Healing News

Sleep as
Medicine

Telephone
Coaching

Helps
Patients Heal

Tips from the Gerson

Kitchen
By Eric Freeman

Dr. Gersons
Book Today

Charlotte
Gersons
Legacy
Orchard

Winter 2015

Surviving Uterine Cancer:

Sandra Rapps story of focus and determination
by Diane Ake

andra Rapp
was diagnosed
with breast
cancer in 1997 at the
age of 62. She had a
lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.
She considered it the
worst year of her life.
Fifteen years later, she
was diagnosed with
stage III uterine serous
carcinoma, an uncommon and aggressive
form of endometrial
cancer, and had a complete hysterectomy.
Her surgeons were
not able to remove all
the cancer, and said
she might live three
more years if she also
Sandra Rapp lost 89 pounds
did abdominal radiation and chemotherapy. She researched the
negative side effects of
abdominal radiation and felt she couldnt face it all again.
I am not going to be tortured to death, she said. There
are things worse than dying and I have been there. I would
rather die of carrot juice than chemotherapy. If she only
had three years to live, at least she would live healthily. She
got approval from her oncology surgeon to take six months
to try something else
before doing chemo and
radiation.
The previous fall,
when her daughter took
a Gerson training program, Sandra first found
out about the Gerson
Therapy. She contacted Dr. Donato, a Gerson
practitioner in Oregon,
and got started on the
therapy.

every other week.

She loved how the
castor oil packs made
her feel, but swallowing the castor oil
was difficult. But
I decided that I am
going to do all of this
and that I am going
to get well, Sandra
said.
Dr. Donato
monitored her progress and test results,
and made modifications to her protocol
as needed over the
two-year period she
was on the Gerson
Therapy.
Sandra provided some tips on how
to organize time and
on the Gerson Therapy.
space while doing the
therapy. Every other
day, Sandra made two
days worth of coffee
concentrate and stored it in the refrigerator. She made the
Hippocrates soup on the alternate days. Her kitchen is
small so she placed the Norwalk juicer on a utility table.
You make do with what you have. If you are determined,
you will find a way to do it. You can put things on the back
porch if you need to. She already had an extra refrigerator,
which was very useful
for storing produce. She
washed her greens each
morning. She put up
her ironing board to use
as extra counter space,
covered it with towels
and used the surface to
sort the greens into bags
so she could easily grab
them to make the green
juices. Time is a huge
concern. I made microhourly schedules. I had
a timer in the kitchen,
one in the bathroom and
a small one I hung around my neck.

Dont let someone else do

the treatment to you. Be the
boss of your own treatment.

Sandra got a Norwalk

juicer and started out by having 10 juices a day, 3-4 enemas
and castor oil treatments once a week, then reduced to

Sandra loves to cook, so she enjoyed getting creative

with the Gerson recipes. For example, she made zucchini spaghetti to give variety to her meals. She made salad
dressing from lemon juice, garlic and flax oil, and sometimes 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.

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 wasnt 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.

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. Sandras husband started to eat the Gerson
food little by little, and grew hair on his bald head!

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 its working!
Sandras 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.

The best moment was when

my daughter told me, You
look like my mom again.

Sandras 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 dont
cook beef anymore. I make vegetarian burgers with beans,
or oats, nuts and vegetables, and have salmon occasionally, she explained. I feel great all the time and my mental
energy is also good. I am back to clog dancing and swimming twice a week. I breathe more easily and dont have
sleep apnea anymore.

The program isnt hard, said Sandra. Your hair

doesnt fall out and you are not throwing up! The therapy isnt 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 wasnt afraid on this program. It was my body and I am
the boss of it. Once you decide to do something, dont let
someone else do the treatment to you. Be the boss of your
own treatment.

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 arent willing to change from their comfortable way of living, even if they are in pain and miserable. They arent 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.

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 didnt recognize me and told me that I looked so good, Sandra remembers. 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 hadnt been able to lose for
years. She weighed 218 pounds at her heaviest after the hysterectomy. After doing the Gerson Therapy, she weighed
129 pounds.

