Gerson Therapy Protocol

DaveFoster

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Messages
5,027
Location
Portland, Oregon
Gerson Therapy Protocol:

• The treatments consist of salt and water management which holds down
the intake of Na+ [sodium] and increases the intake of K+ [potassium].
• A sick person's metabolism and cell energy production are stimulated by
supplementing with natural thyroid hormone.
• Maximum digestibility of nutrients is achieved by hourly drinking fresh,
raw vegetable and fruit juices and eating a basically vegetarian diet.
• Fat is restricted in order, to lower intake of disease promoters of all kinds.
• The restriction of protein tends to uplift a patient's immune response.
• Coffee enemas stimulate the bowel and liver enzymes to eliminate toxins
across the bowel wall. It is a kind of intestinal dialysis.
Conditions treated by Dr. Gerson's Therapy:
  • cure migraine headaches
  • cutaneous tuberculosis (lupus vulgaris)
  • pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and bone tuberculoses
  • cardiorenal insufficiency;
  • skin conditions including
    • eczema
    • lichen planus
    • systemic lupus
    • erythematosus (SLE)
    • psoriasis
    • pruritus
  • bronchitis and bronchiectasis
  • nearly every liver and gallbladder condition.
  • cancer
  • rheumatoid and osteoarthritis
  • cardiovascular diseases
  • multiple sclerosis
  • tuberculosis
  • migraine headaches
  • *additional conditions not listed in The Gerson Therapy: The Proven Nutritional Program for Cancer and Other Illnesses, p. 50
Gerson Therapy Protocol (Long Version)
Three-quarters of the foods [for illness-prevention] which should be consumed include the following:
  • All kinds of fruits, mostly fresh and some prepared in different ways; freshly prepared fruit juices (orange, grapefruit, grape, etc.); fruit salads; cold fruit soups; mashed bananas, raw grated apples, applesauce, etc.
  • All vegetables freshly prepared, some stewed in their own juices and others either raw or finely grated, such as carrots, cauliflower or celery; vegetable salads, soups, etc.; some dried fruits and vegetables are permitted but no frozen ones.
  • Potatoes are best when baked; the contents may be mashed with nonfat yogurt or salt-free soup; they should never be fried and preferably boiled in their jackets.
  • Salads of green leaves or mixed with tomatoes, fruits, vegetables, etc.
  • Bread should contain whole rye or some (up to 20 percent) whole wheat flour, or these may be mixed; it should be refined as little as possible.
  • Oatmeal should be used freely.
  • Buckwheat cakes and potato pancakes are optional, as are brown sugar, honey, maple sugar and maple candy.
  • (No baking powder or baking soda may be used, even in cooking.)
  • Milk and milk products, such as pot cheese and other kinds of cheese which are not salted or spiced, buttermilk, nonfat yoghurt and butter.
  • Cream and ice cream should be reduced to a minimum or restricted to holidays (ice cream is "poison" for children).
The remaining one-fourth of the dietary regimen, which allows for personal choice, may consist of:
  • Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, candies, cakes, or whatever one likes best. Nicotine should be avoided; liquors, wine and beer should be reduced to a minimum in favor of fresh fruit juices; coffee and tea should be cut to a minimum with the exception of the following herb teas: peppermint, chamomile, linden flower, orange flower, and a few others.
  • Salt, bicarbonate of soda, smoked fish and sausage should be avoided as much as possible, as should sharp condiments such as pepper and ginger, but fresh garden herbs should be used-onions, parsley leaves, chives, celery and even some horseradish.
  • As for vegetables and fruits, they should, I repeat, be stewed in their own juices to avoid the loss of minerals easily dissolved in water during cooking. It seems that these valuable minerals are not so well absorbed when they are out of their colloidal state.
  • All vegetables (except mushrooms and cucumbers) may be used.
  • Especially recommended for their mineral content are carrots, peas, tomatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, string beans, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, beets cooked with apples, cauliflower with tomatoes, red cabbage with apples, raisins, etc.
Preparing Vegetables:

