Use back arrow to return, or return to home page of Brave-Souls.com
A SUMMARY OF GERSON THERAPY

A SUGGESTION FROM STANLEY, THE WEB SITE HOST
I don't usually give suggestion on this web site although sometimes I have very good and reliable information about certain alternative therapy. However, I am giving a suggestion here because I sincerely believe that this suggestion is valid for both orthodox and alternative groups, and is beneficial to the patient.

Except for the late stage cancer patients, I suggest that the earlier stage cancer patient, whether they are under conventional therapy or alternative therapy or doing nothing, they should try the 13 hourly glasses of fresh vegetable and fruit juices daily, as practiced in the Gerson Therapy, for as long as possible, at least for 10 weeks to observe the effect. I know it is very very difficult in the US for a patient to prepare an 8-ounce glass of fresh vegetable and fruit juice every hour of the day. If it is not possible, then may be it is more amenable to prepare 3 times a day each time 4 to 5 glasses stored in the refrigerator to be distributed and taken in-between the preparations. At least it is better than not preparing. A better preserving method will be to place the excess fresh juice in a vacuum jar using the mechanical home vacuum equipment to pump out the air and store in the refrigerator. This will delay the destruction of the live enzymes in the juice. Remember air and high temperature are the two enemies of the enzymes that may be curing the cancer for whatever reason.

It is also very important to take coffee enemas to supplement the 13 glasses of fresh juices because the powerful enzymes in the fresh juices can produce enormous dead cancer cells that need to be eliminated by the coffee enemas. There is the possibility of "liver coma" if too much dead cancer cells are produced without the coffee enemas to eliminate them. For late stage cancer patients professional care should be required, but for early stage cancer patients who want to try the 13 daily fresh juices the number of coffee enemas required in a day or week may be determined by few trials and errors. The patients may start with less than 13 glasses of juices and one enemas in a day in the trials.

Drinking 13 glasses of fresh vegetable and fruit juices is more like a shotgun approach in which we don't know exactly what the vital ingredients in the juices are killing the cancer cells or returning the cancer cells to normalcy (such as in the differentiation therapy). We only know that there are many phytochemicals

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5050.html Ohio State University

http://food.oregonstate.edu/faq/nutrition/phyto.html Oregon State University

in the vegetables and fruits that have recently been discovered to destroy cancer cells or inhibit cancer growth. We also know that generally vegetables and fruits contain only little amount of fats and proteins, if these two essential nutrients are abstained or minimized in the diet as are usually practiced in the alternative treatments, cancer cells will be hurt more than the normal cells do because cancer cells need more of these than the normal cells. Even a diet of pure vegetables and fruits for 10 weeks will not starve the patient because of “insufficient protein intake” as can be evidenced by people fasting for 6 weeks or more on water only, but it may starve the cancer cells to stop growing or death.

As to which vegetables and fruits are best, you may follow the suggestion in the Gerson diet since it has experience of more than 50 years. Although it is not emphasized in the Gerson diet, the wheatgrass juice recommended by Ann Wigmore is also a good source of green juice. I think it is also beneficial to the patient to have enemas as suggested in the Gerson and many other alternative therapies, whether it is plain water, coffee, wheatgrass or other types of enemas, it can eliminate a lot of toxins in the body.

Following information on Gerson Therapy is based on the references shown below:

