Healing News

Sleep as
Medicine

Telephone
Coaching
Helps
Patients Heal

Dr. Gerson’s
Tips from the Gerson Book Today

Kitchen Charlotte
Gerson’s
By Eric Freeman
Legacy
Orchard

1 Winter 2015
Surviving Uterine Cancer:
Sandra Rapp’s story of focus and determination
by Diane Ake

S
andra Rapp every other week.
was diagnosed She loved how the
with breast castor oil packs made
cancer in 1997 at the her feel, but swal-
age of 62. She had a lowing the castor oil
lumpectomy, chemo- was difficult. “But
therapy and radiation. I decided that I am
She considered it the going to do all of this
worst year of her life. and that I am going
Fifteen years later, she to get well,” Sandra
was diagnosed with said. Dr. Donato
stage III uterine serous monitored her prog-
carcinoma, an uncom- ress and test results,
mon and aggressive and made modifica-
form of endometrial tions to her protocol
cancer, and had a com- as needed over the
plete hysterectomy. two-year period she
was on the Gerson
Her surgeons were Therapy.
not able to remove all
the cancer, and said Sandra provid-
she might live three ed some tips on how
more years if she also to organize time and
Sandra Rapp lost 89 pounds on the Gerson Therapy.
did abdominal radia- space while doing the
tion and chemothera- therapy. Every other
py. She researched the day, Sandra made two
negative side effects of days’ worth of coffee
abdominal radiation and felt she couldn’t face it all again. concentrate and stored it in the refrigerator. She made the
“I am not going to be tortured to death,” she said. “There Hippocrates soup on the alternate days. Her kitchen is
are things worse than dying and I have been there. I would small so she placed the Norwalk juicer on a utility table.
rather die of carrot juice than chemotherapy.” If she only “You make do with what you have. If you are determined,
had three years to live, at least she would live healthily. She you will find a way to do it. You can put things on the back
got approval from her oncology surgeon to take six months porch if you need to.” She already had an extra refrigerator,
to try something else which was very useful
before doing chemo and for storing produce. She
radiation. washed her greens each
morning. She put up
The previous fall,
when her daughter took
a Gerson training pro-
“Don’t let someone else do her ironing board to use
as extra counter space,
covered it with towels
gram, Sandra first found
out about the Gerson
Therapy. She contact-
the treatment to you. Be the and used the surface to
sort the greens into bags
so she could easily grab
ed Dr. Donato, a Gerson
practitioner in Oregon,
and got started on the
boss of your own treatment.” them to make the green
juices. “Time is a huge
concern. I made micro-
therapy. hourly schedules. I had
a timer in the kitchen,
Sandra got a Norwalk one in the bathroom and
juicer and started out by having 10 juices a day, 3-4 enemas a small one I hung around my neck.”
and castor oil treatments once a week, then reduced to
2
 Sandra loves to cook, so she enjoyed getting creative
with the Gerson recipes. For example, she made zucchi-
ni “spaghetti” to give variety to her meals. She made salad
dressing from lemon juice, garlic and flax oil, and some-
times added carrot juice or chopped tomatoes. She used
any leftover dressing on her baked potato. Sandra advised,
“Look at what food you have and figure out what you can
make out of it. It keeps you from getting bored. I made
tabouli salad with steel cut oats and parsley. I even put
onions on my oatmeal once.” She also used Hippocrates
soup as gravy. “I just told myself it was gravy and it tasted
like gravy. I was never hungry while on the therapy. I was
full all the time.”
Sandra already had a garden so she grew parsley, chard
and beets and she ate shredded raw beets in salad. She
planted the beet roots with about one inch of beet tops
remaining and they continued to grow more leaves that she
used in her daily green juices. For this reason, she suggests
buying beets with the roots intact, since some stores cut
them off. She also grew tomatoes, eggplant, onions, garlic
and potatoes. Sandra’s husband started to eat the Gerson
food little by little, and grew hair on his bald head!
“The best moment was when
my daughter told me, ‘You
look like my mom again’.”
“The program isn’t hard,” said Sandra. “Your hair
doesn’t fall out and you are not throwing up! The thera-
py isn’t a quick fix, but two years is pretty quick to get my
health back compared to how long it took me to get sick.
I wasn’t afraid on this program. It was my body and I am
the boss of it. Once you decide to do something, don’t let
someone else do the treatment to you. Be the boss of your
own treatment.”
She had great support from her friends and family. One
friend volunteered to buy and deliver organic carrots to her
from Costco twice a week. “I saw people who didn’t recog-
nize me and told me that I looked so good,” Sandra remem-
bers. They wanted to know all about what she was doing.
“The best moment was when my daughter told me, ‘You
look like my mom again.’”
Sandra lost weight she hadn’t been able to lose for
years. She weighed 218 pounds at her heaviest after the hys-
terectomy. After doing the Gerson Therapy, she weighed
129 pounds.
3
“Go into it with the idea you
are going to win.”
Sandra did not have any major healing reactions but she
recalls that her tongue got sore; she had headaches behind
her eyes and had fungus in her nails. She was often very
tired and needed to lie down and rest a lot. “You have to
rest!” she stressed. “I was concerned that I wasn’t able to
do everything during the day and I worried when I missed a
juice that I was compromising the therapy. But I told myself
to just do the best I can, and that each day is a new day.”
After the initial two years on the therapy, the doctor
who did the surgery said her lab results were fantastic. She
had a CT scan and the doctors found nothing. “You just
rejoice” she said, “because it’s working!”
Sandra’s surgeon kept asking for information on the
Gerson program. “I got a call from a lady in Eugene referred
from that doctor. The woman ended up going to Dr. Donato.
I started corresponding with her to give her tips on food
prep and give her encouragement.”
Sandra’s maintenance plan consists of one enema per
day and four juices. She sticks to the diet pretty closely,
but occasionally indulges in non-Gerson foods. “I don’t
cook beef anymore. I make vegetarian burgers with beans,
or oats, nuts and vegetables, and have salmon occasional-
ly,” she explained. “I feel great all the time and my mental
energy is also good. I am back to clog dancing and swim-
ming twice a week. I breathe more easily and don’t have
sleep apnea anymore.”
Sandra advises new patients to do their homework, do
their own research and talk to people who have done the
therapy. “When you go into it, you have to own it. Go into
it with the idea you are going to win. Attitude is the whole
thing. And whatever you have to do, just do it.”
“We all are not taking care of ourselves the way we
should. People aren’t willing to change from their com-
fortable way of living, even if they are in pain and misera-
ble. They aren’t willing to make that big life change unless
it is life and death. Get your body back into balance and in
good health before it becomes a life and death matter. Do
it to fend off that situation.”
Diane Ake has worked for the Gerson Institute for 10 years.
She is the Director of Training, Volunteer Coordinator and
Newsletter Editor.
Finding Relief from Nasal Polyps:
The Institute’s Telephone Coaching Service helps patients heal at
home
by Mikhaela Payden-Travers

