The Gerson Therapy — also called the Gerson Therapy diet — is a natural alternative treatment system that claims to “activate the body’s extraordinary ability to heal itself.” Later, Gerson used this therapy to treat diseases like tuberculosis and cancer.

Cancer

  • Cancer is not specific- it is a degenerative condition of the total metabolism
  • It includes damage to the liver and all essential organs
  • Similar damage precedes other chronic           diseases-experience has shown that even obscure, unrecognized conditions can be relieved when the body’s own healing mechanism is restored.

(Important Notes)

  • The body does not heal selectively
  • The most important part of the body is the digestive tract
  • In order for our intake to be properly digested to the end products and all waste eliminated, all toxins and poisons must be eliminated
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The inability to heal is caused by:

  • Loss of mineral balances
  • Poisoning of essential organs due to toxicity
  • Incomplete digestion and elimination

Deficient and toxic foods may lead to:

  • A weak digestive system-unable to process food to the end products and eliminate all waste
  • Improper functioning of the pancreas
  • A weakened and poison liver- unable to detoxify the blood
  • Congested lymphatic-70% of the immune system lies in the gut

Leaky Gut Syndrome

  • Leaky gut syndrome is a digestive condition that affects the lining of the intestines. In leaky gut syndrome, gaps in the intestinal walls allow bacteria and other toxins to pass into the bloodstream. Many doctors and healthcare professionals do not recognize leaky gut syndrome (LGS) as a diagnosable condition.

The soil inner terrain immune system

  • Poor diet/ nutritional deficiencies

(Refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, trans fats, processed foods, lack of water)

  • Mental/emotional stress

(Negative/fearful thoughts and emotions)

  • Digestive system imbalances
  • Environmental toxicity
  • Spiritual disconnection
  • Overuse of antibiotics/steroids
  • Genetics

Epigenetics

  • Environment can modify gene expression
  • Even if there is a genetic predisposition or inherent weakness, proper nutrition and detoxification can prevent development of an illness

Tissue Damage Syndrome

  • When cells are damaged by toxins, oxygen starvation, malnutrition, trauma:
  • Cells lose potassium
  • Cells accept sodium
  • Cells swell with water
  • Loss of cellular energy production

(Important Notes)

  • Reverse deficiency with organic, plant based nutrient dense diet and juices and supplements. Increases oxidative metabolism at a cellular level
  • Increase the detoxification capacity of the liver
  • Initiate the healing inflammation to kill malignant cells
  • Restoration- Continue the process until the tumor is re-absorbed and all organs are restored

The Gerson Diet is not vegan

  • Non-fat, organic yogurt-easily digestible form of protein, helps balance alkalinity of diet
  • Supplements- pancreatic, liver, thyroid
  • Raw liver juice was used when a safe supply was available

Juices

  • Fresh pressed juices are easily absorbed directly to blood stream providing nutrients, enzymes and oxygen

Restoring the liver

  • The overall cellular metabolic functions of the body depend upon the liver
  • “If the liver is healthy, it is very difficult to get sick”-Dr. Gerson
  • The diet, juicing and supplementation help restore the liver, the coffee enemas increase its detoxification capacity

Healing Inflammation

  • Healing inflammation kills tumor cells
  • When the cells of the body are restored to a healthy state through proper nutrition and detoxification, the body has the vitality to initiate a healing inflammation

Restoration

  • Continue this process until the body is totally healed
  • This can take two to three years (There are still unripe cancer cells hidden in glands, lymph vessels and necrotic tissues, even after the tumor masses are no longer detectible).

Exercise and Rest

  • Dr. Gerson felt strongly that a Gerson patient urgently needs to rest, especially the first few months
  • Gerson Therapy speeds up the metabolism and that requires energy
  • This energy is needed to work on the healing process internally
  • Walking short distances, rebounding, stretching and deep breathing are acceptable. Stop when feeling tired.
  • More strenuous exercise such as running, tennis and aerobics must be avoided for at least a year and then introduced only on a case by case basis.

Characteristics of Successful Patients

  • Has a genuine desire to live
  • Strongly committed to doing a natural therapy
  • Has a thorough understanding of what is involved in undertaking the therapy
  • Understands the long-term commitment
  • Has family support and help with the work
  • Absence from work necessary for strict cooperation
  • Realizes the importance of getting proper rest

Contraindications

  • Organ Transplant
  • Renal failure- must have 15-20% of kidney function
  • Kidney dialysis
  • Ileostomy
  • Absence of colon or greater than half of the colon removed
  • Intestinal obstruction
  • Referred to hospice
  • Gastrectomy or more than 75% of stomach removed
  • Thromboses
  • Severe liver dysfunction/liver failure
  • Recurrent pleural effusion not responsive to treatment or pericardial effusion
  • Hemorrhage/Severe anemia
  • Bedridden, severely weakened condition
  • Unable to eat or drink, on a feeding tube

Conditions which are very difficult to cure

  • Acute leukemia
  • Brain tumors
  • Brain metastasis
  • Recurrent ascites, advanced ascites
  • Heart stent or heart valve replacement
  • Pacemakers
  • After a bone marrow transplant
  • Stem cell transplant

Conditions difficult to heal with the Gerson Therapy

  • ALS
  • Parkinson’s
  • Dystrophy
  • Arthritis or lupus after long term steroid use
  • Pancreatic cancer after chemo
  • Multiple myeloma

Implications for Surgery

  • Assess on a case by case basis
  • Often recommended to remove breast tumors- benefit of nutritional therapy is enhanced when the body does not have to breakdown and eliminate tumor mass
  • Breast implants should be removed
  • Obstructive tumors need to be removed unless a stent can be placed
  • Surgically removing tumors that are encapsulated and large will often benefit the patient.

Chemotherapy

  • Must be completed before beginning the therapy
  • Must use modified therapy with no castor oil treatments (oral or by enema)
  • Chemotherapy may or may not negatively impact the outcome of the therapy
  • In some cases, if a patient has been on the Gerson Therapy for a while and then decides to start chemo, it may be possible to reduce the therapy to a level they can continue during chemo treatment.
  • Otherwise, for a new patient, it may be possible to offer support during chemo with the diet, 3-4 juices and 1 coffee enema. They will need higher amounts of easily digestible protein.
  • We should not call this the Gerson Therapy- just Gerson like support

Radiation

  • May be necessary in some cases to manage bone pain and stabilize further degeneration from bone metastasis
  • Tumors that cause pressure on vital organs and tissues may need to be irradiated
  • The short term damage caused by irradiation can in many cases be overcome by the Gerson Therapy
  • The benefits in reducing pain and shrinking tumor growth can “buy time” to be able to continue the Gerson Therapy
  • Full body irradiation is more damaging

Using the Gerson Therapy with Children

  • Children under the age of 18 are not accepted at the clinic
  • Have little experience in pediatric cancers. Most are of an embryonic or genetic origin
  • The therapy would need to be greatly modified for infants, toddlers and very young children

Children and the Gerson Therapy

  • Can utilize a healthy, organic Gerson-like diet
  • Give carrot juice
  • Remove all offending environmental exposures
  • Use of coffee enemas and supplements will depend on age and seriousness of the condition

(Important Note)

For less serious conditions of a chronic nature:

-allergies

-asthma

-frequent colds/flus/ear infections

-behavioral/learning disorders

Utilize a Gerson-like diet and juicing