  • The book THE GERSON THERAPY by Charlotte Gerson and Morton Walker, 2001, Kensington Publishing Co. ISBN 1-57566-628-6
  • The book A CANCER THERAPY, Results of Fifty Cases and The Cure of Advanced Cancer by Diet Therapy, by Max Gerson, originally printed in 1958, reprinted in 1999 by Gerson Institute, ISBN 0-88268-203-2
  • The manual GERSON THERAPY HANDBOOK, Companion workbook to A CANCER THERAPY, Results of Fifty Cases, revised 5th edition
  • The video tape THE GERSON THERAPY AT HOME, available at The Gerson Institute
    Read the case histories of some cancer patients saved by Gerson Therapy from Gerson Institute
    Gerson Therapy is a truly nutritional treatment for cancer as well as for other metabolic diseases. It has three equally important steps that have to be performed simultaneously. The first is the detoxification by coffee enemas. The second is the Gerson Diet that supplies the essential nutrients including enzymes from 13 glasses daily of fresh vegetable and fruit juice. In fact Gerson Therapy is a natural enzyme therapy in which probably more than thousands of enzymes are supplied from natural sources compared to the conventional enzyme therapy in which only limited types of enzymes are used. The third is the supplement of deficient nutrients, particularly potassium, iodine, and thyroid hormones. Other supplements include niacin, pancreatin, flaxseed oil, castor oil, coenzyme Q10, Wobe-Mugos enzyme products, laetrile, crude liver or vitamin B12 injection, and gastrointestinal enzyme products. The aim of the therapy is to restore the diseased cells in the body back to normal, and the outcome is the restoration of a healthy body and the disappearance of all of the metabolic problems, such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and others of the modern age.

    In addition to the above 3 main steps, Gerson Therapy requires a maintenance diet of low-salt, low-sugar, low-animal protein and high-potassium diet after the initial intensive treatment from about 6 to 12 weeks. In general almost all types of fresh and organic vegetables and fruits are encouraged, whereas tobacco, alcohol, all kinds of canned, frozen, and other processed foods are discouraged. Salt and sugar are to be minimized, they should come from the natural foods, not from refined sources.

    Liver organ and thyroid gland are the most important organ and gland that Gerson Therapy emphasizes to protect and nourish. The detoxification of the liver function and the production of thyroid hormones to regulate the immune system are crucial to cancer patients. Liver extracts and various thyroid hormones are normally supplemented. Gerson Therapy used to supplement raw liver juice until 1989 because of the possible bacteria contamination in animal liver. It is now replaced by liver extracts.

    Liver detoxification with coffee enema is a very important procedure in Gerson Therapy. It has a very specific purpose. It lowers the quantity of blood serum toxins, literally cleaning the poison out of the fluid nourishing normal cells. Coffee enema causes dilation of bile ducts, which facilitates excretion of toxic cancer breakdown products by the liver and dialysis of toxic products from blood across the colonic wall.

    The three general steps in Gerson Therapy are as follows:

    (I) COFFEE ENEMAS

    The coffee enema has a very specific purpose in the treatment and reversal of cancer. It lowers the quantity of blood serum toxins, cleaning the poisons out of fluids nourishing the cells.

    Detoxification of the body by coffee enemas is one of the most important steps in Gerson Therapy. Following are the procedure recommended in Gerson Therapy.

    (1) Add 3 tablespoonfuls of drip-grind coffee to a quart of boiling water (either distilled or bottled water). Let the mixture boil for 3 minutes and allow it to simmer for another 15 minutes.

    (2) Filter the mixture and add more water to the liquid protion to fill up to a total volume of 1 quart. Cool the liquid to room temperature. Hang the enema bag or bucket about 18 inches above the body. Prepare yourself to instill the coffee solution into the rectum.

    (3) Place some soft padding on the bathroom floor, cover it with plastic sheet and a towel, plop down a pillow and lie down on the padded floor on your right side, with legs pulled up in a relaxed position.

    (4) Take time to let gravity force the liquid into rectum and bowel. Hold the liquid inside the body for about 12 to 15 minutes, and then release the liquid.

    Above procedure is just a general description, variation will depend on individuals. It is sometimes not easy to perform this procedure for the first time, practice will make it easier and more comfortable.

    (II) GERSON DIET

    In general all the fruits and vegetables in Gerson diet should be organic and fresh. However, if it is not possible to obtain the organic produce, the supermarket fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed to clean the pesticides and herbicides.

