urt and cheeses. As the gut flora gets estab
lished and the digestive system heals many GAPS patients are able to digest
milk protein without absorbing it in an opiate-like form of casomorphin.
However, all patients are different Some are ready for this step in a few
months, some require much longer. It is critical to proceed very carefully and
slowly, introducing milk protein containing foods one at a time and starting
from tiny amounts watching for any reaction. Any signs of regression in a
child or an adult with GAPS would indicate that he/she is not ready. It may
be an increase in self-stimulation and worsening of eye-contact, sleep dis
turbances and increase in anxiety, mood alterations and hyperactivity,
eczema flare-up or worsening in allergies. Every patient would have symp
toms typical for him or her. Generally from clinical experience I can say that
the younger the patient is the sooner he or she is ready for this step. Adults on average take longer than children. In some cases dairy proteins have to be
avoided indefinitely, particularly in long standing cases of schizophrenia
and cases complicated by epilepsy, asthma and eczema.
The first protein containing milk product that can be introduced is
home-made yoghurt. Why home-made? Because commercially produced
yoghurts are often not completely lactose-free due to short fermentation
time. Yoghurt has to be fermented for 24 hours at least to be completely lac
tose-free. So initially the only yoghurt which the GAPS child or adult can
have has to be home-made (look in the recipe section for instructions on
how to make yoghurt). Apart from consuming lactose the fermenting bac
teria pre-digest milk proteins, making them easier for our digestive sys
tems to handle. That is why fermented milk products in general are much
easier for us humans to digest.
There is a question about what is the best milk to use for making yoghurt
- cow's or goat's. There are some other rare milk products on the market,
like sheep and deer, which are not researched to any degree yet and are not
practical to discuss here. Goat's milk is considered to be more digestible by
humans as it contains less casein and different types of fats and proteins.
However, when it comes to beta-casein, which is supposed to be the prob
lem for autistic and schizophrenic patients, the goat's milk contains more of
it compared to cow's milk. Unfortunately, there is not much scientific data
on this subject for us to rely on. However, in a clinical setting patients do
report that goat's milk is much better tolerated than cow's milk. So, initially
I recommend making your yoghurt from goat's milk rather than cow's milk.
If it is not possible to find goat's milk in your area try to make yoghurt from
cow's milk, as indeed Elaine Gottschall used to treat her child and thou
sands of other patients very effectively. A very important point here is to use
only organic milk, as there is a noticeable difference in the clinical observa
tions of the effects of non-organic and organic yoghurt. People who react to
non-organic yoghurt often tolerate an organic one perfectly well, because
non-organically reared animals have to consume a whole array of chemi
cals from antibiotics to pesticides, most of which finish up in the milk.
It is important to introduce home-made yoghurt gradually, starting from
one tea spoon a day slowly increasing the daily amount to one or two cups
a day. It can be added to home-made soups and stews, served as a desert
with fruit and honey or mixed with fruit smoothies and drinks. You can
drain it through a cheese cloth to produce cottage cheese. It gives a nice
variety to the diet. However, I would repeat that the patient's digestive
system has to be ready for it! So, do not rush with this step! Once the GAPS patient can tolerate home-made yoghurt without any
problem natural organic cheese can be tried. It has to be said that cheese is
one of the more difficult dairy products to introduce as it provides a very
concentrated milk protein. Cheese is also a great breeding ground for
yeasts and moulds, which a lot of GAPS people can not tolerate. Some
GAPS patients find that they can have home-made yoghurt without any
problem but can never have cheese. However, in the majority of cases, pro
viding that their digestive system had a good chance to heal, the GAPS chil
dren and adults can enjoy a good variety of natural cheeses, like cheddar,
dry curd cheese and others (for a full list look at the end of this chapter). As
with yoghurt introduce cheeses one at a time, starting from a very small
amount (no more than one mouthful) and watching the patient's reaction.
In a few months after safely introducing cheese many patients find that
their digestive system is in a good enough state to handle commercially
produced live natural yoghurt (with no additives), soured cream and
cr&me fresh. At the end of the second year on the diet, fresh cream can be
added to the list.
How to introduce dairy products - the summary
Stepi,  Only home-made ghee is allowed. This stage lasts on average six
months. If your GAPS patient can not tolerate ghee, you may find that
this patient will never tolerate any dairy product. However, it is worth
leaving it out for six months and then trying again to introduce it.
Step  2. Organic butter can be added gradually. Watch for any reactions.
Step  3. Home-made yoghurt can be introduced, starting from one tea
spoon a day and gradually increasing the daily amount. If there is any
negative reaction, wait for a month then try again. The majority of GAPS
patients are ready for this step at the end of the first year on the diet.
Step  4. Try a mouthful of organic cheddar cheese with a meal. Watch for
any negative reaction for three to five days, as the reaction may be
delayed. If there is no negative reaction, gradually increase the amount.
Once the cheddar cheese is well tolerated, try to introduce another
natural cheese (for a full list of allowed cheeses look at the end of the
chapter). Introduce this step only after home-made yoghurt is well
tolerated.
Step  5. Try some commercially available live natural yoghurt, soured
cream and creme fraiche. Do not rush with this step. The majority of
GAPS people are ready for this step by the end of two years on the diet. After two years on the diet a lot of GAPS people find that on an occasional
basis  they can have any natural dairy product without any apparent prob
lems, including milk, cream and cheeses off the allowed list. However, I
recommend limiting these products to only occasional use and staying
safe with those milk products which are allowed on the diet.
So, what is for dinner?
In the previous chapter we have talked in detail about the kind of carbohy
drates or sugars allowed on the diet: mono-sugars. They are found in fruit
and non-starch vegetables. All complex carbohydrates, those found in
grains and starchy vegetables have to be rigorously excluded from the diet.
I cannot over-emphasise how important it is to make sure that not even a
speck of anything made from sugar, grains or starchy vegetables sneaks
into the menu. This is the point when I usually see the panic on the parent's
faces, particularly parents who went through all the pain of implementing
the GFCF diet. No rice! No biscuits! No cakes! No pasta! No bread! Even
gluten free! No chips! No crisps! No popcorn! No ice-cream! No sweets! But
that is all my child would eat! My child is going to starve!
Indeed GAPS children and adults usually limit their diets to processed
carbohydrates, which they crave due to their abnormal gut flora. So, the
important thing is to find replacements for all those foods, which are com
patible with the diet The fact that the GAPS people can not have grains and
sugar does not mean that they have to be deprived of breads, cakes, bis
cuits, crackers, pancakes, waffles and muffins. This diet provides you with
excellent and very nourishing recipes, where you will replace wheat flour
with ground nuts or nut flour (the same thing) and instead of sugar you will
use unprocessed natural honey and dried fruit. In the recipe section you
will find a number of different delicious recipes. Elaine GottschalFs book
will provide you with many more wonderful recipes, and if you have access
to the Internet, you will find even more on: www.scdiet.org
www.breakingtheviciouscycle.com
www.geocities.com
www.pecanbread.com
www.uclbs.org
Far from starving, your child will be receiving a most nourishing diet.
Let's just have a look at what our GAPS person is going to eat. Recommended foods
For a full alphabetic list of recommended foods and foods to avoid please
look at the end of this chapter.
Meats and fish
All fresh or frozen meats, game,


