1 have already
tasted the urine of a donkey. How then could 1 have nausea of
auto-urine?"
7. Indigestion, Dyspepsia, Gastric Trouble, etc. : Shri Babubhai
soni is a resident of Kapadvanj. He sent the book Water of Life to STOMACH DISEASES : 119
one of his friends. The latter after having gone through it decided to
try it on himself. He was 40 years old and suffered from acute
gas-trouble. Besides indigestion, he had a number of other
complaints. He was cured of all these troubles by the use of
auto-urine. Now he regularly does the urine massage and drinks
auto-urine once a day in the morining only. He thus enjoys sound
health.
His son is · 30 years old. He was fatty and suffered from
indigestion and gas-trouble. He had been drinking urine regularly
and feels much improvement.. He says that whenever there is
discomfort in the body, a glass of urine always removes his
complaint immediately.
8. Gas-trouble and Constipation: Shri Jayantilal C. Shah lives in
Shamlani Pole,' Raipur, Ahmedabad. He has sent me the following
report on 24-9-59 of his cure :'
"I have gone through your book, Manav Mutra, given to me by
Shri Ambalal K. Patel, a store-superintendent in Ahmedabad
Municipal Corporation. Thereupon,· I decided to experiment on
myself.
"Since long I suffered from gastric trouble and constipation and
sometimes I had pain on the left side of my stomach. Uneasiness
was constantly felt and occasionally I suffered from cold and cough.
1 began with a glass of urine early in the morning. From the next day
onwards 1 increased the quantity and frequency of drinking urine. I
took one glass of urine early in the morning. Form the next day
onwards I increased the quantity and frequency of drinking urine. I
took one glass of urine about three times a day and thus taking total
quantity of 12 to 14 oz. a day. Next day in the evening, I had two
loose motions with lots of gas coming out. This continued for five
days and then I had regular motions in the morning. After an
experiment of seven days, gas-trouble, constipation and severe ache
stopped altogether." 120 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
9. Hydropsy: Shri Jayantilal C. Shah further writes:
11Many years ago, this treatment was adopted by Raj Vaidya of
Palanpur State to treat my cousin Shri Chandulal T. Shah, who
suffered from dropsy. Raj Vaidya had made him to fast on urine for
21 days. He drank his entire auto-urine passed during the day and
packs of urine were applied on abdomen. On the thired day he had
vomiting and loose motions and there through bile and water were
discharged from the stomach and the intestines. Within 21 days1
fast his abdomen became very 5oft and l.ight. At the end of the fast
he was given 5 khakharas with the water of butter~milk. This diet
continued for 15 months. Consequently, he became quite healthy
and strong.11
10. Experiment on Ulcer : Shri M. A. Noorani,(194. Nagdevi
Street, Bombay 3) presents a candid picture of allopathic treatment
resulting in innumerable difficulties and a heavy loss of money:
11My son was suffering from duodenal ulcer. There was severe
pain in the abdomen and he was operated in a hospital in 1950. In
may 1957, the pain revived. The patient was treated by good
number of doctors and Vaidyas one after another. Ultimately the
doctors expressed their helplessness and the patient was discharged
from the hospital. After that homoeopathic treatment was tried for
20 days but without any benefit.
11later a frined of mine brought another doctor who examined my
son and gave some hope. Accordin!IY the patient wills readmitted to
a hospital where also the doctors inj~,,~,;~to~~J!~Ji!'tif,j~~i:Y~f,;.,;,,:.
medicines. The diet also was given through injections which cost Rs. · ·
60 per day. After five days the duodenal ulcer which was operated
in 1950 burst and my only dear son passed away on 31-8-157.11
Mr. Noorani then gave a positive picture of the same disease and
its urien cure :
1125 years ago, I also suffered from duodenal ulcer. I suffered pain
for 15 years. A_ large number of doctors were consulted during that
~ime. In spite of all this, the pain could not be controlled. In 1946, STOMACH DISEASES : 121
as a last resort, I underwent an operation but even after that the pain
revived' at the same stop. I passed my days in serious pain and
trouble.
11ln june 1959 thtough the grace of God, I happened to read the
gujarati book Manav Mutra by Shri Raojibhai. I studied the book
with interest and finished in just two days.
111 belong to Bohra community which follows the Muslim religion.
In Islam, urine is condsidered as a very impure substance. After the
study of this book, I wished to undertake the treatment but religious
sentiment stood in the way. Inner conflict continued for a long time;
ultimately I got over the sentiment and took the treatment11
•
Mr. Noorani gives the following account of his conflict with
sentiments and victory over them.
110ne night 1 had a dream which suggested that I could drink
urine if,1 understood the true meaning of the following statement in
koran:
11The almighty God has declared the following a sin:
11TO take blood and meat of the deal in an accident, of dog and
of one killed except in His name; but it is not a sin if taken
accor.ding to tfle decr-ee of God in a condition when there is no
alternative. God is me,r;ciful, the great be.S.tower of forgiv,en~s.
11i Rave de-SQli,bed in t:ille above hymA from KoraR that to ta.~e
certain thifflgs is a' sin but not so in a state of h~lpl~~~$5.
I(Heve faitltl in tike abO¥e and take url:ne as a rnedilcir:te in th-is
helpless condition of suck Hlness.1
11Such instructions came to me in the dream.
110n this advice I began to driAk ur-ine, the wonderful gift fo God,
ev:ery mor:njRg and evening. Along with that I also started rubbing
with eight days old urine. Restrictions in diet were strictly followed.
At the end of 40 days. I was relieved of the disease and I felt strenght
in my bogy. Every night I beg.an to enjoy a sound sleep. My mind 122 : AUTO-URINE THERAPY
was more and more inclined to prayer and I prayed earnestly.
· "I am highly impressed with therapeutic value of this wonderful
divine gift and I wish to urge upon my Muslim brethren that I have
no words to describe its virtues in full. Human urine is a treasure of
many wonders.
"I have personally experienced the value of these qualities. This
substance is absolutely harmless and I as a Muslim assure you of this
with a view to render a little service to my Muslim brethren.
"Preceptor Ali preaches Alib, the brother-in-law of Mohmed as
follows:
"Your medicine is also with you; but you are not aware of it..
In conclusion, Mr. Noorani has reported that he had sold a good
number of copies of Manav Mutra in Bombay, that he had advised
a good number of patients about its application and that many
people had got rid of their chronic diseases by means of it.
Mr. Noorani further said that talk about urine treatment has
become a matter of importance in life whether in the street, in
conversation or in the train. He advises everybody to adopt urine
treatment for every complaint, major or minor.
11. Sprue: Shri Bhikhalal N. Kothari, resident of Madangopalni
Haveli, astodia Road, Ahmedabad, writes in his letter dated 14-3-61:
"For the last 10 years, I have been suffering from the pain in the
stomach, and it continued to be more and more severe. Everything I
ate was evacuated through loose motions. It appeared as if I was
suffering from dysentery. My weight was reduced from 176 lb. to
126 lb. Daily I had to spend a rupee for medicines in order to
sustain life.
"Thus I was extremely disgusted with life. Meantime a relative of
mine gave me your book Manav


of fever, that is
not the result of the fever itself but of the condition  in the body‐the ill
forces so to saywhich  cause the fever. The state of the urine is the
result of the loss of valuable salts, tissues, etc., from the body, and
largely  explains the great weakness  of the patient, his light‐ headedness,
rambling,  nightmares  and so on; it also explains  the long convalescence
and  bad  after‐effects in the case  of patients who have been treated in
the orthodox  suppressive  manner. The rational  method of avoiding all
this  is urine‐therapy so that the lost  tissue may  be replaced.  I have 68
 proved it again and again to be successfully  accomplished  in diphtheria,
chickenpox,  scarlet fever, influenza,  rheumatic  fever,  and  other  acute
disorders  where  the temperature  is high;  and  there  have been none of
those baneful and chronic after‐effects which  so often  accrue after
wrongly treated scarlet‐fever or rheumatic  fever; all of which  are due to
suppressive  measures.
 69
 CHAPTER  XI.
A CASE  OF ORCHITIS

Orchitis  is a most agonising  complaint  in which the testicles swell, and
sometimes  become ulcerated.  It may  be caused by injury, by
gonorrhoea,  or it may  occur during an attack of mumps. In its most
severe form, however,  it is a comparatively  rare  disorder  in this country
(England).  The doctor who was called  in took a very serious view of this
case,  and gave the victim  only a few days to live. When, after a journey
away  from home, I first  saw the victim ‐ aged  19 ‐ his  bowels  had  not
functioned  for a week, and his kidneys for 72 hours. One side of his
body was swollen as though someone  had  placed half  a football under
the flesh.  His testicles were as large  as tennis  balls, and the glans penis
was 14 inches in length, as solid as a lead pencil and twisted round like
a corkscrew;  moreover,  it had  turned black.  The victim's groans  and
writhings  in agony  were heartrending.  Although for three  days he had
eaten nothing and  had  merely  drunk  pints  of plain water,  the swellings
and  distortions  had only increased,  As he had  passed no urine of his
own to drink, I was obliged  to give him a pint of mine to take.
Two hours after the first draught, the glans penis showed signs  of
becoming  so far normal  that he was able to pass some urine in small
drops ‐ about two egg‐cups  full in all. It was thick, muddy and  as
concentrated  as gruel mixed with blood., very dark and exceedingly
malodourous.  Nevertheless  he drank it without a grimace or a murmur.
Four hours later  he passed  nearly a pint  of the same evil‐looking and
evil‐smelling water; which  he also drank without a grimace. He 70
 informed  me that he could not taste it owing to the state  of his palate
due to the acids  which rose from his stomach.  This, by the way, is liable
to occur  in the course of a fast.
Two hours later  the patient had  a very copious and  offensive stool, the
equal  of which  I have not seen in all the 27 years' experience  I have had
in treating diseases. During the evacuation  some urine was passed
which  the patient subsequently  drank.  Having carried him back to bed,
we found that he could now lie comfortably  stretched  out, whereas,
previously  his knees had  been drawn up to his abdomen,  like people
suffering from peritonitis  or appendicitis.  He was now nearly free from
pain, precisely  eight hours  after he had taken the first  draught of urine.
I now laid cloths soaked in old urine on his abdomen,  chest and  head,
and  bound up his feet and  hands  in a similar manner. He passed more
and  more  water,  and  drank every drop.  His bowels  responded  to the
treatment  and  worked freely  and  painlessly,  the evacuations  being not
unlike discoloured  water.
On the 4th day he passed  22 pints of urine in 24 hours;  all of which  he
drank immediately.
And now came  a set‐back. On the fifth day I was called  to Manchester
on business, and in my absence a friendly doctor induced him to take a
tablespoon  of ground  wheat in water. The result was disastrous.  All
flow of urine ceased,  and  in 16 hours  all the previous  symptoms  had
returned,  though in a slightly less  aggravated  form. There  was  nothing
for it but to begin  the whole treatment  over again.  71
 The patient finally broke his fast  on the 17th day with the juice of one
orange at noon, one whole orange at 2 p.m. and one whole orange at 4
p.m. At 8 p.m. a full glass of fresh  milk. He slept  soundly that night.
From the 18th  to the 25th day his diet consisted  of such foods  as cold
beef, steamed fish, potatoes in their jackets, scrambled  and  poached
eggs, pears  and other fresh  fruits, salads, tomatoes ‐and nothing else.
On the 26th day the patient  was.back at his work,  completely  cured.
That was many years ago. He is now


