es
tive system with healthy microbial flora. It is known that bottle-fed babies
develop completely different gut flora to the breast-fed babies. That flora
later on predisposes bottle-fed babies to asthma, eczema, different other
allergies and other health problems. We all know that breast is the best!
However, most things that are floating in a mother's blood will be in her
breast milk. A mother with abnormal gut flora would have a whole host of toxic substances, which are produced by pathogenic microbes in her gut
andmaldigested foods absorbed into her bloodstream. These toxins will be
excreted in her breast milk and fed to her baby. In particularly severe cases
mothers of GAPS children could not breastfeed their babies because the
baby would refuse the breast or just fall asleep after the first few mouthfuls
of the breast milk. We know that some of the toxins, which are produced by
abnormal gut flora, have the chemical structure of opiates, like morphine
and heroin. If the baby gets these opiates in the breast milk then it is quite
understandable why the baby falls asleep after the first few mouthfuls.
Another reason for the baby to refuse breast is milk allergy. In a woman
with gut dysbiosis the gut lining is damaged and leaky. It allows through
partially digested proteins and antigens. Milk antigens have been detected
in breast milk. I have seen a few cases when the baby took to the breast
after the mother removed dairy foods from her diet. A lot of cases of severe
eczema in babies can also be relieved by this measure.
On the positive side, however, the mother would also develop antibodies
to her pathogenic flora in the gut. These antibodies too will be excreted
through her milk and fed to her baby. So, if the baby has inherited abnor
mal gut flora from the mother, this flora will be controlled by antibodies in
the breast milk while the baby is breastfed. When the breastfeeding stops,
however, this protection stops as well. A lot of parents of GAPS children can
time the start of health problems in their child to the time of stopping
breastfeeding: ear infections, digestive problems, eczema, etc. It is possible
that the baby has developed an abnormal gut flora, which was controlled
by antibodies in breast milk, so its own immune system has not developed
any protection against this abnormal gut flora. On the contrary, there is a
lot of evidence to suggest that the baby's immune system accepts these
pathogenic microbes in the gut as something normal because that is all it
has known from the beginning and it does not recognise these microbes as
foreign and does not attack them As a result after the breast feeding stops
there is an explosion of growth of abnormal bacteria, viruses and fungi in
the baby's digestive system. In different children it takes a different length
of time, depending on the individual composition of the gut flora, severity
of gut dysbiosis and the diet of the child.
Coming back to the health of the parents of GAPS children, when I ask
questions about the health of their child's grandparents, particularly on the
mother's side, it becomes obvious that we have generations of people with
compromised gut flora. This damage becomes deeper in every generation.
The era of antibiotics, contraceptive pill, breast feeding going out of fashion arid drastic changes in diet have all contributed to this phe
nomenon. Doctors have known for centuries that unhealthy parents pro
duce unhealthy children. Mother's body is a home for the growing baby for
nine months and a source of nourishment and care for months after the
birth. So, mother's health is particularly important for the health of the
baby. In our modern society we have generations of women, whose health
has been compromised by our modern life-styles. Should it, therefore
come as a surprise to us that we have epidemics of autism, ADHD, dys
praxia, dyslexia, asthma, eczema, allergies, diabetes and many other health
problems in our children?
There is another important factor, which makes children vulnerable -
the toxic load which the child is born with. What is it? For years we believed
that the placenta in a pregnant woman protects the foetus from any toxins
which the woman might have in her body. Recent studies show that we
were wrong. The foetus accumulates most toxins, which the mother is
exposed to. Mercury from amalgam fillings, toxins coming from food and
environment and toxins produced by abnormal gut flora in the mother
have a good chance of accumulating in the foetus. Depending on how toxic
the mother is during pregnancy different babies are born with a different
toxic load. A baby with a high toxic load will start its life at a disadvantage
being more vulnerable to various environmental influences: vaccinations,
infections, food, drugs, etc. That is why the old wisdom of treating preg
nancy with respect is so important. A pregnant woman has to be extremely
careful what she puts into her mouth and on her skin. A good quality diet,
plenty of rest, plenty of clean, fresh air and gentle physical activity in the
fresh air are all vitally important. Protecting pregnant woman from expo
sure to any man-made chemicals, tobacco smoke, radiation, drugs, etc.,
will help her produce a child with a low toxic load in its little body, which
will give it a good start in life.
What about other children in the family? In my clinical experience the
siblings of autistic, hyperactive and other GAPS children are almost invari
ably affected by abnormal bodily flora and conditions, which are caused by
it. The most common ones are eczema, asthma, digestive problems and
anaemia. Less common are attention deficit with or without hyperactivity,
dyspraxia, dyslexia and autism. Of course, these children have inherited
the same flora as their GAPS sibling. But due to genetic differences, a dif
ferent toxic load at birth and various other factors, their bodily dysbiosis
and toxicity, which it produces, manifests itself differently. Well-function
ing gut flora is the major regulator and housekeeper of our immune system. Allergies, like eczema and asthma are the result of a malfunction
ing immune system and the most common conditions I see in the siblings
of autistic children, for example.
Different digestive problems are usually not as severe in the siblings, as
in their GAPS brother or sister. Nevertheless, they are quite common,
which is not surprising considering that they got their gut flora from the
same mother as their more severely affected sibling.
Anaemia is something that is not readily recognised in connection with
autism, eczema, asthma, ADHD, schizophrenia and other GAPS disorders.
And yet the majority of GAPS children, I have seen, look pale and pasty and
their blood tests show typical for anaemia changes. However, when you
look at mothers and siblings of these children, they almost without excep
tion look just as pale and pasty. The reason for that is that most people with
abnormal gut flora have various stages of anaemia. We have already dis
cussed why it happens in the previous chapters. Here I would just say that
anaemia, even mild, is not something to be taken lightly as it comes with a
constant feeling of tiredness, lack of energy and stamina, difficulties in
concentration, completing daily tasks and learning.
On the whole, having met many families with GAPS children, I usually
find that the whole family needs treatment. The most fundamental pur
pose of treatment has to be normalising the gut flora and addressing nutri
tional deficiencies. As the whole family gets healthier, the parents have
more energy and stamina to deal with their child's problems and to bring
up their other children. Afamily is alivingorganism and has to be seen and
treated as a whole. In our struggle to help our GAPS children it is very easy
for us, parents, to neglect ourselves. But, at the end of the day a strong
healthy family is what we are all about. Isn't it? 8. VACCINATIONS
DOES MMR CAUSE AUTISM?
The human mind is like an umbrella -
it functions best when open.
Walter Gropius, 1965
Talking about autism it is impossible to avoid the issue of the MMR vaccine
and vaccination in general. In my practice I see some parents of autistic
children who would link their child's disorder with the MMR (Measles,
Mumps and Rubella) vaccine where a majority cannot make this connec
tion. An equal number of families connect their child's regression with DPT
(Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) vaccination. Following research by Dr
Wakefield there has been a lot of publicity on this subject. The British gov
ernment has put a lot of effort and money into convincing the public that
the MMR vaccine is safe. While the MMR vaccine was in the limelight,
other vaccines got questioned as well, due to the fact that many of them
contain a preservative Thimerosal, a Mercury compound, and many other
toxic and questionable substances. DPT vaccine containing Thimerosal
has been banned in many countries. However, in Britain a fair amount of
old stock, containing Thimerosal, may still be injected into babies. Many
vaccines are new and have not been tested long


 immediately from the hospital and administer coffee enemas every two hours
around the clock.  What had happened was that the patient had been absorbing tumor tissue and
toxins faster than she had been eliminating them.  The toxins were then circulating, also reaching
her brain. But instead of increasing her enemas, she was put to bed! During the night more tumor
tissue was absorbed, causing her to be semi-comatose by the morning.  The 2-hourly coffee
enemas around the clock cleared the problem and she continued her recovery.
Another patient with a very different problem had originally suffered of a carcinoma of his
jaw, had part of his jaw and palate surgically removed, but the cancer had spread to his lungs.
Within about five days of starting the treatment, he developed violent pain in his right leg, forcing
him to be bedfast.  Naturally, like any other cancer patient, this person also immediately assumed
that his cancer had spread due to the Gerson treatment.  However, an X-ray of his leg revealed that
an old injury to his shinbone had begun to heal.  There was no tumor present, and in a few days
his leg was completely healed.
Yet another interesting case: that of a melanoma patient who had suffered from malaria during
WW II and had been taking first quinine and later atabrine for many years, before finally stopping
it.  As a result he suffered a malaria attack twice a year. One year he thought he felt an attack
coming, however the usual chills and fever failed to set in.  Shortly thereafter he developed the
first tumor which, at surgery, proved to be melanoma.  A few months later another tumor appeared
and the patient came to the Gerson hospital.  There within a few days he developed the chills and
fever, typical of a malaria attack.  The parasite was still in his body; yet when his immune system
failed, he was no longer able to develop a fever.  With the help of the treatment his immune
system was reacting again and he experienced a typical malaria attack, with his fever going as
high as 104.4 degrees Fahrenheit.  The fever broke toward the morning, but he had to endure
another night with chills and a high fever.  The Gerson doctors did not stop or block the fever,
only made him comfortable!  By the second morning the new tumor had virtually disappeared,
having shrunk by more than 80% thanks to the restored immune system. The patient suffered no
further malaria attacks.
A middle-aged woman patient with metastasized melanoma also suffered from early stage
adult onset diabetes and disfiguring osteoarthritis in her right hand when she first arrived at the
Gerson hospital. Within three weeks her blood and urine tests showed no sign of diabetes, while
her painful crooked fingers stopped hurting and gradually became straight again. A few months
later at home she was wakened one night by an agonizing sharp pain  in the right side of her
abdomen, which, she found, had turned dark red and hot. After her first panic she realized that
these symptoms were clustered around the scar caused by an appendectomy ( removal  of the
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 130Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comappendix ), carried out 35 years before…It all blew over quickly, leaving her with a barely visible
painless scar.
These are only a few randomly chosen examples.  It must be remembered that virtually every
patient has a long history of health problems that become re-activated while clearing up during a
healing reaction: old pneumonias that can cause renewed chest pain and phlegm; old, apparently
healed fractures that ‘act up’ during a flare-up while healing completely; increased cholesterol
while the plaque within veins and arteries is being broken down and eliminated, and many more
specific symptoms. The key to recognizing these is that they only last a few days and afterwards
the patient feels much better. However, if reactions last too long, a blood and urinanalysis test
may have to be made, or a thorough check carried out to see if the underlying cause is a severe
infection rather than a healing reaction. Occasionally patients may even suffer from a mineral
imbalance and might require an IV (intravenous) injection to re-balance their blood.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 131Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comChapter 17
The Full Therapy
Hourly Schedule
The full therapy is prescribed for general cancer patients who are not severely weakened and
have not been pre-treated with chemotherapy. This schedule covers the first 3-4 weeks of the
treatment. For subsequent reductions, see annual schedule below:
Enema MealFlax-
seed
OilAcidoll
CapsulesJuicePotassium
CompoundLugol’s
Solution
1/2 strengthThyroid NaicinLiver
Caps.Pan-
creatin
TabletsInjection
Liver &
B12
6:00
amCoffee
8:00
am 2Orange 4 tsp. 3 drops 1 gram 50mg3
9:00
am4 tsp.
9:30
amCarrot/
Apple4 tsp. 3 drops
10:00
amCoffeeCarrot/
Apple4 tsp. 3 drops 1 gram 50mg
11:00
amCarrot2
12
noonGreen 4 tsp.
1:00
pm1 Tbsp. 2Carrot/
Apple4 tsp. 3 drops 1 gram 50mg3
2:00
pmGreen 4 tsp.
3:00
pmCarrot2
4:00
pmCarrot2
5:00
pmCarrot/
Apple4 tsp. 3 drops 1 gram 50mg3
6:00
pmCoffee Green 4 tsp.
7:00
pmDinner 1 Tbsp. 2Carrot/
Apple4 tsp. 3 drops 1 gram 50mg3
10:00
pmCoffee
For an explanation of the medications, see Chapter 14.  Be sure to follow the directions for
changes.
Copyright © Charlotte Gerson, 2007.  All rights reserved.
This material may not be reproduced in any medium, print or electronic without prior written permission from the author.Page 132Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comMake a blank schedule to be filled in later as the medications change and the frequency of
enemas and of liver injections with B-12 are reduced.
Castor Oil enemas: to be taken every other day or as per Gerson practitioner ’s order.
Directions for following the full therapy are given in Chapters 9 through 13. Please study
them carefully.
Annual Schedule
No.
of
weeksJuices  Meals
and flax
seed oilAcidol
pepsinPotassium
com-
pound Thyroid Lugol’s
solutionNiacin  Pancreatin    Liver &
B-12
injection
 Coffee
Enemas
                     Castor
oil
Enemas