A
t 49, Falconer Abraham is a family man with
three children and a job teaching singing to
young people. He started suffering from unex-
plained sinus congestion in 2002. Each year, his symptoms
became worse. Every change of season brought extreme
congestion, and throughout the year it wasn’t unusual for
Falconer to have sinus headaches two or three times a week.

As his condition worsened, he began losing his sense

of smell and felt a tightness in his chest that made even
breathing through his mouth laborious. It became so bad
that at one point Falconer went two weeks without getting
any consistent sleep, and woke up every 15 to 30 minutes
unable to breathe.

In 2011, he was diagnosed with nasal polyps and chron-

ic rhinitis. Allopathic medicine suggested that surgery,
steroids and salt rinses were the only way to treat nasal
polyps. Having read horror stories online about the return
of polyps and surgeries gone awry, Falconer decided to try
the Gerson Therapy, which he had learned about from one
of his students.
He watched videos online, ordered educational mate-
rials and began what he refers to as “a lazy man’s version
of the therapy.” The enemas helped with the headaches
and a bit with the breathing, but Falconer wasn’t seeing
the results he hoped for, so he turned to another treatment
he had found online. His condition worsened and, in 2013,
he talked to his doctor about an operation. Once again,
his doctor said that the polyps would likely return, requir-
ing multiple surgeries, and that he would need to stay on
Prednisone for the rest of his life.
Falconer decided he would try the Gerson Therapy
again – but more fully this time. If he still couldn’t find
relief, he could reconsider surgery.
Beginning the therapy was a challenge. Figuring out
how to set up a Gerson home and which foods to purchase
wasn’t easy. Falconer was the only one in his family eating
the strict Gerson diet. The hardest part was overcoming the
negative opinions of his doctors and friends, who said the
therapy wouldn’t work.
However, Falconer read stories from people who had
suffered through repeated surgeries, which reminded him
of the dangers a conventional approach might involve, and
Falconer’s family supported him in his decision to try the
4
Falconer Abraham
Gerson Therapy. Although he did most of the therapy him-
self, his eldest son helped out with juicing, and his wife
started making Gerson-style dinners. His father bought him
a second juicer for work and gave the family a second refrig-
erator. His mother listened to the frustration, rants, and
wild talk that came out on occasion when doing the thera-
py felt extra difficult.
Having already discovered that the therapy needed to be
implemented fully to work, Falconer turned to the Gerson
Institute for support. He found Gerson Basics Online
to be an excellent resource; it became his “TV” when he
was having difficulty sleeping. He also took part in the
Telephone Coaching Service, working with a Gerson coach
and his doctor to monitor his progress.
In talking about the Coaching Service, Falconer said,
“Blanca [his coach] was awesome. She gave me a feeling of
stability and confidence that I had made the right choice. I
felt well supported. My first consultation with her helped
me move to the point of getting the supplements.” The
week Falconer started the supplements, he experienced
his first sign of progress: after experiencing anosmia for
seven entire months, he regained his sense of smell for two
hours.
 A year later, Falconer is doing much better. His sense
of smell is back. The nasal polyps have shrunk to the point
where he can sleep comfortably, and the eczema on his foot
seems to be gone. His last visit to the naturopath showed
that his liver was functioning well.
Following the Gerson Therapy has been tough at times.
The Gerson Institute granted Falconer a scholarship to help
cover the costs of his coaching sessions. However, cover-
ing the other costs of the therapy was tricky. Even though
Falconer still has polyps, he decided he couldn’t keep on
the full therapy protocol, but he has continued incorporat-
ing aspects of Gerson into his life. He remains a vegetarian
and does as much juicing as he can afford to.
While he isn’t fully recovered, Falconer has the follow-
ing message for those considering the therapy for chronic
conditions like his: “It’s worth a try. Don’t cheat. And get
a lot of positive understanding people around you. You’ll
need them.”
We at the Gerson Institute are grateful that we have a lot of posi-
tive, understanding people around us as well. Without the support
of our donors, we wouldn’t be able to offer coaching scholarships for
Happy New Year from the Gerson Institute
5
patients like Falconer who need all the resources they have simply to
stay on the Gerson Therapy. Many thanks to all of you Gerson per-
sons for making the coaching program – and especially the scholar-
ship option – available for Gerson patients.
What is the Gerson Telephone Coaching
Service?
The Gerson Institute’s Telephone (or Skype) Coaching Service
was started five years ago to help meet the needs of the many
patients who found that starting the therapy at a certified Gerson
clinic wasn’t an option for them due to financial or logistical rea-
sons. After an initial intake and screening, coaching patients have
phone consultations with a trained Gerson coach, who aids them
in developing their own personalized treatment plan. Meanwhile,
they continue working with a doctor at home for medical moni-
toring and tests. Our coaches have extensive training and expe-
rience in providing non-medical assistance to people doing the
Gerson Therapy.
Coaching scholarships provide patients struggling to meet the
costs of the therapy with free monthly sessions for six months.
For more information on the Coaching Service, visit www.
gerson.org or email Blanca Ayala at bayala@gerson.org.
The Legacy Orchard:
Still blooming despite the Southern California drought

