BIOLOGICALBASISOFTHEGERSONTHERAPY:

SaltandWaterManagementandTissueDamageSyndrome
FromalecturebyGarHildenbrand,1990.

TheGersonTherapyisasaltandwatermanagement.Thereisawholechunkofthemedical
literatureonsaltandwatermanagement:andthatsaltandwatermanagementalsomeanshormone
manipulation,andmanipulationoftheenergyproductionandtheintegrityofthehumancell.Whatthat
meanttotheaveragepersonwhostryingtogethisorherbodytoworkbetteristhat,whenone
controlsthetypesofsaltsthatarefoundintheindividualcellthebuildingblocksofourlivesand
whenonecontrolsthewatercontenthowmuchwaterthereisinthecellonecanaffectthewaythat
thecellfunctions:thehealthofthecell,theenergyproductioncapabilitiesofthecell,theabilityofthe
celltostayaliveandtostaynormal.

Weyieldandlosethebarrierbetweenourselvesandtheenvironmentwhenwearepoisoned.
Forexample,whenthetoxicairandthetoxicwateraretoomuch,orwhenwecomeintocontactwith
industrialmaterialsthataretoxic,theseenvironmentalfactorswillpolluteus.

Thesameistruewiththeindividualcell.FreemanCope,M.D.,apioneeringphysician,physicist
andresearcher,foundthatwhencellsarepoisoned,thereisaunifyingsetofoccurrences,whetherthe
damageoccursbyoxygenstarvation,bytrauma,byanytypeofinsultsuchaspoisoningormalnutrition.
Thesameresponsesmayoccurincellsthroughoutanypartofthebody,nomatterwhatthetissueof
origin.Firstthecellwilllosepotassium,secondthecellwillacceptsodium,andthird,thecellwillswell
withtoomuchwater.Suchcellswellingiscalledcellularedema.Nomatterwhattissueinthebody,and
nomatterwhatthecauseofinjury,theunifyingsetofoccurrencesinthetissuedamagesyndromeare
1)lossofpotassium,2)acceptanceofsodium,3)swellingwithexcesswatertocreatecellularedema,
and4)lossofcellenergyproduction.

Whathappenstoacellthathasswollenwithtoomuchwater?Insidethecell,theenvironment
becomesinappropriateforthemanufactureofenergy.Youwillnotice,whenyoustudyGersonsbook
thathetalkedaboutincreasingfreeenergy;thatwasoneofhisgoals.Freeenergy,inamedical
dictionary,translatestoATP,acompoundadenosinetriphosphatethatismanufacturedbymost
cellsinthebody.Itistheenergystoragecompoundofthebody,theenergycurrencyofthebody.

ATPisthecellularproductofburningsugarthroughoxidation,anditismadeandbroken,
remade,andrebrokeninordertoliberateburstsofenergy.Essentially,itisanadenosinemoleculewith
threephosphatebonds.Itistheimmediatesourceofenergyformostenergyrequiringfunctionsofthe
bodyatthecellularlevel.WithoutATPthecelldies.WithoutATPwedie.Whenthecellhasswollenwith
toomuchwater,cellularburningofsugarsisinhibited;ATPproductionisinhibited,alongwiththe
proteinsynthesisandlipidmetabolism.

Insideeverycellaresmallorganelles,tinyfactoriesinthecell.Theyaremicroscopicfilamentscalled
mitochondria.

Inourmitochondria,wehavetheabilitytoburnsugarwithoxygen.OttoWarburg,whowonthe
NobelPrizetwiceinmedicine,advancedatheoryofcancerthatheldthatcancerwasafermentative
disease.TheWarburggeneralizationisprobablynotcorrect,althoughtheobservationsthatled
Warburgtothegeneralizationaremostlikelycorrect.WhatWarburgcontributedwasanunderstanding
andadescriptionofboththeoxygenandthehydrogenshuttlingenzymesystemsofmitochondriathat
burnsugarwithoxygentomakeourcellularenergyintheformofATP.

Gersonstherapyisaimedatincreasingfreeenergyproduction;makingmoreATPavailablein
thecell.Inordertodothat,Gersonattemptedtomanipulatethetissuedamagesyndromethat,
althoughCopedidnotdescribeituntil1977,wasknownclinicallytoGersoninthe1920s;andhewas
activeandcorrectinhismanagementofit.WhatGersondidwastoeliminatesodiumfromthediet,to
supplementahighpotassiumdietwithanadditionalpotassium,andtofindwaystoremovetoxinsfrom
thebloodstreamthatinhibitnormalcellularenzymefunctions,metabolismandrespiration.