    2-31
Orange
5 apple/
carrot
4 Green
3 Carrot
Regular
Add
2 tbs.
Flax
Oil
3 x 2
caps.
10 x 2
teasp.
3 x 1⁄2
tablet
6 x 1
drop.
6 x 1
tablet.
 4x3
 tabs.
One daily Every
4
hoursEvery
other
     day
      3same 3 x 2  same.  same   3 x 1 same 4 x 2 tabs.    same  same    same
         5samesame  same  8 x 2  2 x 1/2 6 x 1  same    same    same  same    same
      4sameAdd
3oz.
yogurt. same  same.  3 x 1/2 same  same    same    same  same    same
      5same6 oz
yogurt same  same   same same  same    same   same  same 2
weekly
      4 same 2 x 4
oz.        same  same same      same  same    same   same  same    same
      6samesame  same  same  2 x 1/2  6 x 1  same    same Every 2nd
     day 2 daily
 .1
weekly
      6same   same,
much
raw same  6 x 2   same  6 x 1 4 x 1    same 2 weekly 2 daily  —- -
      6same
same
same    6 x 2   same  4 x 1  same    same     same  same  —-—
      9same
same
same
same  same  same  same    same    same  same   —- -
      9same
same same
same   same   same    same 2 weekly 1 daily
      7same
same
same  same.   same  5


 every new patient who
comes to see me receives a full thyroid and hormonal evaluation. Helping a patient balance their hormonal status has proven to be
one of the most rewarding things I do in the practice of medicine. I did not learn how to properly use iodine in treating these
patients until about ten years ago. Over the first ten years of my holistic practice, I diagnosed many patients with hypothyroidism.
Needless to say, I treated many of these patients with thyroid hormone.
During this time, I was frustrated. Although most patients were doing better, I could not believe that so many people weresuffering from thyroid problems. I did not want to treat every patient with thyroid hormone. I wanted to find an underlying reason
why so many patients were suffering from thyroid issues.
At first I looked for nutritional deficiencies such as selenium, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin C. Although I tried to
correct these deficiencies, my patients were not responding until I gave them thyroid hormone.
Approximately 10 years into this practice I met my mentor on iodine—Dr. Guy Abraham. He showed me the form of iodine I
was using—iodide—was not the most efficacious form and he taught me how to measure iodine levels. Furthermore, Dr.
Abraham’s research was clear; whole-body iodine sufficiency was
best achieved by using both iodine- and iodide-containing
products.
Only when I started using the correct form of iodine—in combination with iodide—was I able to reduce my use of thyroid
hormone.
My practice now is much different than it was 20 years ago. Hopefully, I have become a little wiser (some may disagree with
that). Now, every patient has their iodine levels assessed. If I diagnose a patient with hypothyroidism, I do not start thyroid
hormone therapy until they have sufficient iodine levels. This has allowed me to use much smaller thyroid hormone dosing. Twenty
years ago, my average thyroid dose was 120-180mg/day of desiccated thyroid hormone. Now, it is 30mg/day.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE ALREADY TAKING THYROID HORMONE: RULE OF THIRDS
If someone is already taking thyroid hormone and they are diagnosed with iodine deficiency, the ‘rule of thirds’ comes into
play. These patients may need to:
Maintain the same thyroid hormone dose
Reduce their thyroid hormone dose in half
Stop taking thyroid hormone
The problem is, when starting iodine therapy, I do not know which of the three groups an individual patient will fall into. I tell
my patients if, upon staring iodine therapy, they become
nervous, anxious, or develop palpitations, they need to immediately cut
their thyroid hormone dose in half. If the above symptoms still persist, it is best to stop the thyroid hormone.
Following patients closely can minimize complications. In addition, performing an appropriate exam and checking blood tests
can help guide the process.
WHY DOES TSH INCREASE WHEN STARTING IODINE THERAPY?
One of the most frequent e-mails I receive from physicians and laypeople is their concern about TSH levels elevating after
beginning iodine therapy. As previously mentioned, TSH is released by the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid gland to
produce thyroid hormone.
However, TSH has another function besides stimulating thyroid hormone production. It also helps stimulate the body’s
production of the iodine transport molecules–the sodium-iodide symporter-NIS. Without adequate amounts of NIS, iodine would
not be able to enter the cells and be utilized.
In other words, the NIS is like a taxi cab that shuttles the iodine from the blood stream into the thyroid cell in order for the
cell to use the iodine to make thyroid hormone.
This concept is not hard to grasp. Let’s take the example of a patient who is iodine deficient. This iodine-deficient patient’s
body does not require a large amount of NIS since there is little
iodine that needs to be transported into the cells. However, when
this individual begins to supplement with iodine, the extra iodine now needs to be transported into the cells. One way the body
will accomplish this is to increase the production of TSH to stimulate more NIS. In other words, when iodine supplementation is
started, the body will produce more “NIS taxi cabs” to shuttle the iodine into the thyroid cell in order to produce thyroid
hormone.
My experience has shown, when iodine supplementation has begun, an elevated TSH without clinical signs of hypothyroidism
(i.e., fatigue, hair loss, headaches, etc.) as well as normal T3 and T4 levels does not indicate a hypothyroid condition. On the
contrary, the elevated TSH is the body’s appropriate and necessary response to produce more NIS or “taxi cabs” to increase the
transport of iodine into the thyroid cells. How long does TSH stay elevated? I have found that TSH may remain elevated for up
to 6 months before lowering to normal.
How high do TSH levels rise? The normal TSH level ranges from 0.5-4.5mIU/L. I have witnessed TSH levels elevated to 5-
30mIU/L for a period of time–sometimes up to six months–before falling back to the normal range. Remember, if there are no
clinical symptoms of thyroid problems and T3 and T4 levels are normal, it is doubtful that TSH elevation is sign of
hypothyroidism. In this case, TSH elevation is normal and expected. The TSH will
decline back to the reference range after the
thyroid gland is saturated with iodine.
IODINE-INDUCED HYPOTHYROIDISM
I, and my partners, have treated thousands of patients, autoimmune thyroid (AIT) disease patients included, and we have not
seen an epidemic of iodine-induced hypothyroidism. In fact, as I was going to print with this book, I queried my partners on thisissue, and we came up with two cases of iodine-induced hypothyroidism. Keep in mind that is only two out of over thousands of
patients treated with iodine.
Most doctors and some holistic doctors do not seem to understand the concept of how the TSH rises with the initiation of
iodine therapy. Allow me to repeat myself: Increasing TSH levels, without falling T3 and T4 levels and clinical signs and
symptoms, do not indicate iodine-induced hypothyroidism. Finally, it is worth repeating–TSH levels initially rise in nearly all who
start iodine therapy. This is a normal and expected response.
IODINE-INDUCED HYPERTHYROIDISM
Does iodine therapy cause hyperthyroidism? I was taught in medical school that it did, especially in patients suffering from
autoimmune thyroid disorders such as Graves’ or Hashimoto’s disease. Young doctors-in-training are still taught this today. So, let
me answer the question: Very rarely. Between my partners and myself, we estimate that over 12 years, less than 10 patients
out
of thousands treated became hyperthyroid when treated with iodine.
When I lecture to doctors, I tell them one particular condition can predispose to iodine-induced hyperthyroidism. This
condition occurs in a patient who has an autonomously functioning nodule in their thyroid. Sometimes this is referred to as a hot
nodule on a thyroid scan.
An autonomously functioning nodule is not under the feedback control of the pituitary and the hypothalamus. It functions
independently of the thyroid gland. When iodine is present, these nodules can take up the iodine and produce copious amounts of
thyroid hormone leading to hyperthyroidism. This condition can be diagnosed with a thyroid scan. However, it is most frequently
diagnosed after a trial of iodine therapy is given and the patient becomes hyperthyroid after taking the first couple of doses.
How do you treat a patient with an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule? These patients must avoid iodine supplements
and food (such as seaweed) that is high in iodine until the nodule is surgically removed.
Even less frequently, I see iodine cause hyperthyroidism in a patient without an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule.
However, iodine can cause adverse effects, including symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as nervousness, jitteriness, palpitations,
etc., from a detoxification reaction. When this occurs, in most cases, it is due to iodine displacing the toxic halide bromine.
Bromine toxicity can display all the symptoms I mentioned above. More about bromine toxicity can be found in
Chapter 11
.
BREAST CANCER: THE PROBLEM WITH TAKING THYROID HORMONE WHEN IODINE DEFICIENCY IS
PRESENT
One of the main jobs of thyroid hormone is to stimulate the metabolism of the body. In hypothyroidism, the metabolism of the
body is slowed down. Consequently, excess weight gain is common in hypothyroidism. Conversely, in hyperthyroidism, the
metabolism of the body is accelerated and weight loss is more common.
Iodine is not only necessary for thyroid hormone production, it is necessary for the production of all the hormones of the
body. Every gland concentrates iodine and utilizes iodine to manufacture hormones. Furthermore, every cell depends on adequate
iodine stores for the cell machinery to run optimally.
When thyroid hormone is taken, all the cells of the body are affected by it. In effect, thyroid hormone raises the metabolism of
every cell in the body.