Y
ou may remember that the Institute planted
the Charlotte Gerson Legacy Orchard, an
organic fruit tree orchard, at Wild Willow
Farm in San Diego in 2012, to celebrate Charlotte’s
90th birthday. The orchard contains a variety of apri-
cot, cherry, apple and almond trees. In November,
Gerson staff visited the farm. We enjoyed eating a tasty
organic lunch, playing with some adorable baby goats,
and generally having some time to relax, unwind and
be together in the sunshine.

Two years later, the trees in the Legacy

Orchard have grown.

enjoy sunshine, they also enjoy water and get some

relief from the drought conditions our farms have expe-
rienced the last two years.

Our continued thanks goes to all the volunteers

Gerson staff plant fruit trees in 2012 to
honor Charlotte on her 90th birthday.
In Southern California, we’re almost always guar-
anteed sunshine, though the current drought condi-
tions have made water an increasingly scarce commod-
ity. Luckily for Charlotte’s orchard, Wild Willow has
a new irrigation system that ensures that as the trees
who helped us plant the orchard, the many Gerson
supporters who donated both to support the orchard
and our ongoing educational programs, and the staff
of Wild Willow for taking care of these beautiful trees.
In another few years, the fruit will be ready to harvest,
and to provide more healthy organic food to our local
community.
To learn more about Wild Willow Farm, visit www.
sandiegoroots.org/farm.

Tell us your Gerson Therapy tips

We are collecting tips from Gerson patients and any of you who have done juic-
ing, coffee enemas, prepared Gerson food, shopped for organic produce, set up
a Gerson home or helped a Gerson patient do the therapy. We are especially
interested in learning about your methods for saving time and making the work
easier. Please send your tips to Diane Ake at dake@gerson.org.