Gersonwasaneatlypackagedgenius,alowtechgenius.Whathedidwasverylowtech,butit
canbemeasuredwithveryhightechmeanstoprovethatitis,infact,doingwhathesaiditwasdoing.
Gersonprovidedawayforadamagedcelltobeconfrontedwithlesssodiumsothatitwouldhavean
opportunitytobindsomepotassium,toimproveitshydrationbyloweringitswatercontent,andto
improveitsmitochondrialfunction.

Inordertoensurethatthemitochondriawouldfunction,Gersongavethyroid,andhegaveitin
prettyhighdoses.Thyroidis,verysimplyspeaking,anaminoacidiodinatedandoxygenatedbythe
thyroidglandwhich,whenadministeredinsignificantdosages,firstsignalscellularmitochondriato
replicate,whichtheydoindependentofthecellbecausetheyhavetheirownDNAandRNA,andsecond
tellsmitochondriatomakemoreenergyintheformofATPbyburningsugarsfast.

Justasanote,ifyouthinkofthecellasaplanet,themitochondriaaretheindustrialcities.They
arethecitiesofindustry.Andwhenacellhaslostpotassiumandgainedsodiumandswollenwithwater,
thesewersbackup,theindustrialcitiesareshutdownintheirfunction,andenergycannotbemadeto
cleanoutthesewers.Thatistheproblemwithtissuedamagesyndrome.

Aroundeverytumorandaroundeveryarthriticjointandinmostchronicviralconditions,our
tissuesthathavelostpotassiumhavegainedsodiumandhaveswollenwithtoomuchwater.Asearlyas
1957,ChristineWaterhouseandAlbertCraig,workingonaNationalCancerInstitutegrant,wereableto
measurewaterretentionincancerpatients,whichwasageneralsystemicedema,notvisible,not
discernibleclinically,butmeasurable.LetmequotethemfromthearticleBodycompositionand
changesinpatientswithadvancedcancerwhichwaspublishedintheAmericanCancerSocietys
journalCancer11(6),NovemberDecember1957.

Recentcommunicationsfromthislaboratoryhaveemphasizedthatgrossweightchangesin
patientswithadvancedcancermaybeminimalevenwhenlargeamountsofbodyfatarebeinglost.

Undertheseconditionsithasbeenshownthattheremaybeagreatgainoftotalbodywatereven
thoughtheremaybenodetectableedema.

Inanearlierarticle,Waterhouseadmittedtoinadvertentlykillingathirdofheradvancedcancer
patientsinanexperimentalhighfatdoublethenormalcalorieintakeforcefeedingtrial.Imquoting
herfromanarticleshecoauthoredwithRaymondTerepkacalled,Metabolicobservationsduringthe
forcedfeedingofpatientswithcancer,whichwaspublishedintheAmericanJournalofMedicine,
February,1956.

Ourdatadonotwarrantanydirectanalysisofthesechanges,butifoneassumesthatthe
calculatedcaloricdiscrepancyisapproximatelycorrectandthatthisisallmadeupbybodyfatstores,in
everyinstanceagaininweightasaresultofforced(fat)feedingwasduealmostentirelytoagainin
intracellularfluids.Thesearethechangesoftissuedamagesyndromestemmingfromadvanced
disease,agreatgainoftotalbodywater,againinintercellularfluid,cellularedema;andwhatGerson
didwastoworkagainstthis.

Gersonstartedoutasatuberculosisphysician,andaroundeverytuberculosisinfection,around
everycavernandcavityandlesion,hesawapuffymalfunctioningsphereofadjacenttissuethathad
beendamagedbytoxinsfromtheinfection.Partialmetabolitesfromthediseasedtissuematerialsthat
arenotentirelymetabolizedcancauseproblemsbecausetheyarejunktothetissuearoundthemand
theydamageandupsetotherwisenormaltissue.

Gersonsawthatbyrestrictingproteinandbygivingahighpotassium,lowsodium,basicallyall
fruitandvegetablediet,withfreshrawjuicesandmuchfreshlypreparedrawfood,edemascouldbe
absorbed.Hesawthatthiscouldbeencouraged,thecourseoftuberculosiscouldbeaffected,and
patientscouldbesaved.

Gersonsanswerstotissuedamagesyndromewerethemostlogicalanswersthathavebeen
contributedtomedicinetodate.Thereisnothingbetterinmedicineforsaltandwaterproblems,forthe
edemasthatsurroundtumors;thereisnobetteranswer.