he	phoned,	and	then	she	told	me	that	my	bag	had
been	located.	I	felt	a	strange	sense	of	accomplishment.	Then	a	pretty	girl
standing	in	line	behind	me	said	that	her	bag	was	lost	on	the	same	flight.	Inside
I	had	the	idea,
You	should	get	your	luggage,	too
.	And	the	next	instant	the
clerk	said	that	they’d	found	another	bag	besides	mine.	It	was	the	girl’s,	of
course.”
“And	you	connect	this	incident	to	what	happened	in	the	hospital	thirty
years	ago?”	I	said.
“Wouldn’t	you?	After	the	airport	incident	I	used	the	switch	a	couple	more
times.	Once	to	get	a	seat	on	a	completely	full	flight,	another	time	to	get	my
room	changed	in	a	hotel	when	they	said	I	couldn’t.”
“Don’t	things	like	that	happen	all	the	time	without	the	involvement	of
special	powers?”	I	asked.	Harold	looked	bemused.	This	was	different.	Hecould	tell	that	he	was	causing	it.
Several	things	are	striking	about	his	experience.	It	involved	a	deliberate
change	of	awareness.	It	felt	special,	even	eerie.	It	made	Harold	see	himself	in
a	new	light.	It	expanded	the	possibility	of	what	the	mind	can	do,	yet	somehow
“flicking	the	switch”	felt	normal	at	the	time.	Finally,	once	the	experience	was
over,	it	faded	away	and	was	basically	forgotten.	Can	we	say,	then,	that	Harold
took	a	trip	into	the	Akashic	field?	Vedanta	would	say	that	Harold	experienced
a	shift	in	consciousness,	and	when	that	happened,	the	world	“out	there”
shifted	with	it.	This	is	also	how	moving	into	the	afterlife	works,	via	an
internal	shift	that	creates	a	different	external	environment.
It’s	important	to	grasp	that	the	domains	of	physical	objects,	subtle	objects,
and	pure	consciousness	are	actually	one	domain—Akasha—seen	in	three
aspects.	This	becomes	evident	in	a	phenomenon	like	faith	healing,	which
brings	together	pure	consciousness	(God),	a	subtle	event	(prayer),	and	the
physical	body.	The	light	so	often	seen	by	those	who	are	healed	is	a	subtle
energy,	which	can	also	be	perceived	as	an	electrical	or	nervous	charge	in	the
body,	a	seizure,	rapture,	or	dizziness.	In	her	book,
The	Healing	Touch	of
Mary
,	Cheri	Lomonte	recounts	the	following	story:
Dawn	J.	was	a	devout	Catholic	who	as	a	young	woman	had	prayed	for	a
vision	of	the	Virgin	Mary.	Soon	after	she	left	her	parents’	house,	she
experienced	an	actual	visitation.	This	created	a	sense	of	awe	and	humility;	she
hardly	felt	worthy	to	behold	the	Mother	of	God	in	the	flesh.	But	Dawn	came
to	feel	that	she	had	been	chosen	as	a	messenger.
Soon	thereafter	she	was	asked	by	a	coworker	to	help	with	a	personal
matter.	The	coworker	was	worried	about	his	wife,	who	had	begun	to	visit	a
house	in	the	Bronx	where	a	statue	of	Mary	had	begun	to	spontaneously	exude
scented	oil.	Dawn	agreed	to	intervene	and	paid	a	visit	to	the	house.	When	she
walked	in,	however,	she	was	greeted	by	the	powerful	scent	of	roses,	and	when
she	was	shown	the	small	statue,	exuding	a	continual	stream	of	oil,	she	became
convinced	that	this	was	a	genuine	miracle.
Subsequently	she	paid	several	visits	to	the	house,	each	time	experiencing
a	divine	presence	in	the	scented	oil.	On	one	visit	the	woman	of	the	house	told
her	that	the	walls	and	furniture	had	now	begun	to	exude	oil,	which	she	wiped
up	with	cotton	balls.	Dawn	was	given	a	bag	of	these	to	take	home.	Sometime
later	she	heard	that	a	friend’s	three-month-old	baby	was	gravely	ill	with	spinal
meningitis	and	had	been	hospitalized	in	intensive	care.	Dawn	felt	a	strong
impulse	to	use	the	holy	oil	as	a	healing.	With	the	parents’	permission	she
entered	the	hospital	room	and	found	the	baby	listless	and	nearly	unconscious,
its	body	incubated	for	feeding	and	medication.	It	was	a	piteous	sight.
Dawn	took	an	oil-soaked	cotton	ball	and	gently	stroked	the	baby’s	spine
with	it.	She	left,	and	the	next	day	was	informed	that	the	infant	was	out	of
danger.	Within	two	days	it	was	sleeping	and	nursing	normally	and	had	beensent	home	with	its	parents.	The	doctor	in	charge	of	the	case	considered	this
recovery	miraculous.	Dawn	attributed	it	to	the	healing	touch	of	Mary.
Of	course,	Catholic	lore	is	filled	with	thousands	of	similar	tales,	but	what
are	we	to	think	of	this	one	in	particular?	To	me,	it	shows	that	the	three
domains	of	consciousness	don’t	merely	overlap;	they	are	actively	involved
with	one	another.	The	physical	plane	is	represented	by	the	statue,	the	oil,	and
the	baby’s	body.	The	subtle	domain	is	represented	by	the	vision	of	Mary,
Dawn’s	faith,	and	the	divine	presence	felt	in	the	oil.	The	domain	of	pure
consciousness	is	represented	by	the	divine	itself.	I’m	not	offering	this	story	as
established	fact;	the	author	who	repeats	it	went	through	no	process	of
investigation	to	prove	its	truth.	She	relied	on	the	sincerity	of	people	who	came
forward,	with	nothing	to	gain,	describing	their	own	experiences.	My	only
purpose	here	is	to	open	the	possibility	that	there	is	a	unifying	principle,	the
Akashic	field,	that	embraces	a	wide	range	of	phenomena.
Somewhere	in	Akasha	angels	might	look	around	and	say,	“This	is	real.”
The	same	might	be	perceived	by	departed	spirits,	great	spiritual	beings,	and
souls	“crossing	over.”	The	landscape	of	the	afterlife	can	be	as	complex	as
anyone	might	desire,	so	long	as	we	remember	that	ultimately	gods,	goddesses,
spirits,	and	souls	become	only	one	thing:	consciousness	creating	within	itself.10
S
URVIVING	THE
	S
TORM
SAVITRI	TRUSTED	RAMANA,
	but	as	the	hours	grew	long,	once	again	she	began	to
worry	about	the	time.	Her	mind	was	filled	with	a	vision	of	Satyavan’s	strong
body	turned	cold	and	lifeless	with	a	glance	from	Yama.
I	would	lose
everything
,	she	thought.
Ramana	turned	to	her.	“Does	that	make	you	afraid,	to	lose	everything?”
He	seemed	to	have	no	trouble	reading	her	thoughts.
“Of	course,”	Savitri	said	miserably.
Ramana	pointed	up	ahead.	Alongside	the	path	was	a	rustic	shrine	that
someone	had	erected	in	the	forest.	The	pine	boughs	of	the	altar	sheltered	an
image	of	Vishnu.	Knowing	that	Vishnu	was	the	aspect	of	God	that	sustains
life,	she	quickly	ran	ahead,	gathering	some	wildflowers	to	offer	at	the


 their mother yelling and all these emotional and mental
issues come up inside of you. Why? That blocked energy is always trying to
come up, every single millisecond. Just like in a dammed-up river, the
blockage is trying to release its pent-up energy. It is not comfortable stayinginside you, so you have to const antly assert your willpower to hold it down.
How much ener gy are you wasting keeping all this garbage inside?
Just as your body is always trying to expel impurities, so your mind is
trying to get these mental impurities out. That is what’ s happening when
your mind creates its own thoughts. Sometimes you will be able to trace
those thoughts back to their source; other times it’s not so easy. The
important thing to realize is there’ s always a reason why your mind creates
one thought versus another.
Let’s go back to the example of someone being late with a phone call.
Your mind could begin creating worrisome thoughts about what you might
have done to upset them so much that they aren’ t calling. But that is not the
meaningful question. The meaningful question is, why did that possible
reason come up versus any other? Turns out, when you were ten years old,
somebody once said, “You’re right, I didn’ t call you. It was on purpose
because I didn’ t like what you did.” Now years later, when somebody
doesn’ t call, that comes back up. What if years ago when a person didn’ t
call, the reason was they wanted to surprise you by personally coming by
with a special gift. Now when someone doesn’ t call, you feel all excited
about what might happen next. These impressions get left insid e you. They
will continuous ly try to release pent-up energy, and they will end up
determining the thoughts your mind creates on its own. This is the nature of
almost all your automatic thoughts. They are not to be seen as some
important truth or great insight into what is really going on. They are simply
your mind attempting to cleanse the patterns you have stored in there.Chapter 19.
Dreams and the Subconscious
To get a better understanding of how stored mental energies get released,
let’s turn to a favorite topic of psychology: dreams. What are dreams? The
traditional Freudian concept of dreams is that some events happening
outside leave unfinished impressions in the mind. A little boy wants a
bicycle but doesn’ t get one. He goes to sleep and dreams he’s got a bicycle.
The original bicycle event didn’ t sit well, so the boy pushed it away in his
mind. He suppre ssed it. When he went to sleep and was not controlling his
thoughts as much, the mind was free to release what it had not been free to
express while the boy was awake. We all experience this type of dream
fairly regularly. A charged event from the waking world finds its way into
our dream world. You are not willfully doing this. It is the mind trying to
release built-up ener gy patterns.
There are all kinds of dreams. Freud called the dream we’v e been
discussing basic wish fulfillment. It is a samskara formed in the waking
mind releasing energy by creating the thoughts you watch while you’re
asleep. These thoughts that make up your dreams are not that different from
the automatic thoughts going on in your waking mind. They are certainly
much more vivid, especially in their imagery. This is because when you’re
sleeping, the mind can focus completely on creating the thoug hts. It is not
busy being distracted by the senses or the many other layers of thoughts and
emotions going on. In addition, you’re not willfully pushing the thoughts
away. This is why the mind is much more creative when you fall asleep. It
can create an entire, complex world in full 3D and Technicolor. Most people
can’t do that when they’re awake, though obviously, their minds are
perfectly capable of doing so.
Once you stop suppressing uncomfortable experiences, one thing
you’re going to realize is that there really is no subconscious mind, per se.The conscious mind and the subconscious mind are actually the same one
mind, and the only reason we see a difference is because we artificially
created a division. To understan d this, imagine looking around a room of
people and saying, “The people on the right side of the room I like; I’m
comfortable with those people. The people on the left side of the room,
however, I’m very uncomfortable with them.” Having stated this, imagine
you never again look at the left side of the room because it makes you
uncomfortable. What you’ve just done is separated the room into the part
you’re comfortable with and the part you don’t want anything  to do with.
The latter part exists, but no longer exists for you. That is exactly what
you’ve done to create the subconscious mind. The part of your mind you’re
not willing to look at is what we call the subconscious.
Fortunately, these artificially divided parts of your mind will merge
once you stop suppressing. You will get the rest of your mind back, and you
will be able to use its full power. Imagine how much mental power you
waste by pushing all that mess into the subconscious. Then you have to keep
it down there for the rest of your life. It’s really amazing what a mess we
make because we can’ t handle the moments passing in front of us.
The thoughts we push down into the subconscious play a role in both
our waking and dreaming states. The reason your mind is creating your
automatically generated dream thoughts is the same reason your mind
creates your automatically generated waking thoughts. In both cases, you
are not willfully creating this mental activity. It is happening on its own as
part of the mind’ s attempt to release blocked ener gies.
The common thread between your waking and dreaming states is that
it’s the same consciousness that is aware of both. You who is watching the
dream is the same you who watches your waking thoughts and experiences
the outside world. This is why when you wake up, you can say, “What a
dream I had.” How do you know? You know because you were there—the
same you who is aware while you’re awake. Interestingly, because it is the
same you, there can be a lot of spiritual growth in dreams. Meher Baba,
another great yoga master, said that you can work off karma in your dreams.
He said that by going through an experience in your dreams, it is actually
beneficial to your spiritual evolution. You’re at least allowing some blocked
energy to release that you didn’t allow while you were awake, and that is
healthy.There is a great deal we can learn about ourselves from the dream state.
If what you stored in the subcon scious was more traumatic than simply not
liking what happened or not getting what you wanted, what happens? Some
things are much harder to deal with than just preferences. There are
samskaras that are so deep they can’t even come up in a dream. If they tried
to release, you would wake from a nightmare in a very disturbed state. In
other words, your consciousne ss isn’t able to experience the event even
when it manife sts in a dream.  You resist and become so uncomfortable
about it that you wake up. So how does this ener gy release?
Unfinished energy stored in your mind is always trying to release at
one level or another. If the release would wake you from a dream, your
mind, all by itself, symbolizes what it’s trying to express.  Instead of
dreaming about the car accident  that killed your younger brother, you dream
that there are birds flying high overhead and an eagle swoops down and
takes one of the small birds away. You’re willing to watch that, but you’re
not willing to watch a car accident with someone you love dying. This is all
very real. Your mind is doing you a favor. Your brilliant mind did that in an
attempt to stay healthy and release at least some of the pent-up energy.
That’ s what the symbology of dreams is about. It’s truly amazing how
brilliant your mind is when left to its own resourcefulness. Just as your body
is always trying to heal itself, so your mind is always trying to release these
impurities that are stuck in there.Chapter 20.
Waking Dreams
At this point  you can certainly appreciate the tremendous power of your
mind, especially in regard to creating dreams on its own. Creatin g dreams is
not a willful act; your mind has the power to do it by itself. But as you’ve
seen, your dream s are not the only mental objects that your mind creates
automatically. The voice inside your head that talks all day is the exact same
expressive power of mind that creates your dreams. It would not be
incorrect to call that dialog in your head your waking dreams. Every
personal thing that voice says is because of the samskaras you have stored
inside. Your mind is trying to release those blockages during the day while
you’re still awake. For example, you see somebody running and that voice
says inside, “I wonder what he did wrong? It’s like my brother when he ran
away. What is this guy running away from?” The problem is that this
current situation has nothing to do with your brother, and this person could
be running for exercise. Your mind is using this opportunit y to release
energies that are pent


