The Gerson Cancer therapy, what do you think?

[countryangels]

Hi Mamas,

What do you think of the Gerson Cancer therapy?

Also, have any of you done the regimen as a preventive course, if so, how do you feel about it?

Many thanks,

Blessings!

[stik]

Personally, I think anything that involves coffee enemas should be regarded with a pretty high degree of suspicion.  

I know that if you have a family history of cancer, it's pretty scary, and I can understand the desire to try anything at all that might prevent it.  However, from the looks of things the Gerson method has the potential to be harmful, and there is no evidence of benefit to patients.  

From http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/cancer.html:

Quote:

In 1947, the NCI reviewed ten cases selected by Dr. Gerson and found his report unconvincing. That same year, a committee appointed by the New York County Medical Society reviewed records of 86 patients, examined ten patients, and found no evidence that the Gerson method had value in treating cancer. An NCI analysis of Dr. Gerson's book A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Casesconcluded in 1959 that most of the cases failed to meet the criteria (such as histologic verification of cancer) for proper evaluation of a cancer case [16]. A recent review of the Gerson treatment rationale concluded: (a) the "poisons" Gerson claimed to be present in processed foods have never been identified, (b) frequent coffee enemas have never been shown to mobilize and remove poisons from the liver and intestines of cancer patients, (c) there is no evidence that any such poisons are related to the onset of cancer, (d) there is no evidence that a "healing" inflammatory reaction exists that can seek out and kill cancer cells [17].

Between 1980 and 1986 at least 13 patients treated with Gerson therapy were admitted to San Diego area hospitals with Campylobacter fetus sepsis attributable to the liver injections [18]. None of the patients was cancer-free, and one died of his malignancy within a week. Five were comatose due to low serum sodium levels, presumably as a result of the "no sodium" Gerson dietary regimen. As a result, Gerson personnel modified their techniques for handling raw liver products and biologicals. However, the Gerson approach still has considerable potential for harm. Deaths also have been attributed to the coffee enemas administered at the Tijuana clinic.

Charlotte Gerson claims that treatment at the clinic has produced high cure rates for many cancers. In 1986, however, investigators learned that patients were not monitored after they left the facility [19]. Although clinic personnel later said they would follow their patients systematically, there is no published evidence that they have done so. A naturopath who visited the Gerson Clinic in 1983 was able to track 21 patients over a 5-year period (or until death) through annual letters or phone calls. At the 5-year mark, only one was still alive (but not cancer-free); the rest had succumbed to their cancer [20].

I think your chances of preventing cancer are probably higher through conventional methods like eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.  

[mbravebird]

My grandfather went into remission after a stay at their clinic in the late 70's. I don't know what methods they were doing then. He stayed in remission as long as he stayed on the diet (which is pretty rigorous), for a good while. He stopped the diet, and came out of remission.

[mbravebird]

Have you researched the cancer prevention properties of kombucha? Pretty interesting stuff.

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/2010/12/toxic-money-how-to-protect-yourself/

http://www.kombuchakamp.com/2011/03/kombucha-tea-radiation-prevention-and-cancer-treatments.html

And you can make it at home and integrate it into your diet pretty easily.