Essentially,saltandwatertherapymeanscreatingasituationinwhichthecellwilltendto
returntonormal.Manymedicaldoctorsdonotunderstandwhypotassiumwillfunctioninthisway,and
whyalowsodium,highpotassiumdietistherapeutic.Thatisbecauseourmedicalschoolsarein,but
hopefullycomingoutof,aperiodofossificationincellularbiology.Notmuchprogresshasbeenmade
foralongperiodoftime.Wehaveacceptedtheoriesofthepumpingenzymes,calledsodiumpumps,
magnesiumpumps,many,manypostulatedpumpingsystems,thataresupposedtoexistinhumancells,
thathaveneverbeenobservedorproveninmosthumancells.ChapterthreeofGuytonsMedical
Physiology,andfirstpartofeverytextbookoncellularbiologyandmedicalphysiologydescribessodium
pumpswhichhavenever,everbeenobservedinmosthumancells.

Itisonthatbasisthatatheoryofcellmetabolismistaughtinmedicalschoolthatdoesnot,and
cannot,predictthatalowsodium,highpotassiumdietisgoodforyouorwillhaveandbeneficialeffect.
However,slowlygainingacceptancethroughouttheworldistheworkofDr.GilbertNingLing,whowill

beonedayrecognizedasthefatherofthenewcellularbiology,whichisbasedinphysicsratherthan
wetchemistry.

Dr.LingsworkledDr.CopetoGersonbecause,essentially,Copewentlookingforsomething
thatwouldproveLingstheory,whichcorrectlypredictedthevalueofhighpotassium,lowsodiumdiets.
CopefoundevidenceinthetreatmentdevelopedbyGerson,andhefoundmoreevidenceintherelated
treatmentdevelopedbyMexicancardiologistDr.SodiPallares.

Whathappensinthehumancellismostlynotwhatweareabletoreadinourmedical
textbooks.Essentially,wearestillreadingmedicaltextbooks,andstudentsarestillbeingtaughtthatthe
cellisabagofwaterwithsolutes.AccordingtoDr.Lingstheory,withoutgettingtoocomplex,our
humancellsaremorelikesolidstateelectronicdevices.RaymondDamadian,M.D.,thedeveloperof
magneticresonanceimaging,usedLingsmodeltodevelopthetheorybehindMRI.Damadiansaysthat
humancellsaremorelikeionexchangegranulesinawatersoftener.Theyarenotbagsofwater.

Thereis,throughoutthecytoplasmofourcells,waterthatisstructured.Youcanseethis
throughmagneticresonancemeasurements.Thewaterinourcellsisnotfreeliquid.Wearemorethan
55%water,mostofus,andthewaterinourcellsisstructured.Itsnotlikeice,itsnotthatstructured,
butitsmuchmorestackedthanfreeliquidwater.Thereasonthatitisstructuredisthatthereare
dynamicenergiesincellsthatholdwaterinanorganizedpattern.ItistheworkofLingthatdescribes
this.

Imagine,ifyouwill,insidethemembraneortheouterskinofthecell,aballofsteelwool.
Theballofsteelwoolis,moreorless,onelongmolecule;abig,longstrandthatforksandwrapsaround
andaround.Itislikeaskeletoninsidethecell.Itisaproteinandlipid,orfat,macromolecule,andthere
isanelectroncurrentthatflowsthroughit.Astheelectroncurrentflowsthroughit,aforceiscreated
thatattractsparamagneticions.Inthewatermolecule,thatsthehydrogenanythingwithanuneven
atomicnumberisparamagneticsothisforceattractshydrogen.YouvegotanH2Omolecule:saythe
Oismyfist,andtheHsaremyextendedfingers(showsavictorysign).Thehydrogenatomsturn
towardsthemacromolecule.

Theyallpointtowardit,oneaftertheother,alllinedup.Youvegotalayerofpolarizedwater
aroundthatfilament,andasecondlayerontopofthefirstlayer,andathirdlayer,andsoon.Thereare
layersontopoflayers.Thereisvirtuallynofreewaterinthecell;itsallmultiplepolarizedsectored
layersofwaterinsidethecell.Itisthewatersecuringitselfthatcontrolsthewatercontentinthecell.
Howdoesstructuredwaterpreventexcesshydration?Itssimple:youcantpourwaterintoice.
Ifpotassiumfillsthesitestowhichitmaybindonthismacromolecule,thecellwillorganize

water.Ifpotassiumislostfromthoseassociationsites,andsodiumisbound,thecellwilllosemuchof
itsabilitytostructurewater,anditwillswellwithmuchmorewater.

AsDr.LingdescribesitinhisAssociationInductionHypothesis,foreverymoleculeofATPthatis
complexedwiththemacromolecule,twentyassociationsitesforpotassiumforeveryonemoleculeof
ATPthatcomplexestothemacromolecule,whichisthisbigballofsteelwoolinsidethecell.