 experiment (during
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frwhich laboratory animals were forced to fast for
48 hours) made it possible to establish that in the
guinea- pig's organism during this period the
Nampt protein was activated. This protein trig-
gered the synthesis of NAD+ in the cytoplasm,
which in turn determined the synthesis of the
enzymes coded by the  SIRT3 and SIRT4 genes.
These enzymes favorably influence mitochon-
drial function and energy metabolism in the cell,
i.e. they delay aging and prevent apoptosis.
"If we could maintain a high concentration of
NAD+ in the mitochondria, able to stimulate the
SIRT3 and SIRT4 genes, the cell would not n eed
anything else for a while" - said the study au-
thors, who called this phenomenon "mitochon-
drial oasis hypothesis." It can be assumed that
there is a molecule capable of influencing the
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frconcentration of NAD+ in the mitochondria, as
well as in the SIRT3 a nd SIRT4 genes.
Tissue renewal
Doctor of Biological Sciences Professor L. V.
Polezhayev15, the most prominent specialist in
animal limb regeneration, who developed a
method of recovering lost limbs, tails, i.e., in am-
phibians, writes:

15 Polezhayev L. V. (1910 -2000), was a Soviet and Russian biolo-
gist, author of important books about limb regeneration: Stimul-
yatsiya regeneratsiyi myshchtsii serdtsa (Stimulation of heart mus-
cle regene ration) – Moscow, 1965; Utrata i vosstanovleniye regen-
eratsionnoy sposobnosti organov i tkaney u zhivotnykh (Loss and
restoration of the regenerative ability of organs and tissues in ani-
mals) - Moscow, 1968; Transplantatsiya tkaney mozga v norme i
patologi i (Brain tissue transplantation in normal and pathological
conditions), Moscow 1986.

Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.fr“Fasting is a process of intensified physiologi-
cal regeneration, renewal of all cells, their molec-
ular and chemical makeup. Interestingly, the bi-
ochemical changes during fasting and reparative
regeneration are very similar. In both cases,
there are two phases: destruction and  recovery.
In both cases, the destruction phase is character-
ized by the prevalence of decomposition of pro-
tein and nucleic acids over their synthesis, shift
of pH to acidity, acidosis and more. The recov-
ery phase in both cases as well is characterized
by the prevalence of synthesis of nucleic acids
over their decomposition, and a return of pH to
its neutral state. From the teaching on regenera-
tion, we know that the amplification of the de-
struction phase leads to the amplification of the
recovery phase. Ther efore, with sufficient
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frfoundation, we can consider fasting a natural
stimulatory factor of physiological regeneration.
At the basis of fasting there is a biological pro-
cess, which leads to the renewal and rejuvena-
tion of the tissues of the whole body.”

 However, new cells grow especially intensively
during the recovery period. Similar renewal hap-
pens in other organs and tissues, which is why
fasting is an ‘universal doctor’. No surgeon can
remove specific affected tumor or ulcer cells,
while preserving healthy adjacent cells and not
compromising tissue integrity. This is how pre-
cisely hunger, the great physician, heals.

Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.fr8.6. Youth and quality of life extension
Everyone familiar with dry fasting or even with
just water  fasting sees numerous examples of
phys ical rejuvenation achieved during fasting.
Physical improvements are usually accompa-
nied by mental ones. Sometimes hearing is re-
stored in people who have been deaf for many
years. Eyesight becomes so acute that those who
have been wearing glasses for years, don’t need
them anymore (sight restoration in blind people
is extremely rare), the sense of smell and taste
perception become keener, in case of sensory
nerve paralysis, sensory perception gets re-
stored, a burst of energy may be observed, men-
tal capacity  increases, weight decreases, the
body’s functional activity becomes more intense,
eyes become clear and sparkling, complexion
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frimproves and freshness and rosy glow, which are
characteristic of youth, are restored, facial wrin-
kles disappear, blood pressure decreases, heart
performance improves, the enlarged prostate
decreases in size, sexual rejuvenation takes place
— these processes, which are the evidence of re-
juvenation, may be observed by everybody who
has practiced fasting or is familiar with this
probl em. It is as if fasting creates conditions for
a rebirth, a revitalization of the organism. At that
time, all the cells in the body are cleansed, for-
eign substances (metaplasmatic materials) are
removed from the cell protoplasm, so that the
cells are rejuv enated and start to function more
effectively.
Some of these foreign materials are highly toxic
and accumulated long ago in the fatty cells and
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frthe connective tissue cells, figuratively called the
organism’s landfill, that’s why it’s necessary to
remove them from the circulation and metabolic
processes in the body. When the tissues get rid
of these materials, it increases the effectiveness
of the physiological mechanism. Along with the
renewal of the body due to fasting, a certain po-
tential is also created,  which ensures improved
body function after the fast is complete.
Wear and damage, repair and replenishment
are continuous and almost synchronous pro-
cesses in all living organisms. Something is cre-
ated, and something is destroyed. Both of these
processes a re called metabolism, the production
is called anabolism and the destruction – catab-
olism.  Catabolism prevails during periods of
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.fractivity, anabolism – during periods of rest and
sleep.
Anabolism is the process of repairing the body,
when it gets a new burst of energy and prepares
for new activities. This process is dominant dur-
ing the period of active growth and it slows
down somewhat during aging.
It is established that fasting accelerates metab-
olism, and after the end of a fast the anabolic or
construc tive phase develops intensively. Thus,
one can say that a general cleansing of the body
renews the constructive processes of life. It is
true that under experimental conditions this im-
provement in life processes is brief. However, in
most cases this happens because the researchers
can’t manage to bring their patients back (on the
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frpatients’ demand) to anything but their usual
lifestyle after fasting.
A person’s age is the duration of their life. The
term ‘age’ denotes several different aspects of
life: level  of a person’s development (physiologi-
cal age), level of mental development (psycho-
logical age), etc. Any other term or expression
signifying nothing else but chronological age
brings vagueness and confusion of age with the
condition of the body or the ext ent of its growth
and development.
When we say that one person is old at 40, and
another is young at 70, we actually mean their
physical and mental state, and not their age. A
suggestion to use the expression “functional age”
when discussing an individual ’s state, rather
Copyright © Vera Giovanna Bani 2019 www.dryfasting.infoThis Ebook was purchased by Gilberto Franchi email: gilbertofranchi@hotmail.frthan their date of birth, is based on this confu-
sion as well.
It is true that the date of birth tells us nothing
about the state of a given organism or about the
extent of its mental development. These factors
are only indirectly connected


 see that the h igh end of this range is just about right. For most people, I
recommend 80% carbohydrates, or even higher. In fact, if we consume much le ss than 80% of our calories as carbohydrates, we
are destined to consume too much protein, fat, or both—but more likely it wi ll be fat.
Insufficient carbohydrate in the diet leads to an array of health conc erns, primary among which are eating disorders, severe
food cravings, lethargy, weakness, and all of the conditions associated wit h the overconsumption of fats. As we increase protein
intake above ten percent of daily calories, we start seeing low energy a nd increased acid toxemia, a precursor for osteoporosis,
kidney disease, arthritis, immune dysfunction, and cancer. Eating subs tantially more than ten percent of daily calories from fat can
lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and many other ma ladies. Any way you slice it—too few carbohydrates,
too much fat, or too much protein—you will suffer serious health consequ ences.

Sugar: The Fuel We Are Designed For
Before our cells can utilize any food for fuel, whether it contains prim arily carbohydrate, protein, or fat, it must first be
converted into simple sugars. Carbohydrates are by far the easiest to con vert to useful sugars. Glucose (a simple sugar) is the
primary, preferred source of fuel for every tissue and cell of our bodies. In f act, some of our cells (the brain, red blood cells, and
some nervous tissue, for example) depend almost exclusively on glucose a s their fuel source.

Fuel vs. Energy
A major misconception people have about food is that it is a source of energy. Th is fallacy is partly supported by the fact that
in the nutritional sciences, the words “fuel” and “energy” are use d synonymously. The lethargy that follows a holiday meal easily
demonstrates the fault in this line of thinking.
In health sciences however, the term “energy” is defined as a low-v oltage electrical current produced by your brain during
sleep, which runs through your body via your nervous system (also known as v ital nerve energy). When you are awake, you use
nerve energy more rapidly than the brain can produce it. Hence, you event ually run out of energy. After an appropriate period of
hours procuring sleep, you awaken, fully recharged and full of nerve ener gy again.
 On the other hand, food is referred to as “fuel.” W e need to consume fuel for three primary reasons— nutrition, hydration,
and pleasure. Through the process of digestion, we “burn” our fuel (f ood) to release its own energy potential and utilize it for
ourselves. During this complicated process, we receive a net gain in e nergy by using our own nerve energy to release the potential in
food.
To help explain the difference, we can apply the analogy of a car. We have n o difficulty understanding that the fuel in our gas
tank (food) is completely different than the energy supplied from the batt ery of our car (vital nerve energy). Either without the other
is completely useless, but in combination they work to create motion and act ivity.

Humans have little or no capacity for storing excess protein or excess  carbohydrate, but we can convert both to fat stores for
later use as fuel. When we do not eat sufficient carbohydrates to meet ou r fuel needs, our bodies break down stored fats into
glucose through a complex chemical process called gluconeogenesi s (literally, “the creation of new sugar”). While this can be a
lifesaving process in times of hardship, in the absence of sufficient  carbohydrates, gluconeogenesis results in the production of by-
products known as ketones.
Circulating in the bloodstream, ketones adversely affect our decision- making abilities, because they exert an influence upon
brain chemistry similar to that of alcohol. Effectively, a heavy ket otic state renders us “under the influence.” In such a state, we
should not make decisions important to our life and health, such as those made  when driving a car, doing sports, or performing any
work that requires precision of body or mind.