The best way to prepare vegetables is to cook them slowly for one and one-half to two hours, without water. To prevent burning, place a heat distributing metal plate (asbestos mats have been replaced) under the saucepan. You may also use some stock of [special Hippocrates] soup or 'else onions or sliced tomatoes may be added to the vegetables. This also will improve the taste. Spinach water is too bitter for use; it generally is not liked and should be drained off. Onions, leeks and tomatoes have enough liquid of their own to keep them moist while cooking. (Beets should be cooked like potatoes, in their jackets and with water.) Wash and scrub vegetables thoroughly, but do not peel or scrape them. Saucepans must be tightly covered to prevent steam from escaping. Covers must be heavy or close fitting. (Use no pressure cookers.) Cooked vegetables may be kept in the refrigerator overnight. To warm them, heat slowly with a little soup or fresh tomato juice.​
Parallel quotes between Dr. Max Gerson and Dr. Raymond Peat
:

Dr. Max Gerson said:
"...we bring in all known vitamins and enzymes, both the discovered and the undiscovered ones, and especially the unknown-"life stimulating substances"-given best as fresh as possible and not damaged by refining or preserving processes..."

Dr. Raymond Peat said:
...only a new perspective on the nature of living matter will make it possible to properly take advantage of the multitude of practical and therapeutic effects of the various life-supporting substances--pregnenolone, progesterone, thyroid hormone, and coconut oil in particular.
References


Charlotte Gerson, Morton Walker, Max Gerson. The Gerson Therapy: The Proven Nutritional Program for Cancer and Other Illnesses, p. 49-52

 
Last edited:

jzeno

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Messages
543
@DaveFoster

Do you know why they recommend so many enemas? I'm positive there's a significance to this, otherwise they wouldn't waste their time, but I wonder what is the significance of several enemas per day. That just seems so extreme to me.

I understand these people are terminally ill, but I don't see how doing so many provideas anymore benefit than 1 per week or something similar.

Thanks
 

tara

Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2014
Messages
10,368
The remaining one-fourth of the dietary regimen, which allows for personal choice, may consist of:
  • Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, candies, cakes, or whatever one likes best.
My recollection is that Max Gerson did not recommend this one fourth for the stricter treatment protocol for treating severe disease like advanced cancer?
Is this what he recommended for milder situations or more general health maintenance?

Do you have the source at hand?
 
OP
DaveFoster

DaveFoster

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Messages
5,027
Location
Portland, Oregon
@jzeno

See my reply to tara; Dr. Gerson did not include coffee enemas for general health maintenance purposes, so once per week would still be more than what he viewed as necessary.

My recollection is that Max Gerson did not recommend this one fourth for the stricter treatment protocol for treating severe disease like advanced cancer?
Is this what he recommended for milder situations or more general health maintenance?

Do you have the source at hand?
You're correct. Here's the more milder protocol from the Gerson Institute:

In his book, A Cancer Therapy – Result of 50 Cases – A Summary of thirty years of clinical experimentation, Dr. Max Gerson outlined a comprehensive protocol for treatment of seriously ill patients, which includes a very specific program of diet, juicing, supplementation and coffee enemas. In Chapter 3 of this book, he also offers nutritional guidance for people who want to maintain a good level of health and this is summarized below. All food should be fresh and organically grown. Seventy-five percent of the diet should include the following:

Vegetables

All vegetables freshly prepared or stewed in their own juices (*see note on cooking method) Especially recommended are: carrots, peas, tomatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, string beans, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, beets, cauliflower, red cabbage and broccoli. Salads of green leaves mixed with tomatoes, fruits and other vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower and celery can be finely grated. Fresh garden herbs such as onions, parsley, chives, and celery should be used freely.

Fruit

Include all kinds of fresh fruit, including fruit salad, mashed bananas, raw grated apples and applesauce. Some can be dried, but not frozen. Berries are ok for healthy people. Also include freshly prepared fruit juices such as orange, grapefruit, grape, etc.