Themitochondriaarenestledinsidetheballofsteelwool.Thelittlemitochondriaaretaking
sugarsthathavebeenfunneledtothembyactivitieswithinthecell.Theyburnthesugar,theymake
ATP,andtheATPcomplexeswiththemacromolecule,whichcontributestothebindingofpotassiumat
associationsites,whichcontributestothestructuringofwatercontentnormallyforhours,meaningitis
notenergyfromATPthatactuallycontrolsioncontentinthecell.

Whatthismeans,fromGersonspointofview,isthatwhenyouaresick,whenyourtissuesare
damaged,whenyourcellshavelostpotassiumandtakenonsodiumandextrawater,wemustreduce
thechallengeofsodiumandloadpotassiumintothesystem.Takingsupplementalpotassiuminaddition
toalowsodiumdiethelpspotassiumtocompeteforassociationsitesinthecell.Whenyoudothis,you
createasituationinwhichpotassiummayagainbebound.

Thisbigballofsteelwool,thismacromolecule,canexistinoneoftwoconfigurationstates:
normalordamaged.Ifyouinsultthecell,ifyoupoisonit,ifyoustarveit,ifyoutakeawayitsoxygen,the
macromoleculewillflipovertoadamagedconfiguration.Themacromoleculejumblessomeorallofits
proteinsandlipids,anditcannolongercomplexATPwell,anditcannotcontrolpotassiumbinding.
Anybodywhohastakenchemistrywillask,Whatisthedifferencebetweenpotassiumandsodium?
Theyhavethesamevalence.Whyarenttheyinterchangeable?Theyarenotinterchangeableinthe
biosystem.Thecellactuallyhasapreferenceforpotassium,asLingdemonstrated.

AlittlebitaboutLing:HeisageniusfromChinawhowontheBoxerAwardinBiologyduringthe
1940s.Whilehewasstillagraduatestudent,heinventedtheintercellularmicroelectrode,onwhichthe
wholefieldofmicroelectrophysiologyisbased.Hewastheheadofthemolecularbiologylaboratoryfor
PennsylvaniaHospitalinPhiladelphiaandChiefEditorofthejournalPhysiologicalChemistryandPhysics
andMedicalNMR,andisnow(2002),DirectorofResearchoftheDamadianCancerFoundation.

Whenyoucreateahighpotassiumenvironmentforadamagedcell,youcangetpotassiumto
hookontooneormoreassociationsites,becausethosesiteswilltakewhateversthere,sodiumor
potassiumwhenthecellisdamaged.Whentheproteinlipidmacromoleculeisinadamagedstate,if
youcangetpotassiumtobindatonesite,amarvelousphenomenonoccursthatLingcallsinteractive
cooperativitysomethingwecouldusemoreofintheworldofhumansinwhichpotassiumbindingat
onesitewilltriggerpotassiumbindingatadjoiningsites.Ifpotassiumcanbeboundatonesite,other
siteswillbegintopreferpotassiumoversodium,too.Soifyoucanjuststarttheprocess,thecellwillflip
back,likedominoes,toahighpotassiumload;interactivecooperativity.Atthesametime,thecells
waterorganizes,thewatercontentofthecellshrinks,andATPproductionincreases.Thatistheresultof
successfulsaltandwatermanagementoftissuedamagesyndrome.

ProteinRestriction

Towardthegoalofgettingmoresodiumoutofthebody,outofdamagedcells,Gerson
eliminatednotonlysodiumfromthediet;healsoeliminatedproteinfromthedietforaperiodoftime.
Inhisexperiments,asDr.Wardnoted,Gersonhadextraordinarylaboratorysupportinthebest
equippedmedicalandscientificcommunityintheworldatthattime.Hewasabletoobservethatonce
youputsomebodyonahighpotassium,lowsodiumdiet,thefirstthingthathappensisthat
tremendousquantitiesofsodiumareexcretedintheurine.

Wheredoesitcomefrom?Itscomingfrominsideindividualdamagedcells.Inareallysick
person,withextensivetissuedamagesyndrome,tissuesalloverthebodyaredumpingsodium.Because
sickpeoplegotbetterwhentheydumpedsodiumintheurine,Gersonwantedtoincreasethateffect
andprolongit.Hefoundthatbyeliminatingdietaryprotein,hecouldcauseevenmoreofwhathecalled
NatriumAusschuss,sodiumoutpouring,orsodiumfloodingoutintheurinemore,andmore,and
more.

Theproblemwithextremeproteinrestrictionisthatyoucantdoitfortoolong,becausethen
youbeingtocompromiseimmunity.Thishasbeenobservedforalongtime.Sciencehaslongknown
thatproteinisnecessaryforgoodimmunity,buthasneverknownhowmuch.Ithasbeenassumed,
wrongly,thatweshouldhavelotsofit,andthatweshouldalwayshaveit.

