marrow, with myeloma cells "forming multiple tumor masses." 75 These infiltrate the surrounding boneâ?? generally the blood-forming long bones of the upper legâ??but other parts of the skeleton as well. The disease occurs more frequently in men than in women by a ratio of 2:1. 76 Since it damages the blood-forming bone marrow, it causes anemia and renal (kidney) lesions. As explained above, it is always more difficult to heal bone lesions, and this applies to multiple myeloma as well. It takes longer andâ??according to Dr. Gerson's observations confirmed by the latest research 77 on this conditionâ??requires more vitamin B12 than other kinds of cancer. Due to the invasion of bone by myeloma tissue, it is also possible for pathologic fractures (weakened bone breaking without external cause) to occur. On the Gerson Therapy, we have seen such fractures heal very slowly.
Fibromyalgia Although this chronic condition is not life threatening, we include it here as another eloquent example of the many kinds of ill health caused by the toxic condition of the body. Fibromyalgia causes severe chronic pain in muscles and soft tissues surrounding joints. Efforts to control it with anti-inflammatories, including corticosteroids, have not been helpful, nor has any effective treatment been found for it so far. Painrelieving drugs are used to help the patients sleep. According to the conservative estimate of the National Fibromyalgia Research Association, over six million people in the U.S. suffer from this disease.
Osteoporosis Also known as "brittle bones," this progressive loss of bone mass is unfortunately becoming very common. It causes fractures or breaks at the slightest impact, such as a fall or other accident. Fractures are immensely painful and heal slowlyâ??or, in old people, not at all. A serious break, necessitating weeks of bed rest, can lead to infected bedsores and other potentially fatal complications
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 WH0, 37 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.
CHAPTER 6 Diseases of Modern Civilization I t is an astonishing fact of the 21st century that, instead of enjoying good health and fitness, so many people in the developed world suffer from a multitude of complaints and diseases, which a few generations ago were much less widespread. Worse still, these conditions are no longer limited to the middle-aged and elderly but instead attack everyounger generations. Because of their comparative novelty, they are often called "diseases of modern civilization." This sounds like a kind of justification, as if they were the price we have to pay for our unprecedented degree of technological development, comfort and consumer choice; in other words, they are a direct consequence of today's denatured, overcivilized lifestyle. Whether or not that is so, orthodox medicine deems these diseases incurable. All it can offer is symptomatic treatment, which only works up to a point and for a limited time, and has serious side effects.