|
Max Gerson
Therapy For Cancer
How does one measure the overall health of the liver? How does one know if their liver is strong enough to be restored by the Gerson Therapy? There are all the usual blood tests that don't
tell a doctor much until a disease process
or damage has already been quite severe or
extensive. We have seen this so many times.
Therefore, these tests hold only a little value
for evaluation purposes. The liver has literally
hundreds of functions, so it is very hard to
know the overall health of the liver. In today's
world there are many thousands of toxins in
every known form surrounding us. Some people
may have healthier, stronger systems and are
better equipped to handle the necessary detoxification
processes to maintain a healthy liver. Others
can, and sometimes need to give more support
and help to the liver by way of a healthy lifestyle;
physically and mentally. Having tests done
by other means [besides blood]: hair and saliva
analysis perhaps; and by doing the classic "Spring
and Fall" cleansing through a juice and
detoxification regimen under the guidance of
a qualified advisor. Generally with the Gerson
Therapy, a 25% to 50% functioning liver can
have good results, and is restorable. However
Charlotte Gerson has stated she has seen good
results with even less. As you know, the liver
is the only organ that can completely regenerate
itself and does so over time on a regular basis. What is the correct amount of Vitamin B-12 to take? The Gerson Therapy advises to take Vitamin
B-12 with the liver injections. The correct
amounts are recommended as follows: Crude Liver
.90 (9/10) ml (one ml equals one cc) mixed
with Vitamin B-12 .10 (1/10) ml (or cc) on
a daily basis. Remember to inject some air
(just slightly more than you are going to withdraw)
into the bottles beforehand so a vacuum is
not created. Then the patient draws up the
.10 of Vit B-12 and can go to the bottle of
crude liver to withdraw up the remaining .9
cc for a total of one ml or cc into one syringe
ready for injection into the gluteus medius
muscle. Since this is a vegetarian diet, the
above amount provides a highly absorbable form
of Vitamin B-12 more commonly found in animal
products. For a more detailed discussion of
the Gerson Therapy medications we strongly
recommend reading "A Cancer Therapy: Results
of Fifty Cases" (Dr. Max Gerson, Gerson
Institute, ISBN 0-9611526-2-1) and the Gerson
Therapy Handbook. Is there any danger in taking niacin? Dr. Gerson felt strongly about the use of
increased amounts of Niacin (Vitamin B3) in
cancer patients from the beginning of treatment
and without too much interruption. However
after using 50mg six times a day for four to
six months, it should not be diminished too
fast as well. Niacin helps to bring back sufficient
glycogen into the liver cells. It also helps
in protein metabolism, acts to open small arteries
and capillaries (of course it would be discontinued
with any bleeding problems.) It raises electrical
potential in cells. In addition, this information
can be found on page 209 of "A Cancer
Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases" (Dr.
Max Gerson, Gerson Institute, ISBN 0-9611526-2-1)
The best to you and your healthy children. When should the clay pack be used and when should the castor oil pack be used? The clay pack is used as an anti-inflammatory
and it draws out toxins through the skin into
the clay. It is excellent for all bites such
as mosquito or spider bites. It is also good
for rheumatoid arthritis at the painful joints,
boils, cysts etc. Remember, to discard the
clay pack after each use. Each pack should
only be used one time. The castor oil pack
increases circulation in the area and stimulates
the lymphatic system to carry off toxins. It
is excellent for organ pain, especially liver,
pancreas and kidney pain. It aides in detoxification
and gives relief What is the proper procedure for preparing a Castor Oil Pack? First, gather together three 8 X 10 sized
pieces of previously washed, white or organic
cotton or wool flannel. Place one sheet down
on a non-porous surface (counter top or glass
table). Apply a thin coat of castor oil over
the entire sheet. Follow the same procedure
with the second and third sheets applying one
on top of the other. Then take the ãpackä and
apply it to the affected area, cover with plastic
(***IT STAINS ANY CLOTHING OR LINENS IT COMES
IN CONTACT WITH). Apply a hot water bottle
(better than electric) to keep it warm. You
can sleep with it or use it as long as it provided
relief. It will open capillaries and the castor
oil acts as a healing agent. ***NOTE: You can
save and reuse this pack time and time again.