Gerson,however,saidtheopposite.Hesaidyoumuststopdietaryproteinsforaperiodofsixto
eightweeksinordertocausesodiumtoleavedamagedcellsandinordertocauseedematobe
absorbed.Inhismind,itwasclearthatsodiumwastrappedinthebodywithprotein;itwastrappedin
depositsofproteinandsodiumthatweresomehowcomplexedtogether.Thisisaccurate.Itisaccurate
withinthecontextofLingswork,andLingsworkismoderndaybiophysics.

Weknownow,fromtheworkofRobertGood,thatproteinrestriction,somethingthatyoure
doingontheGersonTherapy,canactuallystimulatecellmediatedimmunity.Tlymphocyteactivitycan
bestimulatedbyproteinrestriction.

RobertGoodwastheDirectoroftheSloanKetteringInstituteforCancerResearch.Priortohis
positionwithSloanKettering,GoodspenttimeinEgyptvisitingafriendinAlexandriawhohadbeen
workingwithmalnourishedchildren.Goodtookadeepinterestintheimmuneprofilesoftheselong
malnourishedchildren.Heaskedhisfriendwhycertainpanelsoftheimmuneprofileweredisturbed,
whytheywereoff,andhisfriendsaid,Wedontknow.Wejustknowthattheyare,butwedontknow
whichdietarydeficiencyiscausingwhichimmuneabnormality.Gooddecideditwashightimetodo
somebasicresearchtoanswersomeofthesequestions.

WhenhearrivedatSloanKettering,hesetupaguineapigexperiment,averysimple
experiment.Hehadlaboratorychowthatcontainednoprotein.Hetookthisnoproteinlabchowand
fedittogroupA,andgroupBwasgivennormalchow.GroupAreceivednoprotein.GroupBwasthe
controlgroup,theputativelywellfedguineapig.Goodhadexpectedtoseedeteriorationofserumand
cellmediatedimmunity.Serumimmunityisantibodyproduction,keytosomeofourbacterialandviral

immunity,theabilitytofightsomebacteriaandviruses.CellmediatedimmunityisconductedbyTcells
lymphocytesandthesearetheonesthatfightbacteria,fungi,andalsofighttumors.Goodpredicted
failureof,atleast,serumimmunity.Hewasunpreparedforwhathesaw.Notonlydidserumimmunity
remainstable,butlymphocytes,especiallyTlymphocytesthethymuslymphocytesbecame
tremendouslyincreasednonspecificallyactive,andremainedaggressivelyandnonspecificallyactivefor
alongperiodoftime.
Andatthatpoint,Goodrealizedandwrotethathehadstimulatedimmunitybydietaryrestrictionof
protein.Thisledtoalongseriesofexperimentsinmanylaboratories,allrelatedtoRobertGood,whois
knownasthemostpublishedpathologistinthewesternmedicalliterature.Hisexperimentshave
shown,inoneanimalmodelafteranother,diseaseswhicharecalledlongtermordegenerativediseases
oftengeneticallypredeterminedinmice,guineapigs,andotheranimals,canbeaffectedbyprotein
andcalorierestriction.Someofthesediseaseshavebeendirectanaloguesofhumandiseases,andthe
weightoftheevidencestronglysuggestssimilareffectsinman.

Calorierestrictionisanotheraspectofyourtreatmenthere.Howcanthatbewhenyoure
eatingallthetime?Becausethefatsaregonefromthediet.Atablespoonofcarbohydrateanda
tablespoonofproteinyieldapproximatelythesamenumberofcalories.Atablespoonoffatprovides
morethandoublethatnumberofcalories.FatsareeverywhereintheWesterndiet,inourcivilizeddiet;
bakerygoods,cakes,candies,rolls,meats,cheeses,friedfoods,nuts,andseeds.Butnotinthisdiet.In
thisdiettheonlyfatsarethoseinoatmeal,whichis1.5%itstotalcaloriesinfatthatswhyitcongeals
whenitgetscoolandindividualfattyacidsthroughsomeofthevegetablesandfruitsindividualand
smallnumberofthem,Imightaddand,ofcourse,theflaxoil.Thepatientreceivesaboutninety
caloriesadayinfats.

Whatwemean,whenwesaywehaveaproteincalorierestricteddiethereisthatwehavea
betterdiet.Wedontkeeppeopleoffofsupplementalproteinfortoolong.Sixtoeightweeksisallwe
candowithoutcompromisingimmunitytosomeextent.However,itisentirelysafeasweuseit,
becausewegivenonfatdairyproteinsaftersixtoeightweeks.Thisprovidesplentyofproteinforthe
patient.