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 Institutes Telephone Coaching Service helps patients heal at
home
by Mikhaela Payden-Travers

t 49, Falconer Abraham is a family man with

three children and a job teaching singing to
young people. He started suffering from unexplained sinus congestion in 2002. Each year, his symptoms
became worse. Every change of season brought extreme
congestion, and throughout the year it wasnt 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 chronic 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.

Falconer Abraham

He watched videos online, ordered educational materials and began what he refers to as a lazy mans version
of the therapy. The enemas helped with the headaches
and a bit with the breathing, but Falconer wasnt 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, requiring multiple surgeries, and that he would need to stay on
Prednisone for the rest of his life.

Gerson Therapy. Although he did most of the therapy himself, 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 refrigerator. His mother listened to the frustration, rants, and
wild talk that came out on occasion when doing the therapy 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.

Falconer decided he would try the Gerson Therapy

again but more fully this time. If he still couldnt 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
wasnt 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 wouldnt 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
Falconers family supported him in his decision to try the

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.

patients like Falconer who need all the resources they have simply to
stay on the Gerson Therapy. Many thanks to all of you Gerson persons for making the coaching program and especially the scholarship option available for Gerson patients.

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, covering the other costs of the therapy was tricky. Even though
Falconer still has polyps, he decided he couldnt keep on
the full therapy protocol, but he has continued incorporating aspects of Gerson into his life. He remains a vegetarian
and does as much juicing as he can afford to.

What is the Gerson Telephone Coaching

Service?
The Gerson Institutes 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 wasnt an option for them due to financial or logistical reasons. 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 monitoring and tests. Our coaches have extensive training and experience in providing non-medical assistance to people doing the
Gerson Therapy.

While he isnt fully recovered, Falconer has the following message for those considering the therapy for chronic
conditions like his: Its worth a try. Dont cheat. And get
a lot of positive understanding people around you. Youll
need them.

Coaching scholarships provide patients struggling to meet the

costs of the therapy with free monthly sessions for six months.

We at the Gerson Institute are grateful that we have a lot of positive, understanding people around us as well. Without the support
of our donors, we wouldnt be able to offer coaching scholarships for

For more information on the Coaching Service, visit www.

gerson.org or email Blanca Ayala at bayala@gerson.org.

Happy New Year from the Gerson Institute

The Legacy Orchard:

Still blooming despite the Southern California drought

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 Charlottes
90th birthday. The orchard contains a variety of apricot, 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 experienced the last two years.
Our continued thanks goes to all the volunteers
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.

Gerson staff plant fruit trees in 2012 to

honor Charlotte on her 90th birthday.

In Southern California, were almost always guaranteed sunshine, though the current drought conditions have made water an increasingly scarce commodity. Luckily for Charlottes orchard, Wild Willow has
a new irrigation system that ensures that as the trees

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 juicing, 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

ast month, Eric and I had theprivilege

and delight of attending the lovely
wedding of Michelle Abraminko and
Mike Harder. Michelle has been involved with
theInstituteas a volunteer for many years
andwe are thrilled that her husband Mike is
joining her in supporting us. Michelle is a
holistic health coach.

Michelles 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 Michelles
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.

One of the ways in which they

chose to show their support was by
encouraging the guests to make donations to the Gerson Institute instead
of giving them traditional wedding
gifts. When asked why she didnt go
the more conventional wedding gift
route, Michelle laughed and responded I already have everything I need!
She was more interested in supporting a
cause she truly believes in than receiving duplicate kitchenwares.
In the spirit of healthfulness for their guests and life
ahead, Michelle and Mike chose
to do their champagne toast
with aglass of green juice. This
was followed by the throwing of

Michelle Abraminko with her Swiss

chard bouquet.

Wish List

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

External hard drives

Free printing of flyers

Handmade cards

Postage stamps

Organic carrots

Projector screen

Organic green apples

Reams of copy paper

If you can donate any of these items, please contact Mika Payden-Travers at
mpaydentravers@gerson.org
7

Need a New Years Resolution?

Make sleep your medicine in 2015
by Mikhaela Payden-Travers

which is why sleep is so important for learning new information.2 If youve felt groggy from too little sleep, youve
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

f youre like me, you like to make a New Years resolution that puts you on the path to better health. I
wanted to share with other Gerson supporters what
Ive learned about sleep just in case you, like me, focus on
nutrition but dont always remember the other factors that
impact your health and well-being.
While sleep is important for everyone, it is especially important for Gerson patients, who may need more than
the standard 7-9 hours. Rest is a vital
part of the therapy. Without adequate rest the body does not have
the energy it needs to heal. Its good
to remember that food is medicine
but so is sleep!
During my first two years
of graduate school, I probably slept
about six hours a night on average,
but there were some especially painful days when I tried to function on
just three or four hours.