Wrap it in waxed paper and plastic and place
it in the refrigerator until next use. ALSO
NOTE: This is different from the clay pack
which MUST BE DISCARDED after each use, as
it absorbs toxins through the skin into the
clay. Are cucumbers high in sodium? What is the reason they are not allowed? Cucumbers per se are not high in sodium. The
main reason they are not allowed is that they
can be hard to digest for many people, especially
in conjunction with the juices. They cause
intestinal upset, gas and discomfort. This
is avoided by eliminating a food that has proven
to be troublesome. What kind of coffee should be used for the enema preparation? Choose a fine ground, light roast, ORGANIC
coffee. It may be from any number of places,
that is not important and there is no specific
type of coffee for any specific ailment (recent
question sent to us). What is equally important
is the preparation. One needs to follow the "enema
recipe" (in the handbook) in order to
simmer off the volatile oils and then strain
through a tea strainer to allow the sediment
to pass through. The sediment holds additional
palmitates, an essential component, which is
ultimately enhancing in the removal of many
toxic radicals from the blood. An in-depth
explanation can be found in the Gerson Handbook
on page 75: A Coffee Enema? Now I've Heard
Everything. Is almond milk (made by soaking blended almonds overnight in distilled water) an acceptable substitute for soy or rice milk? While rice milk may be used as a substitute
for soy milk, because it is a non-fat milk
made from rice, it is not used for the purpose
of obtaining phytoestrogens for hormonal balance.
On the other hand, almond milk is a nut milk
with high fat content. Due to this fact, Gerson
patients must not use almond milk. Any liquids,
other than juices, should be used in limited
quantities as the number of juices required
in the Gerson Therapy is quite high. Taking
in other fluids will detract from one's ability
to consume the proper amount of juice needed
for the Gerson Therapy. Are ginger, turmeric, red cayenne pepper powder and Braggs Liquid Amino allowed in the Gerson Therapy? Spices are not permitted, nor is Braggs Liquid Amino, which has a high sodium content. There are a number of herbs that can be used for seasoning food, as well as lemon and garlic. The topic of permitted foods for the Gerson Therapy is discussed extensively throughout pages 237-243 in A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases Since soy products are not recommended with the Gerson Therapy, what can I sue as a safe, healthy, non-dairy substitute for Soy Milk? The most obvious substitute for soy milk is,
of course, rice milk. However, did you know
that the rice milk you find on the grocery
store shelves has salt and oil in it? To find
a healthy replacement for soy or rice milk,
cook organic brown rice until tender, then
while fresh and hot, put it into the blender
with just enough distilled water to get it
to blend smooth. Once blended, then slowly
add more distilled water until the milk is
at the desired consistency. You can add a small
amount of unpasteurized honey to it if desired
for slightly sweeter milk. After it is well
blended, pour the milk through a fine, stainless
steel strainer to remove any solid particles. Flaxseeds vs. Flax Oil - What‘s the difference? or, Why can‘t ground flaxseeds be used instead of, or in addition to flax oil? (The short answer) First of all, all seeds
including flaxseeds have an important substance
within them that keeps them, well, seeds. That
substance is an enzyme inhibitor. Gerson patients
particularly are working to promote vital enzyme
absorption for healing purposes. Second, flaxseed
oil is rich in the amino acid: lysine, also
valuable for healing. Ground flaxseeds on the
other hand are rich in arginine (a nonessential
amino acid except during infancy when it is "essential").