 spends time in an
average hospital, the sense of dependence, loss of autonomy and privacy will make the prospects
look even bleaker. The patient becomes a passive sufferer, with no say in what is being done to
him or her. In the telling phrase of the brilliant thinker and author, the late Ivan Illich, “Modern
medicine turns the patient into a limp and mystified voyeur in the grip of bio-engineers.”3
 These observations apply to cancer patients diagnosed and treated in a conventional medical
framework. But as almost all patients come to the Gerson Therapy after that system had failed
them, it is important to recognize their depressed or scared state and do something about it at once.
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 167Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comOrdinary human empathy and caring demand that we try to dispel their fear and hopelessness.
Just as importantly, in the light of PNI’s findings there are sound medical reasons for urgently
relieving the patients from their huge emotional burden and steer their negative orientation
towards a positive outlook. “No attempt should be made to cure the body without the soul,” wrote
the Greek philosopher Plato nearly 2,400 years ago—a powerful endorsement of the body-mind
link in healing from an unimaginably remote past.
 If something deep down in the patient’s inner world does not want to live, even the tried
and tested Gerson program cannot do its best. That something may have nothing to do with the
cancer diagnosis. It could be an almost forgotten early emotional wound, a severe loss, a deep
resentment, or some unfinished business with a loved or hated person. Or else we may be dealing
with someone who conforms to the so-called ‘cancer-prone personality,’ as defined by Lawrence
LeShan4, pioneer researcher of the body-mind link in malignant disease. LeShan, also known as
‘the father of psycho-oncology,’ has observed over several decades that certain personality traits
seemed to pre-dispose some people to cancer. These traits include low self-esteem, difficulty
in expressing anger or aggression, an urge to please others and ignore their own feelings and
needs, and inhibited emotions. The true self of such people has been banished behind a false self,
probably developed quite early in life to ensure parental approval, and maintained in adulthood,
too, when it was no longer necessary.
 Of course this personality profile does not apply to all cancer patients, although in my work
with sufferers I have often come across similar character traits. Together or separately they suggest
a dispiritingly negative outlook on life, which a cancer diagnosis can turn into black despair, and
PNI tells us what that means in terms of reduced immune competence.
 It has been observed that cancer often appears 18 months or two years after some adverse life
event, such as divorce, bereavement, financial crisis, loss of a job or of an important relationship,
and so on. Experience with clients has shown me that those events only represented for them
the last straw; that they had long existed in an impossible existential situation that apparently
could neither be borne nor changed. LeShan and Carl Simonton, M.D.5 call this setup a life trap,
which they describe in detail. My case material bears out its power, and the fact that those who
feel unable to break free eventually reach a stage when they don’t care whether they live or die.
As many of them put it, “Something snapped inside me.” I suspect it was the last strand of their
frayed will to live.
The Role of Stress
 I am often asked whether stress can cause cancer. I don’t think it can, certainly not by itself.
But it can be the ultimate extra burden that pushes an already weakened, barely functioning
immune system over the edge, so that it can no longer dispose of the irregular maverick cells that
every healthy organism produces in vast numbers every day. Yet without the eternal vigilance of
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 168Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.coma well functioning immune system there is nothing to stop a few of those irregular cells to initiate
a malignant process.
 What we are dealing with here is the mysterious interaction of biochemistry and emotions,
which we have only begun to explore and understand. But there is already enough orthodox
clinical—as opposed to anecdotal—evidence to prove that inner attitudes can make a big
difference to survival. For example, British researcher Stephen Greer 6 interviewed a group of
women three months after they had undergone mastectomies, to find out how they were coping.
He found four distinct types among them who showed respectively fighting spirit, denial, stoic
acceptance and hopelessness. After 5 and 10 years, 80% of the fighters, but only 20% of the
hopeless had survived. These rates had nothing to do with medical prognoses.
 In the U.S., David Spiegel, M.D.,7 invited 36 women with metastasized breast cancer to
attend weekly meetings for a year, where they could share worries and sorrows, encourage each
other, and make their mental attitude positive. A control group of 50 women attended no such
meetings. Spiegel only wanted to discover whether the group meetings enhanced the members’
quality of life, which it certainly did. But he was amazed to find that they also lived twice as long
as the members of the control group.
 Another interesting insight comes from US oncologist Bernie Siegel, M.D.8, author of several
best-selling books that have helped to extend public understanding of the body-mind link in
health and sickness. He claims that 15-20% of cancer patients consciously or unconsciously want
to die, no doubt to escape a difficult life trap. 60-70% wish to get well, but are passive and expect
the doctor to do all the work. 15-20%, however, are exceptional: they refuse to be victims, they
research their disease, don’t obey the doctor automatically but ask questions, demand control and
make informed choices. In Dr. Siegel’s words, “Difficult or uncooperative patients are most likely
to get well.” Apparently they have a more warlike immune system than docile patients.
First Aid for the Mind

 There are simple ways to dispel the newly diagnosed patient’s sense of hopelessness and
isolation. The first step is to de-mystify the disease, discuss it openly, in a natural voice, without
avoiding the dreaded word ‘cancer.’ One of the very first advantages which the intending Gerson
patient experiences is the calm assurance with which his or her problem is approached, with the
clear message that yes, it is possible to be healed, not just put into remission (which is the best
orthodox medicine has to offer.)
 What the patient needs is a safe space in which to release stormy emotions, and to be listened
to with total unhurried non-judgmental attention, something that time-starved doctors and nurses
cannot give. It is a mistake to try to comfort and console too soon or offer cheerful assurances.
To do that would simply stop the patient from expressing his or her true feelings. They must be
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 169Healing the Gerson Way—Defeating Cancer and Other Chronic Diseases
www.thegersonway.comgiven free flow. But once that has happened, I ask a vital question: “Do you want to live?” If the
answer is yes, I ask: “Do you want to live unconditionally?” Another firm “yes” settles the matter,
while a hesitant “Yes, but…” reply hints at an undecided individual, possibly stuck in a life trap.
If I ask what the rest of the sentence might be, I often get something like “if things go on as
before, I’m not sure I want to live.” That “but” needs careful exploration to make sure that it will
not undermine the healing work. The 18-24 months of the patient’s life prior to the diagnosis can
yield valuable clues. Did some major stress or trauma drive the patient to drink, drugs, or other
destructive habits, which caused significant liver damage? Gentle questioning often allows us to
identify some life trap. The next task is to show that there is a way out, other than dying.
 It helps to build a therapeutic partnership with the patient, in which he or she has an important
role to play. This is easy with the Gerson Therapy, which cannot succeed without the patient’s
active cooperation. If a patient tells us that 85% of people with his or her condition die within
three years, we suggest joining the 15% who don’t. (I recall with admiration the fragile little
woman riddled with cancer who, when told that she had six months to live, brightly replied, “Oh
good, I have six months to get well!” And get well she did, on the Gerson program.)
 I like the way LeShan4 approaches the task of shifting the mood from negative to positive.
His basic questions are, “What’s right with you? What are your special ways of being,


ism has largely been eliminated in the Western world. Although we don’t see cretinism,
iodine deficiency is still occurring throughout the U.S. It is my premise that iodine deficiency is occurring at epidemic rates in the
U.S. and other Western countries.
As previously mentioned I, along with my partners, have tested over 6,000 patients and found iodine deficiency present in
over 96% of those tested. You read those numbers correctly–over 96% tested low, with most testing moderately to severely low.
This testing was done via urine, blood, and saliva screening. Over the years, urine testing has been the predominant modality
used. The urine testing was done with spot tests as well 24-hour iodine loading tests. The results that I have seen leave no doubt:
Iodine deficiency is still occurring at epidemic rates.
In fact, recent reports from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2008) found that nearly 60% of
women of childbearing age are deficient in iodine.
1
 Iodine levels have declined over 50% over the last 40 years.
2
 Although many
health care experts claim that iodine deficiency is a problem of the past, I can assure you of one thing; these health experts are
wrong. Unfortunately, iodine deficiency is not an old story—it is still present in America and many other Western countries today.
What are the Consequences of Iodine Deficiency in Pregnancy?
1. Lowered Childhood IQ
As I previously mentioned, one of the main consequences of iodine deficiency in pregnant women is a lowered IQ in their
children. I have been lecturing to doctors for over a decade about how important it is to ensure that women of child-bearing age
are iodine sufficient before they become pregnant.
Both the brain and neurological system are formed during the first trimester. The fetus is dependent on the mother supplying
enough iodine to stimulate normal neurological formation. Inadequate maternal iodine can leave the child with permanent
neurological damage and a lowered IQ. It is unclear if iodine supplementation after birth will reverse the neurological problems
obtained from the lack of iodine during pregnancy.
In the latest NHANES (2009-2010) data, the median urine iodine levels for U.S. pregnant women are low at 134μg/L.
3
According to the World Health Organization, this median level would supply insufficient iodine to the fetus.
4
 Keep in mind, mild
maternal iodine deficiency can cause thyroid dysfunction and neurological deterioration. A meta-analysis of 18 studies of children
and adolescents found iodine deficiency was associated with a 13.5 point lower IQ score in children and adolescents.
5
The importance of early iodine supplementation in pregnancy was illustrated when researchers studied three groups of
pregnant women.
6
 All three groups were supplemented with potassium iodide (KI) at 200μg/day. Keep in mind, the RDA for
iodine in pregnancy is 220μg/day. In this study the women were divided into three groups:
Group 1: Supplemented with KI 200μg/day at 4-6 weeks of gestation
Group 2: Supplemented with KI 200μg/day at 12-14 weeks of gestation
Group 3: Supplemented with KI 200μg/day after delivery
All of the children born to these mothers were given a neurocognitive evaluation at 18 months of age and reported these
results as the developmental quotient (DQ). The DQ, similar to the IQ measurement, is used to compare a child’s functioning as
compared to a normative group. For both the IQ and the DQ, the average score is 100. The researchers found a significant
difference in the DQ between the three groups. As seen in
Figure 17
 (next page), the children in group 1, who were
supplemented with iodine in the first trimester had the highest average DQ score of 102. Group 2, supplemented with iodine at
the beginning of the second trimester had a DQ of 92 while Group 3 had a DQ of 87.
 Figure 17: Iodine Supplementation and IQ

The authors of this study reported that there was delayed neurobehavioral performance observed in 36% of the children in
group 3, 25% of the children in group 2 and none of the children in group 1. They summarized this study by stating, “A delay in
6-10 weeks of iodine supplementation…at the beginning of pregnancy increases the risk of neurodevelopmental delay in the
progeny.”
2. Decrease in Educational Ability
Scientists hypothesized that, as compared to children born to mothers with adequate iodine levels, children born to mothers
with mild iodine deficiency would have poorer educational outcomes. Nine years later, the children of the mothers who had mild
iodine deficiency–urinary iodine <150μg/L–were compared to the children from mothers without iodine deficiency. As compared
to the children born to mothers with adequate iodine levels, nine years later in grade 3, the children of the iodine-
deficient mothers
had a 10% reduction in writing, 8% reduction in grammar and a 6% reduction in English literacy.
7
IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE ADEQUATE IODINE LEVELS BEFORE PREGNANCY
It is important to ensure adequate iodine levels in young women before they become pregnant. In order for the fetus to
develop normally, adequate amounts of iodine are required by the mother. In-utero iodine deficiency has been associated with a
host of ailments in children including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, cretinism, dwarfism, and mental
retardation. Iodine deficiency has also been associated with poor height and bone maturation of children.
8

