What is Gerson Therapy
Gerson Therapy is a natural holistic health treatment that is based on the concept of activating the body’s ability to naturally heal itself with the help of an organic, plant-based diet, enema and health supplements.
Developed by Dr Max Gerson in the 1930s, Gerson Therapy was initially designed to treat his debilitating migraines, and went on to become a treatment for other degenerative illnesses like tuberculosis, diabetes and even cancer.
Gerson Therapy works at getting to the root of the cause - toxicity and nutritional deficiency. By drinking copious amounts of organic juices and getting regular enemas, the therapy aids in flushing out toxins and replacing them with a super dosage of enzymes, nutrients and minerals. As toxins enter our body through the air we breathe, food we eat, medicines we take, it’s important to clear these from our system through the Gerson Therapy process.
How Gerson Therapy Works
The process consists of 4 main parts: a strict organic diet of juices, a plant-based diet, enemas to clear and detoxify your system and dietary supplements to enhance nutritional intake.
Juicing:
Consuming 13 glasses of freshly squeezed, organic raw carrot-apple and green leaf juices a day. Juices are prepared hourly from organic fruits and vegetables using a two-step juicer. The first step is to grind the pulp and then use the hydraulic press to press more juice out of the pulp as well, thereby extracting nutrients and minerals more efficiently.
Diet:
Eating three full plant-based meals of organically grown fruits, vegetables and whole grains, like salad, baked potatoes and soup. While the diet is mostly low in sodium, fats and proteins, you are however allowed to eat fruits and vegetables as snacks.
Health supplements:
To enhance nutrients and minerals intake with the strict diet, you can include these health supplements -
- Potassium - for immune system and proper liver function
- Lugol's Solution (potassium iodide, iodine, and water) - for synthesis of thyroid hormones and to help cells return to normal structure
- Coenzyme Q10 - antioxidant and restores energy production
- Vitamins A, C, and B3 (niacin) - increases blood circulation and sufficient glycogen for liver
- Flaxseed oil - contains lignans/phytoestrogens that prevent cancer
- Pancreatic enzymes - help to digest proteins
- Digestive enzymes - for proper digestion and assimilation of food
- Thyroid supplements - regulate the body’s metabolism
Enema:
Doing up to 5 coffee enemas a day to detoxify the tissues and blood. When Gerson Therapy is started, the effect of the food, juices and supplements may overburden the liver, so coffee enemas assist the process of detoxification of toxic substances from the body. During the process, a mixture of coffee and water is inserted into the colon through the rectum and used to flush out toxins as a colon cleanse.
Should You Try Gerson Therapy?
While Gerson Therapy may be beneficial for individuals with degenerative illnesses, it is not for everyone and not intended as treatment for cancer. Some people may be too weak and too far advanced in their illness, that Gerson Therapy will not work for them. Furthermore, it is not guaranteed to help with all illnesses.
Gerson Therapy also involves discipline and effort to follow this new lifestyle and routine, which includes cooking and juicing at home throughout the day for at least two years or more. Undergoing Gerson Therapy is like a full-time job and is a commitment to eliminating toxins and toxic materials from the environment and body.
It is also not for certain types of individuals who cannot eat, drink and go to the bathroom normally or for organ transplant recipients. Those who have undergone chemotherapy, have diabetes, brain metastases, severe kidney damage, and have foreign bodies like screws and plates in them, also should not start Gerson Therapy, unless under supervision of a Gerson Therapy practitioner.
However, with a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and whole-grains, Gerson Therapy in general can be very beneficial to those who are ill. If you are interested to learn more, we have books, DVDs and a whole collection about the subject.