6
A Unique Way to Support the
Gerson Institute
by Kelly Lahtov
L
ast month, Eric and I had the privilege
and delight of attending the lovely
wedding of Michelle Abraminko and
Mike Harder. Michelle has been involved with
the Institute as a volunteer for many years
and we are thrilled that her husband Mike is
joining her in supporting us. Michelle is a
holistic health coach.
One of the ways in which they
chose to show their support was by
encouraging the guests to make dona-
tions to the Gerson Institute instead
of giving them traditional wedding
gifts. When asked why she didn’t go
the more conventional wedding gift
route, Michelle laughed and respond-
ed “I already have everything I need!”
She was more interested in supporting a
cause she truly believes in than receiv-
ing duplicate kitchenwares.
In the spirit of healthful-
ness for their guests and life
ahead, Michelle and Mike chose
to do their champagne toast Michelle Abraminko with her Swiss
with a glass of green juice. This chard bouquet.
was followed by the throwing of
Wish List
External hard drives
Free printing of flyers
Handmade cards
Organic carrots
Organic green apples
If you can donate any of these items, please contact Mika Payden-Travers at
mpaydentravers@gerson.org
7
Michelle’s lovely bouquet, which consisted of a colorful
array of rainbow Swiss chard. We asked Michelle there
was anything she wanted to say for this article. She
replied, “Our most sincere gratitude for all your juice
and love. My wedding would not have been the same
without your touch.” Well we feel the same way
about her, her family, and all their support!
We are always in need of unique ways
you can raise funds for the Gerson
Institute. Donations like Michelle’s
make it possible for us to run our
programs and support services for
Gerson patients. Please contact
Mikhaela Payden-Travers with
your ideas at mpaydentravers@
gerson.org.
Kelly Lahtov and Eric Freeman
are Gerson Institute chefs who
teach Gerson cooking classes and
train volunteers to help prepare
food and juice at events and at
our office.
Norwalk or Champion juicers
Poster-size photos of vegetables,
fruits and nature
Postage stamps
Projector screen
Reams of copy paper
Need a New Year’s Resolution?
Make sleep your medicine in 2015
by Mikhaela Payden-Travers
I
f you’re like me, you like to make a New Year’s res-
olution that puts you on the path to better health. I
wanted to share with other Gerson supporters what
I’ve learned about sleep – just in case you, like me, focus on
nutrition but don’t always remember the other factors that
impact your health and well-being.
While sleep is important for everyone, it is especial-
ly important for Gerson patients, who may need more than
the standard 7-9 hours. Rest is a vital
part of the therapy. Without ade-
quate rest the body does not have
the energy it needs to heal. It’s good
to remember that food is medicine –
but so is sleep!
2 helps foster both mental and emo-
0
During my first two years
of graduate school, I probably slept
about six hours a night on average,
1
but there were some especially pain-
ful days when I tried to function on
just three or four hours.
I’m not alone. A 2013 Gallup poll
found that Americans sleep an aver-
5 Getting enough sleep is also
age of 6.8 hours a night, similar to
numbers from the 1990s but far less
sleep than Americans got in 1974
when the Gallup poll found the aver-
age American sleeping 7.9 hours per night.2 Unfortunately,
a lack of sleep – and especially chronic sleep deprivation –
has serious health consequences.
“It’s good to remember that
food is medicine – but so is
sleep!”
First, sleep is incredibly important for optimal mental
processing. While we sleep, our neurons get a chance to
rest, and the brain actually constructs new neural pathways,
8
which is why sleep is so important for learning new infor-
mation.2 If you’ve felt groggy from too little sleep, you’ve
experienced the obvious impact of serious sleep deprivation
on your mental alertness. New studies, however, suggest
that mild chronic sleep deprivation can also have a serious
impact certain mental functions, especially in the areas of
creativity and innovation.3
There is also growing evidence of a connection
between adequate sleep and mental
health. Although the exact nature
of the relationship is still being
explored, psychiatrists at Harvard
suggest “that a good night’s sleep
tional resilience, while chronic sleep
disruptions set the stage for negative
thinking and emotional vulnerabili-
ty.”4 A lack of sleep is also associated
with greater risk for depression and
other serious psychiatric conditions.
important for our physical health.
While we sleep our bodies produce
cytokines and other antibodies that
are pivotal to our immune system’s
ability to fight off dangerous bacte-
ria and viruses. In addition to direct-
ly affecting our ability to protect ourselves against infec-
tious disease, chronic sleep deprivation is associated with
increased risk of numerous chronic diseases including heart
disease, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, diabetes,
as well as heart attack and stroke.5
Finally, sleep actually ends up relating to our health
through nutrition, as how much we sleep may have an
important impact on what we decide to eat. Studies have
found that sleep deprivation increases the levels of the
stress hormone cortisol, while at the same time decreasing
the hormone leptin (which lets your brain know you’ve had
enough to eat) and increasing ghrelin (an appetite stimu-
lant). Thus getting more sleep may be an important factor
in helping you make healthier eating choices.
As I consciously began focusing on getting at least eight
hours of sleep a night, I noticed significant changes in my
mood and my ability to regulate my emotions. Everything
really does seem better after a good night’s sleep.
 If you already get your 7-9 hours a night without
fail, congratulations! Keep up the good work. If you don’t,
here are some helpful hints that I used to work on setting
and maintaining a healthier sleep regime.
Six Tips for Getting More Sleep
1. Make sleep a priority.
Simply deciding that getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night
is going to be one of your health priorities can go a long way.
Resist putting work or household chores - or even a good
book - ahead of sleep.
2. Develop a sleep routine.
Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day,
even on the weekends. Studies suggest that going to sleep
at 10 pm and waking up at 6 am works the best with our
body’s natural rhythms.
Developing a ritual that you follow each night before
going to sleep (e.g. journaling, paced breathing, and drink-
ing chamomile tea) can also help prepare your body for rest.
3. Make the bed a space for sleep only.
Sometimes it is easy to convert your bed into an all-
purpose area – especially if you live in a small apartment.
Eating in bed, watching TV in bed, or even working in bed,
can make it more difficult for you to sleep at night.
4. Avoid eating and exercise within three
hours of going to sleep.
This can be hard for night owls, but it is important to
remember that eating and exercise both get your body ener-
gized, not ready for a good night’s sleep. Although regular
exercise can make it easier for you to sleep eventually, you
should make sure to leave your body plenty of time to wind
down afterwards.
5. Turn off lights.
Make sure that the area where you sleep is dark and
quiet (although some people will find they sleep better with
a white noise machine). The hormone melatonin is pro-
duced in total darkness, and the longer you stay in the dark,
the more melatonin the pineal gland produces. Melatonin
regulates our sleep and wake cycles, destroys free radicals,
suppresses the development of breast cancer, increases
the immune system’s killer lymphocytes and more. Some
people use black-out shades or eye masks to block out light
when they sleep and/or turn off or move anything out of the
room that emits even dim light in their bedroom (e.g. LED
9
lights in TVs, clocks or night lights). If you need a night
light, a dim red light is the best choice. 6
Additionally, blue wavelength light emitted from
TVs, computer screens and cell phones suppresses mel-
atonin production more than other wavelengths, so it is
wise to avoid exposure to them 2-3 hours before bedtime. 7
However, exposing your eyes to lots of bright natural light
during the day can help you sleep better at night. 6
6. Listen to your body – and get rid of the
alarm clock!
After starting to get into a sleep routine, see
if your body can awaken naturally without the
help of an alarm clock. Listening to your body
is the best measure of whether you’re getting
sufficient rest.
“How much we sleep may
have an important impact
on what we decide to eat.”
References
1 http://www.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-reecommended-
amount-sleep.aspx
2 http://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/
effects-on-body
3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21075236
4 http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_
Mental_Health_Letter/2009/July/Sleep-and-mental-
health
5 http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleep-
iness-10/10-results-sleep-loss
6 www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Health_
Letter/2012/May/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
7 http://chriskresser.com/how-artificial-light-is-wrecking-
your-sleep-and-what-to-do-about-it
Mikhaela Payden-Travers is the Development Coordinator
for the Gerson Institute. She recently received her Masters
degree in Non-Profit Leadership and Management from the
University of San Diego.
Gems and Pearls of Wisdom
from Dr. Gerson
By Kayla Smith, ND

D
r. Gerson’s book, A Cancer Therapy: Results relation to treating
of Fifty Cases is a masterpiece. As many cancer. In Chapter I
times as I have read this book, each time I he quotes Dr. Werner
pick it up, I find some pearl of wisdom that had escaped Kollath, one of the
my memory or that I had not totally integrated into pioneers of the health
my understanding of his brilliant rationale for his treat- food movement in
ment approach. Germany in the late
1920s and 30s, who
I would like to share with you some of his quotes stated: “Symptomatic
and concepts that reflect the deep philosophical basis treatment is harmful
underlying his approach to restoring health, his great wherever in nature
reverence and respect for nature and living in accor- it is applied to the
dance with natural law. I believe that it was this per- soil, plants, animals,
spective on life that provided the foundation for the Kayla Smith, ND human beings, or in
development of his system of restoring health. medicine. Each part
is important, but the
Chapter I is entitled “The ‘Secret’ of My Treatment.” whole in its infinitely fine order is more important.” In
His first sentence is — “Of course, there is none!!” He Chapter V, Dr. Gerson reveals, “the living being, wheth-
explains that he used this heading because he is asked er large or small, plant or animal, is in every respect per-
this question so often by reproachful physicians. He fectly created or developed, in all its functions and all
explains that “the harmony in the metabolism of all its parts, best in its totality.” I would propose that Dr.
the internal organs and systems must be maintained; Gerson’s work was the embodiment of the now-popu-
it reflects the eternal mystery of life expressed in our lar term, holistic medicine. He certainly was in align-
health and continuance.” ment with the princi-
This statement reflects ples of naturopathic
his belief in the con- medicine, the field of