9
 Furthermore, there is
a decreased neonatal survival rate in iodine-deficient areas. In fact, neonatal mortality has been shown to decline over 50% when
iodine deficiency is rectified.
10
 Unfortunately, in the twenty-first century, iodine levels are continuing to fall for the vast majority of
Americans.
Chapter 13
 will provide more information about iodine dosing during pregnancy.
IODINE, GROWTH HORMONE, AND THYROID HORMONE
Growth hormone deficiency is a condition in children and adults whereby the pituitary gland fails to produce adequate
amounts of human growth hormone. Growth hormone deficiency
in children is not uncommon. Estimates are that from 1 in 4,000
to 1 in 10,000 children suffer from human growth hormone deficiency.
11
 The incidence of human growth hormone deficiency in
children appears to be increasing.
Why would the incidence of human growth hormone deficiency be so prevalent? Low iodine levels may provide the
explanation for this. Researchers have hypothesized that, “…improved growth in iodine-deficient children receiving iodine is likely
due to improved thyroid function {as} both thyroid hormone and {human} growth hormone are essential for normal growth and
development.”
12
 These same researchers reported on a study of severely iodine-deficient children who were given iodine. The
authors reported that there was a significant increase in thyroid function, human growth hormone, and somatic growth in the
treated group versus the untreated group.
Researchers studied three groups of children to determine whether iodine repletion improves growth hormone levels and
somatic growth in iodine-deficient children. The studies were double blinded, prospective studies from three areas of the world–
Morocco, Albania, and South Africa. In all three studies, iodine supplementation increased urinary iodine levels and resulted in
elevated growth hormone levels (increased IGF-1 levels.) In two of the three sites, iodine repletion resulted in increased thyroid
hormone levels as well as weight-for-age scores
and height-for-age scores.
13
Both thyroid hormone and human growth hormone are essential for normal growth and development.
14

15
 In children (or an
individual not fully grown), human growth hormone stimulates growth in length. In adults, human growth hormone does not
stimulate growth in length but has a whole host of beneficial effects in the body including stimulating muscle growth, fat
metabolism, and energy production. For more information on human growth hormone in adults, I refer the reader to my book,
The Miracle of Natural Hormones, 3
rd
 Edition.
IODINE LEVELS FALLING IN WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGEResearchers have reported on the falling iodine levels in women of childbearing age and pregnant women for over 40 years.
Recall (
Chapter 2
) that the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) has found that over the last 40 years
(from 1970-2010), iodine levels have fallen in the United States over 50 percent. In fact, the most recent NHANES data found
that nearly 60% of U.S. women of childbearing age were iodine deficient.
16
 I believe this decline in iodine intake has significantly
contributed to (or perhaps caused) the epidemic of behavioral (ADHD) and emotional (depression) problems affecting
our
children. Furthermore, it is fueling the epidemic of thyroid problems seen in our young people.

Figure 18: Iodine Levels Over Time

The World Health Organization has declared that a urinary iodine concentration (spot urine check) of less than 50μg/L is a
sign of moderate to severe iodine deficiency. Urinary iodine concentrations less than 20μg/L are considered severe iod


emory	accounts	for	cultures	sharing	the	same	myths	and
archetypes.	Venus	and	Mars	are	invisible	beings,	yet	present	and	alive.	The
Akasha	remembers	every	god
created
	by	humans	and	every	epic	battle,
romance,	and	quest.	We	tap	into	them	all	the	time	as	the	human	story
continues	from	age	to	age.
The	brain	has	a	locatable	memory	center,	but	mind	isn’t	confined	to	the
brain.	Consider	a	deeply	meaningful	experience	in	your	life—a	first	kiss,	or
the	last	time	you	saw	a	beloved	grandparent.	That	memory	is	the	remaining
trace	of	an	event	in	time	and	space.	The	experience	can	still	be	activated	in
your	brain,	which	means	that	millions	of	molecules	that	could	be	flying
randomly	through	your	neurons
know
	that	they	have	to	stay	together	in	order
for	your	memory	to	continue,	year	after	year,	without	fading.	How	could	they
know	this,	since	molecules	aren’t	intelligent?	The	physical	basis	for	memory
remains	totally	unknown	to	neurologists,	so	we	can	only	speculate.
Somehow	your	first	kiss	has	an	afterlife.	The	afterlife	isn’t	physical,
because	there’s	absolutely	no	difference	between	the	hydrogen,	oxygen,
nitrogen,	and	carbon	in	a	neuron	and	those	same	elements	in	a	tree,	a	dead
leaf,	or	decomposed	soil.	Neurons	aren’t	immortal.	They	die,	just	as	the	rest
of	the	body	does,	and	atoms	fly	in	and	out	of	them	every	second.	How,	then,
does	a	memory	get	transferred	to	a	new	atom,	or	to	a	new	neuron	when	the
time	comes	for	the	old	one	to	perish?	No	physical	process	for	this	has	been
identified,	so	perhaps	memory	actually	persists	on	a	nonphysical	level.
Neurologists	would	defend	to	the	hilt	the	opposite	idea,	that	mind	arises	only
in	the	brain,	using	CAT	scans	and	MRI	imaging	to	prove	the	point.	But	those
images	are	only	maps.	They	show	the	terrain	of	the	brain	as	an	idea	or
emotion	crosses	it;	they	don’t	prove	that	the	brain
is
	the	mind,	any	more	than
a	footprint	in	the	sand	is	the	same	as	a	foot.	Imagine	that	you	could	map	every
vibration	in	the	tiny	nerve	endings	that	line	the	inner	ear.	When	graphed	on	a
chart,	there	would	be	an	extremely	complicated	pattern	for	every	word	and
sentence	the	ear	receives,	but	that	pattern	is	only	a	map	of	a	word,	not	the
territory	itself.	A	powerful	sentence	like	“I	love	you”	is	more	than	the	map	of
its	vibrations,
since
	even	the	most	perfect	map	cannot	contain	love’s	power,
meaning,	significance,	and	overall	intent.
Memory	seems	to	be	a	field	effect.	For	you	to	think	the	word	“rhinoceros”
and	see	a	mental	image	of	that	animal,	millions	of	brain	cells	have	to	act
simultaneously.	(We	will	leave	aside	the	more	difficult	question	of	why	you
picked	“rhinoceros”	out	of	all	the	words	you	could	have	chosen,	since	any
word	choice	can	be	based	on	reason,	emotion,	nonsense,	or	private
associations	in	memory.	A	computer	can	be	taught	to	select	any	given	word,
but	it	has	no	special	reason	to	do	so—you	do.)	The	neurons	involved	in
choosing	the	word	“rhinoceros”	don’t	run	through	the	alphabet	until	they	get
to	“R”;	they	don’t	sound	out	one	syllable	at	a	time,	nor	do	they	leaf	through	azoological	photo	archive	to	match	the	right	word	to	the	right	image.	Instead,
the	correct	brain	activity	arises	simultaneously.	The	brain	is	acting	like	a	field,
coordinating	different	events	at	the	same	time,	except	that	we	know	the	brain
isn’t	literally	a	field.	It’s	an	object	made	of	seemingly	lifeless	chemicals.
A	compass	needle	moves	because	it’s	responding	to	the	Earth’s	magnetic
field.	What	if	the	same	thing	is	true	for	brain	activity?	What	if	the	mind	field
is	sending	signals,	and	billions	of	brain	cells	arrange	patterns	in	response	to
what	the	field	is	saying?	A	team	of	innovative	scientists	has	proposed	exactly
that.	Henry	Stapp,	a	theoretical	physicist	from	Berkeley;	Jeffrey	Schwartz,	a
neuropsychiatrist	at	UCLA;	and	Mario	Beauregard,	a	psychologist	from	the
University	of	Montreal,	have	crossed	disciplines	to	formulate	a	workable
theory	of	“quantum	mind”	that	may	revolutionize	how	mind	and	brain	relate
to	each	other.	Central	to	their	theory	is	“neuroplasticity,”	the	notion	that	brain
cells	are	open	to	change,	flexibly	responding	to	will	and	intention.
They	acknowledge,	to	begin	with,	the	usual	scientific	explanation	that
“the	mind	is	what	the	brain	does,”	but	there	are	many	flaws	in	such	an
explanation,	as	we	have	seen.	They	propose,	therefore,	that	exactly	the
opposite	is	true.	Mind	is	the	controller	of	the	brain.	In
their
	view,	the	mind	is
like	an	electron	cloud	surrounding	the	nucleus	of	an	atom.	Until	an	observer
appears,	electrons	have	no	physical	identity	in	the	world;	there	is	only	the
amorphous	cloud.	In	the	same	way,	imagine	that	there	is	a	cloud	of
possibilities	open	to	the	brain	at	every	moment	(consisting	of	words,
memories,	ideas,	and	images	it	could	choose	from).	When	the	mind	gives	a
signal,	one	of	these	possibilities	coalesces	from	the	cloud	and	becomes	a
thought	in	the	brain,	just	as	an	energy	wave	collapses	into	an	electron.	Like
the	quantum	field	generating	real	particles	from	virtual	ones,	the	mind
generates	real	brain	activity	from	virtual	activity.
What	makes	this	reversal	important	is	that	it	fits	the	facts.	Neurologists
have	verified	that	a	mere	intention	or	purposeful	act	of	will	alters	the	brain.
Stroke	victims,	for	example,	can	force	themselves,	with	the	aid	of	a	therapist,
to	use	only	their	right	hand	if	paralysis	has	occurred	on	that	side	of	the	body.
Willing	themselves	day	after	day	to	favor	the	affected	part,	they	can	gradually
cause	the	damaged	sites	in	the	brain	to	heal.	Similar	results	have	been	found
with	aging.	Older	people	who	have	begun	to	show	signs	of	senile	dementia
such	as	memory	loss	can	slow	down	and	even	reverse	their	symptoms	by
exercising	their	brains	(one	software	manufacturer	has	even	brought	out	a
“brain	gym,”	a	program	that	looks	like	a	video	game	but	in	fact	consists	of
exercises	that	strengthen	specific	areas	of	the	brain).	Children	born	with
cerebral	palsy	have	recently	regained	use	of	their	paralyzed	limbs	through
similar	therapies	in	which	the	unaffected	arm,	for	example,	was	kept	in	a
sling,	forcing	the	child	to	use	the	paralyzed	arm;	in	time,	the	brain	healed
itself.	It	showed	neuroplasticity.Putting	mind	before	brain	may	have	many	far-reaching	consequences	in
medical	therapies.	For	example,	patients	suffering	from	obsessive-compulsive
disorder	(OCD)	are	rout