Other

Potatoes are best when baked or boiled in their jackets and seldom fried. Bread may contain whole rye or whole wheat flour or mixed, and as little refined as possible. Oatmeal can be used freely. **Brown sugar, honey, maple sugar and maple candy are optional **Milk and milk products which are not greatly salted or spiced, such as buttermilk, yogurt or butter are acceptable. Cream and ice cream should be reduced to a minimum or restricted to holidays. The remaining 25 % of the dietary regime which allows for personal choice may consist of meat, fish, eggs, nuts, **candies or cakes. Reduce alcohol to a minimum. Avoid nicotine, salt, bicarbonate of soda, smoked fish and sharp condiments such as pepper and ginger. Coffee and caffeinated teas should be replaced with herbal teas.

The topics of juicing and coffee enemas were not included in Chapter 3, but the Gerson Institute does feel they can be beneficial to a health enhancement program.

Juicing
Most health authorities today advocate the benefits of fresh juicing, especially organic vegetables. In this regard, incorporating freshly made juices daily or weekly is considered health enhancing. You may use the Gerson juice recipes as well as other juice recipes that you feel are beneficial to you.

Coffee Enemas
Due to increased environmental exposures, most people are absorbing more toxins today than 50-60 years ago. Coffee enemas can help the liver process this extra burden and clean the blood. If one is juicing daily, a few coffee enemas a week to one daily is generally acceptable. For daily coffee enemas, there is a guideline of 3 juices for one coffee enema.

Gerson Supplements
There is no recommendation for use of the Gerson supplements for people following these general guidelines for health enhancement. It is recommended to use one’s own judgment or consult with an alternative physician or nutritionist for your specific needs

*COOKING METHOD:
vegetables by cooking slowly for one and one-half to two hours without water. To prevent burning, place on a flame diffuser and add a couple of tablespoons of soup stock or add onions, leeks and tomatoes for the liquid they provide. Wash and scrub vegetables thoroughly, but do not peel or scrape them. Saucepan covers must be heavy or close fitting to prevent steam from escaping. Cooked vegetables may be kept over one night and reheated slowly.

**Much has been learned over the past 50 years about optimal nutrition and biochemical individuality. For more specific recommendations, particularly for the 25% non-Gerson foods, it is recommended you consult with a reputable alternative practitioner in regard to your individual requirements or sensitivities. Many people do not tolerate milk, milk products, wheat or gluten. Cakes and cookies and other sweeteners are not currently recommended.
 

Attachments

  • Gerson-Guidelines-for-General-Nutrition.pdf
    280.9 KB · Views: 88

jzeno

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Messages
543
Relevant material

I found this by searching for Gerson on Salt, but couldn't use the URL to backtrack to the page that hosts this document to read about it and see other related documents.

https://gerson.org/gerpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Biological-Basis-of-the-Gerson-Therapy.pdf

BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF THE GERSON THERAPY: Salt and Water Management and Tissue Damage Syndrome From a lecture by Gar Hildenbrand, 1990.

>The Gerson Therapy is a salt and water management. There is a whole chunk of the medical literature on salt and water management: and that salt and water management also means hormone manipulation, and manipulation of the energy production and the integrity of the human cell. What that meant to the average person who’s trying to get his or her body to work better is that, when one controls the types of salts that are found in the individual cell – the building blocks of our lives – and when one controls the water content – how much water there is in the cell – one can affect the way that the cell functions: the health of the cell, the energy production capabilities of the cell, the ability of the cell to stay alive and to stay normal.

>What Gerson did was to eliminate sodium from the diet, to supplement a high potassium diet with an additional potassium, and to find ways to remove toxins from the bloodstream that inhibit normal cellular enzyme functions, metabolism and respiration

>As early as 1957, Christine Waterhouse and Albert Craig, working on a National Cancer Institute grant, were able to measure water retention in cancer patients, which was a general systemic edema, not visible, not discernible clinically, but measurable.

>...in every instance a gain in weight as a result of forced (fat) feeding was due almost entirely to a gain in intracellular fluids.”

>Gerson saw that by restricting protein and by giving a high-potassium, low-sodium, basically all fruit and vegetable diet, with fresh raw juices and much freshly prepared raw food, edemas could be absorbed. He saw that this could be encouraged, the course of tuberculosis could be affected, and patients could be saved.