Arginine can depress the immune system response,
a this works directly against the goal of the
Gerson Therapy. Third, flaxseed oil is a valuable
carrier of Vitamin A from the carrots and other
vegetables, and in the reabsorbing of tumor
masses. Fourth, Flaxseed oil is a rich source
of linoleic acids and unsaturated fatty acids
(omega 3 and omega 6) essential in nutrition
when used in proper amounts. (The long answer
- by Charlotte Gerson) We are frequently asked
why patients should not use flax seeds when
they are supposed to use flax seed oil. There
are a number of reasons. Flax seeds, like all
seeds and legumes, are nature's way to preserve
life for the next generation. In order for
those seeds not to sprout when conditions are
not right, for instance, on a hard floor or
table, or in a sack with many more seeds, nature
endows them with an enzyme inhibitor. This
preserves the seeds in a 'dormant' condition
until they are in a warm, moist soil. This
enzyme inhibitor, however, also inhibits human
digestive enzymes. Therefore seeds and legumes
interfere with good digestion. Patients already
have enough digestive problems; we must not
add to those, since these inhibitors tend to
cause gas. That is why sailors are said to
have gas since they eat a lot of beans. A second
point is that the flax seed oil is important
to carry vitamin "A" to all the cells
of the body, thus activating the immune system.
However, Vitamin "A" is fat soluble
and works better with the flax seed oil as
a carrier. In order to obtain an adequate quantity
of oil from the seeds, a huge quantity would
need to be consumed, along with the enzyme
inhibitors. Another reason for not using the
flax seeds is that all nuts and seeds, while
they are fairly rich in proteins, contain proteins
that are not in good balance. These seed proteins
are usually high in l-arginine (one of the
amino acids) and low in l-lysine (another amino
acid). That is not acceptable, this ratio should
be reversed, since l-lysine stimulates the
immune system while the high l-arginine depresses
the immune system. It is very important to
obtain the right amount of flax seed oil. Rather
than the seeds, the oil contains adequate amounts
of the invaluable linolenic and linoleic acids.
These help to dissolve and carry off cholesterol
plaque that has formed in the arteries of virtually
all people. Thus, circulation improves and
plaque clears, also preventing possible heart
attacks and/or strokes. Some people consider
flax seed oil unpalatable. It is actually very
tasty and can be used as part of the salad
dressing (with vinegar or lemons) or as a dressing
for baked potatoes - after these have cooled
down from excessive heat. Never cook or bake
with flax seed oil! What is the difference between potassium chloride and potassium compound salts? What are the dangers? Here at the Gerson Institute we get a lot of questions about what is right and wrong to do with the Gerson Therapy. One of the more troubling areas seems to be in understanding the dangers of potassium chloride and how it differs from potassium compound salts. Here's the quick, but albeit complete answer. What is potassium chloride (K-Cl)? K-Cl is a compound, a combination of 2 elements: Potassium + Chloride. The Chloride element portion of the compound is damaging to the metabolism. What can potassium chloride do to your body? Liquid Potassium Chloride may cause fibrillation and cardiac arrest. It also prevents potassium and enzymes to enter the cells for the healing process. Potassium Chloride pills may cause perforation in the walls of the small intestine and death can occur. What are potassium compound salts? Potassium Compound Salts are used as supplementation in the Gerson Therapy. They are a 10% solution of gluconate, acetate and phosphate. The word "Salts" in Potassium Compound Salts refers to a chemical term only, not necessarily sodium chloride, or "salt" as we more commonly know it. Even with Potassium Compound supplementation in the Gerson Therapy, lower serum (blood), K (potassium) figures may show best healing, because the depleted tissues reabsorb K, while high figures may be found in failures, because the tissues lose K Why are berries and some other fruits and vegetables not allowed on the therapy? Some vegetables and fruits contain substances
that are detrimental to patients on the therapy.
In the case of berries, Dr. Gerson had some
experiences where patients had difficulty digesting
them, and he eliminated berries from the diet.
Some fruits, such as pineapple (and probably
some berries as well) contain strong aromatics
(essences detected by our senses of smell and
taste) that disrupt normal immune function.
The overall verdict as to whether these products
are actually harmful is still out, but at this
time we feel it is better to err on the side
of conservatism and keep them out of the diet.