  Thi s sense has n’t been traced to the quantum level, but it
is a lready known that the h uman tongue detects the five tastes
(sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, or savory) at the molecularlevel. Taste requires smell to distinguish at a finer level, so even
taste, when combined with smell, is involved in quantum
detection.
Why did evolution give us this micro-sensitivity? To answer
this que stion, you have to ap preciate the enormous leap that the
new res earch h as taken. Previously, the five senses were thought
to o perate on the molecular l evel, like taste. To tell the di fference
between salty and sweet, for example, the receptors in your taste
buds are designed to latch o n to the specific molecule of each.
Physically, the  accepted view has been that we interact with the
world through a myriad of similar receptors on the outer
membrane of cells. These receptors have been described as
keyholes into which very specific molecules (the keys) fit. To smell
a rose, for example, molecules of its scent drift through the air and
fit i nto the receptors of olfa ctory cells in the nose. Beca use this
process occurs at the molecular level, even primitive organisms
are physically micro-sensitive.
The mo st ancient sense is touch, which evolved in single-c elled
organisms that respond to being touched, like the amoeba, as well
as some  plants; the Venus flytrap closes its jawlike leave s on its
prey wh en an insect touches the sensitive hairs that line the leaf.
But despite being the oldest sense, touch is not yet fully
understood. Cameras and listening devices can duplicate the
sensitivity of our eyes and ears, but we can tell the di fference
between wood, metal, and glass by touching them, beyond what
engineers can do artificially. The fact that our fingers are sensitive
down to a s ingle molecule was only recently pro ved by
experimenters at the University of California–San Diego.
They took fifteen people and  gave them three silicon wafe rs to
touch, a sking t hem which of t he three felt different from the other
two. The wafers were identical except for the top layer, which was
a sin gle molecule thick. One s urface had an oxidized top la yer that
was mo stly oxygen, the other was coated with a Te flon-like
substance. Participants were able to pick out the different wafer
71 percent of the time.
Yet even molecules are massive compared with quanta, and the
eye’s sensitivity to a quantum of light led scientists to consider theother four senses. It now seems that the entire body is a quantum
detector. At first sight this seems remarkable—it certainly expands
human perception far beyond previous estimates. At a deeper
level, ho wever, these findings  indicate how we design and  control
the constructs of virtual reality. Through the body’s quantum
detectors, we are seamlessly woven into the universe at the finest
level. No longer simply receiving raw data from the world “out
there,” our bodies participate  at the crux where mind and matter
mingle.
Getting down to the nub of h ow we physically see, hear, touch,
taste, and smell says nothing  about what the five senses  are for.
Earlier on ( this page ), I com pared the retina’s re sponse to light
with a Geiger counter clicking every time it is bombarded with
beta particles and gamma rays. But a Geiger counter doesn’t
experience the world as we do. The sensitivity of our q uantum
detectors indic ates how finely calibrated our experiences actually
are. Pre viously, the fact that we are fine-tuned to the molecular
level le d to remarkable feats of perception before the recent
quantum discoveries.
Professional noses in the perfume industry go far beyond the
ordinary sense  of smell, be ing able to distinguish dozens of
different rose scents, for example, but the experts don’t
necessarily have super-refined olfactory nerves or more of them
than the rest of  us. They’ve trained their awareness of arom as. The
same holds true for professio nal wine tasters in the area  of taste
and marksmen in the area o f sight. These people may s tart out
with mo re acute senses than the average person, but a wine taster
or a marksman  doesn’t need an overabundance of cell re ceptors.
With a normal range of re ceptors, wine tasters sharpen their
perceptivity, which is mental.
So-called supertasters have thirty taste buds in a specified area
of the tongue, compared wit h average tasters who have between
fifteen and thirty taste buds in the same area, while s o-called
nontasters (a better term wo uld be dull tasters ) h ave fewer than
fifteen. Average tasters can improve their discernment of wine by
using their noses more, paying closer attention, and slowing down
to s avor the ta ste. It is certai nly relevant that between the ages of
forty an d sixty  we start to lose taste buds, and the remaining onesshrink. But that’s not enough to explain why older people often
lose interest in eating. There may be a general loss of interest in
life, or feeling alone and unwanted. The simple fact that some
babies are born without a sense of taste but grow up to have
healthy appetites points to the mental component that dominates
our sensory existence.
The dat a derived from measurements of how the eye, ear, or
tongue works say nothing about our actual experience: how a
sunset looks, how music sounds, and how chocolate tastes. Science
is a bout measuring life in all its quantities, large and small.
Experience is about life in all its qualities, w hich cannot be
counted. The question “Ho w many units of beauty did you
experience today?” is nonsensical. Beauty is experienced
subjectively, w hich no one d isputes. But every perception  is also
experienced su bjectively, which is where the huge gap occurs that
I ment ioned above. There  is a total mismatch bet ween a
measurement of wavelengths of light and the qualities of light,
particularly colors.
Color is created in conscious ness by crossing the gap between
quantity and quality. In this crossing, a magic trick takes place by
which q uantum vibrations ar e transformed into not just co lors but
everything delivered by the five senses. It would be convenient if
the new research explained h ow that trick is done, but it doesn’t.
Pinpointing the five senses down to the quantum level is like
having a dog’s sense of hearing, which extends far above human
hearing. If you suddenly woke up and heard the world as a dog
does, this wouldn’t explain music or speech or anything else about
hearing as an experience. The ear doesn’t hear; the mind does.
But at least we have an important clue about the magic trick
that turns quantum events into human experiences. By taking
perception down to the quantum level, we can say—or at least
strongly suppo se—that we live at the very level where nature
transforms vir tual reality into the solid physical world. H ere I’m
using virtual  in a sp ecific way. In physics there is a halfway house
where particles are invisible and have no fixed location.
This halfway house was needed because of the famous
uncertainty principle, which says that particles are actually the
collapse of energy waves. Wa ves extend infinitely in all dir ections;particles exist in one place i n time and space. A virtual  particle
bridges the two states. It hasn’t quite yet assumed the shape of a
particle, but it isn’t a wave extending in every direction, either.
It is very imp ortant to know, as we now do, that human
experience doesn’t have to wait for the physical world to appear;
we are able to perceive the b irth of particles, physically speaking.
I’m bein g quite  literal here. F or decades the “collapse of the wave”
function has been hotly debated in physics. The main point of
controversy is that standard q uantum theory holds that it takes an
observer to cause the collapse. This point rankles some physicists
and baffles almost everyone else. It is taken for granted in daily
life tha t observing somethin g is a passive act. “Look but don’t
touch,” we tell our children. Yet at the quantum level, looking is as
good as touching. A partic le stops being uncertain when an
observer is present. The wave function collapses and, voilà, a
particle can be detected.
I hope this abb reviated explanation makes sense; going into the
details leads to a tangle of complications. Suffice it to say that
researchers ar e seriously considering whether this my sterious
effect on the quantum, kno wn as the “observer effect,” can be
explained through quantum detection. If our eyes are physically
interacting with quanta, this helps us to understand that
observation wa s never passive. We have been participating at the
place where virtual reality gets an opportunity to create physical
reality.
H o w  t h e  M i n d  G i v e s  T h i n g s  T h e i r
T h i n g n e s s
The new findings don’t