Types of Carbohydrates
The definitions of carbohydrate and its constituents are evolving. Am ong lay people, carbohydrates are thought to fall into two
broad categories, complex and simple. Science recognizes intricate diff erences between the various carbohydrate compounds, and
considerable confusion exists in the literature that describes the m. Here is a simplified summary of terms, which is by no means
definitive; you will find many variations on this list:
Simple sugars (mainly monosaccharides consisting of one sugar molecule and disacch arides made of two monosaccharides).
Primary among these are glucose, fructose, galactose, and dextrose (mon osaccharides), as well as lactose, maltose and
sucrose. They are found in most foods, including fruits, vegetables, milk, an d honey.
Oligosaccharides (short-chain sugars consisting of three to nine sugar molecules) : Oligosaccharides include raffinose,
stachyose, verbascose, fructo-oliogosaccharides, and maltodextrins. Most  renowned for causing the flatulence associated
with beans, some oligosaccharides are entirely indigestible, while ot hers are partially digestible.
Polysaccharides (“complex carbohydrates” that contain 10 or more—as many as several t housand—sugar molecules):
These include starches  (amylose and amylopectin) and dextrins  found in grains, rice, and legumes, as well as nonstarch
polysaccharides, also known as fiber (cellulose, pectin, gums, beta-glucans, and fructans ), found in grains, fruits, and
vegetables.

Together, monosaccharides and disaccharides comprise the “sugars” f ound on the Nutrition Facts portion of food labels.
Monosaccharides are the only carbohydrates that can be absorbed directly i nto the bloodstream, through the intestinal lining. Our
digestive system easily breaks down disaccharides into their monosacc haride constituents.
Simple carbohydrates come in two forms: refined sugars  (extracted from fruits, grains, tubers, and sugar cane) and whole-
food sugars (the sugars found in whole, fresh plant foods, primarily sweet fruits). B oth refined and whole-food simple sugars taste
sweet to the tip of the tongue. Unfortunately, widespread misinformation  and general ignorance about nutrition causes the great
majority of the population to equate simple carbohydrates with the nutrit ionally bankrupt refined sugars. Unaware that whole-fruit
sugar is profoundly different in nature than extracted sugar, these  misguided dieters lump all simple carbohydrates together and then
shun them as a category. Government guidelines and short-sighted nu tritionists perpetuate this misconception, admonishing us to
avoid simple sugars like the plague.
Complex carbohydrates, found in grains and other starchy foods, do not taste swe et, even though they are made from chains
of sugars. Complex carbohydrates are more difficult to digest than simple  carbohydrates. They require substantial amounts of energy
in the conversion to sugar, and eating them cooked generates toxic byproduct s.
Later in this chapter, I discuss each of these broad categories—com plex carbohydrates, whole-food simple carbohydrates,
and refined simple carbohydrates—in some detail.

Two Carbohydrate Camps
Although there are a tremendous number of variations on the theme, two ba sic schools of thought exist regarding what to eat.
There are the low-carbohydrate/high-fat proponents, and then there ar e the supporters of the high-carbohydrate/low-fat approach
to food.

The Low-Carb/High-Fat Faction
In recent decades, high-fat (disguised as low-carb) diets have taken t he country by storm. In response, grocery stores, restaurants,
fast-food chains, airlines, and even doughnut shops have begun marke ting their “low-carbohydrate” options with pride. If the trend
continues, I predict that fat consumption will show a concerted rise by th e next time national statistics are released.
Why? It’s a simple proposition: If your daily caloric “pie” is made  of only three slices (carbohydrate, protein, and fat), and you
decrease one of them, one or both of the other two must increase.
People generally believe that the decrease in carbohydrates i n their “low-carb” meals is offset by an increase in protein. Th is is
incorrect.
As I describe in the protein chapter, only exceedingly rarely does anyone  eat even a quarter of daily calories as protein. The
vast majority of Americans eat about 16% protein each day, and only a very s mall fraction of the population consumes 20% protein
or more.
The balance of our daily calories, at least 80%, must come from some combination of carbohydrates and fat. Essentially, any
decrease in carbohydrates must be accompanied by an increase in fat, ass uming we continue to consume the same number of
calories.
Unfortunately, each gram of fat contains more than twice the calori es of a gram of carbohydrate. So if you eat the same
general quantity of food on a “low-carb” program, you will increase not on ly your percentage of calories from fat but also your total
calories


, hay fever,sinusitis, etc. Though one can then discover specific allergens and try to removethem from the environment or diet, often this case can be solved far more easilyby complete withdrawal from all salt. This rests the adrenals and they mayrecover their full function; almost certainly their function will improve. The asthma,allergies and etc., gradually vanish.
Most of us don’t need to eat salt as a nutrient. There’s enough sodium in one
dill pickle to run a human body for a year. There’s enough natural sodium in manytypes of vegetables to supply normal needs without using table salt. Perhapsathletes or other hard working people in the tropics eating deficient food grownon leached-out depleted soils, people that sweat buckets day after day may needa little extra sodium. Perhaps. Not having practiced in the humid tropics myself, Ihave no definitive answer about this.
Unfortunately, the average American is entirely addicted to salt and thinks food
tastes lousy without it. To please the average consumer, almost all prepared foodscontain far too much salt for someone suffering from exhausted adrenals.Interestingly, Canadians do not like their foods nearly as salty as Americans, andprepared foods like soups and the like in cans and packages that look just like theones in American supermarkets (though with French on the back panel) have tobe reformulated for our northern neighbors. I’ve observed that Canadians aregenerally healthier than Americans in many respects.
We would all be far better off consuming no salt at all. Those with allergies or
asthma should completely eliminate it for a month or two and discover if thatsimple step doesn’t pretty much cure them. The trouble is that bakery bread isroutinely two percent salt by weight. Cheese is equally salted or even more so.Canned and frozen prepared food products are all heavily salted. Restaurantmeals are always highly salted in the kitchen. If you want to avoid salt you almosthave to prepare everything yourself, bake your own bread, abstain from cheese
(though there are unsalted cheeses but even I don’t like the flavor of these), and
abstain from restaurants. My family has managed to eliminate all salt from ourown kitchen except for that in cheese, and we eat cheese rather moderately.
Sugar is a high-caloric non-food with enormous liabilities. First, from the
viewpoint of the universal formula for health, no form of non-artificial sweetenercarries enough nutrients with it to justify the number of calories it contains, noteven malt extract. White refined sugar contains absolutely no nutrients at all; the“good” or “natural” sweets also carry so little nutrition as to be next to useless.Sweets are so far over on the bad end of the Health = Nutrition / Calories scalethat for this reason alone they should be avoided.
However, healthy people can usually afford a small amount of sin; why not
make it sweets? In small quantity, sugars are probably the easiest indiscretion todigest and the least damaging to the organ systems. Although, speaking of sin, asEdgar Guest, the peoples’ poet, once so wisely quipped, (and my husbandagrees) “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.” Sugar is a powerful drug! Peoplewho abuse sweets set up a cycle of addiction that can be very hard to break. Itstarts when the body tries to regulate blood sugar. Kicked up to high levels byeating sugar, the pancreas releases insulin. But that is not the end of the chainreaction. Insulin regulates blood sugar levels but also raises brain levels of anamino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is the raw material the brain uses tomanufacture a neurotransmitter called serotonin. And serotonin plays a huge rolein regulating mood. Higher brain levels of serotonin create a feeling of well-being.Eating sugar gives a person a chemical jolt of happiness. Heavy hits of high-glycemic index starch foods are also rapidly converted to sugar. So don’t giveyour kids sweets! Or huge servings of starch to mellow them out. It is wise not tostart out life a happiness addict with a severe weight problem.
Now that the chemistry of sugar addiction is understood, there currently is a
movement afoot to cast the obese as helpless victims of serotonin imbalances andto “treat” them with the same kinds of serotonin-increasing happy drugs (like
Prozac) that are becoming so popular with the psychiatric set. This promises to
be a multiple billion dollar business that will capture all the money currentlyflowing into other dieting systems and bring it right back to the AMA/drugcompany/FDA nexus. The pitch is that when serotonin levels are upped, thedesire to eat drops and so is weight. This approach is popular with the obesebecause it requires no personal responsibility other than taking a pill that reallydoes make them feel happy. However, the same benefit can be had by strictadherence to a low-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. Eventually, the brain chemistryrebalances itself and serotonin levels stabilize.
Remember, the pancreas has another major service to perform for the body:
secreting digestive enzymes to aid in the digestion of proteins. When the dietcontains either too much protein or too much sugar and/or high-glycemic indexstarch foods, the overworked pancreas begins to be less and less efficient atmaintaining both of these functions.
Sometimes a stressed-out pancreas gets overactive and does too good a job
lowering the blood sugar, producing hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is generallyaccompanied by unpleasant symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision,irritability, confusion, headache, etc. This condition is typically alleviated by yetanother hit of sugar which builds an addiction not only to sugar, but to food ingeneral. If the hypoglycemic then keeps on eating sugar to relieve the symptomsof sugar ingestion, eventually the pancreas becomes exhausted, producing aninsulin deficiency, called diabetes. Medical doctors treat diabetes with insulinsupplements either oral or intramuscular plus a careful diet with very low andmeasured amounts of sugar and starch for the remainder of the persons inevitablyshortened and far less pleasant life. However, sometimes diabetes can becontrolled with diet alone, though medical doctors have not had nearly as muchsuccess with this approach as talented naturopaths. Sometimes, long fasting canregenerate a pancreas. It is far better to avoid creating this disease!
Glycemic Index
(compared to glucose, which is 100)
Grains Fruits V egetables
all bran 51 apples 39 baked beans 40
brown rice 66 bananas 62 beets 64
buckwheat 54 cherries 23 black-eyed peas 33
cornflakes 80 grapefruit 26 carrots 92
oatmeal 49 grapes 45 chic peas 36
shred. wheat 67 orange juice 46 parsnips 97
muesli 66 peach 29 potato chips 51
white rice 72 orange 40 baked potato 98
white spagetti 50 pear 34 sweet potato 48
whole wheat spagetti 42 plum 25 yams 51
sweet corn 59 raisins 64 peas 51
Nuts Baked Goods Sugars
peanuts 13 pastry 59 fructose 20
sponge cake 46 glucose 100
Meats white bread 69 honey 87
sausage 28 w/w bread 72 maltose 110
fish sticks 38 whole rye bread 42 sucrose 59
Dairy Products
yogurt 36 whole milk 34 skim milk 32
The dietary management of hypoglycemia requires that not only refined but
also unrefined sugars and starches with a high glycemic index be removed fromthe diet. (The glycemic index measures the ease with which the starch isconverted into glucose in the body, and estimates the amount of insulin needed tobalance it out.) This means no sugar, no honey, no white flour, no whole grainssweetened with honey, no sweet fruits such as watermelons, bananas, raisins,dates or figs. Potatoes are too readily converted into sugar. Jerusalem artichokesare a good substitute.
People with hypoglycemia can often control their symptoms with frequent
small meals containing vegetable protein every two hours. When a non-sweet fruitis eaten such as an apple, it should be eaten with some almonds or other nut orseed that slows the absorption of fruit sugar. Hypoglycemics can improve theircondition with vitamins and food supplements. See the next chapter.
Allergies to foods and environmental irritants are frequently triggered by low
blood sugar. Mental conditions are also triggered by low blood sugar levels,frequently contributing to or causing a cycle of acting out behavior accompaniedby destruction of property and interpersonal violence, as well as psychosis andbouts of depression. It is not possible to easily deal with the resulting behaviorproblems unless the hypoglycemia is controlled. Unfortunately most institutionssuch as mental hospitals and jails serve large amounts of sugar and starch andusually caffeinated beverages, with a high availability of soda pop, candy, andcigarettes at concessions. If the diet were drastically improved, the drugs given tocontrol behavior in mental hospitals would be much more effective at a lowerdose, or unnecessary.
The insulin-cycle overworked pancreas may eventually not be able to secrete
enough enzymes to allow for the efficient digestion of foods high in protein. Asstated earlier, poor protein digestion leads to a highly toxic condition fromputrefied protein in the intestines. This condition is alleviated by eliminating animalproteins from the diet and taking digestive aids such as pancreatin pills with mealsto assist in the digestion of vegetable proteins.
Food Combining And “Healthfood Junkfood.”
This brings