    (1) Almost all kinds of fruits and vegetables are acceptable except all kinds of berries, nuts, pineapple, avocados, and cucumber. Berries and pineapple may cause allergic reactions to the aromatic acids present. Nuts are too high in proteins. avocados are too high in fats. Cucumbers in combination with the required juices are difficult to digest.

    (2) Salads of raw fruits and vegetables should be consumed as much as possible. The most common salad ingredients include apples, carrots, watercress, green onions, celery, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, endive, chives, chicory, tomatoes, green peppers, radishes, beet, cabbage. Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and flaxseed oil may be used in salad dressing.

    (3) Potatoes are recommended for lunch and dinner. Brown or wild rice may be used to replace potatoes once in a while. Sweet potatoes may be served once a week.

    (4) Oatmeal is recommended for breakfast. Apple, papaya, or other fresh fruits may be added. Honey, pure maple syrup, or unsulfured blackstrap molasses may be used as sweetener except for diabetic and hypoglycemic patients. Dried fruits may also be added, but they should be unsulfured and unsweetened. It is recommended they should be stewed.

    (5) The Hippocrates Special Soup is recommended as a starter to every meal. A minimum of 8 ounces may be consumed in each meal. The soup is prepared from the following ingredients:

    (a) 3 to 4 stalks of celery
    (b) small amount of parsley
    (c) 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes
    (d) 2 medium onions
    (e) 2 small leaks or 2 additional medium onion
    (f) few cloves of garlic
    (g) 1 pound of potatoes

    Above ingredients are to be covered with filtered or mountain spring water and cooked for 2 hours. The mixture can be processed to a thick creamy soup in food mill, allowed only fibers and peels to remain. It is recommended to prepare the soup and refrigerate it only for 2 days of consumption.

    (6) Herbs and spices are not recommended during the healing process in the first few weeks of treatment because they tend to interfere with the healing response. Dr. Gerson limited the use of such aromatics to small quantities of the mild ones such as allspice, anise, bay leaf, coriander, dill, fennel, mace, marjoram, rosemary, sage, saffron, tarragon, thyme, sorrel and summer savory.

    (7) In cooking vegetables, water should be added as little as possible because there are already enough natural water in the 13 glasses of juices.

    (8) Salt-free and fat-free rye bread may be eaten only after conuming the full required meal.

    An example of a breakfast may include 8 ounces of orange juice, a bowl of cooked oatmeal with choice fruits, and toasted rye bread. An example of a lunch or dinner may include salad of mixed raw fruits and vegetables, a bowl of Hippocrates special soup, 8 ounces pf apple-carror juice, one baked potato, freshly cooked vegetables, raw or stewed fruits.

    The book "The Gerson Therapy" published in 2001 by Charlotte Gerson and Morton Walker includes many recipes for the Gerson meals. The book can be purchased online from Amazon.

    (9) Thirteen glasses daily of fresh fruit and vegetable juices are the most important component in Gerson Therapy because they supply the needed enzymes, vitamins and minerals to restore the diseased body to healthy condition. Eight ounces of fruit or vegetable juice are to be freshly prepared and consumed every hour during the day for 13 hours. About 4 to 6 glasses of apple-carrot juices, and 2 to 4 glasses of green leaf juices should be maintain daily, and the rest of the 13 glasses may be other fruit or vegetable juices. It is recommended that fruits and vegetables available in season be used.