	This	reaction	is	similar	to	the
reaction	we	find	in	infections	and	around	tumors	and	involves	the
accumulation	of	white	blood	cells,	swelling,	and	a	fever-like	increase	in
temperature	of	the	stomach	and	intestinal	tissues.	[As	a	result,	we]
experience	tiredness	after	the	meal.	The	same	reaction	takes	place	when
half	the	food	is	eaten	raw,	but	the	cooked	part	is	eaten	first.	When	the	raw
part	of	the	food	is	eaten	first,	however,	this	reaction	does	not	take	place.
Chewing	your	food	also	is	important.	The	style	that	many	people	use	is
“chomp,	chomp,	gulp—down	the	hatch!”	Lack	of	proper	chewing	can	cause
maldigestion	and	contribute	to	disease.	Many	of	our	modern	foods	are	easy	to
gulp	down,	requiring	little	help	from	the	teeth	(because	of	excessive	cooking,
processing	and	fat	content).	By	contrast,	real	foods	(whole	foods	and	especially
raw	foods)	tend	to	have	more	texture	and	fiber,	and	require	more	chewing.	If	you
want	good	nutrition	to	support	good	health,	you	need	to	eat	real	food	and	you
need	to	chew	it	well.
First,	your	teeth	physically	mash	food	into	small	particles.	Then,	your	saliva
combines	enzymes	with	food	as	it	is	being	chewed	and	helps	to	break	down	and
digest	it.	The	purpose	of	chewing	is	not	simply	to	break	the	food	into	small
enough	chunks	to	swallow,	although	many	people	eat	this	way.	The	purpose	of
chewing	is	to	assist	the	digestive	process	by	grinding	your	food	into	small
particles	and	coating	them	thoroughly	with	the	digestive	enzymes	in	your	saliva.
There	is	an	old	saying:	“Drink	what	you	eat	and	eat	what	you	drink.”	Solid
food	should	be	chewed	thoroughly	enough	that	it	becomes	liquid	before	youswallow	it;	liquid	foods	(such	as	juices	and	soups)	should	be	“chewed”	so	that
the	enzymes	in	your	saliva	have	time	to	work	on	them.	Nutrition	starts	in	your
mind	and	in	your	mouth.	Eat	your	food	with	the	intent	to	nourish	your	body,
rather	than	merely	to	fill	the	void	in	your	stomach.
Rethink	“Acid	Indigestion”
After	leaving	the	mouth,	the	chewed,	enzyme-coated	food	moves	to	the
stomach	and	triggers	the	release	of	hydrochloric	acid	and	other	digestive
chemicals	that	further	break	down	the	food	before	it	moves	into	the	small
intestine.	In	fact,	until	sufficient	hydrochloric	acid	is	present	and	food
breakdown	takes	place,	food	does	not	leave	the	stomach.	If	undigested	food	sits
in	the	stomach	too	long,	it	forms	toxins	and	poisons	you.	Adequate	hydrochloric
acid	is	critical	in	the	digestive	process.
People	often	think	that	indigestion	is	caused	by	“too	much	acid”—commonly
called	“acid	indigestion.”	While	in	some	rare	cases	this	diagnosis	is	valid,	the
overwhelming	majority	of	acid	symptoms	originate	from	the	opposite	problem—
too	little	hydrochloric	acid.	As	a	result,	the	food	does	not	digest	properly	and
remains	in	the	stomach	too	long,	whereupon	the	food	rots	and	becomes	acidic.
Rotting	food,	not	excessive	digestive	acids,	causes	an	acid	burn	feeling.
Deliberately	taking	antacid	tablets	before	you	eat,	to	prevent	acid	indigestion,	is
not	a	good	idea.
It	only	makes	a	bad	situation	worse.	The	best	remedies	for	acid
indigestion	are	to	pay	attention	to	basic	food	combining	principles	and	to	chew
your	food	well.	Supplementing	with	digestive	enzymes	also	can	be	helpful.
(Note:	Supplementing	with	hydrochloric	acid	tablets	is	also	possible,	but	this
much	more	aggressive	measure	requires	education	and	careful	monitoring.)
Most	absorption	of	nutrients	takes	place	in	the	small	intestine.	By	the	time	it
reaches	the	small	intestine,	food	must	have	undergone	proper	digestion.	The
small	intestine	extracts	nutrients	from	the	food	and	they	enter	the	bloodstream.
Waste	products	move	along	to	the	large	intestine	where	they	are	excreted	from
the	body.
Food	not	properly	processed	by	the	time	it	reaches	the	small	intestine	creates	a
host	of	problems.	Poorly	digested,	putrefying,	fermenting	and	rotting	food
particles	in	the	intestines	create	vast	amounts	of	toxins.	Undigested	food
molecules	can	pass	through	the	intestinal	walls	and	move	directly	into	the
bloodstream.	In	the	bloodstream	the	body	recognizes	these	food	molecules	as
foreign.	The	immune	system	may	attack	them.	This	response	resembles	a	classic
food	allergy;	poor	digestion	of	a	food	can	cause	you	to	become	allergic	to	it.Worse,	each	allergic	reaction	damages	the	intestinal	tissue	and	makes	it	more
permeable,	perpetuating	the	problem.	An	increasing	number	of	food	allergies
and	numerous	other	health	problems	may	result.	These	ongoing	allergic
reactions	can	overtax	and	exhaust	the	immune	system,	making	you	vulnerable	to
low-grade,	chronic	infections,	such	as	chronic	sinus	infections.
Provided	the	digestive	process	goes	well	in	the	intestines,	allowing	the	proper
nutrients	to	enter	the	bloodstream,	those	nutrients	must	still	go	to	the	proper	cells
and	then	inside	those	cells.	This	activity	often	requires	separate	“transporter
nutrients”	(certain	amino	acids,	for	example)	that	also	come	from	your	diet.	In
other	words,	nutrients	are	used	for	many	purposes,	including	delivery	of	other
nutrients.	This	is	one	example	of	how	nutrients	work	together	in	tandem,	and
why	you	cannot	afford	to	miss	a	single	one.	Once	the	necessary	nutrients	have
arrived	at	the	target	cells,	they	still	need	to	pass	through	the	cell	membranes.	If
the	membrane	is	not	constructed	properly	(as	described	in	the	fats	and	oils
section	of	the	Big	Four),	new	problems	arise.	Nutrients	can	have	a	difficult	time
being	transported	through	cell	membranes	constructed	from	“bad”	fats	and	oils
(hydrogenated	oils,	refined	supermarket	oils,	deep-fried	foods	and	excessive
saturated	fats).
The	final	step	in	proper	digestion	is	the	elimination	of	waste	products,	which
must	be	eliminated	as	quickly	and	efficiently	as	possible.	Otherwise,	toxins	may
reabsorb	back	into	the	body.	The	best	ways	to	improve	bowel	function	are	to	eat
sufficient	fiber,	follow	proper	food	combining	and	chew	food	well.	If	you	select
a	food	with	good	fiber	content	and	then	cook	it,	however,	you	may	be	short-
changing	yourself.	Some	of	the	fibrous	structure	of	food	can	be	lost	in	the
cooking	process,	so	be	sure	not	to	overcook.
Many	people	find	it	uncomfortable,	even	embarrassing,	to	talk	about	their
body’s	waste	products.	Being	comfortable	with	these	natural	processes	is
important	because	one	of	the	simplest	ways	to	measure	the	health	of	your
digestive	system	is	to	be	aware	of	your	bowel	movements	and	to	note	the


 I shall illustrate its need with another practical
case.
    A mother asked my assistance in planning the nutritional program for her boy. She reported that
he was five years of age and that he had been in bed in hospitals with rheumatic fever, arthritis and
an acute heart involvement most of the time for the past two and a half years. She had been told
that her boy would not recover, so severe were the complications. As is so generally the case with
rheumatic fever and endocarditis, this boy was suffering from severe tooth decay. In this
connection the American Heart Association has reported that 75 per cent of heart involvements
begin before ten years of age. My studies have shown that in about 95 per cent of these cases
there is active tooth decay. The important change that I made in this boy's dietary program was the
removal of the white flour products and in their stead the use of freshly cracked or ground wheat
and oats used with whole milk to which was added a small amount of specially high vitamin butter
produced by cows pasturing on green wheat. Small doses of a high-vitamin, natural cod liver oil
were also added. At this time the boy was so badly crippled with arthritis, in his swollen knees,
wrists, and rigid spine, that he was bedfast and cried by the hour. With the improvement in his
nutrition which was the only change made in his care, his acute pain rapidly subsided, his appetite
greatly improved, he slept soundly and gained rapidly in weight. In the first view, to the left, in Fig.
94, the boy is shown sitting on the edge of the bed at the end of the first month on this program.
His joints were still badly swollen and his spine so rigid that he could not rotate his head farther
than shown in the picture. In the center view he is shown about six months later, and in the third
view, one year later. This occurred six years ago. As I write this a letter has been received from
the boy's mother. She reports that he is taller and heavier than the average, has a good appetite
and sleeps well.
    In the newer light regarding the cause of rheumatic fever, or inflammatory rheumatism (discussed
in Chapter 21) there appear to be three underlying causes: a general lowered defense against
infection in which the fat-soluble vitamins play a very important part; minute hemorrhages in joint
tissues as part of the expression of deficiency of vitamin C, a scurvy symptom, and a source of
infecting bacteria such as streptococcus. This could be provided by his infected teeth. These
typical expressions of modern degeneration could not occur in most of the primitive races studied
because of the high factor of safety in the minerals and vitamins of their nutrition. It is important to
emphasize the changes that were made in our modern dietary program to make this boy's nutrition
adequate for recovery. Sugars and sweets and white flour products were eliminated as far as7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 165/250possible. Freshly ground cereals were used for breads and gruels. Bone marrow was included in
stews. Liver and a liberal supply of whole milk, green vegetables and fruits were provided. In
addition, he was provided with a butter that was very high in vitamins having been produced by
cows fed on a rapidly growing green grass. The best source for this is a pasturage of wheat and
rye grass. All green grass in a state of rapid growth is good, although wheat and rye grass are the
best found. Unless hay is carefully dried so as to retain its chlorophyll, which is a precursor of
vitamin A, the cow cannot synthesize the fat-soluble vitamins.
    These two practical cases illustrate the fundamental necessity that there shall not only be an
adequate quantity of body-building minerals present, but also that there shall be an adequate
quantity of fat-soluble vitamins. Of course, water-soluble vitamins are also essential. While I have
reduced the diets of the various primitive races studied to definite quantities of mineral and calorie
content, these data are so voluminous that it will not be appropriate to include them here. It will be
more informative to discuss the ratios of both body-building and repairing material in the several
primitive dietaries, in comparison with the displacing foods adopted from our modern civilization.
The amount of food eaten by an individual is controlled primarily by the hunger factor which for
our modernized groups apparently relates only to need for heat and energy. The dietaries adopted
have all been built on the basis of the heat and energy requirements of the body for the groups
living in the several districts and under their modes of life. These have been calculated for the
principal foods eaten by the various groups. The figures will be published in detail in a more
technical report. There are two simple ways in which these comparisons can be made. One is in
terms of normal body requirements; and the other in terms of the ratio between the mineral and the
vitamin content of the native foods and the displacing foods. If we use as a basis the ability of
individuals to remove half of the minerals present even though their bodies need more than this, we
will be more generous than the average individual's capacity will justify. This will require that we
double the amount, as specified for minimum body use by the United States Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, in their Bulletin R 409, that is, for calcium 0.68 grams; for phosphorus
1.32 grams; for iron 0.015 grams. The figures that will be used, therefore, are for twice the above
amounts: 1.36 grams of calcium; 2.64 grams of phosphorus; 0.030 grams of iron.
    Few people who have not been in contact with experimental data on metabolism can appreciate
how little of the minerals in the food are retained in the body by large numbers of individuals who
are in need of these very chemicals. We have seen that infants cannot absorb calcium from
spinach. If we are to provide nutrition that will include an adequate excess as a factor of safety for
overloads, and for such periods as those of rapid growth (for children), pregnancy, lactation and
sickness, we must provide the excess to the extent of about twice the requirements of normal
adults. It will therefore, be necessary for an adequate nutrition to contain approximately four times
the minimum requirements of the average adult if all stress periods are to be passed safely.
    It is of interest that the diets of the primitive groups which have shown a very high immunity to
dental caries and freedom from other degenerative processes have all provided a nutrition
containing at least four times these minimum requirements; whereas the displacing nutrition of
commerce, consisting largely of white-flour products, sugar, polished rice, jams, canned goods,
and vegetable fats have invariably failed to provide even the minimum requirements. In other words
the foods of the native Eskimos contained 5.4 times as much calcium as the displacing foods of the
white man, five times as much phosphorus, 1.5 times as much iron, 7.9 times as much magnesium,
1.8 times as much copper, 49.0 times as much iodine, and at least ten times that number of fat-
soluble vitamins. For the Indians of the far North of Canada, the native foods provided 5.8 times
as much calcium, 5.8 times as much phosphorus, 2.7 times as much iron, 4.3 times as much
magnesium, 1.5 times as much copper, 8.8 times as much iodine, and at least a ten fold increase in
fat-soluble activators. For brevity, we will apply the figures to calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,
iron and fat-soluble activators in order. The ratio in the Swiss native diets to that in the displacing
diet was for calcium, 3.7 fold; for phosphorus, 2.2 fold; for magnesium, 2.5 fold; for iron, 3.1 fold;
and for the fat-soluble activators, at least ten fold. For the Gaelics in the Outer Hebrides, the native
foods provided 2.1 times as much calcium, 2.3 times as much phosphorus, 1.3 times as much
magnesium, and 1.0 times as much iron; and the fat-soluble activators were increased at least ten7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 166/250fold. For the Aborigines of Australia, living along the eastern coast where they have access to sea
foods the ratio of minerals in the native diet to those in the displacing modernized foods was, for
calcium, 4.6 fold; for phosphorus, 6.2 fold; for magnesium, 17 fold; and for iron 50.6 fold; while
for the fatsoluble activators, it was at least ten fold. The native diet of the New Zealand Maori
provided an increase in the native foods over the displacing foods of the modernized whites of 6.2
fold for calcium, 6.9 fold for phosphorus, 23.4 fold for magnesium, 58.3 fold for iron; and the
fatsoluble activators were increased at least ten fold. The native diet of the Melanesians provided
similar