2
0
1
5

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 nights sleep
helps foster both mental and emotional resilience, while chronic sleep
disruptions set the stage for negative
thinking and emotional vulnerability.4 A lack of sleep is also associated
with greater risk for depression and
other serious psychiatric conditions.

Getting enough sleep is also

important for our physical health.
While we sleep our bodies produce
cytokines and other antibodies that
are pivotal to our immune systems
ability to fight off dangerous bacteria and viruses. In addition to directly affecting our ability to protect ourselves against infectious 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

Im not alone. A 2013 Gallup poll

found that Americans sleep an average 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 average American sleeping 7.9 hours per night.2 Unfortunately,
a lack of sleep and especially chronic sleep deprivation
has serious health consequences.

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 youve had
enough to eat) and increasing ghrelin (an appetite stimulant). Thus getting more sleep may be an important factor
in helping you make healthier eating choices.

Its good to remember that

food is medicine but so is
sleep!

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 nights 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,

 If you already get your 7-9 hours a night without

fail, congratulations! Keep up the good work. If you dont,
here are some helpful hints that I used to work on setting
and maintaining a healthier sleep regime.

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 melatonin 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

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.

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 youre getting
sufficient rest.

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
bodys natural rhythms.

How much we sleep may

have an important impact
on what we decide to eat.

Developing a ritual that you follow each night before

going to sleep (e.g. journaling, paced breathing, and drinking 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 allpurpose 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.

References
1 http://www.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-reecommendedamount-sleep.aspx

4. Avoid eating and exercise within three

hours of going to sleep.

2 http://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/
effects-on-body

This can be hard for night owls, but it is important to

remember that eating and exercise both get your body energized, not ready for a good nights 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.

3 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21075236
4 http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_
Mental_Health_Letter/2009/July/Sleep-and-mentalhealth
5 http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss

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 produced 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 systems 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

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-wreckingyour-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

r. Gersons book, A Cancer Therapy: Results

of Fifty Cases is a masterpiece. As many
times as I have read this book, each time I
pick it up, I find some pearl of wisdom that had escaped
my memory or that I had not totally integrated into
my understanding of his brilliant rationale for his treatment approach.

relation to treating
cancer. In Chapter I
he quotes Dr. Werner
Kollath, one of the
pioneers of the health
food movement in
Germany in the late
1920s and 30s, who
stated: Symptomatic
treatment is harmful
wherever in nature
it is applied to the
soil, plants, animals,
Kayla Smith, ND
human beings, or in
medicine. Each part
is important, but the
whole in its infinitely fine order is more important. In
Chapter V, Dr. Gerson reveals, the living being, whether large or small, plant or animal, is in every respect perfectly created or developed, in all its functions and all
its parts, best in its totality. I would propose that Dr.
Gersons work was the embodiment of the now-popular term, holistic medicine. He certainly was in alignment with the principles of naturopathic
medicine, the field of
medicine in which I
was trained, which has
as its basis the idea of
nature as healer and to
first do no harm.

I would like to share with you some of his quotes

and concepts that reflect the deep philosophical basis
underlying his approach to restoring health, his great
reverence and respect for nature and living in accordance with natural law. I believe that it was this perspective on life that provided the foundation for the
development of his system of restoring health.
Chapter I is entitled The Secret of My Treatment.
His first sentence is Of course, there is none!! He
explains that he used this heading because he is asked
this question so often by reproachful physicians. He
explains that the harmony in the metabolism of all
the internal organs and systems must be maintained;
it reflects the eternal mystery of life expressed in our
health and continuance.
This statement reflects
his belief in the concept of totality, a theme
that runs throughout his
entire book. He points
to the fact that we cant
simply address the isolated parts of the body,
such as a tumor or the
symptoms it produces.
What is essential is not
the growth itself or the
visible symptoms; it is
the damage to the whole
metabolism including the
loss of defense, immunity
and the healing power.
Dr. Gerson realized that the foundation for restoration
of the entire body can take place only by addressing the
entire body, starting at the cellular level.