 living
and break all the rules of health, and commit suicide.
One man, who was only in his late thirties, had acute emphysema.
He began the RBTI diet in the early summer. It was not necessary for him to be in a retreat. He could do his food chemistry at home. By November there was no sign of emphysema in his lungs. I personally instructed him not to go out in inclement weather. He had a poultry farm. I told him it wouldn't make any difference if every chicken he had died, "Don't you go out in bad weather." All of the new cells in the lungs were so young, his lungs were about as delicate as a new-born baby. They had not yet built up the reserve and strength of adult cells. I warned, "If you do go out in inclement weather you could take double pneumonia and you could be dead in 48 hours. DON'T GO OUT!"
He came the first of December for the test and I warned him again.
One cold, wet December day they had some baby chicks come in, it was raining, the wind was blowing, and one of the employees didn't come and he went out to tend to the baby chicks. That night he took pneumonia and 12 hours later was dead. This is suicide. We can't help that. An autopsy was done and the doctors were surprised that there was no emphysema in either lung. 109 Overweight is not the cause of death for anyone. Death results be-
cause the body chemistry is in the wrong range. More people under-
weight, or who have normal weight, die in proportion to overweight people.   110 CHAPTER 15
FADS OR FACTS

I am often asked, "Is this food or that food good for you?" Many times people think I just do not want to tell them. They ask
the RBTI testers if this or that food is good or bad for them, and the testers give the same answer: "I do not know whether it is good or bad for you because we do not have scientific facts to back up our an-swers. Until we have the RBTI test made we do not know whether something is good or bad for anyone, unless it is a no-no, such as in-
temperance on anything, or the unclean meats, or the failure to rest one day in the week, or that we make a garbage can out of our stom-achs, or that we are not drinking enough distilled water."
There are some rules that can be followed which will greatly aid
most adults, or even children, in some respect:
• Eat the heavy carbohydrates early in the morning, unless you are
a diabetic and are instructed differently.
• Eat the large meal, the heavy meal, in the middle of the day. • Eat a very light meal in the evening. • Do not nibble while you are watching television at night because
you will likely find the night sleepless. The lack of sleep has never killed anyone, but worrying about sleep does kill.
• In the American diet most adults eat too much meat and not
enough vegetables. Everyone should have a raw (green, leafy) salad before the main course, at least once a day, twice a day is better, if they wish to stay healthy. Salad dressings may be used if desired.
• People should drink distilled water systematically, and should
keep their body in rhythm. It is very important to have meals on time, or within a half hour one way or the other. There should be a time for a bath eaeh day, and a definite time for your bathroom duties. It is a very good idea to brush your teeth after each meal. In doing this your body gets accustomed to a rhythm, and it is ready for food at a given time. But if it never knows when you are going to take food it throws the body chemistry into confusion, which results in a loss of energy 111 because the body is unprepared for the food that you are eating. Occa-
sionally this is all right, but whenev er it is kept up day after day, week
in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out, anyone
is asking for trouble. Even for men it is a good thing to have a definite time to shave. It makes a world of difference in your whole day to keep your body rhythm as near perfect as possible.
An occasional break in this rhythm will not do any harm. An oc-
casional big meal in the evening w ill not do any harm, but a continual
breaking of these rules will affect your health.
What foods are nourishing to one person will be poison to anoth-
er. There are genetic reasons why this  is true. There is no one food
that I know of that agrees with everyone.
Some advocate there are combinations of foods that one should
not eat, such as acids with alkaline,  milk with acid fruit, etc. This is
taboo. Energy is created by putting acids against alkalines.
In 1973 I recommended a diet for two ladies in the retreat who
were in their seventies. One of them had worked all the days of her life, the other kept house for her. The one who kept house for the other worked tirelessly for her sister. They came to the retreat for a tune-up. They went on a 3-day lemon and water fast.
There was no sweetening in the lemon. They went through a mild
withdrawal. On the fourth day the one who had worked out decided that she could not eat the poached egg and toast for breakfast.
The cook could not change the menu without a written order from
me. The lady said, "Mr. Reams, I am allergic to eggs, I cannot eat eggs. I haven't eaten eggs in forty years. Now you have given me eggs for breakfast."
I got out her record of the past few days, looked it over and said,
"I see no reason why you shouldn't eat eggs. I want you to eat eggs for breakfast."
She said, "They will make me sick." I said, "Good. This is the place, if eggs will make you sick, get
sick. This is why you are here." I knew she was not allergic to eggs.
She did eat the egg and toast. It is very important to know the next
day what the person ate the day before in order to know what foods 112 would give them the most energy in the shortest length of time. That
afternoon I saw her and asked, "Well, are you sick?"
"No," she replied, "I'm not sick. Those were the best eggs I've
eaten in forty years." She wasn't allergic  to them at all. It was all in her
head. She had an idea eggs would make her sick so had not eaten them, and consequently there are minerals in eggs that she needed and were missing in her body chemistry.
A few days later there was a half grapefruit served for breakfast
and a glass of skimmed milk (non-fat). There again she refused to eat the food that was set before her. This time she came to me and was quite excited. "Mr. Reams," she said, "you are supposed to know about foods and this is supposed to  be a health retreat. Don't you know
that you can't mix milk and orange or grapefruit? One is alkaline and one is acid and it will make you sick. Don't you know you can't do that?"
"No," I said, "I don't know that. Nevertheless, this is what you are
going to eat this morning for breakfast."
She said, "It will make me sick." I replied, "Great, go ahead, get sick. Let's find out whether we are
on fads or facts. Here we go by the numbers. You go eat your grape-fruit, and drink your milk. Then we' ll see if you get sick. Please let me
know if you get sick."
I didn't see her again until the next morning. When I asked, "Did
the milk and grapefruit make you si ck?" she replied, "Didn't hurt me
at all. I felt wonderful all day. In fact, I feel better than I have in years."
Many times people have fads that they think are the healthy way
to live, and it is about the worst thing they could do.
There is only one combination that I know of that I do not recom-
mend and that is mixing pears with celery. It won't do any harm, but the juices of each neutralizes the other and not enough energy is given off to do any good. It is almost like water when you put these two juices together.
Some who come to the retreat are surprised and say, "We thought
you ran a health retreat, and you serve coffee!" 113 When people come who drink 12 to 30 cups of coffee a day you
cannot take them off of coffee instantly. It may cause them to have a
heart attack. We take them off of coffee slowly. Coffee is more dan-gerous to stop quickly than cigarettes. I have never known anyone to be harmed by quitting cigarettes instantly, even if they were smoking three packs a day. But I have known people to die that quit coffee in-
stantly when they were drinking 20 cups or more a day. And they did it on their own, it was not on any program that I recommended. They just simply decided to quit.
They became so religious in time th at they quit coffee, and all of a
sudden the heart simply stopped. Caffeine is a stimulant for the heart, and