Other vegetables such as celery are not allowed
due to their high sodium content, while avocados
are forbidden because they are very high in
fat. Why can't I use any soy products? While frequently viewed in a positive light
by health-conscious people, soybeans present
problems for the average Gerson patient and
should be avoided. Two problems exist: Soy
products are usually high in protein (something
that is reduced to an absolute minimum on the
therapy.) Evidence has surfaced recently stating
soy products contain enzyme inhibitors. Since
the Gerson therapy supplies fresh juices and
foods full of enzymes. and the therapy, in
part, works by encouraging enzyme function
in the liver, any substance that inhibits or
suppresses enzymes is avoided. Please clarify small details on the coffee enema preparation: Do the directions refer to rounded or heaping tablespoons? Rounded Tablespoons. When should coffee be strained, immediately when turned off from simmering, or after it settles a while? It doesn't matter. Strain through strainer
lined with a cloth, such as a piece of clean,
white sheet (this can be washed and re-used.) The juicing is so tedious, with all the grinding and pressing. Isn't there an easier and faster way, or a cheaper juicer that I could use? Dr. Gerson said in his address to a group
assembled in Escondido, California in 1956: "At
first I thought that liquefiers would be the
most wonderful thing. All the material was
there, nothing was lost. But it didn't work." The
rotating blade gives rise to a "dynamo
effect", causing electricity to be generated,
thus killing enzymes. The same is true of centrifugal
juicers. Juices must be made by grinding the
vegetables first, mixing them, and then pressing
them in a press. We have come across cancer
patients who tried to heal themselves on the
Gerson Therapy using a centrifugal juicer,
but they experienced no improvement. When they
tried the Therapy with a Champion juicer, they
did well. More seriously ill patients still
need the grinding plus pressing type of juicer
like the Norwalk to properly heal. In response
to a question from a patient about the two
step juicing process, Dr. Gerson wrote that "the
malic acid (contained in the apples) mixed
with the ground carrots helps to release the
minerals from the carrots." In other words,
it is necessary to first grind the apples and
carrots together into a bowl, using a grinder.
Norwalk, K&K or Champion juicers can all
be used as grinders, but the Champion cannot
be used as a press. The ground materials are
mixed and then the mixture is placed in a press
cloth and put under pressure in the Norwalk
or K&K press. This process produces the
best extraction, that is richest in minerals,
and best in taste. Juice produced by the Champion
juicer alone separates into a transparent liquid
at the bottom and mush on top after a very
short time. This juice is also harder for the
patient to drink because of the particles,
and is not as rich and homogeneous in nutrients.
More recently the Green Power juicer was introduced.
It does a better job of extraction than the
Champion when used as a juicer, but it offers
no way (as the Champion does) to block the
juicing action. It is impossible to use the
Green Power juicer solely as a grinder, as
it grinds and juices in one operation. While
it extracts juice quite efficiently, it does
not fulfill Dr. Gerson's requirement of mixing
the ground apples and carrots thoroughly before
pressing. When and how do I get "off the Therapy"? When do I add new foods such as pasta, fish, or chicken? This is a more complex situation. It is very
difficult to fix an exact time when the patient
is "cured" and is presumably able
to handle foods other than the non-toxic, highly
nutritious foods of the Gerson Therapy. We
assume a general time for healing and rebuilding
the body (involving restoring the liver and
essential organs to full function) to be about
two years. If a patient started in a severely
debilitated condition, or has previously been
treated with chemotherapy, it will take longer
- how long is almost impossible to say. So
what is the answer? To "get off the Therapy",
it is certainly not wise to immediately switch
from the full Therapy (13 juices, all organic
foods, only pre-digested, fat-free milk proteins,
and one or two enemas a day) to a "Standard
American Diet" (S.A.D.), complete with
two or three protein meals, meat, cheese, chicken,
eggs, etc., and commerical foods. If the patient
has remained in good condition, has normal
blood and urinalysis results and remains stable
for a period of about 2 years, then the patient
can begin by reducing the number of juices
from 13 a day to perhaps 8 glasses: 1 orange,
4 apple/carrot, 3 green. He can also start
to reduce the daily enema to one every other
day. If these changes do not cause new problems,
and the patient continues in good condition,
with good energy, having normal bowel movements
daily, and has good blood tests results, then
the diet could be modified to add fish perhaps
once-a-week. The fish should be boiled or broiled,
not fried or breaded. Salt should always be
avoided. One wwarning to remember is that even
the deepest deep-sea fish have been found to
contain mercury. Fish is not especially healthy,
and you don't have to eat it if you don't care
for it. If any new symptoms appear, the patient
should immediately return to the full Therapy
for at least a month or two, and stop any of
the new modifications. The best thing to remember
in making changes in diet and lifestyle, is
not to make a number of changes all at once.