We cant simply address

the isolated parts of the
body, such as a tumor or
the symptoms it produces.

He continually
advocates for living in
harmony with nature.
In Chapter II, he puts
forth: In the nutritional field, observations for centuries have
shown that people who
live according to natural methods in which plants, animals and human beings
are only fragments of the eternal cycle of Nature do not
get cancer. On the contrary, people who accept methods of modern nutrition on an increasing scale become
involved in degenerative diseases, including cancer, in
a relatively short time. He refers to the Hunzas, who

Dr. Gerson studied the works of many doctors

and scientists who were interested in nutrition in

10

live on the slopes of the Himalaya Mountains and who

use only food grown in their own country and fertilized with natural manure. This, he says, is similar to
Ethiopians who also have (or did have) natural agriculture and living habits, which appears to keep people free
of cancer and most degenerative diseases. Conversely,
he notes that Eskimos started developing degenerative diseases and cancer in those parts of their territory
where canned food and unnatural nutrition were introduced and accepted.

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 selfpreservation...If someone eats what is useful
for his health and avoids
other things that may
shorten his life, then he
is a man of wisdom and
self-control. All that we
do should serve to prolong our life.

This leads us to his views on the importance

of healthy soil. In
Chapter XXIV, The
Significance of the
Content of the Soil to
Human Disease, he
writes, The familiar expression mother
earth is justified.
When we take from and
rob the earth we disturb the natural equilibrium and harmony,
producing sickness of
the soil, sickness of the
plants and fruits, and
finally sickness of both
animals and human
beings. He attributes
the cause of many of
these diseases to the
decrease in the important potassium-group
minerals of the fruits
and vegetables grown
on such poisoned soil.
Lets look at one of his
very famous quotes in reference to this topic:

The soil and all that grows

in it is not something distant from us but must be regarded as our external metabolism, which produces
the basic substances for our
internal metabolism.

I would like to add

that as we detoxify
and nourish ourselves
properly, these natural
instincts will return to
us, and we will be driven
by self-preservation
rather than cravings.

This is just a brief

journey through Dr.
Gersons book, A Cancer
Therapy, highlighting his
foundational ideas about
the theory of totality, Mother Nature and healing. I hope
it stimulates an interest for those of you who have not
read his book recently to re-acquaint yourselves with
this tremendous body of work.

We must conclude from these and many other

observations that the soil and all that grows in it is not
something distant from us but must be regarded as our
external metabolism, which produces the basic substances for our internal metabolism. Therefore, the soil
must be cared for properly and must not be depleted or
poisoned; otherwise these changes will result in serious
degenerative diseases, rapidly increasing in animals and
human beings.

If you would like a copy of A Cancer Therapy, go to

store.gerson.org. If you are a medical professional, we
can gift you a copy at no charge. We also donate the
book to libraries. If you know of a library that would
like to carry this book, email Mika at mpaydentravers@
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 resurgence 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 experience as a Gerson practitioner.

11

History in the Making:

Dr. Gersons book today
by Anita Wilson

ctober 18, 2014

The Gerson Institute
was the 133rd
was founded by Charlotte
anniversary of
Gerson 37 years ago, with
Dr. Gersons birthday
the primary intent of keepand in that same month
ing Dr. Gersons book in
we received seven pallets
print and distributed. It
(5,000 plus books a years
now sells on Amazon, is
supply) of Dr. Gersons
being field tested by Barnes
book A Cancer Therapy:
and Noble, has dozens of
Result of 50 Cases delivered
wholesale vendors worldright to our office warewide 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 efficiency to match our new stateThe case studies in the
Harrison Reid, on the left, Gerson Inventory
of-the art e-commerce platbook
are of high value and
Specialist, helps unload pallets of Dr. Gersons
form NetSuite (our new
give important insights
book.
unified software and datainto Dr. Gersons work.
base that manages finanOur Education Department
cials, e-commerce, constaff 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
Anita Wilson has been the Executive Director of the Gerson
us to process sales much more quickly, both inside and outside of the office.
Institute since 2003.