 body. These may be
religious (seeing the body as sinful) or based on personal
aversion (for example, being repelled by the body’s messier
functions).
Physical beauty or ugliness becomes a ﬁxation.
You have poor body image because you are overweight,
aging, or subject to social attitudes about physical
perfection and desirability.
You don’t feel physically lovable or desirable.
You neglect to keep your body clean, well cared for, and active.
You think that earthy people are stupid or crude.
When we list all the ways we put down our bodies, it becomes evident
that we live in a disembodied age to a shocking degree. Mass media
overloads us with fantasies of a perfect body that never ages while robbing
us of the real blessing of being embodied. The embodied state allows us to
feel the physical side of bliss-consciousness, which is a vibra nt sense of
aliveness as we move through our day.Exercise
Every step you take to welcome  your own physicality is a step into the
light. Look at the two lists above that outline the qualities of being
grounded versus the qualities of being disembodied. Pause to reflect on how
you can adopt more grounded beliefs and turn them into enjoyable actions,
like walking in Nature, partici pating in a sport, taking part in forms of
physical recreation, or going for a massage.
As you engage in this activity, no matter how simple it is—yo u might
just lie spread-eagle on the warm ground in summer or (believ e it or not)
hug a tree—refle ct on how bless ed you are to be embodied. Bring a positive
feeling toward your body whenever you can. Drop the casual habit of
disparaging your body. Through these steady steps of becoming more
grounded, you are removing another layer of obstacles between you and
your true self.
THURSDAY
Resilience
Begin by silently repeating today’ s theme:
I bend ﬂexibly with every experience.
I bend ﬂexibly with every experience.
The physical flexibility that comes from practicing the asanas, or
postures of yoga, is visible evidence of something rooted in consciousness:
resilience. Bad things happen to everyone, no matter how much we wish
they wouldn’ t. What matters is not the bad things themselves but how
we respond after they occur. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from
pain and advers ity. The opposite of resilience is being stuck and unable to
move on.
Listing the qualities of resilien ce erases the line we draw between
physical, mental, and psycholo gical. It requires a holistic conception toreally embrace your own resilience, which can take you beyond surviving
to thriving in the face of changing experiences.
YOU SHOW RESILIENCE WHEN…
You bend and adapt to change.
Your body is ﬂexible and agile.
You are open-minded toward people who are different from
you.
You don’t exaggerate what happened in the past.
You let your emotions rise and fall naturally, without trying to
force or suppress them.
You don’t insist on always being right.
You are not afraid of what life brings you.
The future holds no apprehension.
The emotional state of others doesn’t throw you.
You can renounce the belief “My way is best.”
You face new challenges with optimism.
You view every day as a new world.
You stretch yourself in any way you deﬁne that term.
None of these qualities is meant to be forced. They are a natural part of
everyone’ s exist ence. It takes effort to move away from resilie nce into the
condition of rigidity, or stuckne ss. It isn’t necessary to go into detail about
all the ways that stuckness occurs. We all have a good grasp of what is
involved, but if you need a reminder, return to the list above and just flip
each entry to its opposite. If you don’t adapt to change, don’t approach
challenges optim istically, don’t accept people who are different from you,
and so on through the list, you are rigid and stuck.
Why do we stay stuck? We get a false sense of security from being rigid
in our ways. We put up an inflexible front to the world, yet behind it, we are
afraid to be truly open, free, accepting, emotionally honest, and optimistic.In a state of fear, something as precious as love becomes a sourc e of anxiety
if we have experienced enough unloving behavior and been scarred by it.
Learning to be resilient should proceed with an eye to your inner
comfort and discomfort. A stiff emotional body needs to be treated with
care, like a stiff physical body. The important thing is to resist the false
security of being rigid and stuck—the shell you are hiding inside is
suffocating to the spirit.
Exercise
Having read this discussion, no doubt you can see where you are
resilient and where you are stuck. There is always a path to follow that
shifts the balanc e, day by day, toward becoming more resilient. To stay on
the path, however, it must be appealing and bring satisfaction. Besides
bringing a false sense of securit y, being stuck makes you feel good, after a
fashion, because  you know that you are always right, that you don’t need to
change, and that your fixed beliefs and attitudes are fine just the way they
are.
The key warning here is that your stuckness indulges an illusion. Giving
up on love, for example, indulges a person’ s anxiety about asking for and
receiving love. Somehow you need to break the ice that makes being stuck
cold and lonely, no matter how good the front you put up. Start  by looking
over the listed qualities of resilience and, for each one, devise a step you
can take that will feel good enough for you to continue on the path.
You might stand and stretch while listening to music, moving on to
dance exercises you can do at home. You might spend more time with the
happiest people you know or show a little more affection to a family
member than either of you expect. Resilience isn’t a trait society teaches us
to value, but that doesn’ t matter. Awareness, like pure water, needs to flow,
and being resilient is how you open the gates inside yourself.
FRIDAYIn Perfect Sync
Begin by silently repeating today’ s theme:
I live in the ﬂow of creative intelligence.
I live in the ﬂow of creative intelligence.
You are designe d to have mind and body in perfect sync. One of the
greatest deceptions in life is the helpless appearance presented by a
newborn baby. Unable to do much more than nurse at the breast, cry, and
sleep, a day-old infant doesn’ t reveal what it really is—a miracle of
organized intelli gence. In the last few days of pregnancy, for example, the
infant brain is developing millions of new brain cells a day. This process
continues after the infant is born. It is beyond imagination how a brain that
has no language, reason, fully formed emotions, or ideas prepared itself for
all of that, and more. It’s as if a house knew how to build itself from the
materials in the aisles of Home Depot.
Self-creation cannot happen  on the physical plane without
consciousness. You can’t assemb le the ingredients of a neuron and expect it
to reach  a tipping point when— V oila! —a swirl of chemical soup becomes
conscious.
If existe nce were ideal, mind and body would remain in perfect
synchronization, and in a healthy person they work flawlessly 99 percent of
the time. It takes interference to throw off the flow of creative intelligence
that unites mind and body. The symptoms of meddling are all too common.
SYMPTOMS OF BEING OUT OF SYNC
Irregular or poor-quality sleep, insomnia
Fatigue, lack of energy
Depression
Digestive problems
Overeating, loss of natural hunger rhythms
Inability to focus and pay attentionSusceptibility to colds and infections
Getting easily distracted
Sensitivity to minor stress
Slow or inadequate healing
This whole list could be titled “When the miracle goes wrong.” Each of
these symptoms indicates that the miraculous flow of creative intelligence
that everyone was gifted with at birth has become distorted. Without the
word cr eative  added, the picture is woefully incomplete. Once it has been
programmed, a computer can imitate intelligence by doing all kinds of
things the mind does, and AI (artificial intelligence) is fast reaching the day
when the imitation will be so lifelike that your computer will sound and feel
human. Already there are software programs that effectively conduct
psychotherapy, for example. A robot voice imitates a genuine therapist
using verbal prompts like “How do you feel about that?” and “When did
you start to feel this way?” User s of the program come away feeling better,
they say.
But no matter how sophisticated  AI becomes, it cannot do what you do
every second: take raw information pouring into the brain from the five
senses and create the entire three -dimensional world you perceive. Cameras
aren’ t eyes. They see nothing. Therefore, a computer camera sees nothing
until a human eye is present. When you were in the wom b, creative
intelligence created your eye from a blob of undif ferentiated cells, and
within the eye specific cells were assigned to carry out visual processing.
Yet that isn’t enough for turning visual images into something you see.
Vision


life into segments of secon ds, minutes, and hours. Once you
identify with clock time, your life passes in seconds, minutes, and
hours. Such an existence is m echanical and routine. Breaking out
of virtual reality, now has to become a state of awareness, not a
slice of bread. When you wake up, now is a presence; it is the
unbroken experience of being here.
Experiencing this presence, you witness how the stream of
consciousness delivers a se quence of fleeting sensations and
perceptions. Dividing this stream of activity into seconds, minutes,
and hou rs is a mental construct only. When you are awake, you
pay more attention to the presence of awareness than  to the
fleeting events taking place in the mind.
For Today
Mental activity is very clingy. You have a stake in the thou ghts,
sensations, images, and feelings that pass through your mind. But
you do n’t have to have a stake in those thoughts, sensations,
images, and feelings. Imagin e that you are sitting on a co mmuter
train looking out the window. As the scenery rushes by, you don’t
see it by picking out each building, tree, car, or person. It’ s all just
the passing scenery. If you ha ppen to notice something that stands
out, it passes just as quickly as the things you don’t noti ce. Now
instead of windows, substitute your eyes. You are sitting behind
them watching the passing scenery. When you adopt this position,which i s known as “witnessing,” you approximate for a moment
what the permanent state of being awake is like.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 18