Inthisdietaryprogram,evenaspatientsreceiveitintheearlyweeks,thereisenoughprotein
inputfromthehighlybioavailableproteincontentofpotatoes,oatmeal,vegetablesandvegetable
juicestooffsetdailyobligatoryproteinloss.Atypicalpatientlosesabout40gramsofproteinaday
throughentrailsobligatoryproteinlossbutthatismostlyreplacedthroughthebasicvegandiet
alreadybeforeaddingthedairyprotein.Whenyouaddthedairyprotein,youwillhave3040grams
morethanyourequire.Yourekeptinwhatscalledpositivenitrogenbalance.

Goodandhiscoworkersestablishedthatproteinandcalorierestrictioncandosomereallyquite
remarkablethingswithanimalmodels.Thefirstmousethatwasstudiedextensivelywasthe(NZBX
NZW)F1(B/W)mouse,calledNZBforshort.Thismouseisaveryraredirectanalogmouse.Thedisease
itdevelops,systemiclupuserythematous,isadirecthumananalog.Thatmeansthatitisthesame

diseaseinthemouseandthehuman,andifyoucanaffectitinthemouse,youcanaffectitinthe
human.

TheNZBmouse,whenproteincalorierestrictionisimplemented,willnotdeveloplupus.Thisis
amousegeneticallypreprogrammedtodeveloplupus.Proteincalorierestrictioninitiatedatweaning
willpreventthedevelopmentofanotherwiseinevitabledisease.Evenifthediseaseisallowedto
develop,itcanbecausedtoregressbyinitiatingproteincalorierestrictionafterthediseasehas
presented.

Anothermouse,thekdkdmouse,getsvascularlesionsandhasatendencytowardnephropyosis.
Thesemice,ifproteincalorierestrictionisinitiatedatweaningwillnotdevelopbloodvessellesions,and
plaque,andkidneyproblems.Kidneyproblemscandevelopwhenbloodvesselsuppliesarepinchedoff.
Thesameistruewiththeheart.Youcutoffthebloodsupplyandorgansgetintotrouble,andmuscles
getintotrouble.Kdkdmice,eveniftheyareallowedtodevelopthedisease,canberegressedifprotein
calorierestrictionisinitiatedafterthediseasepresents.

Anothermouse,theC3Hmouse(theselasttwomicearenotdirectanalogs),getsmammary
tumors,alwaysmammarytumors.Atweaning,proteincalorierestrictionwillprevent,inalarge
percentageofthosemice,thedevelopmentoftumors.Evenifthedietisinitiatedaftertheydevelop
tumors,outcroppingsoftumorscanbekepttoaminimumandextensionofsurvivalofthemiceis
establishedasbeingmarkedoverthecontrols.

LetmereadyouaparagraphwrittenbyDr.GoodandDavidJose.ThisisfromQuantitative
effectsofnutritionalessentialaminoaciddeficiencyuponimmuneresponsestotumorsinmicewhich
waspublishedinTheJournalofExperimentalMedicine137,in1973:

Proteincaloriemalnutritionmayproduceprofoundandsometimesparadoxicalchangesinthe
immunedefensemechanismsagainstinfectionandmalignancy.Depressionofhostresistancetosome
viralinfectionsandmalignanttumorshasbeenreportedinnutritionallydeprivedanimals.Ourprevious
studieshavedemonstratedthatanimalsfedlimitedamountsofacasein(milkproteined.)dietshowed
intactmycotoxiccellmediatedimmuneresponsestotumorantigensataproteinintakethatresultedin
profounddepressionofspecifichumoralantibodyresponses,includingserumblockingantibody.

Thesefindingssuggestedthatspecificcellmediatedmycotoxicimmunitymayoperatemore
effectivelyagainsttumorcellsinthemoderatelyproteindeficientanimal,becauseoftheabsenceof
seruminhibitingfactors.Furtherreductioninthelevelofproteininthedietsoftumorbearinganimals
resultedindepressionofbothhumoralandcellularresponses.Inaddition,apersistentdefectin
mycotoxiccellmediatedfunctionwasfoundinanimalsafternutritionalproteindeprivationatayoung
age.Thustheanimalsimmuneresistancecouldbeeitherincreasedordepresseddependingonthe
timingandtheseverityofthenutritionaldeprivation.Similarinhibitoryeffectsupontheincidenceand
growthofmalignanttumorshavebeenreportedinanimalsfeddietsimbalancedordeficientinthe
essentialaminoacids.


Normalmicewithproteincalorierestrictioninitiatedatweaninglivedoublethenormallife
span.Theywillnotgrowtofullsize.But,althoughtheyaresomewhatsmallerthatfullsize,theyremain
tremendouslyactive,withsleekcoats,andlivetwiceaslong.Mostofyouhavenoticedhowlargepeople
becomeeatingthewesterndiet,regardlessoftheirracialbackground.Maybewedallbebetteroff
small.