Your Letters

Dra Kovcs - Melanoma

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 suggested. I was scared and asked the advice of two naturopaths about changing my lifestyle. During the three
months of receiving chemotherapy I followed the naturopaths 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; dont even think or worry
about your disease.

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
didnt do enough to save her. But thanks for having this
website.

12

Special Apple
Dessert

Ten months later, in

November 1991, metastatic melanoma cells
were found in the lymph
nodes of my right thigh.
After a second operation I began to have
doubts about the efficacy of conventional
cancer treatments and
I collected information
Dra Kovcs
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
the importance of the immune system in sickness and
health; this gave me food for thought. Around this
time, I came across the Source of Health Foundation
in Budapest, where I was given a book, A Time to Heal,
by Beata Bishop.

Ingredients:
1 Red Delicious apple
1/4 cup rolled oats
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
Beata Bishop had used, the Gerson Therapy, described
by the author. With the help of my family, I was able to
travel to the Gerson Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico for ten
days. I immediately embarked on the therapy under
the supervision of my Gerson doctor, and I learned a
great deal about the method. Having had chemotherapy recently, my doctor put me on a reduced version
of the Gerson protocol. I followed this protocol for
two years. Later, my doctor made modifications to my
protocol every six months. I finally came off the therapy at the end of 1996. Today, I still strive to follow the
Gerson lifestyle with daily coffee enemas and freshly
made juices. I normally eat chemical-free organic food,
often practice yoga and run.

1 tsp plump raisins

1tbsp raisin syrup* + some for spooning over apple
1/4 tsp allspice
Directions:
*Put raisins in a mason jar, pour boiling water to
cover them, close the lid and let them sit for an hour.
The liquid becomes the raisin syrup.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Core apple and take out some of the flesh to replace
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.

Dra Kovcs from Hungary

5. Bake in preheated oven for 34-45 minutes.

Editors note: Beata Bishop is a 30-year malignant melanoma survivor, thanks to the Gerson Therapy, and a longtime
Gerson activist who was instrumental in founding the UK
Gerson Support Group and the first licensed Gerson clinic in
Europe: the Gerson Health Centre in Hungary. She wrote a
book about her recovery, called A Time to Heal, and cowroteHealing the Gerson Waywith Charlotte Gerson.
Both of these books are available at store.gerson.org. To learn
more about licensed Gerson clinics, visit www.gerson.org.

6. Five minutes before the apple is done, drizzle raisin

syrup over baked apple.

4. Fill the apple with the mixture and place in a glass

baking dish with 1/4 cup water under the apple.

7 Let cool and serve.

You can find more recipes in Healing the Gerson
Way and the Recipe Book, available online at store.
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
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.

this over the sink to catch the feed pan when it falls (D,E).

How to clean your juicer

1.Carefully disassemble each juicer

part after each use
(A).

4. Immediately rinse all juicer parts with cool tap

water to avoid excess bacteria on the food contact surfaces and to prevent mineral deposits from
forming. Tip: Use a sprayer hose.

Remove the cutter

with a damp towel A
to protect your
hands from the
blades (B). Tilt the housing on an angle to remove it to
prevent damaging the wing nuts.

5. Wipe off all the dirty areas of the juicer with a wet
sponge, including the top of the press plate and just
below the press plate.
Grip the press plate from both sides and carefully lift
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.

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
to be able to operate the press.

6. At the end of the day, clean each part well with a

sponge and a safe soap, such as Dr. Bronners castile
soap. Use a long brush to scrub the inside of the housing 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 ).

C
3. The feed pan can be easily removed by inverting the
housing with the feed pan attached, and gently tapping
all around the bottom of the feed pan until it falls off. Do

G
14

How to clean juice cloths

1. Rinse the cloths with cool tap water after each juicing session (A). Lightly scrub them with a stiff brush to
loosen and remove pulp particles (B).

This helps unclog the pores of the fabric and makes

them last longer. Then rinse again in a bowl of distilled
(or non-fluoridated) water. You can store the cloths submerged fully in a clean stainless steel bowl of distilled
water in between juicing sessions so any remaining pulp
particles dont 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 plastic bag, and store in the freezer. The next day, remove
from the freezer and thaw them in distilled (or non-fluoridated) water before use. If you dont have space in your
freezer, store the cloths in the refrigerator in a mason jar
submerged in distilled water with a few squirts of hydrogen peroxide. Then rinse with clean water before using.