 no Evidence” to support ANY dental
Treatment on Painless Baby Teeth
Healing Early Childhood Tooth Decay Naturally
Why Do Children Have Cavities?
Dietary Keys for Remineralizing Tooth Decay in Young Children
A Food guide for Halting Childhood Tooth Decay
Vaccines Promote Tooth Decay
How to Prevent Cavities in BabiesWhat You Can Expect from Nutritional Treatments
Monitoring Your Child’s Tooth Decay
A Little More about Early Childhood Tooth Decay
Homeopathic Cell Salts
Pregnancy and Cavities
Breastfeeding and Cavities
Final Thoughts on Remineralizing Your Child’s Tooth Decay
About the Author
How to Order Additional Copies of Cure Tooth Decay
Chapter 11 / Bonus Chapter References* * * Cure
Tooth
DecayGolden Child Publishing
Post Office Box AG
Los Gatos, CA 95031 U.S.A
goldenchildpublishing.com
Copyright © 2011 by Ramiel Nagel.
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written
permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
ISBN–13: 978-0-9820213-2-3
ISBN–10: 0-9820213-2-1
LCCN: 2008933990
Virtually printed and bound in the United States of America
for more information visit
www.curetoothdecay.comCure Tooth Decay Book Description
Forget about drilling, filling, and the inevitable billing. Your teeth can heal naturally because they
were never designed to decay in the first place! They were designed to remain strong and healthy for
your entire life. But the false promises of conventional dentistry have led us down the wrong path,
leading to invasive surgical treatments that include fillings, crowns, root canals and dental implants.
Now there is a natural way to take control of your dental health by changing the food that you eat.
Cure
Tooth Decay
 is based upon the pioneering nutritional program of dentist Weston Price, former head
of research at the National Dental Association. Dr. Price’s program proved to be 90-95% or more
effective in remineralizing tooth cavities utilizing only nutritional improvements in the diet.
Cure
Tooth Decay
is the result of five years of research and trial and error that started as one father’s
journey to cure his daughter’s rapidly progressing tooth decay. With
Cure Tooth Decay
 you will join
the thousands of people who have learned how to remineralize teeth, eliminate tooth pain or
sensitivity, avoid root canals, stop cavities -- sometimes instantaneously, regrow secondary dentin,
form new tooth enamel, avoid or minimize gum loss, heal and repair tooth infections, only use dental
treatments when medically necessary, save your mouth (and your pocketbook) from thousands of
dollars of unneeded dental procedures, and increase your overall health and vitality.
Cure Tooth Decay
 provides you with clear and easy to understand dental facts to help you make
healthy, life-affirming choices about your dental health. It is about healing cavities without dental
surgery or fluoride.
Cure Tooth Decay
 highlights include: conventional dentistry's losing war against
bacteria, why people fear the dentist and what you can do about it, the power of butter to heal teeth,
the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats, specific dietary and meal plans that highlight the
types of foods to eat every day to remineralize teeth, a simple cavity-healing program that is easy to
follow, the cause of dental plaque and an amazing technique to reverse gum disease, safe dental
filling materials, how to find a good minimally invasive dentist, how to prevent root canals, how to
monitor tooth decay at home, toxic vs. non-toxic tooth cleaners, your bite: a hidden cause of cavities,
understanding ideal jaw position and TMJ dysfunction, how to save your wisdom teeth, x-ray proof
that cavities can heal, how to heal children's cavities and find peace, why women get cavities during
pregnancy and how to stop it, and so much more.
Cure Tooth Decay Testimonial Highlights:
Dr. Timothy Gallagher, president of the Holistic Dental Association says, "
Cure Tooth Decay
 is
treasure-trove of wisdom as it takes the mystery out of dental health."
Mike, Oregon. -
“
The practical advice in this book really seems to be reversing my tooth decay!!!
Halleluiah, brother!!!”
Pam Killeen,
NY Times
 bestselling author. – “The protocol in this book is very effective for
preventing and mineralizing cavities.”
David, Idaho. - “This is a very different type of health book, written from the heart. The dietary
advice put forth in this book is not only crucial for preventing tooth decay but for preserving thehealth of the human race.”
Leroy, Utah. – “Thanks a million to Ramiel Nagel for writing this book. Unbelievable!”
Willis, England. - “I am reading your book as fast as I can; it is a real jaw-dropper! Amazing!”
E. Cohen, Florida. – “My teeth have actually re-enameled over the brown spots quite a bit -- I
definitely have had regrowth.”
Author's Disclaimer
This material has been created solely for educational purposes. The author and publisher are not
engaged in providing medical advice or services. The author and publisher provide this information,
and the reader accepts it, with the understanding that everything done or tried as a result from reading
this book is at his or her own risk. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor
responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, damage or injury caused, or alleged to
be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.
About the Weston A. Price, DDS photos
These photographs are currently in print as part of the updated edition of the book
Nutrition and
Physical Degeneration
 published by the Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation.
The use of Weston A. Price, DDS photos is not an endorsement by Price-Pottenger Nutrition
Foundation, the copyright holders, for the accuracy of information presented by the author of this
book
.
For more information contact The Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, which has owned and
protected the documented research of Dr. Price since 1952. Photos and quotations are used with
permission from The Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation,
www.ppnf.org
.
Contact: info@ppnf.org ;
800-366-3748.Foreword By Timothy Gallagher D.D.S. President
of the Holistic Dental Association
We live in stress-filled times which unfortunately includes rising medical and dental costs. I see
people in my practice who have just lost their job or their house. These people turn to modern foods
as a mechanism for coping with their stress, and they wind up with tooth decay. I really understand
the difficulty of their situations, and I endeavor to do my best to help my patients by teaching them
many of the dietary principles outlined in Ramiel Nagel’s landmark book, Cure Tooth Decay. Those
who follow the principles have a high degree of success in halting their cavities and those who don’t
come back to me with more and more cavities.
I have been a practicing dentist for over twenty five years. I am a member of the International
Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, a member of the American Dental Association, a
member of the California Dental Association and a member of the Santa Clara County Dental Society.
For many years I was a member of the Biological Dental Association and for the past four years I
have served as president of the Holistic Dental Association. Dental health is determined by what we
are willing to do for ourselves; it is our responsibility as individuals. Daily food choices we make
have a direct effect on the health of our teeth. But so often when we make the wrong choices and our
teeth take a turn for the worse we tend to blame genetics, germs, or the aging process rather than the
way we live our lives. Accurate information enables us to understand tooth decay’s true causes and to
make better choices in our quest to consume foods that support the health and longevity of our teeth.
Cure Tooth Decay is a treasuretrove of this wisdom as it takes the mystery out of dental health. Here
you have a valuable tool for making the best dental health choices. All that remains is your desire to
use food correctly!
Not long after I graduated from the University of California San Francisco Dental School I found
myself with a very busy and growing dental practice. Then one day my feet went numb. I went to
several doctors and had the problem misdiagnosed several times. Finally, a doctor found that I was
suffering from acute mercury toxicity. I had to have all of my mercury fillings carefully removed
followed by over twenty five intravenous chelations to remove the remaining mercury from my body.
From that moment on I had to practice dentistry in a different way. Most of the mercury-free dentists I
know became mercury free only after suffering the effects of mercury poisoning themselves. In
placing and drilling all of those fillings, dentists are continually exposed to mercury vapors. But the
conventional belief, held by most dentists, is that mercury is not problematic, and they continue to say
and teach that it is safe. I used to be one of those dentists... until I became ill.
Mercury has many effects on the body, it affects the thyroid gland and it is a known neurotoxin. After
my sobering experience with mercury toxicity I became involved in several


2
Multidrug-resistant TB is defined by resistance to the two most effective first-line
drugs, isoniazid and rifampicin.3 When bacteria are resistant to second-line antibi -
otics, they are called extremely resistant. Recently, strains of M. tuberculosis  have
been identified that are resistant to all available antibiotics. This is representative of the major problems of antibiotic resistance and the cause of considerable concern if these strains begin to quickly spread worldwide.
Approximately 3.3% of new multidrug-resistant TB cases are resistant to both
isoniazid and rifampicin, so other drug combinations must be tried. However, most of these drug combinations fail to fully treat TB, and consequently, there is a fun -
damental need to explore alternative anti-TB agents that can kill strains resistant to currently available drugs and for new drugs that are better tolerated and will shorten treatment regimens.
4
DMSO IN MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS
Researchers working in the field of microbiological pharmacotherapeutics are looking to find ways to make first-line antibiotic therapies effective against drug-resistant strains of bacteria. Part of this research is to search for adjunct therapy that can help current antibiotics function more effectively, even in multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria.
Many of the early studies examining the role of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in
multidrug-resistant TB were done by Russian and Polish scientists in the mid-1970s. A summary of these studies details some of the properties observed when DMSO was used as an adjuvant to antibiotics against M. tuberculosis –resistant bacteria or by itself.
In one study, isoniazid-resistant TB bacteria were inoculated into guinea pigs that
were divided into two groups: the first group underwent isoniazid treatment and the second group was treated with a single oral dose of DMSO and isoniazid 2 weeks after inoculation with tubercle bacilli.
5 When control animals died from the bacterial
inoculation after 80 days, samples were taken from liver, lymph nodes, and spleens and cultured and examined microscopically.
5 All guinea pigs treated with DMSO–
isoniazid survived beyond 1 year. Animals not treated with DMSO yielded tubercle bacilli in the collected organs and appeared entirely resistant to isoniazid treatment.
5
These findings indicated that reversion to isoniazid sensitivity by DMSO permitted a cure of the experimental animals infected with an isoniazid-resistant strain of tuber -
cle bacilli, suggesting that this drug combination may be clinically useful in human
 antibiotic-resistant TB.117 DMSO in Clinical Microbiology
A subsequent study by the same investigators replicated the guinea pig experiments
in vitro  by isolating isoniazid- and rifampicin-resistant tubercle bacilli from patients
with pulmonary TB.6 This study consisted of cultures containing 61 strains of tubercle
bacilli resistant to isoniazid and 19 strains resistant to rifampicin. DMSO 5% exposure
to the cultures resulted in 19/61 strains resistant to isoniazid reverted to sensitivity and all 19 rifampicin-resistant strains also reverted to sensitivity after DMSO exposure.
6
The data showed that complete reversion of rifampicin sensitivity was obtained with DMSO and also reversion of some isoniazid-resistant tubercle bacilli strains indicated support for a clinical study of these antibiotics combined with DMSO.
DMSO has also been reported to stabilize rifampicin for periods of up to 8 months
without any loss of potency by this antibiotic.
7
Aside from its preservation of shelf life for many drugs, a common use for DMSO
is its ability to act as a safe and versatile solvent for many antibiotics, including those used for antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
8 There are no data relating to DMSO acting
or synergistically potentiating antibiotic activity when it is used as a solvent.
These findings created much interest among investigators interested in antibiotic-
resistant therapy, and reports soon appeared in an attempt to further examine the ability of DMSO to restore sensitivity to chemotherapeutic compounds used to treat various resistant bacterial strains.
M. tuberculosis  strains, resistant to rifampicin, isoniazid, streptomycin,
paraminosalicylic acid, thioacetozone, ethambutol, and prothionamide, were grown in cultures containing these drugs together with either DMSO at 1% concentration or water.
9 Susceptibility tests were applied, and resensibilization
to ethambutol, streptomycin, and thioacetozone was observed only in DMSO-treated cultures.
9 Moreover, many M. tuberculosis  strains resistant to isoniazid
and all strains resistant to rifampicin became sensitive to these drugs when com -
bined with DMSO.9
The ribosomal subunit 30S is considered a site of action of streptomycin and also
a site of resistance for certain strains of Escherichia coli  and other bacteria. These
mutant germs show an impermeability to streptomycin that confers resistance to the drug’s action.
10 The use of DMSO to overcome E. coli  resistance to streptomycin in
cultures showed that these pathogens decreased their permeability and increased their uptake of streptomycin, thus allowing a killing effect by the antiobiotic.
11 The
effect by DMSO on E. coli  cell membrane with respect to enhanced streptomycin
uptake can only be surmised.
Drug-resistant isolates of Mycobacterium avium–Mycobacterium intracellulare
were isolated and cultured in vitro  in the presence of single drugs alone and in com -
bination with 2.5% DMSO.12 Bacterial isolates were exposed to first-line antibiotics
used for the treatment of TB, including rifampicin, streptomycin, ethambutol, and isoniazid, and all showed a degree of killing power that varied depending on the bac-terial strain, but with the addition of DMSO to each antibiotic, a 26%–30% increase in inhibitory bacterial growth was observed.
12
Thirty-two patients with destructive pulmonary TB were treated with strep -
tomycin and penicillin in 10% and 25% solutions of DMSO through inhala -
tion. Fourteen of the patients showed absence of M. tuberculosis excretion.
Most patients showed improvement, including a decrease in manifestations of 118 Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) in Trauma and Disease
nonspecific endobronchitis, a decrease in the perifocal infiltration, and a decrease
in the dimensions of destruction of lung tissue.12a
These early studies showing the ability of DMSO to enhance antibiotic sensitivity
to drug-resistant pathogens partly introduced the concept of the adjuvant, defined as a compound that could increase the killing power of antibiotics and antimicrobial agents that by themselves failed to inhibit bacterial growth in vitro  or in vivo.
No longer would magic bullets like penicillin create their magic on a growing list
of superbugs; now, it was necessary to find adjuvants that could help fight germs and postpone the day when first-line antibiotics would no longer work.
The superbugs have devised ingenious ways to evolve in order to elude and weaken
antibiotic drug action. The first of these is to increase their membrane permeability, thus preventing the antibiotic to accumulate to toxic levels within the cell. A second way is to make the drug less toxic using special enzymes to reduce drug potency, a third way is to inactivate the antibiotic, and a final way is to follow a metabolic pathway not targeted by the drug.
13
One strategy to get around these neutralizing techniques used by superbugs on
antibiotic monotherapy is to combine two to four different antibiotics in a shot-gun approach. However, the downside produced by multiple drug administration is seri -
ous side-effects and the real possibility of generating more multidrug-resistant bacte -
ria, a therapeutic nightmare. Adjuvants to antibiotics may be more useful if they can either target the bacterial membrane, be more toxic to pathogens, or follow bacte -
rial pathways that can be targeted by antibiotics. This is where DMSO, and similar agents, may become clinically useful, especially in drug-resistant TB.
Globally, an estimated 8.7 million people fell ill due to TB and 1.4 million died
from this disease in 2011.
TB is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide due to a single
infectious agent.
Thus, with almost 9 million new cases each year, TB remains one of the most
feared diseases on the planet. Despite a reduction in incidence in several regions of the planet, TB remains a pandemic of worldwide significance. There is an urgent need to develop better regimens, to shorten treatment, and to effectively manage both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant disease.
TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB
cough, sneeze, or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.
When a person develops active TB, the symptoms they develop, cough, fever,
night sweats, weight loss, chest pains, and weakness, may be mild for many months. This mild beginning of TB can lead to delays in seeking care and may result in
 transmission of the Mycobacterium  to others.
It is estimated that persons who develop TB can infect a dozen other people
through close contact