    Based on the "The Gerson Therapy Handbook", Companion Workbook to "A Cancer Therapy, Results of Fifty Cases", the vegetables used in green juice should be from the following list

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Swiss chard
  • Beet tops (young inner leaves)
  • Watercress
  • Some red cabbage
  • Green pepper
  • Endive
  • Escarole

    A typical schedule of 13 glasses of juices and 3 regular meals in Gerson diet is as follows:

    8:00 AM Orange juice and breakfast
    9:00 AM A glass of Green juice
    9:30 AM A glass of apple-carrot juice
    10:00 AM A glass of apple-carrot juice
    11:00 AM A glass of carrot juice
    12:00 PM A glass of green juice
    1:00 PM A glass of apple-carrot juice and lunch
    2:00 PM A glass of green juice
    3:00 PM A glass of carrot juice
    4:00 PM A glass of carrot juice
    5:00 PM A glasses of apple-carrot juice
    6:00 PM A glass of green juice
    7:00 PM A glass of apple-carrot juice and dinner

    Note that a glass here has about 8-oz content. The schedule is flexible depending upon the conditions of the patient.

    Prohibited Foods in Gerson Therapy

    (1) All manufactured or processed foods such as those that are bottled, canned, frozen, preserved, refined, salted, smoked, or sulfured (except as specifically mentioned as being allowed) are forbidden.

    (2) Dairy products of all types such as milk and milk products (including goat's milk) are forbidden. They include cheese, cream, ice cream, ice milk, butter, and buttermilk, except as specifically allowed under proteins. However, fresh, churned buttermilk without any additives may be taken after the sixth to twelfth week of healing. Unsalted, nonfat Quark is premitted when available.

    (3) Alconhol is prohibited because it limits the blood's alility to carry oxygen and places strain on the liver to deloxify and remove it from the body.

    (4) Pineapples and berries may cause an allergic reaction to the aromatic acids present.

    (5) Avocados are too high in fats.

    (6) Cucumbers in combination with the required juices to be taken daily are difficult to digest.

    (7) Spices such as black pepper or papnka are irritants. Basil, oregano, and others are to be avoided because of their high aromatic acid content. Cayenne pepper, jalapenos, and so on are also irritants and can stop the healing.

    (8) Soybeans and soy products including tofu, tempeh, miso, tamari, soy sauces, Bragg's Liquid Aminos?textured vegetable protein, soy milk, and all other soy-based products are disallowed. For a variety of different reasons including their high fat content, high sodium content. toxic inhibition to nutrient absorption, and/or elevated protein content, use of soy in all its forms must be avoided.

    (9) Dried beans and legumes should not be used.

    (10) Sprouted Alfalfa and Other Bean or Seed Sprouts are high in L-canavanine, an inmmature amino acid that is responsible for immune system suppression. Also, patients with no prior history of chronic joint pain have developed the sudden onset of arthritic symptoms upon ingesting alfalfa sprouts. Healthy monkey have developed lupus erythematosus from alfalfa sprouts in their diet.

    (11) Oils and fats of all kinds are forbidden, with the exception of fresh, raw, organic flaxseed oil.

    (12) Flour and refined white and brown sugars are forbidden.

    (13) Beef, pork, poultry, eggs, fish, seafood, and all other meat or animal flesh products are prohibited. These animal foods are high in protein, fats, chemicals, perservatives, hormones, and salt, and are difficult to digest.

    (14) Black tea, green tea, and other nonherbal or caffeine-containing teas are forbidden benause of their undesirable aromatic acids and caf- feine content. Dr. Gerson cited aromatics as interfering with heal ing by producing allergic reactions (see above as listed under pineapples and berries).

    (15) Candy, cakes, muffins, pastries, and other refined sweets are prohibited. However that some breads and pastries may be baked using permitted ingredients, but must not be consumed on a regular basis.

    (16) The drinking of water is not encouraged. Dr. Gerson believed that a Gerson Therapy patient should not drink water, because it dilutes the stomach acid and doesn't allow maximum gastrointestinal tract capacity for nutrition from fresh foods and juices. The juices already provide adequate fluids.

    (17) Mashrooms are not vegetables but fungi and contain complex proteins and are difficult to digest and offer little nutrition.

    (18) Coffee and coffee substitutes by mouth, both with and without caffeine cause umdesirable stimulation of the digestive system. However, when coffee is taken rectally, it offers an entirely advantageous efect on the liver where, aside from detoxificationt, it increases the production of glutathione S-transferase (a desirable enzyme).