“We can’t simply address

cept of totality, a theme medicine in which I
that runs throughout his was trained, which has
entire book. He points as its basis the idea of
to the fact that we can’t
simply address the iso-
lated parts of the body,
the isolated parts of the nature as healer and to
“first do no harm.”

such as a tumor or the

symptoms it produces. body, such as a tumor or He continually
advocates for living in

the symptoms it produces.”

“What is essential is not harmony with nature.
the growth itself or the In Chapter II, he puts
visible symptoms; it is forth: “In the nutri-
the damage to the whole tional field, observa-
metabolism including the tions for centuries have
loss of defense, immunity shown that people who
and the healing power.” live according to natu-
Dr. Gerson realized that the foundation for restoration ral methods in which plants, animals and human beings
of the entire body can take place only by addressing the are only fragments of the eternal cycle of Nature do not
entire body, starting at the cellular level. get cancer. On the contrary, people who accept meth-
ods of modern nutrition on an increasing scale become
Dr. Gerson studied the works of many doctors involved in degenerative diseases, including cancer, in
and scientists who were interested in nutrition in a relatively short time.” He refers to the Hunzas, who

10
live on the slopes of the Himalaya Mountains and who
use only food grown in their own country and fertil-
ized with natural manure. This, he says, is similar to
Ethiopians who also have (or did have) natural agricul-
ture and living habits, which appears to keep people free
of cancer and most degenerative diseases. Conversely,
he notes that Eskimos started developing degenera-
tive diseases and cancer in those parts of their territory
where canned food and unnatural nutrition were intro-
duced and accepted.
This leads us to his views on the importance
of healthy soil. In
Chapter XXIV, “The
Significance of the
healthy food - is the underpinning of “food as medicine.”
Dr. Gerson studied the works of many of the ancient
physicians and philosophers. He writes: “I found the
ideas of totality more profoundly developed in the
ancient work of Paracelsus and many of other physicians
of long ago.” He devoted Chapter VII to Paracelsus’
dietary regime. Paracelsus believed that what he called
“Great Nature” governs the human being.
“The human being has to acquire knowledge of what
to eat and drink and what he has to weave and wear
because nature gave
him the instinct for self-
preservation...If some-

“The soil and all that grows

Content of the Soil to one eats what is useful
Human Disease,” he for his health and avoids
writes, “The famil- other things that may
iar expression ‘mother
earth’ is justified.
When we take from and
in it is not something dis- shorten his life, then he
is a man of wisdom and
self-control. All that we
rob the earth we dis-
turb the natural equi-
librium and harmony,
tant from us but must be re- do should serve to pro-
long our life.”

producing sickness of
the soil, sickness of the garded as our external me- I would like to add
that as we detoxify

tabolism, which produces

plants and fruits, and and nourish ourselves
finally sickness of both properly, these natural
animals and human instincts will return to
beings.” He attributes
the cause of many of
these diseases to the
the basic substances for our us, and we will be driven
by self-preservation
rather than cravings.
decrease in the impor-
tant potassium-group
minerals of the fruits
internal metabolism.” This is just a brief
journey through Dr.
and vegetables grown Gerson’s book, A Cancer
on such poisoned soil. Therapy, highlighting his
Let’s look at one of his foundational ideas about
very famous quotes in reference to this topic: the theory of totality, Mother Nature and healing. I hope
it stimulates an interest for those of you who have not
“We must conclude from these and many other read his book recently to re-acquaint yourselves with
observations that the soil and all that grows in it is not this tremendous body of work.
something distant from us but must be regarded as our
external metabolism, which produces the basic sub- If you would like a copy of A Cancer Therapy, go to
stances for our internal metabolism. Therefore, the soil store.gerson.org. If you are a medical professional, we
must be cared for properly and must not be depleted or can gift you a copy at no charge. We also donate the
poisoned; otherwise these changes will result in serious book to libraries. If you know of a library that would
degenerative diseases, rapidly increasing in animals and like to carry this book, email Mika at mpaydentravers@
human beings.” gerson.org.

If he were alive today, he would sadly witness the

fulfillment of this prediction. However, I think he would
be encouraged by the current movements to support
organic farming and restore the soil, and by the resur-
gence in back yard gardening, composting our waste
and community-supported agriculture. This work - to
reconnect with the earth, take care of our soil and grow
Dr. Smith is the Director of Medical Education for the
Gerson Institute. She has been a licensed naturopathic
physician for the past 20 years and has 10 years of expe-
rience as a Gerson practitioner.