AndoverStevens B. Acker, M.D.
(DIPL)
Suite D
310 West Central
PO Box 483
Andover, KS 67002
(316) 733-4494
CT,DD,FP,MM,PM
Garden City
Terry Hunsberger, D.O.
(P)
602 North 3rd
PO Box 679
Garden City, KS 67846
(316) 275-7128
BA,CT,FP,NT,OSM,PM
Hays
Roy N. Neil, M.D.
(P)
105 West 13th
Hays, KS 67601
(913) 628-8341
BA,CD,CT,DD,NT,PM
Kansas City
John Gamble, Jr., D.O.
(D/C)
1509 Quindaro
Kansas City, KS 66104
(913) 321-1140
DD,DIA,FP,GP,NT,OSM
KENTUCKY
Berea
Edward K. Atkinson, M.D.
PO Box 3148
Berea, KY 40403
(No Referrals)Bowling Green
John C. Tapp, M.D.
(P)
414 Old Morgantown Road
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(502) 781-1483
CT,GYN,MM,P,PD,RHU
Louisville
Kirk Morgan, M.D.
(DIPL)
9105 U.S. Highway 42
Louisville, KY 40059
(502) 228-0156
CD,CT,FP,MM,NT,YS
Nicholasville
Walt Stoll, M.D.
(P)
6801 Danville Road
Nicholasville, KY 40356
(606) 233-4273
CT,FP,NT,PM
Somerset
Stephen S. Kiteck, M.D.
(P)
1301 Pumphouse Road
Somerset, KY 42501
(606) 678-5137
FP,IM,PD,PM
LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge
Steve Kuplesky, M.D.
5618 Bayridge
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
(No Referrals)
ChalmetteSaroj T. Tampira, M.D.
(P)
812 East Judge Perez
Chalmette, LA 70043
(504) 277-8991
CD,DD,DIA,IM
Mandeville
Roy M. Montalbano, M.D.
(P)
4408 Highway 22
Mandeville, LA 70448
(504) 626-1985
CT,FP,NT,PM
Natchitoches
Phillip Mitchell, M.D.
(P)
407 Bienville Street
Natchitoches, LA 71457
(318) 357-1571 or (800) 562-6574
FP
Newellton
Joseph R. Whitaker, M.D.
(P)
PO Box 458
Newellton, LA 71357
(318) 467-5131
CT,GP,IM
New Iberia
Adonis J. Domingue, M.D.
(D/C)
Suite 600
602 North Lewis
New Iberia, LA 70560
(318) 365-2196
GP
New Orleans
James P. Carter, M.D.
(P)1430 Tulane Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 588-5136
GP,NT,PM
Shreveport
R. Denman Crow, M.D.
(P)
Suite 222
1545 Line Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71101
(318) 221-1569
A,FP,GP,GYN,PM,PUD
MAINE
Van Buren
Joseph Cyr, M.D.
(P)
62 Main Street
Van Buren, ME 04785
(207) 868-5273
CT,GP,OBS
MARYLAND
Laurel
Paul V. Beals, M.D.
(P)
Suite 205
9101 Cherry Lane Park
Laurel, MD 20708
(301) 490-9911
CT,FP,NT,PM
Pikesville
Alan R. Gaby, M.D.
(P)
31 Walker Avenue
Pikesville, MD 21208
(410) 486-5656GP,NT,PM,YS
Silver Spring
Harold Goodman, D.O.
(P)
Suite 405B
8609 Second Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 881-5229
AC,AU,CT,OS,PMR
MASSACHUSETTS
Barnstable
Michael Janson, M.D., F.A.C.A.M.
(DIPL)
275 Mill Way
PO Box 732 Barnstable, MA 02630
(508) 362-4343
FAX (617) 661-8651
A,CD,CT,NT,OME,YS
Cambridge
Michael Janson, M.D., F.A.C.A.M.
(DIPL)
2557 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 661-6225
FAX (617) 661-8651
A,CD,CT,NT,OME,YS
Hanover
Richard Cohen, M.D.
(DIPL)
Suite 1
51 Mill Street
Hanover, MA 02339
(617) 829-9281
A,CD,CT,NT,PM,YS
LowellSvetlana Kaufman, M.D.
(P)
Suite 323
24 Merrimack Street
Lowell, MA 01852
(508) 453-5181
A,AC,GER,GP,PM,RHI
Newton
Carol Englender, M.D.
(P)
1340 Centre Street
Newton, MA 02159
(617) 965-7770
A,EM,FP,NT,PM
West Boylston
N. Thomas La Cava, M.D.
(D/C)
Suite 107
360 West Boylston Street
West Boylston, MA 01583
(508) 854-1380
NT,PD,PM
Williamstown
Ross S. McConnell, M.D.
732 Main Street
Williamstown, MA 01267
(413) 663-3701
DD,HO,NT,PM
MICHIGAN
Atlanta
Leo Modzinski, D.O., M.D.
(DIPL)
100 West State Street
Atlanta, MI 49709
(517) 785-4254
FAX (517) 785-2273BA,CT,FP,GP,NT,OSM
Bay City
Doyle B. Hill, D.O.
(P)
2520 North Euclid Avenue
Bay City, MI 48706
(517) 686-5200
A,CT,FP,GP,NT,OSM
Farmington Hills
Paul A. Parente, D.O.
(DIPL)
30275 Thirteen Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(313) 626-9690
BA,CT,GP,PM
Albert J. Scarchill, D.O.
(DIPL)
30275 Thirteen Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(313) 626-9690
BA,CT,FP,GP,MM,OSM,PM
Flint
William M. Bernard, D.O.
(P)
1044 Gilbert Street
Flint, MI 48532
(313) 733-3140
A,CT,FP,GER,OSM,PM
Kenneth Ganapini, D.O.
(P)
1044 Gilbert Street
Flint, MI 48532
(313) 733-3140
FP,GP,OSM,PM,YS
Grand Haven
E. Duane Powers, D.O.
(DIPL)
PO Box 170Grand Haven, MI 49417
(Retired)
Grand Rapids
Grant Born, D.O.
(DIPL)
2687 - 44th Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
(616) 455-3550
A,CT,FP,GYN,PM,PMR
Linden
Marvin D. Penwell, D.O.
(DIPL)
319 South Bridge Street
Linden, MI 48451
(313) 735-7809
A,CT,FP,GE,GYN,OSM
Pontiac
Vahagn Agbabian, D.O.
(P)
Suite 1105
28 North Saginaw Street
Pontiac, MI 48058
(313) 334-2424
CT,DD,DIA,GER,IM,OME
St. Clair Shores
Richard E. Tapert, D.O.
(DIPL)
23550 Harper
St. Clair Shores, MI 48080
(313) 779-5700
CT,GP,NT,PM
Williamston
Seldon Nelson, D.O.
(P)
4386 North Meridian Road
Williamston, MI 48895
(517) 349-2458AR,CT,GP,NT,OSM
MINNESOTA
Minneapolis
Michael Dole, M.D.
(D/C)
Suite


