The Gerson Therapy: The Proven Nutritional Program for Cancer and Other Illnesses

This is the book that I would first recommend for anyone wanting to understand the use of alternative medicine for the healing of any chronic condition including cancer I would also highly recommend this book to anyone contemplating the use of conventional medicine as well because of the excellent material on the disease process and the potential for using this or some other alternative therapy in a complimentary or combination process of natural and conventional healing. The issue in addressing healing of chronic diseases is for the person with the disease and their family to be sufficiently unformed of the causes and all possible treatment possibilities so that they can make informed and responsible decisions about their total treatment. Other therapies and approaches could be evaluated as to how well they addressed all of the healing concepts detailed in this book.

"The Gerson Therapy" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to the multitude of books that address healing of chronic conditions including cancer by using natural or alternative means. The specific approach is healing by a combination of high quality nutrition and total body detoxification. The Therapy is a total program and does require significant life style changes at least for the detailed therapy. Actually, lifetime lifestyle changes will be required to remain healthy, but these are easily done once one has gone through the detailed therapy.

This book accomplishes several needed functions. The Gerson Therapy is brought up to date, (the therapy is over 60 years old), with the latest information including program modifications for people who have had chemotherapy, for people who are in an extremely weakened state, and a modified program for non cancer chronic conditions. The information is provided in a highly readable and understandable format. The book details the background, theory, and enough specific cases to establish credibility without being overbearing. In fact most of the case studies are used to detail understanding of the therapy. The book does not sugar coat the difficulty of healing using natural therapy and states that the Gerson Therapy may be the most difficult to follow of the many that are available. All of the information required to do the therapy either on one's own or in conjunction with a qualified clinic or practitioner is provided in easily accessible section. (There is some redundancy in some of the specific sections but this redundancy eliminates the need to search for needed information for people who are following the therapy). The number of recipes is expanded from previous books, and this is a welcome addition for anyone who has followed the therapy. The mental aspects of natural healing are now addressed and are given a separate section in the book. Finally, many tricks and techniques needed to make the therapy more workable are included. The bottom line is that the book is both informative and is useable as a day to day guide for anyone deciding to do the therapy.

I feel qualified to make these statements about this book because three years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and after much research and discussions with conventional and alternative practitioners, I chose to first start with the Gerson Therapy. The results have been wonderful with the cancer having gone in remission after about 18 months and numerous other problems have responded to the therapy as well. I have not had to revert to my back up plan of conventional medicine. Yes the therapy can be difficult to follow particularly because it is highly restrictive on food, requires time to make fresh vegetable juices several times every day, and requires time to do the detoxification procedures. And yes, the diet has different taste due to the salt and fat restrictions, but one quickly get use to the different tasee However, to be healed without permanent side effects is well worth the effort and the required life style changes. While I had excellent support materials available, this book is still a significant improvement to the available literature. I found nothing in this book that I had a problem with and with the improvements that have been made, the book deserves the five star rating

The process of natural healing is not easy, requires attention to detail, and continued study to avoid setbacks through the process. This new book on the Gerson Therapy will provide information that can assist the decision process and will provide up to date information on the therapy's application.


Outstanding Resource !   April 10, 2003
D. Etheredge (Seattle, WA)
106 out of 106 found this review helpful

Much like the previous poster, I also suffered a degenerative disease. I did the research for a cure while healing from some conventional radiation therapy. I began the Gerson Therapy (GT)as indicated in this book in part, started feeling stronger and got into it full tilt. I must admit, Dr. Max Gerson MD, the author's father, hit the nail on the head in terms of a curative therapy. His is some heirloom information and techniques that have survived because they work.

If you need to buy a book on how to get well from degenerative disease, this is the first choice. Get started now. Begin now. Disease as simple as arthritis, and as tough as cancer respond to this therapy. I know from personal experience also. The program is nutritional and detoxification with minimum supplements. The book informs as to what and why and when to use what. They do not sell vitamins, or expensive publications, just straight forward truth.

I also, particularily for Multiple Myeloma or Plasmacytoma patients, but cancer patients generally, highly recommend the book, 'Living Proof', by Michael Gearin-Tosh, published 2002. It is a wonderful narrative of how to approach cancer treatment written by a man diagnosed MM but who did Gerson Therapy and lives.