11
History in the Making:
Dr. Gerson’s book today
by Anita Wilson

O
ctober 18, 2014 The Gerson Institute
was the 133rd was founded by Charlotte
anniversary of Gerson 37 years ago, with
Dr. Gerson’s birthday the primary intent of keep-
and in that same month ing Dr. Gerson’s book in
we received seven pallets print and distributed. It
(5,000 plus books – a year’s now sells on Amazon, is
supply) of Dr. Gerson’s being field tested by Barnes
book A Cancer Therapy: and Noble, has dozens of
Result of 50 Cases delivered wholesale vendors world-
right to our office ware- wide and thousands of
house door. This delivery retail sales each year. When
was history in the making, you order the book from the
since before that the books Gerson Institute, you are
had been delivered to a supporting our programs
storage unit and had to be and services for Gerson
transported to the office a patients. You can get a copy
few boxes at a time. What at store.gerson.org.
an improvement in efficien-
cy to match our new state- Harrison Reid, on the left, Gerson Inventory The case studies in the
of-the art e-commerce plat- Specialist, helps unload pallets of Dr. Gerson’s book are of high value and
form – NetSuite (our new give important insights
book.
unified software and data- into Dr. Gerson’s work.
base that manages finan- Our Education Department
cials, e-commerce, con- staff recommend this book
tacts, inventory and more). And we just added a POS system for all Gerson patients. We look forward to many more years
(Point of Sale – hardware and software designed to accept of sharing A Cancer Therapy with the world.
on-site payments) for events and people who walk into our
office who want to make purchases. This system will allow
us to process sales much more quickly, both inside and out- Anita Wilson has been the Executive Director of the Gerson
side of the office. Institute since 2003.

Your Letters Dóra Kovács - Melanoma

Myracle Harris
Hi my name is Myracle Harris. I am 13 years old.
Last year when I was 12, on November 18th my mother
Venus Gibson passed away from skin cancer. I think that
if I would have found your website before she passed
away we could have saved her life. I think the doctors
didn’t do enough to save her. But thanks for having this
website.
I was 37 years old when, in the spring of 1990, a tiny mole
began to grow fairly quickly on my right leg. I underwent
surgery in July and the resulting histology showed that
I was suffering from melanoma malignum (a malignant
tumor of pigment cells), hence chemotherapy was sug-
gested. I was scared and asked the advice of two natu-
ropaths about changing my lifestyle. During the three
months of receiving chemotherapy I followed the naturo-
paths’ suggestions. After the chemotherapy I felt unwell
for several days, but then my life returned to normal and
I followed the usual advice of doctors: “Go home and live
as if nothing had happened; don’t even think or worry
about your disease.”

12
 Special Apple
Ten months later, in
November 1991, meta-
static melanoma cells
Dessert
were found in the lymph
nodes of my right thigh.
After a second oper-
ation I began to have
doubts about the effi-
cacy of conventional
cancer treatments and
I collected information
Dóra Kovács to find out what may
have caused my cancer
and how I could be healed. I questioned oncologists,
immunologists, psychologists, medical scientists and
naturopaths. Without exception, each one mentioned Ingredients:
the importance of the immune system in sickness and
health; this gave me food for thought. Around this 1 Red Delicious apple
time, I came across the Source of Health Foundation
in Budapest, where I was given a book, A Time to Heal, 1/4 cup rolled oats
by Beata Bishop.
2 tbsp apple sauce
I read A Time to Heal and felt that a new future had
opened for me and that I would follow the method 1 tsp plump raisins
Beata Bishop had used, the Gerson Therapy, described
by the author. With the help of my family, I was able to 1tbsp raisin syrup* + some for spooning over apple
travel to the Gerson Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico for ten
days. I immediately embarked on the therapy under 1/4 tsp allspice
the supervision of my Gerson doctor, and I learned a
great deal about the method. Having had chemother- Directions:
apy recently, my doctor put me on a reduced version *Put raisins in a mason jar, pour boiling water to
of the Gerson protocol. I followed this protocol for cover them, close the lid and let them sit for an hour.
two years. Later, my doctor made modifications to my The liquid becomes the raisin syrup.
protocol every six months. I finally came off the thera-
py at the end of 1996. Today, I still strive to follow the 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Gerson lifestyle with daily coffee enemas and freshly
made juices. I normally eat chemical-free organic food, 2. Core apple and take out some of the flesh to replace
often practice yoga and run. with filling.

Some doctors considered me cured after five years,
and others declared me symptom-free after ten years.
In the meantime, another twelve years have passed. I
am still fine, doing much active work, and I feel that
I have been reborn.
3. Combine oats, apple sauce, raisins, raisin syrup and
allspice into a bowl.
4. Fill the apple with the mixture and place in a glass
baking dish with 1/4 cup water under the apple.

Dóra Kovács from Hungary 5. Bake in preheated oven for 34-45 minutes.

Editor’s note: Beata Bishop is a 30-year malignant melano- 6. Five minutes before the apple is done, drizzle raisin
ma survivor, thanks to the Gerson Therapy, and a longtime syrup over baked apple.
Gerson activist who was instrumental in founding the UK
Gerson Support Group and the first licensed Gerson clinic in 7 Let cool and serve.
Europe: the Gerson Health Centre in Hungary. She wrote a
book about her recovery, called A Time to Heal, and co- You can find more recipes in Healing the Gerson
wrote Healing the Gerson Way with Charlotte Gerson. Way and the Recipe Book, available online at store.
Both of these books are available at store.gerson.org. To learn gerson.org.
more about licensed Gerson clinics, visit www.gerson.org.

13
Tips from the Gerson Kitchen
How to Clean Your Norwalk Juicer and Juice Cloths
There are a variety of ways to clean a Norwalk juicer this over the sink to catch the feed pan when it falls (D,E).
and juice cloths. We have assembled some tips we have
learned from years of using the Norwalk juicer that can
help you save time, prevent contamination, and extend
the life of your juice cloths, but feel free to revise to best
meet your needs.

How to clean your juicer

D E

1.Carefully disas- 4. Immediately rinse all juicer parts with cool tap
semble each juicer water to avoid excess bacteria on the food con-
part after each use tact surfaces and to prevent mineral deposits from
(A). forming. Tip: Use a sprayer hose.

Remove the cutter 5. Wipe off all the dirty areas of the juicer with a wet
with a damp towel A sponge, including the top of the press plate and just
to protect your below the press plate.
hands from the
blades (B). Tilt the housing on an angle to remove it to Grip the press plate from both sides and carefully lift
prevent damaging the wing nuts. up in order to clean below. (F) Dry with a clean towel.
Repeat this process between each juicing session.