ants until it
passed.
An Ayurvedically trained docto r examined Daniel and informed him that
his pain appeared to be due to an imbalance of Apana Vata, the subdosha of
Vata that controls the lower back and intestinal tract. A Vata-pacifying
routine was prescribed, along with a week of panchakarma and yoga classes.By the end of the treatment, his pain had disappeared completely  for the first
time in a decade. Since then, Daniel has suffered little or no pain at all; he
returns periodically for additional panchakarma to prevent any possible
recurrence of his condition.
Cheryl De Luca  fell into a typical adolescent pattern when she began to
develop acne at age 17; when it was still present at age 31, however, it was
definitely not typical. Fortunately her skin outbreaks were relatively mild
and not permane ntly disfiguring. Still, living with chronic acne was difficult
for her and had made her feel very self-conscious. As often happens, over-
the-counter remedies had been of little use; curtailing chocolate, tomatoes,
fried foods, and other suspicious foods made little impact.
When she was in her mid-twe nties, Cheryl’ s dermatologist put her on
tetracycline, an antibiotic widely prescribed for adult acne. She experienced
occasional, mild side effects, namely upset stomachs and sensitivity to bright
sunlight. These  were a small price to pay, her doctor reasoned, for
controlling the disease. On the other hand, Cheryl was bothered  by the idea
of taking daily antibiotics indef initely. When she consulted our Center her
condition was diagnosed as Pitta imbalance. (One of Pitta’ s five subdoshas,
Bhrajaka Pitta, gives luster to the skin when in balance, but is often
responsible for skin problems if out of balance.)
Treatment was very simple. Cheryl was put on a Pitta-pacifyin g diet and
instructed in the Ayurvedic daily routine. She went through panchakarma for
a week at the Center. Her acne began to subside and disappe ared entirely
within six months. She has now been free of her condition and off
medication for a year.
PANCHAKARMA  TODA Y
In India today, seasonal panchakarma treatment is the province of the rich
and of those few who have adhered faithfully to Ayurvedic tradition. The
classic texts, however, clearly state that everyone needs panchakarma. Three
times a year is best, ideally at the turn of spring, fall, and winter. Taking
panchakarma as an inpatient is also recommended, since the body getsdeeper rest if you do not have to travel to and from a clinic every day.
However, outpa tient treatment is extremely effective. As a minimum, you
should try to take one week of panchakarma every year if you are in good
health. Sick patients should take outpatient panchakarma only under the
advice of a physician trained in Ayurveda. Also, unless a physician
recommends it, panchakarma is not routinely given to children under the age
of 12.
MEDIT ATION—A  TECHNIQUE FOR “GOING BEYOND”
Physical impurit ies in cells have their equivalents in the mind: fear, anger,
greed, compulsiveness, doubt, and other negative emotions. Operating at the
quantum level, they can be as damaging to us as any chemical toxin. As we
saw, the mind body connection turns negative attitudes into chemical toxins,
the so-called “stress hormones” that have been linked to many different
diseases. Ayurveda lumps all negative tendencies together as “mental ama,”
which needs to be cleaned from the mind. But how?
It is not possible to purify the mind by thinking about it. An angry mind
cannot conquer its own anger; fear cannot quench fear. Instead, a technique
is required that goes beyond the domain where fear, anger, and all other
forms of mental ama hold sway. This technique is meditation. If properly
taught and used,  meditation allows a person to become unstuck from the ama
in his thoughts and emotions. In our Center, we prescribe Prim ordial Sound
Meditation, or PSM, as a simple, natural way of accomplishing this goal.
As a young physician in the 1970s, I was attracted to meditatio n for two
reasons, one personal, the other professional. The personal reason was the
promise of inner growth, of reaching an expanded state of mental and
spiritual develo pment. The professional reason was the large body of
research on meditation that established that this meditation was “real,” that
is, it produced tangible benefits.
Meditation is not forcing your mind to be quiet; it’s finding the quiet that
is already there. In fact, when you examine the background static of worry,
resentment, wishful thinking, fantasy, unfulfilled hopes, and vague dreams inyour head, it becomes clear that the internal dialogue going on inside is
literally controll ing us. Each of us is the victim of memory— that’s how the
Ayurvedic masters diagnosed it thousands of years ago.
Behind the screen of our internal dialogue, there is something entirely
different: the silence of a mind that is not imprisoned by the past. That is the
silence we want to bring into our awareness through meditation. Why is this
important? Beca use silence is the birthplace of happiness. Silence is where
we get our bursts of inspiration, our tender feelings of compassion and
empathy, our sense of love. These are all delicate emotions and the chaotic
roar of the internal dialogue easily drowns them out. But when you discover
the silen ce in your mind, you no longer have to pay attention  to all those
random images that trigger worry, anger, and pain.
If you are going to pursue the full spiritual benefits of meditation, I
recommend you seek out a qualified teacher whose spiritual tradition you
respect. But at the same time, there are meditative techniques for reaching
your inner silence that you can learn right now, because they’re basically
physiological. They take advantage of the natural silence that exists in the
mind body system when it’ s relaxed.
When you’re ready to begin, sit quietly holding your hands lightly at your
side or in your lap. Now, with your eyes closed, start to breathe lightly and
easily. Let your attention easily follow your breathing. Feel your breath
entering your nostrils and flowin g down into your lungs. Don’ t inhale deeply
or hold your breath, just breathe normally. When you exhale, let your
attention follow the air up out of the lungs and softly through the nostrils.
Nothing is forced here. The breath is moving easily and gently, your
attention is following it softly as leaves swaying in the treetops. As your
breathing relaxe s, make it a little lighter. Again, don’t force this, but when
you feel that your breathing wants to get a bit shallower and lighter, just let it
happen. If you start to feel short of breath, don’t worry. This means that you
need a little more air and that deep stresses are coming out. Or you might
also be forcing your breathing to be lighter than it wants to be. Return to
whatever rate of breathing your body feels comfortable with.When you are comfortable with this effortless process, you can add the
mantra “so hum” to the procedu re, silently thinking the word “so” on each
inhalation and “hum” on each exhalation.
Continue this exercise for two to five minutes, just closing your eyes and
focusing your mind on easy, natural breathing and silently repeating “so
hum” with each cycle of your breath.
What is happen ing with this exercise? You probably noticed that just by
paying attention to your breathing you sank deeper and deeper into
relaxation, and as you did so, your mind naturally became quieter. Did you
sense that? If so, you probably  experienced a few glimpses of complete
silence, which you aren’ t likely to have noticed, because I didn’ t ask you to
be on the lookout. If you had looked for silence it wouldn’ t have appeared.
Yet I imagine there were stretches where you lost track of time, which is a
good indication that you were getting very near to the goal. Most people
experience much fainter thoughts than usual, which is another good sign.
As you gain experience with meditation, you’ll begin to feel the
reappearance of youthful energy and vitality that is being released from a
deeper level of the nervous system. This is a very profound change and the
real fountain of youth.
Although medita tion has been wrapped in an aura of mysticism for many
centuries, at its heart lies this extremely practical and unmystic al process of
quieting the mind. It is the surest way to open a channel of healing.
THE MIND HEALS ITSELF
Matt’ s life changed profoundly in his last year of high school, when his
parents began to go through an acrimonious divorce. All through school he
had been a high achiever, capab le of getting A’s with minimal effort; on the
strength of his academic record, he had won a full scholarship to MIT. His
parents had always doted on Matt. Their decision to divorce was difficult for
everyone in the family; Matt remembers lying in bed hearing his parents’


isting	bloating	or	digestive	issues,	or	if	your	overall	energy
improves.	But	be	sure	to	avoid	processed,	low-quality	gluten-free	products	and
switch	to	more	whole-foods-based	choices	instead.
CIGARETTES,
CAFFEINE,	AND
ALCOHOL
No,	cigarettes	aren’t	a	food,	but	they’re	worth	mentioning	here	because	of	the
disastrous	effects	they	have	on	your	beauty	and	your	health.	Along	with	caffeine
and	alcohol,	they	constrict	your	circulation	flow	and	greatly	contribute	to
accelerated	aging.
ANIMAL
FATS
Work	to	reduce	your	intake	of
red	meat,	dairy,	and,	especially,	artificial	trans
fats	such	as	margarine.	While	there	is	some	debate	today	about	whether	or	not
cholesterol	is	as	bad	for	you	as	we’ve	been	led	to	believe	over	the	past	few
decades,
it’s	still	a	good	idea	to	be	conservative	with	your	consumption	of
animal	fats.	Plus,	toxins	and	impurities	like	arsenic-based	drugs,
15