This will allow you to know which modifications
cause trouble for you and which ones are okay. Can you give me any names of patients that have been treated with my kind of cancer? We maintain a list of former patients that
have volunteered to speak with new and prospective
patients of the Gerson Therapy. Names from
this list are available to anyone seriously
interested in undertaking the Therapy. Any
one of our client service representatives can
assist you with getting the name and number
of a volunteer networker relative to your case
or situation. Call 1-888-443-7766 What does the Gerson Therapy have good results with? While there is an exception to every rule
and every case is different, the therapy has
had repeatedly good results with the following
diseases: melanoma lymphoma ovarian cancer
Duke's C colorectal cancer Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
arthritis oat cell carcinoma of the lung In
general, we have significantly higher success
with any cancer or degenerative disease when
we are able to work with the patient before
the cancer has spread too far or before they
have received extensive chemotherapy. I thought that high colonics cleaned out the entire colon. Why shouldn't one do high colonics? Aren't we trying to clear out the colon? Anyone
who is at all familiar with the Gerson Therapy
is well aware of the utmost importance of the
coffee enemas. (Gerson Healing Newsletter #13,
May, 1986). But questions arise from Dr. Gerson's
instructions, specifically his warning: NO
HIGH COLONICS. High colonics don't accomplish
what coffee enemas do, which is namely to open
the liver/bile ducts allowing the liver to
release its toxins. High colonics also interfere
with basic colonic functions: reabsorption
of nutrients, vitamins and fluids, especially
when used regularly. Let us first examine the
basics: Dr. Gerson found that the primary problems
facing all cancer patients are toxicity and
deficiency. The goal of his therapy is to overcome
both these difficulties. Dr. Gerson found that
one of the important features of his therapy
had to be the hourly administration of fresh
vegetable juices. These supply ample nutrients,
as well as fluids to help flush out the kidneys.
When high levels of nutrients re-enter tissues,
toxins accumulated over many years are forced
into the blood stream, where they are then
filtered out by the liver. The liver, easily
overburdened by this continuous release of
toxins is unable to release them all, and this
can cause liver damage, even liver coma --
unless the liver is helped to release the overload.
Dr. Gerson found that the caffeine in coffee,
which, absorbed from the colon through the
hemorrhoidal vein (which carries the caffeine
to the portal system then to the liver) was
able to relieve the liver's stress and allowed
safe release of the stored toxins. This occurs
as the caffeine stimulates the liver/bile ducts
to open, releasing the poisons into the intestinal
tract where they are then excreted as waste
from the body. High colonics are usually not
done with coffee, and therefore do not benefit
the liver. Even if coffee were to be used,
a high colonic forces the substance high into
the transverse and ascending colon, where it
is not absorbed into the portal system. It
would be impossible, even dangerous, to do
five high colonics daily. Colonics have another
undesirable effect. The colon is a very important
recycling organ which reabsorbs fluids, enzymes
and minerals. It also produces some vitamins
with the help of friendly bacteria. Regular
high colonics disturb this activity, flushing
out essential minerals, enzymes and friendly
bacteria along with the waste materials. This
could lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
(washing out too many of the minerals the body
needs). If a patient wishes to use one or two
high colonics prior to starting the Gerson
Therapy, we have no objection, but the often-suggested
course of 15 or 30 colonics should not be undertaken!
In addition, it is possible to stretch the
colon, which then loses some of its normal
muscle function. Most doctors and nurses are
taught to have the patient lie on the left
side to take their enemas. Dr. Gerson wanted
the patient to lie on his right side. With
the patient in this position, gravity will
help the coffee flow past the descending colon,
just around the "corner" of the splenic
flexure, and into the transverse colon for
higher penetration and better release of toxic
feces. One more important note: When using
the castor oil enema, it is necessary to add
some soap to the coffee/castor oil solution
so the oil does not float to the top. Do not
grate soap into the solution. Too much soap
will irritate and inflame the colon. Just rub
a cake of soap for a few moments with your
hand immersed in the (liquid) coffee. This
will release enough soap to do the job. How long will I have to be on the therapy? Though Dr. Gerson specifies about 18 months
in A Cancer Therapy, with today's more toxic
environment we are finding patients need to
be on the therapy for at least two years, and
in many cases three. Non malignant diseases
such as arthritis and Lupus fall on the shorter
end of that scale, while advanced cases of
cancer fall closer to the three year range. Where can I get a juicer that is OK for a Gerson patient? Based on many years of experience, the best
juicers are the Norwalk and K&K juicers.