Maybewehavebeenkillingourselveswiththishighproteinbaseddietonanattitudethatholds
thatweshould,eatlotsofprotein,itsgoodforyou.WhenGoodfirstpublishedonthissubjectinthe
1970s,hespeculatedthathighproteindietsmaycausecancerandheartdisease.Becausehehad
rattledsomecagesandrockedsomeboatsatSloanKettering,whenhelefttogototheUniversityof
SouthFloridaatTampa,Goodwasoutoffavorwiththesamecancerindustrythathadearlierpromoted
him.Buthehadtremendouslyadvancedthestudyoftheeffectsofisolateddietaryinfluencesonthe
immunesystem,andhiscontributionshavehelpedustounderstandmoreabouthowGersonstherapy
works.

Gersonsawtheimmunestimulatingeffectofproteinrestrictioninpeopleinhisclinicsinthe
1930s.Hepublished,throughwellknownmedicalpublisherFranzDeuticke,abookcalledDiattherapie
derLungentuberkulose,whichtranslatesdietarytreatmentforlungtuberculosis.Inthatbook,Gerson
describedthesamekindofchangesGoodsaw.Henotedthathisproteinrestrictedpatientsshowed
increasedwhitecellcountswithashifttotheleftinthedifferential.Thatdoesntmeantheyhadcar
trouble.ItstheoldGermannotationforincreasedlymphocyteactivity,nonspecificimmuneactivity.
Gersonrepeatedthisobservationinanumberoflaterpublications,includingthemonographyouareall
familiarwith,ACancerTherapy:ResultsofFiftyCases.

Torefreshourmemories,letsreviewwhatwehavediscussed:potassiumsupplementation,
sodiumrestriction,calorierestriction,proteinrestriction,andthyroidsupplementation.Whenyou
provideahighpotassium,lowsodiumenvironment,evenbadlydamagedcellsmaybeabletostructure
theirwatersomewhat.Whenwaterisstructured,thecellisabletocontrolitswatercontent,becauseits
waterisapproachingthekindofmolecularorganizationseenincrystals.Thismolecularorganization
limitstheamountofwaterinthecell.

Whenyouhavethebasicsinplace,youhavesomethingtoworkwith.Tissuethatsfunctioning
canbepushedtogreaterfunction.Gersonsawadepressedcellularmetabolism,depressedtissue
function,incancerandotherdiseases.Gersonsattitudetowardmetabolismwasabitlikethatofthe
makersoftheoldVolkswagenbugtowardthetowardsthecarscabinheater.Thoseheatershadtwo
positions,onandoff.Ifyouwantedtoregulatethecabinheat,youhadtodoityourself,manually.
Thecarmakersprobablythought,ifyouvantheat,yougotheat.Ifyouvantitoff,shutitoff.Gerson
wantedmetabolism,soheturneditonwithlargeloadingdosagesofiodidesandiodine,anduptofive
grainsofthyroid.

ThyroidhormonesignalsmitochondriatomultiplyandincreaseproductionofATP.Thisgives
yourcells,likelittleplanets,moreindustrialcitiesproducingmoreenergy.Iodidesandiodineaffect
sometissuesdirectlyinthesameway.


ProteinrestrictionturnsonTlymphocytes,whichareimportantbecausetheyareabigpartof
tumorimmunity,capableofinfiltratingtumorsandkillingtumorcells.Theyalsohelporchestratelarger
andmoregeneralsystemicresponsesfromthegreaterimmunesystem.

Proteinrestrictionalsoavoidsfeedingtheprocessoftoxicwastemanufacturedbydamaged
tissuesandneoplastictissues.Cancerstendtodealwithproteinspoorlyandtocreatemetabolitesthat
aretoxictonearbynormalcells.Take,forexample,amelanomatumor.Itseasytotalkaboutthis
becausetherearemagneticimagingstudiesofthesethings.Amelanomawillspreaddamageoutwardin
aspheremaybeseveraltimesthevolumeofthetumor.

Inthissphere,tissuedoesntworkwellbecauseitiswaterlogged,insulted,anddamagedby
tumortoxins,metabolicwastefromthetumor.Thattissuewilljustsitthere,stewinginitsownjuices,
withoutgooddrainage.Whenyoutakeoutthattumorandlookatthebattleground,thedamaged
normaltissue,withanimagerthatgivesgoodT1andT2measurements,youcanstillseethesphereof
waterloggedtissueformonthsafterthetumorisgone;months,ifthepatientisnototherwiseprovided
awaytocorrectthattissuedamage.WithGersonstherapy,thatsodiumringaroundtumorswill
disappearwithinweeks,becausethatshoweffectiveGersonsmanagementisagainstthekindoftissue
damagesyndromethatisseenaroundtumors.