Tip: Pulling out the

juicer grid while the
juicer is still running
allows more of the
extra pulp left in the
housing to fall out.
B
F
2. Remove excess pulp from the housing with a spatula
or wooden spoon (C). If a large amount of pulp is left
behind, press the extra pulp. Put the housing back on 6. At the end of the day, clean each part well with a
to be able to operate the press. sponge and a safe soap, such as Dr. Bronner’s castile
soap. Use a long brush to scrub the inside of the hous-
ing and smaller brushes for the blade, grid and grid
holders. Rinse parts well and then let air dry or dry
with a clean cloth (G, H, I, J, K ).

3. The feed pan can be easily removed by inverting the

G H
housing with the feed pan attached, and gently tapping
all around the bottom of the feed pan until it falls off. Do

14
 How to clean juice cloths
1. Rinse the cloths with cool tap water after each juic-
ing session (A). Lightly scrub them with a stiff brush to
loosen and remove pulp particles (B).

A B

This helps unclog the pores of the fabric and makes

them last longer. Then rinse again in a bowl of distilled
J (or non-fluoridated) water. You can store the cloths sub-
merged fully in a clean stainless steel bowl of distilled
water in between juicing sessions so any remaining pulp
particles don’t oxidize. Be sure to wring out the cloths
before they are used again.

2. When you are done with the cloths for the day,
clean and fold, put in a glass or plastic container or plas-
tic bag, and store in the freezer. The next day, remove
from the freezer and thaw them in distilled (or non-fluo-
ridated) water before use. If you don’t have space in your
K freezer, store the cloths in the refrigerator in a mason jar
submerged in distilled water with a few squirts of hydro-
gen peroxide. Then rinse with clean water before using.

7. Wipe down the exterior of the juicer with a soapy 3. Use separate cloths for the two different juices
sponge, followed by a clean damp cloth, then dry with (carrot/apple and green).
a towel (L, M).

Eric Freeman toasts with

juice

M
Eric Freeman is a Gerson Chef and has worked for the Gerson
Institute for the past four years.

15
Resources for the Gerson Therapy
Stainless Steel Enema Kits
Your Source & Coffee for Gerson!
For Enema Therapy
Coffee

(562) 612-4492
Purelifeenema.com

*HUVRQ%DVLFV *H
2QOLQH

$75 gives you all the information $75 give

covered in our Gerson Basics covere
Class in San Diego from the Class
comfort of your own home. comf

*HUVRQ%DVLFV *H
Hydraulic 2QOLQH
juice presser

$75 gives you all the information $75 give

covered in our Gerson Basics covere
Class in San Diego from the Class
comfort of your own home. comf

Made in USA $335

Champion grinder $265

Call us:
1-888-588-7348
Or 1-512-970-4502
on the web: www.
juicepressfactory.com
16
 ISHI MEDICAL
Why place several
orders when you can
get everything at the
same place?
We now supply ALL
the Gerson supplements
(including the crude
liver and B12 [through
our office in Mexico]).
We accept credit and
debit cards, checks, and
money orders.
If you have a question
please give us a call.
1-866-LAB-ISHI
Phone: 619-428-6085
Fax: 619-428-6095
anama@sbcglobal.net
Web Site:
www.ishimedical.com

Need supplies?
Looking for gifts?
Shop at our online store!
www.gerson.org
Your purchases help fund our training, You
education and patient support services. edu