E.	coli
bacteria,
16
	and	hormones
17
	can	get	stored	in	the	fat	of	animal	foods.	Choose
lean	cuts	and	avoid	oily	skins.
LIQUID	GOLD	CIRCULATION	ELIXIR
This	is	a	delicious	way	to	incorporate	beauty-building
bee	pollen	into	your	routine.	Remember	to
introduce	bee	pollen	slowly,	only	a	few	granules	at	a	time,	to	ensure	your	body	tolerates	it.	(If	you
have	a	pollen	allergy,	you	should	avoid	it.)	Sip	this	midmorning	or	midafternoon	as	an	energizing
beverage.
1½	cups	coconut	water
1	ripe	banana,	peeled
1	tablespoon	bee	pollen	(more	or	less,	adjust	to	your
personal	taste)
1	tablespoon	chia	gel	(chia	seeds	soaked	in	water	for
at	least	30	minutes)Blend	all	the	ingredients	together.
Digestion	and	Aging
In	addition	to	efficient	circulation,	optimal	digestion	is	key	for	the	proper
nourishment	of	cells	and	tissues,	leading	to	exceptional	health,	vitality,	and
beauty.	The	body	expels	solid	wastes	through	the	digestive	tract,	but	if	there	is	a
blockage	or	an	inefficient	flow	of	elimination,	then	toxic	overload	may	ensue.
This	can	even	lead	to	the	reabsorption	of	toxins	into	the	bloodstream,	filtering
through	the	wall	of	the	colon	(a	problem	commonly	known	as
leaky	gut
).
Your	kidneys,	lungs,
liver,	and	skin	are	other	eliminative,	cleansing	organs
able	to	complete	their	functions	more	efficiently	if	there	is	no	backup	in	the
colon.	The	gut-liver	axis	refers	to	the	close	anatomical	and	functional
relationship	between	the	gastrointestinal	tract	and	the	liver.	There	is	an
interaction	and	exchange	between	the	two	organs.
18
	A	study	out	of	the
World
Journal	of	Gastroenterology
	found	that	taking	probiotics	to	nourish	the	gut	can
help	support	the	liver	as	well.
19
	Many	have	reported	that	the	alleviation	of
constipation	has	helped
clear	up	the	stubborn	acne	and	oily	skin	that	can	be	a
function	of	an	overloaded	liver.
There	is	a	strong	connection	between	your	gut	health	and	the	quality	of	your
skin.	One	study	found	that	small	intestine	bacterial	overgrowth	(SIBO),	a
condition	involving	inappropriate	growth	of	bacteria	in	the	small	intestine,	is
ten	times	more	prevalent	in	people	with	acne	rosacea,	and	that	correction	of
SIBO	in	these	individuals	led	to	marked	clinical	improvement	in	their	skin.
20
We	can	also	see	evidence	of	the	gut/digestion/skin	connection	as	probiotics	can
help	improve	skin	conditions.	The	first	case	that	studied	this	was	back	in	1961,
when	physician
Robert	Siver	tracked	three	hundred	patients	who	were	given	a
commercially	available	probiotic	and	found	that	80	percent	of	those	with	acne
showed	some	clinical	improvement.
21
	More	recent	studies,	including	one	from
Italy,	demonstrated	that	probiotics	taken	by	acne	patients	in	addition	to
standard	care	led	to	better	clinical	outcomes	than	standard	care	alone.
22
Even	if	you	take	isolated	vitamin	supplements	such	as	biotin	(B
7
),	vitamin	C,
or
zinc	(which	is	commonly	recommended	for	acne)	to	improve	your
complexion	or	your	hair,	nothing	will	really	work	if	you	have	compromised
digestion.	Digestion	is	the	integrative	process	of	absorbing	and	assimilating
vitamins	and	other	nutrients	and	expelling	everything	the	body	does	not	need.
It	makes	sense	that	optimal	digestion	helps	nourish	and	create	beautiful,
healthy	skin.More	efficient	digestion	can	also	allow	you	to	clean	out	toxins	more
productively	and	make	it	easier	to	restore	and	maintain	your	natural	weight.	It
is	well	documented	that	those	who	struggle	with
obesity	have	significantly
impaired	gut	function	compared	with	the	general	population.
23
	Obese
individuals	are	shown	to	have	problems	with	effective	digestion	and	absorption
of	food,	gastrointestinal	illness,	unstable	or	pathological	intestinal	microbiota,
poor	immune	status,	and	overall	lower	well-being.	This	all	strongly	suggests	a
lack	of	gut	health.
24
	Diets	high	in	vegetables	or	fiber	lead	to	healthier
functioning	colons	with	a	reduced	risk	of	disease.
25
If	you	are	constipated,	it	is	essential	that	you	do	something	about	it
immediately	for	your	beauty	and	health’s	sake.	Another	symptom	of	sluggish
digestion	is	everyone’s	least	favorite	feeling:
bloating.	There’s	nothing	beautiful
about	trying	to	peel	out	of	your	seat	at	dinner	feeling	like	your	belly	is	going	to
split	your	dress	down	the	middle,	or	trying	to	focus	on	your	staff	meeting	or	be
present	to	go	over	your	kids’	homework	when	your	widening	midsection	pushes
past	your	pants	seam,	internally	screaming	at	you	to	pay	attention	to	it	and	it
alone.
YOU	MAY	BE	CHRONICALLY	DEHYDRATED	(EVEN	IF	YOU	DON’T	THINK	YOU
ARE)
Many	of	us	don’t	realize	when	we	are	chronically	dehydrated.	This	is	a	big	problem
because	many	chronic	beauty	issues,	such	as	weakened	hair	and	dry	skin,	are
caused	or	exacerbated	by	chronic
dehydration.	Dehydration	can	cause	your
kidneys	and	the	rest	of	your	body	to	hold	water.	This	can	lead	to	metabolic	waste
not	being	properly	flushed	out	of	your	body,	which	causes	congestion	and
contributes	to	accelerated	aging.
You	may	need	to	consume	more	water	than	you	think	to	ensure	that	your	system
is	properly	hydrated.	This	is	especially	true	if	you	live	in	a	dry	climate,	sweat	a	lot	in
your	workouts,	consume
alcohol,	drink	excessive	amounts	of	caffeine,	or	are
following	a	high	protein	diet.	(The	body	has	to	use	up	more	water	to	flush	out	the
nitrogen	in	protein.)
So	how	much	water	do	you	really	need?	It	depends	on	your	size,	physical	activity,
health


 fatal results.

In the treatment of any intestinal inflammation, appendicitis included, no assistance is needed other than that which complet e rest
of the digestive  tract and constant use of the enema afford. When no complications exist, the fast causes inflammation to subside,
pain to cease, and fever to be reduced, by, at the most, the third day of abstinence, and the sole necessity for continuing t he fast is
found  in seeking best and lasting results.

Fasters' chilliness has been referred to a number of times, and it is as well to say here that body temperature when this sen sation is
in evidence is always more or less below normal in register. This feeling of chil l may be attributed partly to the absence of food
stimulation, but it is largely due to permeation of the circulation by bilious products that, in the circumstances, create, n ot fever,
but a nervous reaction that causes muscular and skin contraction with a n appreciable drop in body heat and probable lowered heart
beat. It is to be recognized that so -called normal pulse and normal temperature terms that are relative, and that the limits placed
upon them as standard vary in different persons, as do physical p eculiarities. In some of the cases described and in others not
mentioned, temperature and pulse remained below register during a portion of the fasting period, but as systemic cleansing
progressed, average individual normal was gradually restored. When fas ters' chilliness occurs, the hot therapeutic bath must
frequently be resorted to in order that muscular relaxation may occur, thus permitting the temporarily inhibited eliminative
function of the skin to be restored.

Organic rest and systemic purificatio n, resulting from the employment of the fast and its auxiliary eliminative agencies, form the
basis of the method outlined in the text. The fast, than which no greater eliminative agent is known, is the fundamental of
treatment, but additional natural ther apeutic means that may in any manner assist in attaining results are never to be ignored, and
these material auxiliaries are in most senses foreign to the domain of medicine. Manipulation of the body, specific and gener al,
intelligently applied, proves of greatest worth during a fast and thereafter. Adjustment of the spinal column has its own especial
place as a valuable accessory of treatment. And each of these therapeutic measures, with others that have been described, whi le not
to be thought of as a pana cea, is yet to be considered as an important adjunct in the natural treatment of disease.

PART THREE
THE TECHNIQUE 0F FASTING

CHAPTERVI
CAUTION AND COUNSEL

COMPETENT GUIDANCE IS REQUIRED FOR PROTRACTED FASTS:
SHORT FASTS:
CORRECTIVE DIETARY

MUC H though it is to be desired by those who know the inestimable benefits to be derived from a fast that is scientifically
conducted, there is but small hope that this natural means of bodily purification, of disease eradication, will ever prove a popular
method of health restoration. Self -denial and self -control are two virtues that the average mortal is content to relegate to the side -
lines in the game of life. Or, if he be not content so to do, it is easy to shift responsibility to those whose profession i t is to
prescribe a remedy the purpose of which is to suppress the manifest symptom, to ease present distress or disturbance. The cau se of
local expression, of the symptom or symptoms, has no place in a philosophy of this character, yet, unless the source of disease is
attacked and removed, health is really never his who depends upon symptomatic alleviation. And again, when one is ill, no rea l
self-denial or control is needful to curtail or even entirely to omit food. And, while it is many times accentuated  in the text that
food withdrawal is the easy, and at once the natural and the scientific measure to be employed whenever illness occurs, since
hunger and disease never exist simultaneously in the animal body, few possess courage to apply it.

Now, while in acute or chronic disease there are difficulties to be encountered in prolonged fasting, the results of a "fast to a
finish", to the cleansed systemic condition produced by the process of elimination thus engendered, are nevertheless those th at
thereafte r, with proper care of the body, insure continued normal physical existence. And, as above stated, nature constantly
indicates abstention from food in disease, but especially does she do so when acute prostrating illness develops, as well as when
certain s ymptoms, become chronic in character, are present.