>What this means, from Gerson’s point of view, is that when you are sick, when your tissues are damaged, when your cells have lost potassium and taken on sodium and extra water, we must reduce the challenge of sodium and load potassium into the system. Taking supplemental potassium in addition to a low sodium diet helps potassium to compete for association sites in the cell. When you do this, you create a situation in which potassium may again be bound.

>When you create a high potassium environment for a damaged cell, you can get potassium to hook on to one or more association sites, because those sites will take whatever’s there, sodium or potassium – when the cell is damaged. When the protein-lipid macromolecule is in a damaged state, if you can get potassium to bind at one site, a marvelous phenomenon occurs that Ling calls interactive cooperativity – something we could use more of in the world of humans – in which potassium binding at one site will trigger potassium binding at adjoining sites. If potassium can be bound at one site, other sites will begin to prefer potassium over sodium, too. So if you can just start the process, the cell will flip back, like dominoes, to a high potassium load; interactive cooperativity. At the same time, the cell’s water organizes, the water content of the cell shrinks, and ATP production increases. That is the result of successful salt and water management of tissue damage syndrome.

>To refresh our memories, let’s review what we have discussed: potassium supplementation, sodium restriction, calorie restriction, protein restriction, and thyroid supplementation. When you provide high potassium, low sodium environment, even badly damaged cells may be able to structure their water somewhat. When water is structured, the cell is able to control its water content, because its water is approaching the kind of molecular organization seen in crystals. This molecular organization limits the amount of water in the cell.

>Gerson’s attitude toward metabolism was a bit like that of the makers of the old Volkswagen “bug” toward the towards the car’s cabin heater. Those heaters had two positions, “on” and “off”. If you wanted to regulate the cabin heat, you had to do it yourself, manually. The carmakers probably thought, “if you vant heat, you got heat. If you vant it off, shut it off”. Gerson wanted metabolism, so he turned it on with large loading dosages of iodides and iodine, and up to five grains of thyroid.

> Thyroid hormone signals mitochondria to multiply and increase production of ATP. This gives your cells, like little planets, more industrial cities producing more energy. Iodides and iodine affect some tissues directly in the same way.

--

The only major differences I see between Peat and Gerson is Protein and Salt. Gerson seemed adamant about reducing salt in both sick and normal people.

Peat also advocates 80-100g of protein / d in healthy people in most cases.
 
Last edited:

jzeno

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Messages
543
Sample Menu (for Cancer Patient protocol), Source: https://www.truthseekerz.com/The.Ge...al.Program.for.Cancer.and.Other.Illnesses.pdf

Does not include all juices, supplements, and enemas

Breakfast
  • 1 glass (8 oz) of orange juice
  • Large portion oatmeal with choice of fruit sauce
  • Organic 1 00 percent rye bread, unsalted and fat-free, toasted and spread with honey if desired

Lunch
  • Plate of salad
  • 1 glass (8 oz) of warm special soup
  • 1 glass apple/carrot juice
  • Baked potato or other (boiled in jacket, potato salad, casserole, etc.)
  • with yogurt dressing, when permitted
  • Freshly cooked vegetables
  • Dessert: raw or stewed fruit

Dinner
  • Same as lunch. Vary meals by using different vegetables, different methods of preparing potatoes, other kinds of salads.
  • Organic brown rice may be used once a week.
  • Organic sweet potatoes may be used once a week in the place of potatoes.
 

PolishSun

Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
447
Found a lecture by Max Gerson from 1978 with a Q&A at the end

The cure of advanced cancer by diet therapy: a summary of 30 years of clinical experimentation
Max Gerson, M.D., 1978

The cure of advanced cancer by diet therapy


I found these interesting "All this is done in the effort to restore the enteral digestion. When that functions, we add stomach juice (Acidol Pepsin) and we add pancreatin not coated. The cancer patients cannot digest the coated pancreatin. The pancreatin is given five times a day, three tablets each time. So they always have plenty of trypsin, pepsin, lipase and diastase in their systems. The blood can carry this around and digest the tumor masses wherever they may be."
 
