The failure of the American diet has been a prevalent theme within my personal and professional studies, from my graduate studies professor spending a entire class on childhood obesity rates in the United States to my mother's battle with cancer. Last night I watched "The Beautiful Truth - The world's simplest cure for cancer" a documentary on the Gerson Therapy. This film follows a 15 year old boys quest to find scientific evidence on the curative properties of a raw, vegan diet and juicing as advocated by Dr. Max Gerson. While I am not a huge fan of the commentary (a gentlemen describes a 15 year old boys journey, thoughts and emotions), the information within the film is thought provoking. Initially, I was drawn to the film because my mom followed the Gerson Therapy during her battle with cancer. I am quite familiar with the principles behind the therapy which include detoxifying the body and rebuilding the body's natural defenses to cancer and other onslaughts. More over, I feel that a raw, vegan diet which the Gerson Therapy advocates gave my mother an additional 15 years after her diagnosis.
Because of my mom's own struggle, I am aware that Dr. Max Gerson battled for many years with the American Medical Association and the Federal Drug Administration to provide services in the United States. I also know how difficult it was for my mother to find alternatives to main stream chemotherapy and radiation treatments. In fact, her naturopathic physician in Seattle was shut down many times by state regulatory institutions for practicing "quackery". Some how, he always managed to return to practice. (As an aside, my mom's traditional oncologist began incorporating Gerson principles and complimentary treatments after my mom's miraculous recovery.)
The information provided in this documentary on food toxicity - through refined sugars and additives - is startling, as is the complicity of many major food industry corporations in willfully incorporating dangerous additives to their products. While any statement of such magnitude must be regarded with a critical eye, this documentary does raise questions.
Dr. Max Gerson and his associates are not alone in their commentary on diet. John Robbins heir to the Basket and Robbins empire has been expounding the virtues of a healthier diet and has become one of "the leading experts on the dietary link to the environment and health". He has written several books including "Diet for a New America" and "The Food Revolution" which I highly recommend. Another noteworthy contributor is Dr. Joel Furhman who wrote "Fasting and Eating for Health" and "Eat to Live" in which he describes curing heart disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and headaches among other ailments with a raw, vegan diet and fasting.
I encourage you to watching this film, read the books listed above or others and educate yourself. Seek out additional information. Make your evaluation. Find your own truth.
More information is available at www.thebeautifultruthmovie.com and www.gerson.org.
