Laura and I really believed in the Gerson diet and its power to cure cancer and other diseases (we have friends from the clinic currently on the diet who are doing well – bravo, bravo. bravo!!!!). But the founder of the diet Dr Max Gerson is long dead, and his wonderful daughter Charlotte (who we met) is now 92 and not a key figure at the clinic in Mexico anymore (she visits once a fortnight). Sadly there wasn’t a day that went by when we didn’t wish we could talk to Max, Charlotte or a sympathetic doctor who could give us informative answers to our questions. Instead we were regularly met with: ‘Let me do the driving ma’am’! whenever we raised a probing question. Laura emailed the clinic organizers with concerns about her treatment shortly before she died. Over the next couple of posts, I will elaborate on my observations about Laura’s treatment. My aim is not to disparage the fundamentals of the Gerson diet, which I believe to be sound, but rather to raise questions about how the diet is currently practiced in hopes of stimulating debate, improving communication and ensuring better survival for those doing the diet in the future. May others succeed where we failed.
Potassium
Dr Max Gerson, who devised the Gerson Technique in the 40s and 50s, wrote in his book A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 Cases that high doses of potassium are key to killing cancer cells. ‘In the cancer mass…cells pick up potassium and the oxidizing enzymes and die by themselves. You have to realize that cancer cells live essentially on fermentation, but potassium and oxidizing enzymes introduce oxidation. And that is the point at which we can kill cancer cells because we take away the conditions which they need to continue to live.’ (page 409). Dr Gerson adds that high doses of potassium are vital for cancer patients regardless of whether they have elevated serum potassium levels (page 415). Both Dr Gerson and Charlotte Gerson (in her two books) recommend cancer patients take 40 teaspoons of potassium solution a day, which is then lowered to around 16-20 teaspoons a day after a few weeks. After re-reading Dr Gerson’s book last month, I looked back at how much potassium Laura was given (we received printed instructions every week and then every month from the clinic on what to do) and I was stunned to find that for the last 2 months, when Laura became very ill, she was taken off potassium altogether. In Laura’s case there appears to be a visible correlation between the amount of potassium she was given and the rise or fall of her LDH cancer marker (see below). No other alterations in her diet, number of enemas or any other stressors in her life correlate to these cancer marker fluctuations.
Laura’s potassium levels on the Gerson diet
1st week – 14 teaspoons of potassium a day, LDH down from 272-250 (normal LDH is below 176)
2nd week – 30 teaspoons of potassium a day, LDH down from 250-206
3rd week – 6 teaspoons of potassium a day, LDH up from 206-300
4 -6th week – 14 teaspoons of potassium a day, LDH down from 300-242
7-10th week – 0 potassium, LDH jumps up from 242-390
11-14th week – 0 potassium, LDH jumps up from 390-764
Note: Mexican and US LDH ranges are different. To get the US equivalent multiple these numbers by 3.4
Soul Love Forever 
Lucie, this is quite puzzling to me. What about Lugol’s solution? Was that stopped too? I have heard others who went to the clinic say that Dr. C took them off Lugol’s and potassium, and I have no idea why. What reasons were given?
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Yes it is very puzzling. Dr C’s reason for stopping the potassium was that Laura’s blood serum level was a little high, but on the blood work it was still within the normal range. And Dr Gerson says categorically, ‘Potassium in serum does not give a characteristic picture..in some of the cancer patients when they arrive as terminal cases, potassium is above normal. One of the physicians asked me,”Are you crazy? With the potassium above normal, you give such big doses of potassium?” And I said, “Yes, sir, I am not crazy. The patient is losing the potassium. That is how it is increased in the serum.’ (p414/5 A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases). Dr C had Laura on 3 drops of iodine every day from day one and that never changed.
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Knowing what I know about the therapy, this upsets me very much. Three drops of Lugol’s is very low. sigh. And you are right about the potassium as I remember Dr. Gerson saying that when the potassium reads high in the blood that means it is not inside the cell where it belongs.
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Lucie, I was thinking a lot about this last night, and remembering your post about the shadows, and then realized things were most likely to turn out this way no matter what…I mean, we are all passing from this life eventually and the shadows , if I remember what you wrote correctly, were a sign that Laura’s time was coming.. Life and death are such mysteries….thank you so much for continuing this blog. ❤
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Kathleen I so appreciate your thoughtful comments and support. For me, the issue here isn’t really about the past or Laura, but rather if there are any lessons to be learnt and any information to be gleaned that could be helpful to Gerson patients in future. I do so hope we will get the chance to chat in person soon. I’ll try you next week. Lucie
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Thank you so much for sharing your perspective and reflections. I am one year out from my recovery, and am now assisting my mom with this therapy. Healing is humbling work and at times can be very lonely. I was blessed by my journey, and I hope that you feel my sincere gratitude in being willing to pass your wisdom and your peaceful reflections along. Being gripped by both possibilities, but choosing daily to work toward our hope, your words offer incredible support, even in your heartache. Thank you, truly. Shala
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So good to hear you are healing and helping your mom to heal! Bravo! Bravo! Out of curiosity did you go to the Gerson Clinic in Mexico and did you take the Dr Gerson prescribed dose of potassium. would love to know. sending a hug and hoping you continue to go from strength to strength. x
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