ThyroidSupplementation
(ExcerptedfromTheroleoffollowupandretrospectivedataanalysisinalternativecancer
management:TheGersonExperiencebyHildenbrand,etal.JournalofNaturopathicMedicine,1996).

Inmid1946,onlyabout6monthsafterfirstpublishinghistherapyinTheReviewof
Gastroenterology(andabout4yearsafterrecruitmentoftheearliestofhisreportedcases),Gerson
includedthyroidandiodinemedications(Lugolssolutionanddesiccatedthyroid)15inaneffortto
greatlyincreasecellmetabolismandATP(freeenergy)productioninperitumoraledematoustissue.
EffortsbyGersonscontemporariestointroduceperformedATPintothebloodstreamhadprovedtoxic.
26Stimulationofcellularmetabolismbythyroidhormonesisnowunderstoodtoproducerapid
increasesinnuclearRNAsynthesis,toalterthecontentoflipidsandproteinsinthemitochondrialshelf
membrane,toincreaseboththesizeandnumberofmitochondriaand,inturn,toincreasecellular
metabolismanddemandforcoenzymesandthevitaminsfromwhichtheyarederived(e.g.thiamine,
riboflavin,B12andC).27

Inanumberofhispublications,(16,17)Gersondiscussedtheantitumoreffectofcalorie
restrictionperse,whichhasbeendemonstratedbymanyauthors,(28)buthisdietclearlysuppliedtoo
manycalories(2,6003,200cal/day;1,200calfromthejuicesalone)tobeconsideredcalorierestricted.
GersonreferredtotheobservationsofTannenbaum,(29)thatcalorierestriction,increasedcalorie
utilizationrate,andmicronutrienthyperalimentationcouldfavorthetumorbearinghostandsuppress
developmentofbothprimarytumorsandmetastases.SilverstoneandTannenbaum(30)hadrecently
shownthepotentialutilityofthyroidmedicationincancermanagement,ameasurewhichGerson

employed,increasinginhispatientstheratioofcaloriedemand:supply,toemulatetheantitumor
effectsofcaloricrestriction.Contemporaryresearchcontinuestobolsterearlierfindings.(31,36)

Theliteratureclearlyrevealedthathighdosethyroidtreatmentinducedfargreaterthannormal
nutrientrequirements,aswellassoberingnegativeexperimentaloutcomeswhenthoserequirements
werenotmet.(Table5)Intheabsenceofvigoroussupplementationwitheitherliverorbrewersyeast,
prolongedmetabolichyperstimulationbyexogenousthyroidledtowastingandprematuredeathin
experimentalanalogs,eveninthepresenceoftheknownBvitamins.Yeastprotectedagainstearly
mortality,createdincreasedappetite,andguardedagainstweightloss.Liverfeedingactuallyledto
thrivingweightgain.(32)Approximately5yearsafterincorporatinghighdosagesofthyroidandLugols
solution,Gersonadded(inaboutJanuaryof1952)rawvealliver/carrotjuice(17)pg.196whichwas
prescribedat24ounces/dayindivideddosages,t.i.d.(Table7)Eachglasscontainedthepressingsfrom
poundofliverandaboutpoundofcarrots.Atthattime,hediscontinuedroutineuseofmedications
whichwereclearlyduplicatedbythevealliver/carrotjuice,i.e.oralphosphates,brewersyeast,
vitaminsAandD,andliverwithironcapsules,reservingthemforspecialapplications.(16)

Table4
MetabolicTherapy
Gersonstimulatedmetabolismwithvitamins(tobuildmorecellularATP)afterfindingsbyBasuKP&De
HN,Theroleofvitaminsinthemetabolismofcalcium,magnesium,andphosphorusinhuman
subjects.Ann.Biochem.Exper.Med.1948;8(34):127136

Percentageincreaseinphosphateuptake
VitaminC33%
VitaminD50%
VitaminB2(riboflavin)100%
Brewersyeast400%

Table5
Betheil,Wiebelhaus,Lardy.StudiesofthyroidtoxicityI.Anutritionalfactorwhichalleviatesthetoxicity
ofingestedthyroidsubstance.J.Nutr.Aug.111947;34(2):431441

Effectofhighdosethyroidonratsfeddifferentdiets.
Normaldiet+Bvitamins
Lossofappetite,lossofweight,earlydeath.
Normaldiet+Brewersyeast
Increasedappetite,minimalweightloss,normallifespan.
Normaldiet+liver
Increasedappetite,weightgain,normallifespan.

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