3. Use separate cloths for the two different juices

(carrot/apple and green).

7. Wipe down the exterior of the juicer with a soapy

sponge, followed by a clean damp cloth, then dry with
a towel (L, M).

Eric Freeman toasts with

juice

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

15

Resources for the Gerson Therapy

Your Source
For Enema Therapy
Coffee

Stainless Steel Enema Kits

& Coffee for Gerson!

(562) 612-4492
Purelifeenema.com

*HUVRQ%DVLFV
2QOLQH

$75 gives you all the information

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

*HUVRQ%DVLFV
2QOLQH

Hydraulic
juice presser

$75 gives you all the information

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

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

*H

$75 give
covere
Class
comf

*H

$75 give
covere
Class
comf

ISHIMEDICAL
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,
education and patient support services.

17

Need supplies?

You
edu

Gerson Institute Supporters

Founders Circle Members

Donors (continued)
Ingvor Johnson
Richard Kammenzind
Barry & Shari McCarroll
Thomas Weston McGee
Mary Magro
Ross Mansergh
Otto Meer
Tony Migaiolo
John Moffitt
William L. Nasby
Karl Neumann
Shirley Nichols
Mrs. Edward Olson
Ken Patterson
Maes Petrus
Horst & Christine Plendl
James Radigan
Randy Repass
Barbara A. Reynolds
Petra Rieker
Stephen G. Richards

Anonymous (2)
How Co. Ltd.
Jennifer Mrla-Gray

Benefactors
Anonymous (2)
Barbara Anderson
David Baluk
Arthur Barrett
Zornitza Batcheva
Emma Bellamy

Chad Bennett
Lee Mary Brenneisen
Timothy Bruss
Cheryl Buck
Lucy Colangione & Alex Doronkin
Amber Farnsworth
David Gilbert & Chom Harvey
Ivan Green
Guy Herald Cookware
Ray & Dawn Hammond
Cliff and Holly Hansen
HealthForce
Col. Lee M. Holmes
Shana Lathrop

Barbara March
Sara Marguils
Robert Mathews
Janael McQueen
John Meyer
Norwalk Juicers of CA
Ken Patterson
Wendy Rose
Marisa Russo

Frank Stone
Carol & William Sutton
Mine Taylan
The Perry & Barbara Miller
Family Foundation
Joshua Vilches
Raymond Ward
Anita Wilson
Dr. James Winer
Robert Zarrella

The Garden Team Gerson

Monthly Donors
Ceasar Alarcon
Rodney Burke
Stephanie Cheshire
Alex & Miruna Cimpoia
Kathy Curiel
David Denio
Treena Dubois
Krisiti Dyson
Franklin Garzon
Lindsay Gibson
Charlene Gilpatrick
Leslie Griffin
Zack Hildmann
Laurie Holden
Clay Hornbaker
Robert Hritz
Vikram Jaiswal
Karin Jansen
Jeremiah Jorgensen
Catherine Kelley
Sandra Kettle
Troy Lane

Patrons
Tina Atchley
Donna Baldwin-Veazey
Wanda Cieciorko
Herman Ferreira
Flux Fun Run
Kristine Frost
Arthur & Marilyn Gore
Marc Gowland
Lori Greenberg
Thomas Griffiths
Marlene Heppner
Lisa Herzog
Tan Huynh
Yossi & Kuuleialoha Johnson
Vincente Lim
Jimmy & Mindy Lin
Israel LoBue
Penny Loughnan
Marie Louise Lekumberry
Christian May
Kathleen Mathews
Barry & Shari McCarroll
Victoria Mears

Neil Montanus
Bill Nasby
Bradly Nelson
Shuji Oba
Paula Ray

Richard Reimers
Chintana Sangdeejing
Todd Schilling
Justin Scott
William Shuman
Elizabeth Soto
Deborah Szekely
Donald K Surgeon
Melanie Swayn
Time Honored Formulas
Versa Climber
Haylen VanKoppen
Gary Veytsman
Wanda Wysocka-Cieciorko
Robert Weible
Carolyn Winter
Dean Wooster
Kayo Yoshida & Shane Galaas