 officinale, p. 155), protect
against infection. Astringents, e.g., bistort ( Polygonum
bistorta, p. 253), tighten up the inner lining of the intestines
and create a protective coating over them. Bitters,  e.g.,
wormwood ( Artemisia absinthium, p. 66),
stimulate secretion of digestive
juices by the stomach and
intestines. Carminatives,  e.g.,
sweet flag ( Acorus calamus,
p. 57), relieve gas and cramps.
Cholagogues,  e.g, fringe tree
(Chionanthus virginicus,
p. 188), improve the flow of bile into
the intestines. Choleretics,  e.g., artichoke ( Cynara scolymus,
p. 199), stimulate secretion of bile by the liver. Demulcents,
e.g., psyllium ( Plantago  spp., p. 123), soothe the digestive
system and protect against acidity and irritation.
Hepatics,  e.g., bupleurum ( Bupleurum chinense,
p. 72), prevent liver damage. Laxatives,
e.g., senna  (Cassia senna, p. 75),
stimulate bowel movements.
Stomachics,  e.g., cardamom
(Eletteria cardamomum, p. 93),
protect and support
the stomach.Musculoskeletal system
Analgesics,  e.g., yellow jasmine ( Gelsemium empervirens,
p. 216), relieve joint and nerve pain. Anti-
inflammatories,  e.g., white willow ( Salix alba, p. 129),
reduce swelling and pain in joints. Antispasmodics,  e.g.,
cinchona ( Cinchona  spp., p. 80), relax tense
and cramped muscles.Urinary system
Antiseptics, e.g., buchu ( Barosma betulina, p. 71),
disinfect the urinary tubules. Astringents,  e.g.,
horsetail ( Equisetum arvense, p. 205), tighten and
protect the urinary tubules. Diuretics,  e.g. cornsilk
(Zea mays, p. 154), stimulate the flow of urine.Endocrine glands
Adaptogens,  e.g., ginseng ( Panax ginseng,
p. 118), help the body adjust to external pressures
and stress. Hormonally active herbs,  e.g., chaste tree
(Vitex agnus-castus, p. 151), stimulate production of
sex and other hormones. Emmenagogues,  e.g.,
black cohosh ( Cimicifuga racemosa, p. 79),
encourage or regulate menstruation.Respiratory system
Antiseptics and antibiotics,  e.g., garlic ( Allium
sativum, p. 59), help the lungs resist infection.
Expectorants,  e.g., elecampane ( Inula helenium,
p. 107), stimulate the coughing up of mucus.
Demulcents,  e.g., coltsfoot ( Tussilago farfara,
p. 278), soothe irritated membranes.
Spasmolytics,  e.g., visnaga ( Ammi visnaga, p. 62),
relax bronchial muscles.Immune system
Immune modulators,  e.g., echinacea ( Echinacea
spp. p. 92) and pau d’arco ( Tabebuia  spp.,
p. 139), encourage the immune system to
ward off infection. Skin
Antiseptics,  e.g., tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia, p. 112),
disinfect the skin. Emollients,  e.g., marshmallow
(Althea officinalis, p. 165), reduce itchiness, redness,
and soreness. Astringents, e.g., witch hazel
(Hamamelis virginiana, p. 102), tighten the skin.
Depuratives,  e.g., burdock ( Arctium lappa, p. 65),
encourage removal of waste products. Healing and
vulnerary herbs,  e.g., comfrey ( Symphytum officinale,
p. 138) and calendula ( Calendula officinalis, p. 73), aid
the healing of cuts, wounds, and abrasions.Herbs & Body Systems
One of the most common ways of classifying medicinal plants is to identify their actions, for example whether they are
sedative, antiseptic, or diuretic, and the degree to which they affect different body systems. Herbs often have a pronounced
action on a particular body system, for example a plant that is strongly antiseptic in the digestive tract may be less so in the
respiratory tract. Examples of how herbs work on the body are given below.
Calendula
(Calendula officinalis)
Cayenne
(Capsicum frutescens)
Sweet Flag
(Acorus calamus)Garlic
(Allium sativum)
Ginseng
(Panax ginseng)Echinacea
(Echinacea spp.)
Cornsilk
(Zea mays)
White Willow
(Salix alba)Rosemary
(Rosmarinus officinalis)
Senna
(Cassia senna)
US_010-013_How_Medicinal_Plants_work.indd   13 26/02/16   4:42 pm
14
The developmen T of herbal medicinePhenols
Phenols are a very varied group
of plant constituents ranging from
salicylic acid, a molecule similar
to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), to complex sugar-containing phenolic glycosides. Phenols are often anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, and
are thought to be produced by plants to protect against infection  and feeding by insects. Phenolic acids, such as rosmarinic acid,
are strongly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and can also have antiviral properties. Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens, p. 215)
and white willow (Salix alba, p. 129) both contain salicylates. Many mint family members contain phenols—for example, the strongly antiseptic thymol, found in thyme (Thymus vulgaris, p. 143).
Volatile Oils
Volatile oils—which are extracted
from plants to produce essential oils—are some
of the most important medicinally active plant constituents, and are  also used widely in perfumery. They are complex mixtures often of 100 or more compounds, mostly made up of monoterpenes—molecules containing 10 carbon atoms. Essential oils have many uses. Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia, p. 112) is strongly antiseptic, while sweet gale oil (Myrica gale, p. 238) is an effective insect repellent. On distillation, some essential oils contain compounds not found in the volatile oil—chamazulene, found in German chamomile (Chamomilla recutita, p. 77) essential oil, is anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic.
Resins—sticky oily substances that seep from plants, for example from the bark of Scots
pine (Pinus sylvestris, p. 249)—are often
linked with essential oils (oleoresins) and
gums (see Polysaccharides), though they
are nonvolatile. Active Constituents
The medicinal effects of certain plants are well known. German chamomile, for example, has been
taken to soothe digestive problems for thousands of years, and aloe vera was known to Cleopatra as  a healing skin remedy. It is only relatively recently, however, that active constituents responsible for the medicinal actions of plants have been isolated and observed. Knowing a little about the chemicals contained in plants helps you to understand how they work within the body.
Flavonoids
Found widely throughout
the plant world, flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that act  as pigments, imparting color, often yellow or white, to flowers and fruits. They have a wide range of actions and many medicinal uses. They are antioxidant and especially useful in maintaining healthy circulation. Some flavonoids also have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and liver-protective activity. Flavonoids such as hesperidin and rutin, found in many plants, notably buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum,  p. 210) and lemon ( Citrus limon, p. 82), strengthen capillaries
and prevent leakage into surrounding tissues. Isoflavones,  found for example in red clover ( Trifolium pratense,
p. 277), are estrogenic and valuable in treating
menopausal symptoms.
Tannins
T annins are produced to a greater or lesser degree by all plants. The harsh, astringent taste of tannin-laden bark and leaves makes them unpalatable to insects and grazing animals. T annins are polyphenolic compounds that contract and astringe tissues of the body by binding with and precipitating proteins—hence their use to “