Norwalks are single units with a grinder mechanism
that turns at a slow rate, and a separate,
motorized hydraulic press that extracts the
juice from the ground pulp. The K&K juicer
is actually two separate units, one a grinder
and the other, a manually operated press. These
are usually less expensive but more labor-intensive
than Norwalks. The Gerson Institute also maintains
a list of used juicers that members and patients
are selling. We can fax or mail this list to
anyone without charge (you can reach us at
(619) 685-5353) Norwalk juicers are available
from Richard Boger (800) 405-8423. K&K
juicers are available from Al Hasser, at (707)
928-5970. Why must I use a particular kind of juicer? Since juicing is a crucial part of the Gerson Therapy, it is extremely important to have a juicer that will not only be very durable, but one that will produce the highest quantity and highest quality of juice. For gaining the best quality and volume of juice, we have found it is essential to first grind the foods together and then press them. Juicing in this manner extracts the juice (containing the vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and enzymes) and leaves the dry pulp (fibers) behind. Many common juicers are not acceptable for use with the Gerson Therapy. While many of these products are probably fine for normal use by a healthy person, we do not recommend any other process for producing Gerson Therapy juice. The following is a description of some 'common' juicers and their problems: Centrifugal Juicers (most common, least expensive): Centrifugal juicers are fairly common and are generally the least expensive on the market. They operate by grating the food against a metal disk which is spinning at a very fast speed. The main problem with this kind of juicer is that the juicing method is extremely inefficient for extracting all the nutrients, vitamins and other essential from the produce being juiced. The resulting juice is deficient in vitamins, minerals and micronutrients, while unused pulp fibers are left containing the bulk of the valuable materials. With the average Gerson patient juicing about 18 pounds of produce a day, use of a centrifugal juicer would force them to buy much more produce (to gain the same results) than a two-step, grind & press juicer would require. Angel Life, Champion, Royal: These masticating juicers are relatively good products. They grind and extract in one step, but do not produce the high quality of juice that a two-step, grind & press juicer does. Overall their juice contains more pulp than others and separates faster. Some masticating juicers tend to heat the juice in their process of juicing, which compromises both the quality and content of juice they produce. While this option is less expensive than many of two-step, grind & press juicers, we do not recommend them for cancer patients. Vita-Mix and other liquefiers: The Vita-Mix and similar products are not true juicers but actually blenders, and are not acceptable at all for Gerson patients. They do not separate juice from pulp, but simply blend the two together. Since there is no reduction of bulk with these products, a patient would have to consume an alarming amount of produce every day (in addition to regular meals) to receive the proper amount of nutrients. The following quote comes from A Cancer Therapy, Appendix II, P. 406: "At first I thought that liquefiers would be the most wonderful thing. All the material was there, nothing was lost. But it didn't work." There is some controversy about the best position for taking an enema, as conventional protocol is backwards from Dr. Gerson's instructions. Most doctors and nurses are taught to have the patient lie on the left side while taking their enema. Dr. Gerson insisted that the best position was for the patient to lie on their right side, legs comfortably pulled up, relaxed, and breathing deeply. Lying on the right side allowed gravity to assist in passing the coffee flow past the descending colon, just around the "corner" of the splenic flexure and into the transverse colon for higher penetration and better release of toxic wastes When will I see a noticeable improvement from the therapy? The time it takes to see results on the therapy
varies greatly from patient to patient, but
a good guideline to follow is; the faster-moving
the cancer, the quicker it is controlled and
eliminated. In cases of melanoma and lymphomas
we have seen cases of extremely fast tumor
reduction. Bone cancers and bony metastases
take the longest to heal, often requiring 12-18
months. Multiple Sclerosis takes at least several
months to respond, and the symptoms often appear
worse before they improve. This is not to say
that when patients see improvement they are
ready to discontinue the treatment. It is of