D

Deleted member 5487

Guest
@jzeno

See my reply to tara; Dr. Gerson did not include coffee enemas for general health maintenance purposes, so once per week would still be more than what he viewed as necessary.

You're correct. Here's the more milder protocol from the Gerson Institute:

In his book, A Cancer Therapy – Result of 50 Cases – A Summary of thirty years of clinical experimentation, Dr. Max Gerson outlined a comprehensive protocol for treatment of seriously ill patients, which includes a very specific program of diet, juicing, supplementation and coffee enemas. In Chapter 3 of this book, he also offers nutritional guidance for people who want to maintain a good level of health and this is summarized below. All food should be fresh and organically grown. Seventy-five percent of the diet should include the following:

Vegetables
All vegetables freshly prepared or stewed in their own juices (*see note on cooking method) Especially recommended are: carrots, peas, tomatoes, Swiss chard, spinach, string beans, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, beets, cauliflower, red cabbage and broccoli. Salads of green leaves mixed with tomatoes, fruits and other vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower and celery can be finely grated. Fresh garden herbs such as onions, parsley, chives, and celery should be used freely.

Fruit
Include all kinds of fresh fruit, including fruit salad, mashed bananas, raw grated apples and applesauce. Some can be dried, but not frozen. Berries are ok for healthy people. Also include freshly prepared fruit juices such as orange, grapefruit, grape, etc.

Other
Potatoes are best when baked or boiled in their jackets and seldom fried. Bread may contain whole rye or whole wheat flour or mixed, and as little refined as possible. Oatmeal can be used freely. **Brown sugar, honey, maple sugar and maple candy are optional **Milk and milk products which are not greatly salted or spiced, such as buttermilk, yogurt or butter are acceptable. Cream and ice cream should be reduced to a minimum or restricted to holidays. The remaining 25 % of the dietary regime which allows for personal choice may consist of meat, fish, eggs, nuts, **candies or cakes. Reduce alcohol to a minimum. Avoid nicotine, salt, bicarbonate of soda, smoked fish and sharp condiments such as pepper and ginger. Coffee and caffeinated teas should be replaced with herbal teas.

The topics of juicing and coffee enemas were not included in Chapter 3, but the Gerson Institute does feel they can be beneficial to a health enhancement program.

Juicing

Most health authorities today advocate the benefits of fresh juicing, especially organic vegetables. In this regard, incorporating freshly made juices daily or weekly is considered health enhancing. You may use the Gerson juice recipes as well as other juice recipes that you feel are beneficial to you.

Coffee Enemas
Due to increased environmental exposures, most people are absorbing more toxins today than 50-60 years ago. Coffee enemas can help the liver process this extra burden and clean the blood. If one is juicing daily, a few coffee enemas a week to one daily is generally acceptable. For daily coffee enemas, there is a guideline of 3 juices for one coffee enema.

Gerson Supplements
There is no recommendation for use of the Gerson supplements for people following these general guidelines for health enhancement. It is recommended to use one’s own judgment or consult with an alternative physician or nutritionist for your specific needs

*COOKING METHOD:
vegetables by cooking slowly for one and one-half to two hours without water. To prevent burning, place on a flame diffuser and add a couple of tablespoons of soup stock or add onions, leeks and tomatoes for the liquid they provide. Wash and scrub vegetables thoroughly, but do not peel or scrape them. Saucepan covers must be heavy or close fitting to prevent steam from escaping. Cooked vegetables may be kept over one night and reheated slowly.

**Much has been learned over the past 50 years about optimal nutrition and biochemical individuality. For more specific recommendations, particularly for the 25% non-Gerson foods, it is recommended you consult with a reputable alternative practitioner in regard to your individual requirements or sensitivities. Many people do not tolerate milk, milk products, wheat or gluten. Cakes and cookies and other sweeteners are not currently recommended.
I've been experimenting dropping sodium and doing Potato Meals, with fruit juice+Added potassium bicarbonate. Very interesting indeed.
 

Similar threads

Replies
22
Views
6K
Braveheart
B
Back
Top Bottom