Mary Lutz
Neil McHugh
Francy Merritt
Denise Mora
Necklush
Georgina Penning-Geis
Elizabeth Perius
Norlita Pyle
Ingebory Radel
Louise Raheb
Bobbi Scogin
Brenda Soong
Joshua Steinberg
Frank Stone
Connie Trumpf
Erika Turner & Evelyn Sapriza
Charles Valerio
Terry Wells
Sophia Wicklund
Mandy Williams Palen
Theresa Yong

Gerson Celebrates the

Lives & Memories of:
Don McQuiddy
Joyce Terrano
Janella Sanburn
Shizue Shimbo Davis
Kay Harrison
Terri Hammond

Donors
Sherra Basham
Karen Balkanski
Jennifer Barton Jones
Kathleen Belmares
Bruce Brown
Lana Butler
Thomas Cooper

Sameer & Meenu Rupani

Robert Sandmann &
Barbara Vanofferen
William Santagata
Volker Schmidt
Gladys T. So
Elizabeth Soto
Kent & Jane Slaughter
Ron & Irene Stananought
Mary & Mark Sullivan
Ronnie KC Tang
Mika and Nancy Thomas
Deborah Thomson
Anthony & Ann Trew
Nicola Ungaro
Donald Wiencek
Donald Wilson
Elizabeth Wright
Marianne Wohl
Tim Yamamoto

Candice Dolkowski
Lorne Gartner
Sandra Goergen
William Hetzler
Paula Higgins
Melinda Hill
Thomas Jarde

18

Steve Napoli
Becky Lasch
Mary Laird Silva
Donald Eisler
Sue Witmer

Many thanks to all our donors, volunteers and supporters.

You make our work possible!
To learn more about donations, please visit
our website at www.gerson.org.

Gerson Therapy Classes, Lectures

& Events
Event
Hungary - Gerson Therapy
Sessions

Healing News

WWW.GERSON.ORG
Date &Time

Copyright 2015, The Gerson Institute.

Diane Ake, Editor Ally Bacaj, Copy Editor

2015

10-23 January
7-20February
14-27March
11-24 April
9-22 May

Board of Directors

Honorary Board of Directors

Carol Beard, President

Charlotte Gerson Straus

Conni Spancake, Secretary-Treasurer

Carolyn Dean, MD, ND

Paula Bambic, Director

Dr. Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D

Bob Lichtenberger, Director

Mary Magro, Director

Gerson Cooking and

Juicing Intensive Class

DeAnn Waggoner, Director

January 3
February 7
March 7

Charlotte Gerson Health

Restoration Session and
Gerson Boot Camp

January 12-18
March 23-29

Gerson Basics Class

February 19-21
June 11-13

Module I

May dates TBA

check website
for updates
www.gerson.org

The Power of Natural

Healing

Mondays 11 AM

Rachel Hiner, Director

Anita Wilson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Executive Director

Mikhaela Payden-Travers. . . . . . . . .Development Coordinator
Stephanie Raddatz. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Finance Coordinator
Scott Stobbe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IT/Marketing Coordinator
Mallory Crowley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multimedia Specialist
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
Blanca Ayala. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Coach/Training & Administrative Assistant
Silvana Procopio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Education
Ally Bacaj. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Communications Specialist
Barbara Conde. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
Barbara Garcia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
Kayla Courtney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
Eleni Patterson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Specialist
Nicole Ferrer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Education Specialist
Brenda Arntzen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Information Specialist
Harrison Reid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inventory Control Specialist
John Perkins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Receptionist
Eric Freeman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chef
Kelly Lahtov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chef
Liz Cook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chef/Development Assistant
Anna Maria Aliano. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gerson Chef/Event Specialist

info@gersonmedia.com

About Healing News

For more information contact us:
www.gerson.org
(888) 443-7766 toll-free from the U.S.
(858) 694-0707

Since 1984, the Healing News has linked the Gerson

Institute with its supporters and Gerson patients.
The newsletter is published four times a year to educate about the Gerson Therapy and healthy living,
provide updates on Gerson Institute programs and
events, and share patient stories.

19

Gerson Institute / Cancer Curing Society

PO Box 161358, San Diego, CA92176

NON-PROFIT ORG
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.
Printed on 100% Recycled Paper