In more than thirty years of experience with the fast as a therapeutic agency, the writer has discovered that by far the most
satisfactory diet upon which to break a fast is one confined to vegetable bro ths or soups, prepared in such manner as to preserve
both vitamin and mineral content, excluding at the same time all but finely comminuted solid matter. Broths thus made, when
eaten slowly, are fully insalivated, easily digested, and their food material i s absorbed and assimilated without difficulty. In casting
about for a dietary that would accomplish these ends, much observation and experiment were in order, and in the course of
investigation it was determined that where, in functional disease, a fast pr otracted in length made upon its subject demand for
absolute rest, hence precluding attention to daily duty in business or otherwise, a diet restricted to soups similar to those  upon
which a fast is broken in great degree permitted the function of eliminat ion to preponderate, satisfied stomach craving if present,
Page 21 of  72 and did not, excepting in slightest measure, interfere, either psychologically or physiologically, with intake and outgo of v ital
force.

Naturally when corrective eating is substituted for fastin g, the process of bodily purification, of systemic cleansing, is prolonged;
but the symptoms produced are in modified form similar to those noted during the progress of an absolute fast continued to it s
logical end, the return of natural hunger. And the re sults that accrue, though delayed and not equal to those obtained by a "fast to a
finish," are eminently satisfactory.

For many reasons, quite obvious ones too, complete abstention from food in illness occasions in those who are uninformed upon
the benef its that follow in its train, and who are ignorant of the physical resources of the human body and of the physiological
changes that abstinence occasions, thoughts that are decidedly deterrent. And this though, as is so often iterated herein, no  real
desir e for food exists at the time. The patient himself may be fully cognizant of body resource and of the advantages that follow
abstinence, and he may possess the necessary will to impose upon himself the discipline needful for successful issue; but in the
usual instance there are relatives and friends, who are not, as is the sufferer, in touch with nature, and here opposition ofte n evolves
that in effect annuls the action, if not the inclination. On the other hand, there is this to be said: if the patient has  the will and the
determination to carry to conclusion an absolute fast, if, under guidance during its continuance, he employs the essential
eliminative agencies, and, if no serious organic condition is uncovered, as it surely will be if it exists, relief with recovery will
occur much more rapidly and satisfactorily than is possible when even the small amount of sustenance contained in the restric ted
regimen described is ingested.

And this brings us to the purpose of this short chapter, which is intended both as caution and as counsel. No one, unless so acutely
ill as to be compelled to do so, should attempt protracted abstinence from food unless competent guidance is available. The " fast to
a finish" is not an affair for personal conduct. In it organic di sease may be uncovered, and from day to day after the first week or so
symptoms may and will develop that need to be dealt with by the expert hand. Without the advice and encouragement of one
skilled in the therapy of inanition fear may drive out courage, and then hasty and ill advised attempts to relieve mental and
physical distress will surely entail calamitous issue.

But for him to whom the tenets of the text appeal a happy mean exists. In incipient illness, in times of slight physical depr ession
when preventive measures are in order, or when functional disturbance of character more or less severe occurs, then shorter
periods of abstention from food may safely and with benefit be personally employed. The omission of food for periods ranging
from one to ten days need in the ordinary instance occasion no difficulty nor engender fear. But always the eliminative accessories
that are dwelt upon in connection with fasting, absolute or partial, and with restricted diet in illness, are faithfully to b e used. Dai ly
colon flushing, daily cleansing baths, and every aid to elimination through every natural channel must accompany and assist t he
basic procedure.

Alternating with these shorter fasts there should occur intervals of corrective dieting, and the broths al ready mentioned, prepared to
suit individual taste and requirement, will here fit the condition presented. The soups may be varied in ingredients, and one  pint is
in amount sufficient for one meal. Baths and enemas should he taken as during the fasting sta ge, but their administration is to be
timed so as not to interfere with digestive function.


 get increasing muscle
tension in the pelvic area, which then restricts blood circulation as well
as energy flows in the long meridians going up and down the body.
This is not only causing or greatly contributing to our frequent health
problems between knees and lower back, but it also prevents surplus
energy draining from the brain along the bladder, gallbladder and
stomach meridians. Consequently,  we get tension, p ain and
inflammation in the head and in the organs related to these meridians.
These long downward meridians also supply the energy that then flows
again upwards in the kidney, liver and pancreas meridians which are
greatly weakened as well, especially as  there is commonly major tension
in the groins and inner thigh muscles which they must pass.
Therefore, at this stage, removal of such energy blockages is the
foremost goal of energy therapy. Energy needs to flow freely. Stagnant
energies, just like stagna nt rivers, lead to deterioration and disease.
Life-Force
Another important part of energy healing is the charging of our system
with life -force. This concept is somewhat tricky to explain because in
common language two different energies have been combine d as
'bioenergy'. The denser one of these is etheric energy which forms our
innermost aura, greyish blue  in appearance. The less dense one is the
life-force which may be seen by some psychics as blue vapour
emanating from our right hand and orange vapour f rom the left hand.  106
 Both energies come packed together as light rays from the sun, life -force
being attached to the heavier photon energy.
We normally recharge our batteries during sleep by an inflow of these
energies into the top chakra.  For more about chakras and bioenergy,
see: Bio-Energies. However,  in most o f us these chakras do not work so
well and we need to supplement our nightly energy intake with food. All
food provides etheric energy through its metabolism, but only fresh raw
food provides in addition also life -force.
The energy that flows in our acupu ncture meridians is mainly etheric
energy, traditionally called Chi, while the energy emanating from our
hands was called Od. Most of our age -related health deterioration comes
from blockages in the flow of these energies.
REMOVING ENERGY BLOCKAGES
The main methods for removing blockages in the flow of chi are aimed
at removing muscle tensions but also softening scar tissue. Often
relieving muscle tension is not just a matter of relaxing a muscle with
massage or magnesium chloride. The prob lem is that an emotionally
based tissue memory tends to hold tensions in place unless this tissue
memory is released by re -experiencing the emotions that originally
caused it.
Nevertheless, some techniques such as deep muscle massage or the
Bowen Techniqu e can be remarkably successful by releasing the
emotional component through pain or re -arranging energy flows. To
show how this can work I like to relate an incident from my own
experience.
A woman had all her life a big hard welt on her buttock. When I p ressed
hard into it, she started crying for a long time. After about ten minutes the
welt had disappeared,  and she told me later that she had visions of
herself as a child kicking a woman in old -fashioned clothing in the shin.
The woman then took a broomsti ck and belted her heavily over the
buttocks.
The power of strong pain to release trapped emotional energy can be 107
 greatly enhanced by mentally recalling and re -experiencing the accident
or incident that caused the injury and  trying to feel the original e motion.
Often muscle tensions may fluctuate due to temporarily increasing flows
in partially blocked meridians. This may be due to stress in the stomach,
liver or gall bladder after eating certain foods, or to emotional stress. In
these cases,  muscles thro ugh which affected meridians flow may tighten
up or spasm, causing pain along the way. Frequently affected are the
muscles along the spine which in turn may also carry over into the leg
muscles. In all such cases it greatly helps strongly pressing into the
centres of the affected muscles.
Reflexology is simple and surprisingly effective. Strongly press under
the soles of your feet wherever you find a sore spot. The area connected
to the liver is between the middle and the upper outer side of the right
foot, the pancreas is near the insteps of both feet just above the midline,
the kidneys are near the centre of each sole, and the eyes at the base of
the second and third toes of each foot. There are similar reflexes in the
hands.
You may press the soles again st a rock, stone or golf -ball, onto the
corner of a table or other furniture, or press with a thumb, knuckle or the
blunt end of a stone, a pen or pencil. Press each area for several
minutes, repeat frequently or find a helper to press your feet; for detai ls
see: Reflexology.
Also,  very successful is transdermal magnesium  therapy with dissolved
magnesium chloride or Magnesium Oil  by soaking affected areas in the
solution, using packs, or rubbing it on, preferably with added DMSO to
improve absorption.
Further relief can be achieved by using the south -pointing pole of a
strong magnet or of a magnetic pulser, see: Magnet Therapy.
Ear acupuncture can also help. It is safe and easy to do. See: Ear
Acupuncture.
Finally, there is also a method developed by Wilhelm Reich, draining
excess energy with a metal pipe into a bucket of water, see: Bio-
Energies.  108
 Meridian Tracement
A more direct way of improving energy flow is by tracing meridians with
the fingers, with magnets or crystals, or with guided imagery. In Meridian
Therapy  you find charts of the meridians, and a description of the area
affected by each meridian. As energy radiates out of fingers, magnets
and crystals, you may touch the skin during tracing,  but you may also
move 5 to 10 cm above the skin. Move at a leisurely pace. You do not
follow the exact details of the treated meridian; the general direction is
usually good enough.
When using the finge rs, the hands should feel warm and energized,
possibly shake them for a while or immerse in warm water. For improving
blocked energies, the south -pointing pole of a magnet should commonly
be towards the skin.
Again, relating from my experience: a woman had  continual strong pain
after a hysterectomy with abdominal scar. I repeatedly traced the
conception meridian from the pubic bone to the chin, sometimes using
my fingers and sometimes the south -pointing pole of a magnet. After
about ten minutes the pain had  disappeared,  and she remained well. If
in such a situation one would only use pain relievers instead, the
meridian flow might remain partly blocked and cause other problems in
the future.
Another good method is mental tracing - moving the awareness along
the meridian while trying to feel some energy moving at the same time.
This may be as warmth, tingling, or like popping tiny bubbles.
Also experiment with your breath. When moving upwards or towards the
head, imagine that you draw up the energy during a lo ng and very
slow inhalation, with short meridians either all the way from the start
point to the end point, or with long meridians along appropriate
sections.
When moving downwards or towards the hands or feet, move the energy
during a long, slow exhalati on. In this way you may also find it easier to
feel the energy as warmth or tingling.  109

REFLEXOLOGY CHART
110
 An excellent exercise for every condition is to go one or several times
through the whole sequence of energy flows through all the meridians in
its correct or natural order. The Chinese have worked out that the peak
flow moves once a day through all the ma in meridians in an orderly way
as shown in Meridian Therapy.
Sexual Energy
Our sexuality is not only related to the chakra that is mai nly responsible
for processing O d, it is also related to our strongest emotions. This is a
powerful combination if things go wrong, as eventually they often do. At
the beginning of this chapter,  I mentioned some common causes of
blocked sexual energies.
Here I want to give an outline of how common sexual expression tends
to contribute to energy blockages, and how a different kind of sexual
expression could help dissolve them.
The key to our understanding is with the two hormones dopamine and
oxytocin. Emotional excitement, be it from a daring adventure, gambling,
heroin injection or orgasm, is mainly due to a burst of dopamine.
Afterwards we may need several days or longer to fully recover
hormonally and emotionally. Habitually repeating dopamine stimulations
before full recovery leads to addictions and increasingly to hormonal
weakness.
Oxytocin is the hormone of bonding, originally between mother and baby,
but later also between sexual partners. Oxytocin needs quiet, pleasant
togetherness to weave its magic