Clock time slices up the timeless, giving it beginnings and
endings. As a result, there is birth, aging, and death.
All of virtual reality, from the atom to the human body to the
universe, is a timeless process frozen in time. If you say, “I was
born in 1961” or “The meeting starts promptly at three” or “The
big bang occurred 13.8 billion years ago,” you are doing the same
thing—freezing a constant fluid process into a beginning, which
automatically b rings a middle and an end. Beginning, mid dle, and
end are  menta l constructs. What is the middle of blue? What was
the last  thing that happened before time began? When you wake
up, being here is continuous—actually, it has always been
continuous, until beginning, middle, and end were invented. It
will com e as a great relief to  ditch those concepts. Not o nly will
you find  that you are living in the now, but birth, aging, and death
will become irrelevant.
For Today
To step out of clock time into the timeless, take a moment and
look at a color,  say the blue of the sky. Try to see beyond t he blue.
Really try. You will notice th at it is futile to try to think your way
there. M ental activity is irrelevant. Nor does it matter if you
actually see beyond the blue. By stopping your mind from
interfering, you escaped clock time, so the only place you can be is
timeless. Similarly, try to imagine a time when you didn’t exist.
This will also stop the think ing mind from interfering. You will
experience no time when you didn’t exist. Is there a better
definition of eternity?YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 19

Reality is the endless activity of awareness modifying
itself.
If someone walked up to you  and said, “I want to be here  now.
Where’s it happening?” you’d  be puzzled. “Now” isn’t a place on
the map. Brain connection s can be mapped in their precise
locations, but there is no top, bottom, back, or front to aw areness.
The now is con tinuous because awareness is continuous.  Only in
virtual reality are limitations  like beginnings and endings or birth
and death imposed. When experienced directly, reality flows like a
river. B ut you have to imagin e it as a river that flows in a circle,
without starting in the mountains and running to the sea.
When you are awake, even to describe awareness as a flow is
too limiting. Awareness does n’t need to be active. As it h appens,
activity is everywhere. Out side of meditation or unexpected
moments of silence, the mind is constantly participating in the rise
and fall  of consciousness as i t modifies itself. Beyond the constant
buzz of activity, consciousness is silent, pure, unbounded, not
needing to do anything. Upo n waking up, you identify w ith pure
consciousness, enjoying the calmness and security it brings.
For Today
Silent awarene ss is always with you, waiting to be notice d. Sit
in a  qui et place and say to yourself, “I am _______,” fillin g in the
blank w ith your full name. With a brief pause between them, say
the following things to yours elf: “I am [first name],” then  “I am,”
then “Am,” and finally no thought. Without labels to identify with,
the mind is quiet. As you experience this state, even for a moment,you hav e found your real ide ntity. The ego emerges from mental
activity; your true self emerges from silent awareness.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 20

Time is only one kind of limitation. So are space, matter,
and energy. Awareness itself is without any limitation.
Waking up is clearer today than in the past, when the process
was considered so mysterious that it seemed totally paradoxical.
As o ne ancient metaphor put it, wanting to wake up is like  being a
thirsty f ish. Th e fish is thirsty  only because it doesn’t realiz e that it
is su rrounded by the ocean. L ikewise, a person seeking to wake up
doesn’t realize that all limitat ions of the mind are the result of not
knowing that the infinite ocean of consciousness is everywhere at
every moment.
Limitation beg ins in the mind but is mirrored by time, space,
matter, and energy. This mir roring effect holds good whether you
are asle ep or awake. The difference is that when you wake up, the
physical universe is seen for what it really is, the play of
consciousness. Consciousnes s has no form or boundarie s. Being
beyond labels and thoughts, it is inconceivable. It is also w ho you
really are.
For Today
Hold up your hand and start  moving it into various posit ions,
each sig nifying a meaningful gesture. Act out the part of a police
officer directing traffic, a teacher pointing to the blackboard, a
lover caressing  the beloved’s cheek, a chef whipping up an  omelet
—whatever str ikes your fancy. Reflect on how your hand carried
out wh atever your imagination wanted it to. Mind and matter
were di fferent appearances of the same consciousness. L ikewise,
your personal reality consist s of mind acting to coordinate time,space, matter, and energy. They express the same unlimited
possibilities as human imagination.
YOUR EXPERIENCE:

 DAY 21

Virtual reality arose from the human need to live in
limitation. This need began the process that created the
conditioned mind.
Limitation is part of virtual reality, and it seems t otally
convincing and necessary. Yo u cannot fly like a bird; you can’t be
rich by  wishing it were so; if you are hit by a car, you will be
seriously injur ed or killed. I’ve said that the conditioned mind
edits reality so that it serves  human needs. The infinite b ecomes
finite. W e are hemmed in b y harsh realities. There is actually
nothing wrong  with editing the infinite into the finite—a fter all,
you can’t think infinite thoug hts all at once, even though you have
the capacity to have infinite thoughts.
The pro blem is that we’ve fo rgotten that this editing was done
by us. Virtual r eality isn’t a given; it was manufactured. The setup
is finite, and just as you can ’t think infinite thoughts all at once,
humans can’t physically do everything at once, say everything at
once, or desire everything at o nce. The setup of virtual reality suits
the self we think we have—and must have.
When you wake up, the picture is reversed. You realize that
virtual reality is a construct. Only consciousness is a given. Only
consciousness cannot be crea ted. By waking up, you free yourself
from th e condi tioned mind, the limited self, and the mind -forged
limitations of virtual reality. In freedom you still cannot fly,
become rich by wishing it we re so, or avoid being injured if a car
hits you. On the other hand, it’s a bad bet to declare that a nything
is im possible. Waking up tak es you over a threshold. Wha t awaits
on the other side is a vast new territory of possibilities.For Today
Sit f or a mome nt and start to  think of things that you’d like to
do or be that are impossible. You might like to be fabulously
wealthy or incredibly attractive or young again—the sky’s the
limit. A s each thing comes to mind, pause and say to y