17
Need supplies?
Gerson Institute Supporters
Founder’s Circle Members Donors (continued)
Anonymous (2) Ingvor Johnson Sameer & Meenu Rupani
How Co. Ltd. Richard Kammenzind Robert Sandmann &
Jennifer Mrla-Gray Barry & Shari McCarroll Barbara Vanofferen
Thomas Weston McGee William Santagata
Mary Magro Volker Schmidt
Ross Mansergh Gladys T. So
Benefactors Otto Meer Elizabeth Soto
Tony Migaiolo Kent & Jane Slaughter
John Moffitt Ron & Irene Stananought
Anonymous (2) Barbara March William L. Nasby Mary & Mark Sullivan
Barbara Anderson Sara Marguils Karl Neumann Ronnie KC Tang
David Baluk Robert Mathews Shirley Nichols Mika and Nancy Thomas
Arthur Barrett Janael McQueen Mrs. Edward Olson Deborah Thomson
Zornitza Batcheva John Meyer Ken Patterson Anthony & Ann Trew
Emma Bellamy Norwalk Juicers of CA Maes Petrus Nicola Ungaro
Chad Bennett Ken Patterson Horst & Christine Plendl Donald Wiencek
Lee Mary Brenneisen Wendy Rose James Radigan Donald Wilson
Timothy Bruss Marisa Russo Randy Repass Elizabeth Wright
Cheryl Buck Frank Stone Barbara A. Reynolds Marianne Wohl
Lucy Colangione & Alex Doronkin Carol & William Sutton Petra Rieker Tim Yamamoto
Amber Farnsworth Mine Taylan Stephen G. Richards
David Gilbert & Chom Harvey The Perry & Barbara Miller
Ivan Green Family Foundation
Guy Herald Cookware
Ray & Dawn Hammond
Joshua Vilches
Raymond Ward
The Garden Team – Gerson
Cliff and Holly Hansen
HealthForce
Anita Wilson
Dr. James Winer
Monthly Donors
Col. Lee M. Holmes Robert Zarrella
Shana Lathrop Ceasar Alarcon Mary Lutz
Rodney Burke Neil McHugh
Stephanie Cheshire Francy Merritt
Patrons Alex & Miruna Cimpoia
Kathy Curiel
Denise Mora
Necklush
David Denio Georgina Penning-Geis
Tina Atchley Neil Montanus Treena Dubois Elizabeth Perius
Donna Baldwin-Veazey Bill Nasby Krisiti Dyson Norlita Pyle
Wanda Cieciorko Bradly Nelson Franklin Garzon Ingebory Radel
Herman Ferreira Shuji Oba Lindsay Gibson Louise Raheb
Flux Fun Run Paula Ray Charlene Gilpatrick Bobbi Scogin
Kristine Frost Richard Reimers Leslie Griffin Brenda Soong
Arthur & Marilyn Gore Chintana Sangdeejing Zack Hildmann Joshua Steinberg
Marc Gowland Todd Schilling Laurie Holden Frank Stone
Lori Greenberg Justin Scott Clay Hornbaker Connie Trumpf
Thomas Griffiths William Shuman Robert Hritz Erika Turner & Evelyn Sapriza
Marlene Heppner Elizabeth Soto Vikram Jaiswal Charles Valerio
Lisa Herzog Deborah Szekely Karin Jansen Terry Wells
Tan Huynh Donald K Surgeon Jeremiah Jorgensen Sophia Wicklund
Yossi & Kuuleialoha Johnson Melanie Swayn Catherine Kelley Mandy Williams Palen
Vincente Lim Time Honored Formulas Sandra Kettle Theresa Yong
Jimmy & Mindy Lin Versa Climber Troy Lane
Israel LoBue Haylen VanKoppen
Penny Loughnan Gary Veytsman
Marie Louise Lekumberry
Christian May
Wanda Wysocka-Cieciorko
Robert Weible Gerson Celebrates the
Kathleen Mathews
Barry & Shari McCarroll
Carolyn Winter
Dean Wooster Lives & Memories of:
Victoria Mears Kayo Yoshida & Shane Galaas
Don McQuiddy Steve Napoli
Joyce Terrano Becky Lasch
Donors Janella Sanburn Mary Laird Silva
Shizue Shimbo Davis Donald Eisler
Sherra Basham Candice Dolkowski Kay Harrison Sue Witmer
Karen Balkanski Lorne Gartner Terri Hammond
Jennifer Barton Jones Sandra Goergen
Kathleen Belmares William Hetzler Many thanks to all our donors, volunteers and supporters.
Bruce Brown Paula Higgins
Lana Butler Melinda Hill
You make our work possible!
Thomas Cooper Thomas Jarde To learn more about donations, please visit
our website at www.gerson.org.
18
 Gerson Therapy Classes, Lectures
& Events WWW.GERSON.ORG
Healing News
Event Date & Time © Copyright 2015, The Gerson Institute.
Diane Ake, Editor Ally Bacaj, Copy Editor
2015
Hungary - Gerson Therapy 10-23 January
Board of Directors Honorary Board of Directors
Sessions 7-20 February
14-27 March Carol Beard, President Charlotte Gerson Straus
11-24 April Conni Spancake, Secretary-Treasurer Carolyn Dean, MD, ND
9-22 May Paula Bambic, Director Dr. Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D
Bob Lichtenberger, Director
Mary Magro, Director
DeAnn Waggoner, Director
Gerson Cooking and January 3 Rachel Hiner, Director
Juicing Intensive Class February 7
March 7
Anita Wilson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Executive Director
Mikhaela Payden-Travers. . . . . . . . .Development Coordinator
Stephanie Raddatz. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Finance Coordinator
Charlotte Gerson Health January 12-18 Scott Stobbe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IT/Marketing Coordinator
Restoration Session and March 23-29 Mallory Crowley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multimedia Specialist
Gerson Boot Camp Kayla Smith, ND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Medical Education
Amanda Onken. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Medical Director Assistant
Taylor Oliver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Follow-up Specialist
Diane Ake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Training
Carol Beard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coach/Training Specialist
Gerson Basics Class February 19-21
June 11-13 Blanca Ayala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coach/Training & Administrative Assistant
Silvana Procopio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Education
Ally Bacaj. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Communications Specialist
Barbara Conde. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
Barbara Garcia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
Module I May dates TBA
Kayla Courtney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
check website
for updates Eleni Patterson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
www.gerson.org Nicole Ferrer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Education Specialist
Brenda Arntzen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Information Specialist
Harrison Reid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inventory Control Specialist
John Perkins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Receptionist
The Power of Natural Mondays 11 AM Eric Freeman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chef
Healing Kelly Lahtov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chef
Liz Cook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chef/Development Assistant
info@gersonmedia.com
Anna Maria Aliano. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gerson Chef/Event Specialist

About Healing News

For more information contact us: Since 1984, the Healing News has linked the Gerson
Institute with its supporters and Gerson patients.
www.gerson.org The newsletter is published four times a year to ed-
ucate about the Gerson Therapy and healthy living,
(888) 443-7766 toll-free from the U.S. provide updates on Gerson Institute programs and
(858) 694-0707 events, and share patient stories.

19
Gerson Institute / Cancer Curing Society NON-PROFIT ORG
PO Box 161358, San Diego, CA 92176 US POSTAGE
PAID
SAN DIEGO CA
PERMIT 906
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

The Gerson Institute is a non-profit organization in San Diego, California, dedicated to providing
education and training in the Gerson Therapy, an alternative, non-toxic treatment for cancer and other
chronic degenerative diseases.

Gerson Basics
Gerson Basics is a 3-day class that covers all the essential practical information that Gerson patients and
their caregivers need before embarking on their healing journey. This class includes:

• Overview of the Gerson Therapy

• Coffee enema instructions
• Gerson supplements and protocols
• Dietary guidelines, food preparation and juicing instruction
• Coping with healing reactions
• Recovered Gerson patient testimonials

Thank you! Your support makes it possible for us to offer scholarships to people who want
to do the Gerson Therapy, but are on a tight budget.
To apply for a scholarship or to learn more about this class, visit www.gerson.org.

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