utmost importance that patients continue the
full therapy according to their doctor's instructions
for the full length of time, not just until
symptoms improve. What is your success rate? Success rates with any alternative therapy are extremely difficult to obtain. For cases to be used in any study, potential patients must meet many requirements, among which is that they must never have been treated in any way for the disease being studied. The majority of the cases we see are those of patients for which conventional cancer treatment has failed. While we are able to help many of these cases, often achieving long term cures, we cannot use such cases as part of a success study. One study of the effectiveness of the Gerson Therapy was published in Alternative Therapies magazine. Please view this Melanoma Study. Do I have to take the enemas? Yes. The coffee enemas are a must for anyone doing the therapy. As the juices begin rebuilding the body and encouraging toxins to be released from the cells into the bloodstream, a great deal of stress is placed upon the liver. The liver alone, especially in cancer patients, cannot deal with a sudden influx of toxins into the bloodstream. The coffee enemas increase liver filtering, greatly aiding the liver's ability to remove serum toxins. If a patient has received chemotherapy, his/her schedule will be altered to reduce the number of enemas and eliminate the castor oil enemas, but some detoxification of this nature is always needed. Can I do the therapy and Chemo or Radiation therapy at the same time? There are a few instances where chemotherapy is of limited benefit. These include cases of Acute Leukemia, Testicular cancer, and fast-moving cancers where it is beneficial to quickly, if temporarily, stop the cancer so that a non-toxic intervention can be used. Under these circumstances, the Gerson Physicians occasionally recommend using both the full intensive Gerson therapy and chemotherapy together, if the patient starts the Gerson protocol first and is carefully monitored by a doctor. This is not a frequent occurrence with our patients, but it is an option for some. While we do not recommend it except in rare, specific circumstances, if a patient insists of doing chemotherapy concurrently with the Gerson Therapy, there is no reason why it cannot be done. In such a case we recommend that the Gerson Therapy be started prior to chemotherapy, and that the patient be monitored by an experienced Gerson Therapy doctor. Radiation therapy is often effective for relief of bone pain or to shrink a tumor to facilitate surgical removal. While it does have some negative effects, radiation, used judiciously, can be an appropriate addition to the Gerson Therapy Can I use a particular therapy/product with the Gerson Therapy? Wheatgrass: Wheatgrass is often juiced for
many reported health benefits. While there
may be some benefits to its use in healthy
patients, it is harsh and puts a strain on
the digestive system, making other juices difficult
to drink.. For this reason it should be avoided
in Gerson patients; our patients, due to their
diet, already have a taxed digestive system.
Additionally, the green juices of the Gerson
Therapy contain higher amounts of the same
nutrients as wheatgrass juice. Barley Green:
Barley Green is a powdered green juice product
that many people use, often on the advice of
Rev. George Malkemus, a preacher that advocates
nutritional cures for health problems. While
this product may not be problematic, no powdered
product should ever take the place of fresh,
live juices of the Gerson Therapy. Also, there
are two products, one that contains sea kelp
and one without. We recommend that patients
following Gerson dietary guidelines do not
use the product with kelp, as it and other
sea vegetables contain high amounts of sodium.
Essiac Tea: Essiac tea is an herb combination
developed by Native Americans that is reported
to have anti-cancer properties. While not a
part of the therapy, its use presents no problem.
Shark/Bovine cartilage: Shark or Bovine (cow)
cartilage is reported to have anti-cancer properties.
These products are gaining in popularity recently,
and while not a part of the therapy they have
been used with the Gerson Therapy. At this
time we are reconsidering their use due to
their high protein content Shark or Bovine
(cow) cartilage is reported to have anti-cancer
properties. Gerson doctors have reported some
success with these products in reducing bony
or hard tumor masses. 714-X (Gaston Naessens):
714-X is a product developed by Gaston Naessens,
a French-Canadian researcher. We know little
about it or its proposed immune-supporting
actions and do not officially have a position
on its use, but we have heard a few anecdotal
cases professing remission through its use.