    (19) Nuts and seeds, including almonds, apricot kernels, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, peanuts, cashews, and all other nuts and seeds, are prohibited because they are too high in protein,fat and salt when roasted.

    (20) Hot peppers (jalapenos, etc) contain the same strong aromatics found in prohibited spices. Peppers tend to inhibit healing responses and should be avoided. Green, yellow, and sweet red peppers may be used without limitation.

    (21) Mustard and carrot greens should be avoided.

    (22) Baking powder and baking soda contain sodium and alum (aluminum), which arc highly toxic. Aluminum-free and sodium-free baking powder such as Featherweight (potassium-based powder) may be used occasionally.

    (23) Any product that contains fluoride such as fluoridated water, toothpaste. mouthh gargic, hair dyes, beauty parlor permanents, cosmerics, underarm deodorants. Iipstick, and lotions must be totally avoided.

    (III) NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

    Gerson Therapy doesn't require too many nutritional supplements because all the essential nutrients are already present in the Gerson diet. Following are the few supplements used in the Gerson Therapy.

    (1) Lugol solution
    The conventional USP concentration of a Lugol solution contains 5 grams of iodine and 10 grams of potassium iodide in 100 ml solution. The concentration of the Lugol solution used in Gerson Therapy is 5 grams of potatium iodide and 10 grams of iodine in 200 ml solution. Typical dosage using Gerson 's Lugol solution for cancer patients not pretreated with chemotherapy is 3 drops added to orange or apple-carrot juice 6 times a day. This is reduced to one drop 6 times a day after 2 to 3 weeks. For cancer patients pretreated with chemotherapy start with one drop 6 times a day. The dosage is reduced after 5 to 6 weeks to 3 to 4 drops a day. Lugol solution should not be added to green leaf juices.

    (2) Potassium compound salts
    Dr. Gerson believed that the beginning of all degenerative diseases is the loss of potassium ions in the cells, and the invasion of sodium ions along with water into the cells. This brings on edema, loss of electrical potentials in the cells, improper enzyme formation, reduced cell oxidation, and other cell malfunctions. The building of almost all enzymes by the cells requires potassium as a catalyst. In contrast, sodium inhibits enzyme production. A solution of potassium compound salts is made from 33 grams each of potassium acetate, potassium monophosphate, and potassium gluconate, diluted in 32 ounces of distilled. Typical dosage varies from 1 to 4 teaspoonfuls 10 times a day of the prepared solution (total 3.5 to 14 grams of potassium daily). They are added to orange, apple-carrot, or green leaf juices, but not to pure carrot juice. The primary benefit of potassium compound salts is to treat the tissue damage syndrome (TDS) which is found in all cancers.

    (3) Acidol pepsin capsule (betaine HCL and pepsin)
    This is used for aiding digestion of foods and juices. The dosage is 2 capsules 3 times a day.

    (4) Niacin (vitamin B3)
    Noraml dosage for cancer patients is six 50-mg tablets of naicin daily for 6 months. For advanced cancer cases, the dosage is increased to 50 mg of niacin every hour, 24 hours a day (a total of 1200 mg niacin daily). Gerson Therapy uses the nicotinic form of nizcin which may cause skin-flushing effect with temporary but harmless redness, heat, and itching. It should not be discontinued if this skin flush occurs because niacin provides vasodilation which improves blood circulation, elevates skin temperature, increases oxygenation, promotes cellular nutrition, and produces an overall detoxification effect. However, niacin should be discontinued during the menstruation or any type of bleeding.

    (5) Pancreatin enzyme tablets
    These tablets contain 3 groups of enzymes for the digestion and absorption of foods. The 3 groups are the lipases that digest fats, the amylases that digest starches, and the proteases that digest the proteins as well as the tumor masses. The recommended doage is three 325-mg tablets 4 times a day. According to Gerson, pancreatin should not be given to sarcoma patients.