	identify	some	of	the	most	important	psychological	concepts,	as	well
as	some	of	the	most	common	(and	self-destructive)	mistakes.	The	goal	is	to	help
you	improve	your	psychological	pathway—one	of	the	major	avenues	betweenhealth	and	disease.
Minds	Need	Reprogramming
Our	minds	are	rather	like	computers:	Whether	intended	or	unintended,	they	do
what	they	have	been	programmed	to	do.	A	big	part	of	using	the	psychological
pathway	to	stay	healthy	is	the	ability	to	recognize	your	current	programming	and
to	learn	new	programs—new	thoughts,	attitudes	and	behavior	patterns.
As	demonstrated	by	my	clients	Lisa	and	Ruth,	some	people	find	it	hard	to
develop	the	will	to	change	old	patterns.	For	these	two	women,	habitual	thinking
and	imagery	created	their	destiny.	They	were	in	reach	of	health,	but	let	it	go.
Why?	Not	because	they	lacked	the	necessary	information,	the	problem	most
people	face,	but	because	their	strategies	for	achieving	short-term	security	had
been	tried	and	proven,	and	were	too	difficult	to	unlearn.
Negative	health	programming	can	come	from	a	visit	to	the	doctor.	Even	the
sight	of	a	physician	can	cause	blood	pressure	to	rise;	the	effect	is	called	“white-
coat	hypertension.”	The	stress	resulting	from	the	diagnosis	of	a	grave	disease
can	do	serious	damage,	precisely	like	voodoo	or	a	witch’s	hex.	A	1991	study	in
the
Medical	Journal	of	Australia
concluded	that	negative	suggestions	from
physicians	and	caregivers	were	significant	negative	factors	in	cancer	recovery.
Deepak	Chopra,	M.D.,	made	a	similar	observation	in	his	book,
Creating	Health:
“I	have	frequently	observed	that	a	rapid	progression	of	symptoms	and	then	death
from	cancer	occurred
after
the	diagnosis	of	cancer	was	made.	It	is	almost	as	if
the	patient	was	dying	from	the	diagnosis	and	not	from	the	disease.”
Physicians	must	exercise	great	care	not	to	create	negative	expectations.	We
need	support	and	reassurance	from	our	physicians	and	caregivers.	We	need	them
to	believe	in	us	and	to	help	us	through	our	processes	of	healing	and	recovery.
Certainly,	we	expect	honesty	from	them,	but	we	do	not	need	discouraging
remarks	and	ominous	statistics	about	our	slim	chances	for	survival	(as	I	was	told
that	nothing	more	could	be	done	for	me,	before	I	saved	my	own	life).
Regardless	of	what	your	health	practitioner	says	or	does,	getting	well	and
staying	well	is	your	responsibility.	Taking	that	responsibility	actually	helps
make	you	healthier.	Unfortunately,	most	patients	relinquish	this	responsibility	to
their	doctor.	They	play	a	passive	role	of	bystander	or	victim;	they	think	of	the
health-care	provider	as	their	problem	solver.
Patients’	positive	attitudes	toward	their	health	or	disease	help	to	make	them
not	only	informed	but	also	empowered.	Approaching	health	care	with	the	belief
that	you,	as	the	patient,	are	in	charge	can	vitalize	your	efforts.	You	ask	morequestions.	You	feel	more	control	over	the	outcome.	As	Bernie	Siegel,	M.D.,
reminds	us	in
Love,	Medicine	&	Miracles,
the	patient	must	be	the	primary	source
of	healing.	“Exceptional	patients,”	he	wrote,	“refuse	to	be	victims.	They	educate
themselves	and	become	specialists	in	their	own	care.	They	question	the	doctor
because	they	want	to	understand	their	treatment	and	participate	in	it.	They
demand	dignity,	personhood,	and	control,	no	matter	what	the	course	of	disease.”
There	is	nothing	wrong	with	going	to	the	doctor—so	long	as	you	realize	that
your	health	is	your	responsibility,	not	your	doctor’s	or	anyone	else’s.	Because
belief	in	your	own	health	makes	a	critical	difference,	you	need	to	work	with
professionals	who	acknowledge	how	essential	this	outlook	is.	You	need
caregivers	to	support	you	in	your	efforts	to	participate,	and	who	can	assist	you	in
educating	yourself	productively,	rather	than	hinder	you,	which	is	often	the	case.
Often,	psychological	healing	is	thought	to	be	unimportant	to	treatment	in
modern	health	care,	but	the	miracle	is	precisely	the	opposite.	Unfortunately,
modern	medicine	overlooks	the	whole	person.	“Fixing”	only	the	physical	body,
as	if	it	were	a	separate	entity,	is	to	overlook	the	complex	weave	of	physiological,
psychological	and	spiritual	dimensions	that	define	human	beings—including
you,	your	tissues	and	all	of	your	cells.	The	standard	approach	is	not	good
enough.
Healthy	Mind,	Healthy	Immune	System
Negative	behaviors,	thoughts,	emotions	and	stress	can	adversely	affect	the
functioning	of	your	immune	system;	they	can	lower	your	resistance	to	infections
and	make	you	more	susceptible	to	bacteria,	fungi,	viruses	and	other
microorganisms.	Yet,	you	can	exercise	control.	You	can	begin	immediately,
actively	and	consciously	to	improve	your	ability	to	fight	disease	and	maintain
optimal	health.
Speaking	about	the	psychological	dimension	of	the	immune	system,	David
Felton,	M.D.,	professor	of	neurobiology	and	anatomy	at	the	University	School	of
Rochester,	said,	“Now	there’s	overwhelming	evidence	that	hormones	and
neurotransmitters	can	influence	the	activities	of	the	immune	system	and	that
products	of	the	immune	system	influence	the	brain.”
In	order	to	protect	you	from	infections,	your	brain	and	your	immune	system
must	be	in	constant	dialogue.	The	brain	sends	information	to	the	immune	system
by	producing	certain	types	of	chemical	messengers	(neuropeptides).	That
information	is	delivered	to	immune	cells	through	receptor	sites	on	cell
membranes.	Rather	like	plugging	an	electrical	appliance	into	a	wall	outlet,chemical	messengers	from	your	brain	“plug	in”	to	the	receptor	sites	on	the
immune	cells.	This	messaging	process	happens	on	a	very	large	scale,	allowing
the	brain	to	deliver	information	to	immune	cells	throughout	the	body.	Likewise,
the	body’s	immune	cells	respond	by	creating	new	chemical	messengers,	sending
information	back	to	the	brain.	This	process	creates	a	constant	link	or	feedback
loop	between	the	brain	and	the	immune	system.
The	role	of	the	psychological	pathway	in	immune	system	function	is
illustrated	by	a	study	of	twenty-six	bereaved	spouses.	The	study	demonstrated
that	the	pain	and	stress	of	bereavement	significantly	depressed	the	effectiveness
of	the	immune	system.	In	other	studies,	depressed	immunity	in	students,
determined	by	the	number	and	activity	of	T-cells,	has	been	shown	to	result	from
the	psychological	stress	of	taking	exams.	Psychologically	depressed	immunity
can	even	lead	to	cancer.	As	far	back	as	the	second-century	A.D.,	the	physician
and	philosopher	Galen	observed	that	melancholy	dispositions	disposed	women
toward	developing	breast	cancer.	A	1998	study	in	the
Journal	of	the	National
Cancer	Institute
came	to	the	same	conclusion.	In	that	study,	women	who
experienced	long-term	depression	were	almost	90	percent	more	likely	to	develop
cancer	than	their	upbeat	counterparts.
The	Jekyll	and	Hyde	of	St


.html#toc 228/250of brain atrophy.
    The contribution of Dr. Schreiber also emphasizes strongly the susceptibility of the brain tissue
to injuries which may handicap the individual throughout life.
REFERENCES
1. LAIRD, D. The tail that wags the nation. Rev, of Revs., 92:44, 1935.
2. TREDGOLD, A. F. Mental Deficiency (Amentia). Ed. 5. New York, William Wood,
1929.
3. BARRIE, M. M. O. Nutritional anterior pituitary deficiency. Biochem. J. In press.
4. PAPEZ, J. A proposed mechanism of emotion. Arch. Neur. and Psychiat., 38:713, 1937.
5. PENROSE, L. S. Maternal age in Mongolism. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond., 115: 431, 1934.
6. ORDAHL, G. Birth rank of Mongolians: Mongolism, definite form of mental deficiency,
found more frequently in the later birth ranks. J. Hered., 18:429, 1927.
7. MACKLIN, M. T. Primogeniture and developmental anomalies. Human Biol., 1:382,
1929.
8. BENDA, A. E. Studies in the endocrine pathology of mongoloid deficiency. Proc. Am. A.
Ment. Deficiency, 43:15 1, 1938.
9. BLEYER, A. Idiocy--the role of advancing maternal age. Proc. Am. Assn. Ment. Defic.,
61:10
10. GREULICH, W. W. The birth of six pairs of fraternal twins to the same parents. J.A.M.A.,
110:559, 1938.
11. BURT, C. L. The Young Delinquent. London, University of London Press, 1925.
12. LICHTENSTEIN, M. and BROWN, A. W. Intelligence and achievement of children in a
delinquency area. J. Juvenile Research, 22:1, 1938.
13. BLACKER, C. P. Chances of Morbid Inheritance. Baltimore, Wood, 1934, chapter 18.
14. MALL, F. P. On the frequency of localized anomalies in the human embryos and infants at
birth. Am. J. Anat., 22:49, 1917.
15. BLOOM, D. D. Abnormalities encountered in dissection of the head and neck of an
anencephalic monster. 16:226, 1937.
15a HOOTON, E. A. Crime and the Man. Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1939.
16. VAUGHAN, K. Safe Childbirth. Baltimore, Win. Wood, 1937.
17. SCHREIBER, F. Brain Damage at Childbirth. Cleveland Press, June 23, 1938.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 20
SOIL DEPLETION AND PLANT AND ANIMAL
DETERIORATION
THE data available on the subject of soil depletion and animal deterioration are so voluminous
that it would require a volume to present them adequately. When we realize the quantities of many
of the minerals which must enter into the composition of the bodies of human beings and other
animals, we appreciate the difficulty of providing in pasture and agricultural soils a concentration of
these minerals sufficient to supply the needs for plant growth and food production. If we think of
growing plants and grasses in terms of average soil tilled to a depth of seven inches, we are dealing
with a total of approximately two million pounds of soil per acre, of which two thousand pounds7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 229/250will be phosphorus in its various chemical forms, some of which will not be readily available for
plants. If one-half of this phosphorus were present in an available form, there would be enough for
only one hundred poor crops, utilizing ten pounds to the acre for the seed alone; or for forty good
crops, taking twenty-five pounds per acre, assuming that the seed were to be removed from that
land and not replaced. A sixty-bushel crop of wheat or corn per acre takes twenty-five to twenty-
eight pounds of phosphorus in the seed. The soil is depleted of calcium similarly, though that
mineral is not usually present in such limited amounts nor so rapidly taken away as is phosphorus.
The leaves and stems of rapidly growing young plants and grasses are rich in calcium and
phosphorus. As the plants ripen the phosphorus is transported in large amounts to the seed while
most of the calcium remains in the leaves. A large part of the commerce of the world is concerned
with the transportation of chemical elements as foods, chief of which are calcium and phosphorus.
Whether the product of the soil is ultimately used as wheat for bread, milk and meat for foods, or
wool and hides for clothing, every pound of these products that is shipped represents a depletion
of soil for pasturage or for grain production.
    If we think of one hundred good crops constituting the limit of capacity of the best soils, and
one-fourth of that for a great deal of the acreage of the tillable soil, we are probably over-
generous. This problem of depletion may seem to many people unimportant, either because there
has been no consciousness that depletion has been taking place, or because they believe that
replenishment is a simple matter.
    In correspondence with government officials in practically every state of the United States I find
that during the last fifty years there has been a reduction in capacity of the soil for productivity in
many districts, amounting to from 25 to 50 per cent. I am informed also that it would cost
approximately fifty dollars per acre to replenish the supply of phosphorus.
    Many people realize that farms they knew in their childhood have ceased to be productive
because they have "run out." The movement of population to cities and towns is, in part, the result
of the call of the social center and in part a consequence of the need of forsaking depleted soil.
While there are many things that influence the movement from the farms, there is much to be
learned from the government census reports which deal directly with farm acreage and values.
    If we relate the levels of life of human and domestic animals to the problem of soil depletion, we
find two important groups of data. First, there are those which relate to specific land areas, some
small and some very large; and second, those which relate to civilizations and groups, both large
and small that have passed out of existence or are rapidly deteriorating. A study of the skeletons of
the past and present often discloses a progressive breakdown. For example, we may mention the
important anthropological findings of Professor Hooton of Harvard, who, in his examinations of
various pueblos of the Western Plains, especially at the Pecos Pueblo where the progressive
burials have been uncovered, has brought to light the calendar of a civilization extending over a
thousand years. These findings show that there has been over the period of years a progressive
increase in skeletal deformities, including arthritis and dental caries, together with a reduction in
stature, suggesting a direct relationship to progressive depletion of the soil.
    In a recent magazine article, I have presented data (1)  comparing the mineral content of different
pasture grasses, and relating these to deficiencies in cattle. Unfortunately, space does not permit
reviewing these data here in detail. They show that calcium varied from 0.17 per cent for a dry
pasture grass in Arizona to 1.9 per cent in a Pennsylvania pasturage plant, to 2 per cent in a British
Columbia pasturage plant, a range of over ten fold. Similarly, phosphorus was shown to vary from
0.03 per cent to 1.8 per cent, a range of sixty fold. Neither pasture animals nor human beings can
eat a sufficient amount of low mineral plant food to provide the total mineral requirements of
ordinary metabolism. In cases of overload, such as pregnancy and lactation in adults, and rapid
growth in children, the demand is increased greatly. For example, a high-milk-production cow
from southern Texas on a certain low mineral pasture will run behind her normal requirements
about 60 grams of phosphorus and 160 grams of potassium per day. In that district large numbers
of cattle were unable at the time to maintain their own bodies, let alone reproduce or provide milk.
Many cattle in the district developed loin disease. It was found that moving them to another plot of7/29/13 Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200251h.html#toc 230/250ground where the soil was not depleted provided recovery.
    About thirty-seven billion dollars, or approximately 40 per cent of the cash income of salaries
and wages of the people in the United States, is used for the purchase of foods. When we add to
this the expenditure of energy by the people living on the land, it represents a total, probably
exceeding fifty billion dollars a year that is spent for the chemicals that are provided in the foods, a
large amount of which, perhaps 50 per cent, will have been expended for calcium and phosphorus,
perhaps 25 per cent for other chemicals, and 25 per cent for special vitamin or activator carrying
foods. Of this enormous