Laetrile: Laetrile is one of the more infamous
alternative cancer treatments. Sometimes called
Vitamin B-17, it is not used by Gerson Physicians
for its claimed anti-cancer properties but
for pain relief when used over several weeks
in conjunction with Hydrotherapy for deep bone
pain. Its use presents no problem for Gerson
patients. Coley's Toxins: Coley's toxins is
used at some cancer clinics (including CHIPSA)
to "jump start" immune responses.
The toxins, claimed to be harmless themselves,
are reported to cause the body's immune system
to respond quickly to fight off this new invader,
creating a "false alarm". Once realizing
that the toxins pose no danger, the immune
system then supposedly turns to fight cancer
within the body. While there may be some benefit
to this kind of therapy, Gerson felt that any
vaccine-based therapy was appropriate only
after the immune system had been reactivated,
and was not suitable for general use. HBO (Hyperbaric
Oxygen): HBO is the tank device used to treat
divers with "the bends". The concept
behind its application as a cancer treatment
is that when you saturate the blood with oxygen,
as this machine does, you improve the body's
immune system and increase its ability to kill
tumor tissue. However, according to the Gerson
doctors that observed its use at CHIPSA while
on staff there, HBO treatments did not help
most patients, and in a number of cases increased
tumor size. At this time, we do not support
the use of HBO, nor do we use it at our facilities.
Ozone: Ozone therapy is an additional way to
increase the oxygen supply to the body, thus
promoting healing. We
support the use of ozone therapy, and have
used it rectally at previous facilities. We
also support and recommend the use of room
ozone generators as additional sources of ozone. Dr. Gerson strongly prohibited any fats or oils, yet A Cancer Therapy says to use flax seed oil. What is the source of this contradiction? Dr. Gerson was very much aware that patients
require the intake of essential fatty acids.
He experimented with various substances, including
sunflower, safflower, olive and other oils
to try to satisfy this need. He even tried
fresh, unsalted butter. In all cases, fats
administered to patients, even after they were
already free of tumor tissue, caused the regrowth
of cancers. Therefore, Dr. Gerson stated repeatedly
and emphatically when describing the practice
of the Therapy "NO OILS, NO FATS." In
1958, after his book had been published, Gerson
found the work of Dr. Johanna Budwig. Dr. Budwig
described her successful use of flax seed oil
(linseed oil) in cancer patients. Dr. Gerson
tried this substance and found it very beneficial.
It supplies the essential fatty acids, helps
to carry Vitamin A through the blood stream
and supplies linoleic and linolenic acids.
In a letter to his long-time friend, Dr. Albert
Schweitzer, Gerson described his protocol for
the use of Flax Seed Oil: two tablespoons a
day for the first month on the Gerson Therapy;
one tablespoon thereafter. In the charts on
pp. 235 and 236 of A Cancer Therapy, the reader
will find that the use of flax seed oil is
described. The reason for the "contradiction" is
that, on the basis of Dr. Gerson's research
in the last year of his practice, we added
the flax seed oil prescription. We did not
change the text in the book prohibiting all
fats and oils, because we wanted to keep Dr.
Gerson's original words as intact as possible.
We hope that this explains any apparent contradictions
the reader may find. Flax seed oil is made
from organic flax seed, cold pressed, bottled
in a light-proof container, and sealed in the
presence of inert gas, not air. This careful
handling keeps the oil from oxidizing, and
becoming rancid. It must never be heated, and
should never be used to cook, bake or fry anything.
Unopened bottles may be stored in a freezer
for up to six months; in a refrigerator for
up to three months. Once opened and exposed
to air, still refrigerated, the oil is only
usable for three weeks. Patients should use
the golden, filtered oil , not the brownish
and viscous material that includes lignins.
The lignins come from part of the fiber of
the seed, which also contains certain undesirable
proteins. These should be avoided. Also, when
used by patients, only the oil should be taken,
not freshly ground flax seeds, for the same
reason. Some patients have been told by well-meaning
friends that lignins or flax powder can be
used and added to cakes. That is totally out
of the question.
|
|