treating nervous irritability, depression, anxiety,
and difficulty in sleeping. It may also be taken for
epilepsy, migraine, and whooping cough. The herb
has been traditionally taken to increase breast-milk
production. Applied externally, sweet basil leaves
act as an insect repellent. The juice from the leaves
brings relief to insect bites and stings. Sweet basil
has an established antibacterial action.
Related Species  See also holy basil ( Ocimum
tenuiflorum, p. 116). Bush basil ( O. basilicum var.
minimum ) has a much milder action than sweet basil,
and is used to relieve cramping pain and flatulence.
Caution Sweet basil essential oil should not be
taken internally.
Self-help Use  Minor bites, stings & swellings,
p. 303. may prove helpful in conditions as diverse as dry
eyes and multiple sclerosis.
Caution  Do not take evening primrose oil if
suffering from epilepsy.
Olea europaea (Oleaceae)
Olive
Description  Evergreen tree growing to 33 ft
(10 m). Has a deeply grooved gray trunk, small
leathery leaves, clusters of small greenish-white
flowers, and a green fruit ripening to black.
Olive harvesting is carried out in many groves much
as it was centuries ago.
Sweet basil  is a mildly
sedative herb with
antibacterial properties.Habitat & Cultivation  Olive trees grow wild
in the Mediterranean region and are cultivated in
Mediterranean countries and in regions with a
similar climate in the Americas. The leaves may
be gathered throughout the year, the fruit in late
summer. The leaves of wild trees are believed to
contain a higher concentration of active principles.
Parts Used  Leaves, oil.
Constituents  Olive leaves contain oleoropine,
olesterol, and leine. Olive oil contains about 75%
oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid.
History & Folklore The olive was probably first
cultivated in Crete around 3500 bce. The tree has
many symbolic associations: the olive branch is an
emblem of peace, and the leaves crowned victors in
the ancient Olympic Games. The leaves have been
used since those times to clean wounds. The oil has
been used for ritual anointing in some religions.
Medicinal Actions & Uses  Olive leaves lower
blood pressure and help to improve the function of
the circulatory system. They are also mildly diuretic
and may be used to treat conditions such as cystitis.
Possessing some ability to lower blood-sugar levels,
the leaves have been taken for diabetes. The oil is
nourishing and improves the balance of fats within
the blood. It is traditionally taken with lemon juice
in teaspoonful doses to treat gallstones. The oil has
a generally protective action on the digestive tract
and is useful for dry skin.Oenothera biennis (Onagraceae)
Evening Primrose
Description  Biennial herb growing to 8 in
(20 cm). Has red blotches on stem, crinkled lance-
shaped leaves, 4-petaled yellow flowers, and
elongated seed capsules.
Habitat & Cultivation  Native to North
America, evening primrose is now commonly
found in many temperate zones around the world.
It thrives in open areas, especially in dunes and
sandy soil. Evening primrose is grown commercially
for its seed oil.
Parts Used  Leaves, stem bark, flowers, seed oil.
Constituents  Evening primrose oil is rich in
essential fatty acids—linoleic (about 70%) and
gammalinolenic acid (about 9%) in particular. Its
action mostly depends on the gammalinolenic acid
(GLA), which is a precursor of prostaglandin E1.
The oil is often combined with vitamin E to
prevent oxidation.
Medicinal Actions & Uses  The flowers,
leaves, and stem bark of evening primrose have
astringent and sedative properties. All
three parts have been employed in
the treatment of whooping cough.
Evening primrose has also been
taken for digestive problems and
asthma, and used as a poultice to
ease the discomfort of rheumatic
disorders. The oil, applied externally, is
beneficial in the treatment of
eczema, certain other itchy skin
conditions, and breast tenderness.
T aken internally, the oil has an effect
in lowering blood pressure, and in
preventing the clumping of platelets.
The oil is now commonly taken for
premenstrual problems, including
tension and abdominal bloating, and Evening
primrose
US_224-245_Jasmine_Harmala.indd   241 26/02/16   12:47 pm
242Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae)
Prickly Pear
Description  Perennial cactus growing to 10 ft
(3 m). Has large spatula-shaped stems covered
in clusters of spines, brilliant yellow flowers, and
roundish purple fruit.
Habitat & Cultivation  Prickly pear is native
to Mexico and naturalized in semitropical regions around the world. The fruit is harvested when ripe, the stems when required.
Parts Used  Flowers, fruit, stems.
Constituents  The fruit contains mucilage, sugars,
vitamin C, and other fruit acids.
History & Folklore  Prickly
pear fruit is used to make conserves and an alcoholic drink in Mexico. The split stems have been bound around injured limbs as a first-aid measure.
Medicinal Actions
& Uses  Prickly pear flowers
are astringent and reduce bleeding, and are used
for problems of the gastrointestinal tract—particularly diarrhea, colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. The flowers are also taken to treat an enlarged prostate gland. The fruit is nutritious.OnO nis spinO saOther medicinal plantsResearch  Clinical trials have shown that olive
leaves lower blood pressure.
Self-help Uses Cradle cap, p. 318; Stretch
marks, p. 317.
Ononis spinosa (Fabaceae)
Spiny Restharrow
Description  Spiny perennial with 3 small leaflets
per leaf, bright pink, pea-like flowers, and small  seed pods.
Habitat & Cultivation  A relatively common
European plant, spiny restharrow thrives in dry grassland and along roadsides.
Part Used  Root.
Constituents  Spiny restharrow root contains
phenols, lectins, triterpenoids, and a volatile oil (comprising mainly trans-anethole). The volatile oil in the root is diuretic; the non-volatile oil content is antidiuretic. A decoction of the root has an antidiuretic effect, as the volatile oil is lost in the steam. If a diuretic is desired, the root is made into an infusion.
Medicinal Actions & Uses  The root is used as
a diuretic and to prevent kidney and bladder stones. It is of value in a range of urinary system problems, including stones, gout, and cystitis. For excess fluid retention, spiny restharrow is best taken as a short-term treatment, in the form of an infusion.Medicinal Actions & Uses  Mainly used
as a culinary herb, sweet marjoram is also medicinally valuable due to its stimulant and antispasmodic properties. Like oregano
(O. vulgare, following entry), it treats flatulence,  colic, and respiratory problems, but it appears
to have a stronger effect on the nervous system than its wild cousin. Sweet marjoram is a good general tonic, helping to relieve anxiety,headaches, and insomnia. The herb is also thought to lower sexual drive.
Cautions  Do not take as a medicine during
pregnancy. Do not take sweet marjoram essential oil internally.
Origanum majorana
syn. Majorana hortensis (Lamiaceae)
Sweet Marjoram
Description  Woody perennial herb growing
to 20 in (50 cm). Has aromatic oval leaves and
pinkish-white flowers emerging from the  upper leaf axils.
Habitat & Cultivation  Sweet marjoram is
native to countries bordering the Mediterranean.  It is much cultivated as a culinary herb, and for its essential oil.
Parts Used  Aerial parts, essential oil.
Constituents  Sweet marjoram
contains about 3% volatile oil (comprising sabinene hydrate, sabinene, linalool, carvacrol, and other terpenes), flavonoids, caffeic and rosmarinic acid, and triterpenoids.
History & Folklore  In 1597, the
herbalist John Gerard made this assessment: “Sweet marjoram is a remedy against cold diseases of the braine and head, being taken anyway
to your best liking; put up into the nostrils it  provokes sneesing, and draweth forth much baggage flegme; it easeth the toothache being chewed in the mouth.”Origanum vulgare (Lamiaceae)
Oregano,
Wild Marjoram
Description  Upright perennial herb
growing to about 32 in (80 cm). Has square
red stems, elliptical leaves, and clusters of deep
pink flowers.
Habitat & Cultivation  Oregano is native
to Europe and naturalized in the Middle East.


,
113
Peristalsis,
64–65
Persistence,
113
Physiological compensation,
35–36
Physiological rest,
36
,
48
,
76
Physiology,
70
Pituitary gland,
125
,
126
Plants in food scarcity,
26
Pleurisy,
89
Pneumonia,
41
,
83
,
89
,
90
,
105
Poise, emotional,
80
Pope Leo XIII,
91
Post-fasting period
food,
64–70
new habits,
67–70
supervision,
63–67
Pregnancy,
165–167
fasting in,
51
,
166
,
167
nature’s supervision,
166
,
167
Processes, functional,
47
,
48
listed,
48
Proctitis,
134
Progression of disease,
96
 (See Disease, evolution of)
Prognosis, favorable,
159–160
Prostatic disorders,
144
cause,
145
,
146
effects,
144
fasting,
70
,
146
,
147
relapse,
146
,
147
159surgery,
146
Prostatitis,
146
Proteins,
22
,
29
,
66
,
68
,
69
,
78
,
79
,
80
,
102
Psoriasis and Eczema,
140
,
143
bathing,
142
,
143
causes,
141
dietetic errors,
142
fast, supervised,
140
Psychosis, depressive,
135
Psychotics,
135
Putrefaction,
83
,
111
,
139
Pyloric inflammation,
119
Pylorus,
114
,
118
,
119
Rabogliati, A.,
21
Rally—Relapse,
40–41
Raynaud's disease,
46
Recovery,
67–68
,
113
,
119
full,
102
,
153–154
partial,
151
Recuperation,
66
Regeneration,
29
,
75–76
Rejuvenation,
29
,
36
,
71–72
,
75–77
Rest,
59–60
,
92
mental,
59
physical,
36
,
59
,
100
physiological,
35
,
48
,
80
 (See Fasting)
sensory,
60
Rickets,
29
Rules of hygiene,
33
,
50
,
53
,
59
,
119
Salad,
66
,
69
Salt (Sodium chloride),
129
,
130
Satiety,
111
,
153
Scar tissue,
119
Sciatica,
110
,
147
Sclerosis,
100
,
131
 (See also Multiple Sclerosis)
Scurvy,
29
Self-control,
22
,
63
,
113
Self-repair,
73
Sex,
71
,
114
,
125
sexual excesses,
114
,
125
,
145
,
153
Shelton, H. M.
160first fast,
59
longest fast,
19
,
53
own fasts,
23–24
supervisor,
19
,
41
,
53
teenage anecdote,
34
Singh, Tara,
76
Sinusitis,
20
,
93
,
94
Soft drinks,
67
,
82
,
83
Spasma,
84
Spontaneous remissions,
100
Starvation,
17–18
,
30
,
31
,
43
,
81
cases,
43–45
Stasis,
116
,
130
renal,
130
Steinach,
77
Stenosis,
146
Sterility,
164
,
165
absolute,
165
overcome,
165
Stimulation,
60
,
84
Stones,
111
,
159
 (See Calculi)
Strangury,
146
Strength returns,
41
 (See Fasting)
Sufferer,
62
,
63
,
81
Sunbathing,
61–62
,
80
,
102
,
107
Sweet fruits,
70
,
82
Symptoms,
96
,
114
,
120
,
135
,
151–152
distal,
96
oculoplegic.
120
proximal,
96
psychic,
120
Systemic impairment,
125
Systems of the body at rest,
36
names of,
36
Tanner, Henry S.,
16
Tea,
110
,
125
,
127
,
147
Tensions,
125
Terminal cases,
45
,
63
Thyroid gland,
125
,
126
Tic douloureux,
46
Tilden, John H.,
36
,
46
,
95
,
96
,
114
Tissue, fatty,
78
161Tobacco,
33
,
105
,
110
,
125
,
147
,
149
,
154
Tonsils enlarged,
83
Toxemia,
96
,
106
,
110
,
123
Toxemic supersaturation,
74
,
89
,
123
Tremors,
151
,
152
,
154
,
162
in Parkinson’s,
151
in other diseases,
151
Tuberculosis,
63
,
96
Tumor, cancerous,
39
Tumors (neoplasms, benign),
162
,
163
classified,
162
fasting,
162
,
163
breast,
162
absorption, rate of,
163
growth,
163
Ulceration,
114
,
115
,
116
Ulcers,
113
,
116
cause,
115
development,
116
fasting for,
118–119
gastric,
114
,
115
other,
115
symptoms,
114
treatment,
117–118
varicose,
45
,
115
Underfeeding,
29
Unsolved question,
74
Underweight,
79
,
81
cause,
79
fasting,
79–80
total hygiene for,
80
Urticaria,
45
Vetrano, Dr. Virginia,
64
Vitamins,
29
,
68
,
70
,
82
,
91
Vomiting,
56–57
,
83
,
84
,
120
,
165
,
166
Voronoff,
77
Walter, Robert,
35
Water, temperature of
bathing,
61
,
150
drinking,
61
,
84
,
150
162Weakness
feeling of,
40
,
56
real,
152
Weger, George S.,
45
,
46
,
94
,
119
,
121
,
159
Weight gain,
66
,
77–80
Weight loss,
24
,
35
,
56
,
63
,
67
exercise permitted during fast,
25–26
experiments,
24
rate of,
24
seven advantages in fasting,
23
supervision,
22
,
26
When, where and how to fast (See Fasting)
WHO,
148
,
149
Wilsons's disease,
152
X-ray, inconclusive,
114
Youth, protracted,
77
163About the Author
No one was
ever better qualified to write a book about fasting for health. Having supervised
more fasts than anyone in recent history, Herbert M. Shelton ranks among the foremost authorities
on this subject. For over fifty years, he managed his own institution where people from all parts of
the world, in varying states of health and impairment, came to fast and learn how to preserve
health.
Born in 1895, Herbert M. Shelton was a persistent and uncompromising student and teacher of
Natural Hygiene. Early in life, he discovered the errors and inconsistencies of all the various
therapeutic systems and began to explore, on his own, the ramifications of the fact that health is
maintainable only by healthful living.
A prolific writer, he authored innumerable articles and more than 40 books. He was both editor
and publisher of the
Hygienic Review
 from 1939–1980. For more than 50 years he was the
director of Dr. Shelton’s Health School. Here he pursued his foremost goal of eliminating peoples’
fear and ignorance of disease and teaching them how they could help themselves to the health
which is their birthright.
164Learn how to live the health