 ). Gently drop both
knees to the ground and slowly slide the body down at an angle as you
bring the chest and chin to the ground. All eight limbs—both the toes,
knees, chest, hands, and chin—touch the floor. Hold this very briefly
and then continue to move into the next pose.
Cobra position ( Bhujangasana ). On the inhalation, lift and expand
the chest forward and up as you press down with the hands. Keep the
elbows close to the body and continue to extend the spine upward.
Open and widen the chest and move the shoulders down and away
from the ears to free the neck and head. Let the upper back widen and
lengthen. Do not initiate this movement with the head or lift the body
with the neck.Figure 5. Mountain position.
Figure 6. Eight limbs position.Figure 7. Cobra position.
Mountain position ( Adhomukha Svanasana  ). Repeat position 5. On
the exhalation, raise the buttocks and hips, press down with the hands,
and allow the spine to release upward and back. Stretch the heels down
toward the floor and lengthen through the backs of the legs. Relax and
free the head and neck.
Equestrian position ( Ashwa Sanchalanasana  ). Repeat position 4.
Inhale and swing the right leg forward between the hands. The left leg
stays extended back, knee to the ground.Figure 8. Mountain position.
The front knee should be bent with the foot flat on the floor. Extend
the spine, lifting the chest forward and up. Allow the head and neck to
lengthen upward.
Hand to foot position ( Uttanasana ). Repeat position 3. As you
exhale, step forward with the left leg and continue to bend the body
forward and down, lengthening the entire spine. The arms and head
follow in line with the spine. Both hands remain on the floor. Let the
knees soften or bend freely. Avoid collapsing the chest or overrounding
the upper back. Keep the elbows and shoulders relaxed.Figure 9. Equestrian position.
Raised arm position ( Tadasana ). Repeat position 2. On the inhalation
lift the arms from the upper back as you open the chest forward and
up. Do not lift the body from the head or neck. Continue to lift and
expand the chest as you come up, extending the arms over the head.
Keep the breathing smooth, deep, and continuous.
Salutation position ( Samasthiti ). Repeat position 1. Exhale as you
lower the arms and bring the palms of your hands together in front of
your chest. You are standing tall with the feet in a parallel position at
hip distance. Lift the chest and expand the ribs as you look straight
ahead. Vertically lengthen the spine and neck.Figure 10. Hand to foot position.
This completes one cycle of the Sun Salute.
Hold the Salutation position while continuing to breathe for a few
breaths. Then begin the secon d cycle. This standing Salutation position
becomes positio n 1 of the second set. On the next inhalation, continue into
position 2—the raised arm position—and repeat the movements in a fluid
sequence.Figure 11. Raised arm position.Figure 12. Salutation position.
On subsequent sets of the Sun Salute, you will alternate which foot is
extended back and which swings forward in positions 4 and 9—the
Equestrian posit ion. In the first cycle, the left foot extends back in positions
4 and 9, with the right foot forward. Alternate which leg extends back on
the next set and continue to alternate sides with each new cycle.
After you have completed the sequence of Sun Salutes, lie on your back,
lengthen the spine, and let the body completely relax. Close your eyes and
rest for a minute or two. Allow your breath to be free and easy.
YOGA  POSITIONSTime: 10 to 15 minutes, moving slowly
Repetitions: 1 set in the morning and 1 set in the afternoon
The following easy poses, which take about 15 minutes to perform, are
considered the basic Ayurvedic exercise. A set can be practiced before
morning and afternoon meditati on, with or without the Sun Salute. These
positions are taught as part of the neuromuscular integration program at our
Center and are comfortable for anyone in good health, regardless of age or
previous physical training.
What follows is a specific seque nce that begins with toning and warming
up the body. The set continues with seated and forward bends, standing
postures, inverted poses, backbending postures, twists, a restin g pose, and
ends with a short breathing exercise. Each of the postures in this sequence
has a specific therapeutic effect on the physiology. We will mention a few
of the well-known benefits of each pose, as given in the ancient texts.
In general, the toning and warm-up exercises increase circulation and
improve blood flow to the entire body. Seated poses help to create stability,
proper spinal alignment, and good posture, while the forw ard bends
stimulate digesti on, increase the spine’ s flexibility, and calm the physiology.
Backbends create mobility and suppleness in the spine—especially in the
upper back—and at the same time are invigorating. Inverted poses stimulate
the endo crine system and allow for increased circulation, while twists aid
digestion, elimin ation, and tone the spinal column. All of these postures are
succeeded by the resting pose and breathing exercises, which bring
increased awareness, orderliness, and balance.
A sequence of postures is important because it first prepares the body in
order to warm it up and remove stiffness. It progresses to invigorate,
strengthen, and stretch the entire body. This is why it is valuable  to practice
in an orderly sequence, as each pose is a preparation for the following
posture or a counterbalance for the preceding one.
Here are a few guidelines to follow befor e practicing:Perform the postures slowly, making sure you inhale and exhale, without
holding the breath or controlling it in any way. Breathing should be easy,
fluid, and continuous.
No pain, most gain. If you can’ t touch your toes without excruciating
effort, do not push. Let the knees soften or bend freely. Never  strain
or push the body in these exer cises. Hold the postures for a few
seconds and then release easily. Movements should be performed
slowly and comfortably. Never move in or out of the postures abruptly
or bounce in a pose. Use the breath to facilitate the movement.
How far should you reach? In each pose, go to the point where you
feel the stretch. Just move as far as you easily can without ef fort.
Allow your awareness to naturally go to the area of the body that is
being stretched. Don’ t overextend, force, or overstretch. Sometimes it
helps to release or back of f completely from the stretch, then easily
stretch it again. Do not  forget to br eathe!
Over the months you’ll notice increased strength, flexibility, and
suppleness. So it is not necessary to push the body to reach a desired
goal. In fact, these postures are not designed to impose a specific
structure on your body, and there is no “ideal” pose. Rather, your
progress comes from the integrated functioning of awareness,
movement, and breath.
All Ayurvedic exercise involves the mind as well as the body. In each
exercise, a particular area is stretched. Allow your awareness to
naturally go to that area. The softening of the accumulated stress is
said to come from letting the attention be on the area of stretch.
For that reason, allow the exercises to have your full attention. Don’ t play
the radio or TV in the background. Just let your mind be easily aware of
your body.
Wear comfortable, loose clothing. Use a flat, nonslippery surface, but
avoid performing these exercises on a bare floor. Rather, use a folded
wool blanket, rug, exercise mat, or other semisoft surface.Note: It is important to mention that all postures should be adapted to
meet the needs of the individual. In certain situations, such as acute
illness, pregnancy, menstruation, and specific structural problems, the
posture may be adjusted or changed in order to be more ef fective and
to serve one’ s particular requirement. In any of these special cases,
please check with a qualified yoga instructor.
I. TONING-UP  EXERCISES (1 to 2 minutes)
We begin with a few exercises that invigorate and tone the body. The first
exercise consist s of progressively massaging the body with the hands and
fingers, moving in the direction of the heart.
First come to a comfortable sitting position. Using the palms and
fingers of both hands, press the top of your head and gradually
continue to press and release with the hands moving forward over the
face and down the neck and chest. Again start at the top of the head
and press the head with the palms and fingers moving down and over
the back of the neck, coming around to the chest.
Figure 1. Toning-up exer cise, head.
To tone the hands and arms, begin by massaging the right side first.
Grasp the fingers of the right hand with your left hand and continue to
press and release upward