Do it, get well, and write your own review ! I'll be checking back from time to time. God Bless.


WARNING about this book and the GERSON THERAPY   May 13, 2005
C. Franco (California, USA)
47 out of 80 found this review helpful

Please be careful with coffee enemas and anything that has to do with the Gerson name. I read Max Gerson books and also Charlotte Gersons book. Believed in them, talked to people in their SO called institute (they all consider them geniuses) and so I thought. I did not even have cancer but wanted to improve my health. COFFEE ENEMAS are dangerous and can kill. Some people seem to tolerate them up to some point. They destroyed my life. After 5 weeks in this therapy started liver pains, problems digesting, skin rashes, INSOMNIA, etc. and have not gone away. I even had one of their so called Gerson Practitioners. Everybody washed their hands when things went wrong. THIS IS A WARNING. Can't tell you what to do if you have cancer. BUT BE careful with COFFEE ENEMAS. Also thyroid, liquid iodine, potasium (your electrolites can also be affected). They will say anything to convince you that it is so safe and remember their supplements are money to them and their hospital even more. If you buy Max Gerson blue book read it carefully. He mentions a ton of people he actually killed when giving them this or that, including a child; someone who ended up with cirrhosis of the liver, etc. People seem to have been used as guinea pigs. Only after things go wrong you realize this. WARNING: if something goes wrong they say it is your toxins that did it!! and you are on your own.


This book is so valuable!!   December 28, 2005
NuevoMexico (New Mexico)
47 out of 47 found this review helpful

The Gerson Therapy saved my life.
I was diagnosed with SLE ( Lupus), and there was nothing that the M.D.'s could offer me, except Prednisone...which was urged upon me.
Through the fortunate advice of a friend, I read the Gerson book...and to make a very long story short, I decided to do the program.
Let me just say here, in rebuttal to the first reviewer of this book, that NOWHERE in this book does it suggest that on should JUST do coffe enemas. Quite the contrary. If one is doing coffee enemas, it is essential that one ALSO be drinking the juices.
In fact, if one is serious about getting well, it is absolutely essential that one do the program to the letter- not just some elements.
I stayed on the Gerson program for two and one half years. Hard? Yes.
But I came out of it healed.
I went into the program so very sick, hair falling out, skin sores, terrible joint pain, failing kidneys.
That was more than fifteen years ago , now, with no recurrance. And I neved did take the Prednisone.
I did the Therapy at home, with the Gerson book as my guide. ( The Gerson staff, in terms of support and more information, were my telephone angels.)
So, while my experience was not with cancer, I most certainly will recommend this book to those who suffer from auto-immune disorders, and also to those those who simply are interested in knowing how bertter to preserve and restore health.


Not the only way   March 13, 2006
Melina Lantz
41 out of 46 found this review helpful

I found the book to be a litte condradictory. It acknowledges that other alternative therapies have cured terminal cancer via nutrition life style changes. It later leads you to believe if the protocal is not followed to the letter your cancer will return. This is simply not true. Whole foods is the key and detoxification. I know of a man who dissolved over 50 tumors in his body thru eating more fruits and veggies and coffee enemas and suplimentation of vitamins and minerals not mentioned in this book. He also has not juiced one drop of veggies or fruit.

The protocal I believe is way to strict and discouraging to cancer patients. Asking a terminal cancer patients to take in 13 glasses of juice a day is way more than they can take. They likely give up and sucumb to the cancer.

"Beating Cancer with nutrition" is an excellent alternative and can be used in conjuction with some of the treatments in this book without the burden of juicing and living by the kitchen. You dont have to be a slave to your home to heal.

There is great truth to The Gerson Therapy but it is unfortunatly out dated. There are other therapies out there that work just as good if not better and are not nearly as combersome and demanding. Max Gerson was a genious of his TIME.


Update: UPon further research of other existing therapies I came to the conclusion that the Gerson Therapy although very difficlult is the most effective. All the other Cancer therapies have seen good results but nothing like the results of The Gerson Therapy. The hard work is worth it for your life. I know juice 13 times a day and feel better than ever. Dont take a chance use the proven therapy not all the spin offs.