    (6) Faxseed oil
    The normal dosage is 2 tablespoonfuls of organic cold-pressed flaxseed oil daily for the first month, then reduced to one tablespoonful daily afterwards. Flaxseed oil is best taken at lunch or dinner as part of the salad dressing, or on potatoes or vegetables. It should not be heated or cooked. It should be noted that the champion researcher of flaxseed oil, Dr. Johanna Budwig of Germany recommended a combination of one part flaxseed oil and 4 parts cottage cheese for cancer patients, however, cottage cheese is a prohibited food in Gerson Therapy in the first 6 to 12 weeks of treatment.

    (7) Bee pollen and Royal jelly
    Bee pollen is to be taken when proteins are reintroduced into the patient's diet, starting from approximately 10th to 12th week of treatment. The normal dosage is 2 to 4 teaspoonfuls a day of bee pollen. Royal jelly is an optional supplement. The normal dosage is 100 mg in capsule form taken one hour before breakfast. It should not be taken with hot food.

    (8) Vitamin B12 injection and crude liver extract
    Vitamin B12 in Gerson Therapy is administered by intramuscular injection into the gluteus medius muscle, o.1 cc (100 mcg) once daily for 4 to 6 months or more. It is accompanied simultaneously (in the same injection syringe) by 3 cc of crude liver extract.

    (9) Vitamin C
    The Gerson dosage of vitamin C is 1.0 to 1.5 grams daily in the form of asborbic acid, not in the form of calcium or sodium asborbate.

    (10) Charcoal tablet
    This is used in the case of diarrhea or problems in the gas absorption in the intestinal tract. Thedosage depends on the extent of the symptoms.

    (11) Amygdalin or laetrile
    This is an optional supplement because of the legality of its use in the United States. However, it is used in most of the cancer clinics in Tijuana with a normal dosage of 9 grams of laetrile together with megadose of vitamin C and B-complex intravenously daily for 3 to 6 weeks. It is one of the more expensive parts in cancer treatment in Tijuana.

    End of the Summary
    The philosophy of abstaining animal proteins in Gerson therapy has recently been strenghtened by a 20-year epidemiological study in the book "The China Study"
    On the left of the three shown above is a book written by a Japanese medical doctor describing his method of using carrot and apple juice diet to cure all kinds of degenerative diseases including cancer.

    This diet therapy consists of 7 days of fasting on carrot-apple juice and 3 days of post-fasting foods. The juice fasting diet in the first 7 days is as follows:

    7:00 AM Light exercise or walking
    8:00 AM Three glasses of about 8 onuces each of carrot-apple juice (total 450 ml of carrot and 150 ml of apple juice)
    10:00 AM Soup consists of mushroom and kelp
    12:00 PM (Noon) Three glasses of about 8 onuces each of carrot-apple juice (total 450 ml of carrot and 150 ml of apple juice)
    3:00 PM One glass (8 ounce) of hot ginger drink made from ginger and honey
    5:00 PM Three glasses of about 8 onuces each of carrot-apple juice (total 450 ml of carrot and 150 ml of apple juice)
    6:00 PM Hot bath, massage, and/or acupunture

    The diet on the next 3 days of post-fasting foods consists of carrot-apple juices, brown rice soup, hot ginger drink, and cooked vegetables.

    The middle is a book written by another Japanese medical doctor describing his method of using a special soup he initiated to cure cancer. The soup consists of gobo (Japanese burdock root), radish with green tops, dried mushroom, and carrots.

    On the right is another Japanese book describing raw potato juice used by a Japanese monk to cure cancer and various degenerative diseases. These three books in the East certainly validate the correct foresight of Dr. Max Gerson in using natural foods to cure cancer and other degenerative diseases.
    Use back arrow to return, or return to home page of Brave-Souls.com