,
Kapha
	is	what	gives
structure	to	our	body	and	mind	and	lubrication	for	our	joints	and	tissues,	and
helps	to	form	healthy	structures	(
dhatus
)	of	the	body.
Symptoms	of	balanced
Kapha
:	stamina;	strength;	healthy	lubrication
and	moistness	in	skin,	hair	and	joints;	devotion;	good	at	following
through;	even-tempered;	patient;	compassionate
Symptoms	of	imbalanced
Kapha
:	easily	gaining	weight	(and	having	a
hard	time	losing	or	maintaining	ideal	weight),	slow	metabolism,
lethargy,	excessive	sleep,	problems	feeling	motivated,	congestion,
stagnation	in	the	lymphatic	system,	oily	skin
Some	basic	tips	for	balancing
Kapha
	include	the	following:•
Incorporate	some	cardio	to	help	ward	off	stagnation	and	lethargy.	Hiking
and	biking	are	some	great	examples.
•
Favor	light,	dry	foods	and	decrease	all	oils	and	excess
fats.	Try	cooking	with
water	or	preparing	soups	and	steaming	or	baking	vegetables	with	little	(or
even	no)	oil.	(Good	fats	can	be	consumed	in	moderate	amounts	from
avocados	and	other	whole	plant	foods.)
•
Reduce	consumption	of	large	amounts	of	nuts,	which	are	dense.
•
In	warmer	months,	enjoy	a	diet	made	up	largely	of	raw	foods,	including
vegetables,	fruits,	some	seeds,	and	small	amounts	of	nuts.
•
Reduce	sodium	levels.
•
Try	avoiding
gluten	and	wheat-based	products.
As	micro	expressions	of	the	greater	macrocosmic	universe,	we	have	an
inherent	connection	to	the	greater	bodies	of	the	sun,	the	moon,	and	all	the
elements	of	nature,	which	also	reside	within	us.	Working	to	optimize	their
influence	on	us	and	balance	the	universal	elements	within	our	own	bodies	is	an
important	way	to	align	to	your	highest	expression	of	Radical	Beauty.SHIFT	15:
Get	Closer	to	Nature	Indoors	and
Out
Healing	by	“
Grounding”
Most	of	us	intuitively	feel	good	being	in	nature.	You	may	not	realize	that	there
is	actually	a	word	for	making	direct	contact	with	the	earth,	but	actually	there
are	two:
grounding
	and
earthing
.	Both	terms	refer	to	the	healing	that	takes	place
from	making	direct	contact	with	the	earth.
There	are	now	studies	that	show	that	grounding	has	major	benefits	for	health
as	well	as	beauty.	For	instance,	a	study	published	in	the
Journal	of	Cosmetics,
Dermatological	Sciences	and	Applications
	found	that	even	an	hour	session	of
making	direct	contact	with	the	earth	restored	the	regulation	of	blood	flow	to
the	face,	helping	to	enhance	skin	tissue	repair	and	improve	facial	appearance.
1
Our	intrinsic	connection	with	nature	is	so	great	that	just	by	making	direct
contact	with	it,	our	skin	beauty	measurably	benefits!	Mother	Nature	indeed	can
be	a	powerful	supporter	of	our	skin	and	overall	health.
How	does	touching	the	earth	actually	improve	our	health	and	beauty	beyond
just	feeling	“good”?	Just	touching	the	earth,	which	is	electrically	conductive,
2
neutralizes	free	radicals	and	brings	you	back	in	sync	with	the	earth’s	energy
field.	Upon	contact,	the	negative	ions	from	the	earth’s	surface	rush	into	our
bodies	to	discharge	the	many	unpaired	positive	ions	(or	free	radicals)	we’ve
picked	up	from	modern	living.	These	free	radicals	stem	from	regular	exposure
to	environmental	pollutants,	heavy	metals,	radiation,	toxicity,	and	chemicals	in
the	food	supply.	Those	free	radicals	are	associated	with	disease,	aging,	and
inflammation,	but	when	you	expose	your	bare	skin	to	the	soil,	sand,	or	grass,
the	healing	powers	of	the	earth	neutralize	them	to	keep	inflammation	and
aging	in	check.
Think	about	how	soothing	it	feels	to	dig	your	heels	into	the	sand	during	a
day	at	the	beach.	Now	there	is	science	to	prove	what	we’ve	intuitively	felt	allalong:	contact	with	the	earth	really	is	healing	and	necessary	to	achieve	Radical
Beauty.	A	paper	by	Dr.
James	Oschman	in	the
Journal	of	Alternative	and
Complementary	Medicine
3
	explains	how	“electron	deficiency”	from	not	making
enough	contact	with	the	earth’s	surface	causes	the
immune	system	to	suffer	and
inflammation	to	spiral	out	of	control.
Free	radicals	are	some	of	the	biggest	offenders	when	it	comes	to	aging,	and
neutralizing	them	with	negative	electrons	from	the	earth	quells	inflammation
and	slows	or	prevents	many	chronic	diseases.	A	study	published	in	2013	found
that	grounding	has	some	beneficial	effects	on	cardiovascular	risk	factors.
4
	It	was
surmised	that	this	is	because	contact	with	the	earth	naturally	thins	the	blood.
Other	research,	from	2011,	showed	that	grounding	improves	heart	rate
variability,	which	is	not	only	beneficial	for	the	heart	but	for	reducing	stress.
5
Lowered	stress	levels	can	help	allay	aging.
6
	Grounding	also	helped	alleviate
muscle	soreness	in	some	research,
7
	possibly	due	to	better	circulation,	blood
pressure,	and	blood	flow.	This	is	important	from	a	beauty	standpoint,	as	better
circulation	of	nutrients	and	oxygen	will	ensure	beautiful,	healthy	skin	and	hair.
HELP	FOR	BONE	HEALTH	RIGHT	FROM	THE	EARTH
The
Journal	of	Alternative	and	Complementary	Medicine
	discussed	a	possible
reduction	in	the	likelihood	of	developing	osteoporosis	due	to	less	loss	of	calcium
and	phosphorus	through	urinary	excretion
8
	when	subjects	spent	time	earthing.	The
loss	of	these	minerals	over	time	is	tied	to	the	development	of	osteoporosis,	so
finding	out	how	to	reduce	the	loss	could	do	wonders	for	bone	health	and	to	help	us
maintain	a	beautiful,	upright,	and	graceful	structure.
How	to	Get	Grounded
Grounding	couldn’t	be	easier—and	it’s	free!	All	you	have	to	do	is	touch	the
earth	whenever	you	can	and	as	much	as	you	can.	Here	are	some	general	tips:
•
Make	as	much	contact	as	possible	directly	through	your	bare	feet,	whether	it
means	popping	your	shoes	off	at	the	local	park	or	just	walking	around	in
your	backyard.
•
Even	a	few	minutes	spent	in	contact	with	the	earth	is	beneficial.	Try	to	work
it	into	your	life	regularly.	You	can	read	with	your	feet	on	the	earth,	or	have	a
conversation	with	friends	while	strolling	barefoot	through	the	park.	If	they
need	extra	motivation,	share	with	them	how	it’s	been	proved	to	be	good	for
skin	health	and	reducing	aging	and	inflammation.•
If	you	have	access	to	a	grassy	backyard,	a	nice	park,	or	just	a	field	of	grass,	lie
down	sometimes	so	your	spine	has	full	contact	with	the	earth.	You	can	even
try	taking	a	nap	on	your	back	in	the	grass;	you’ll	wake	up	feeling	radically
recharged.
It	seems	so	simple,	but	remember	that	some	of	the	m


acceptance.
8. Thierry de Lestrade, Le jeûne, une nouvelle thérapie?  (Paris: La Découverte,
2015), 35–55.
9. de Lestrade, Le jeûne, 79. In 2010, Thierry de Lestrade interviewed Dr.
Nikolaev’s son Valentin Nikolaev, who provided several quotations from
his father.
10. de Lestrade, Le jeûne, 74.
11. de Lestrade, Le jeûne, 65–69.ST ARVING TO HEAL IN SIBERIA | 32
Copyrighted Material
12. Herbert Shelton, The Science and Fine Arts of Fasting  (Mansfield Centre,
CT: Martino, 2013), 464.
13. Arthur A. Daemmrich and Mary Ellen Bowden, “A Rising Drug
Industry,” Chemical and Engineering News Archive  83, no. 25 (2005):
28–42.
14. John Lear, “Taking the Miracle out of Miracle Drugs,” Saturday Review,
January 3, 1959, p. 35.
15. Lear, “Taking the Miracle out of Miracle Drugs,” 39.
16. Sergey Ivanovich Filonov, Dry Medical Fasting: Myths and Reality (Barnaul,
Siberia: Publishing House, 2008), 8.
17. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations and ideas attributed to Dr. Filonov
come from my extensive interviews and conversations with him.
Chapter 17
1. Neil Nathan, T oxic  (Las Vegas: Victory Belt, 2018), 8.
2. Nathan, T oxic, 39.
3. Suzanne Wu, “Fasting T riggers Stem Cell Regeneration of Damaged,
Old Immune System,” USC News, June 5, 2014, https://news.usc.edu/
63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration-of-damaged-old
-immune-system.
4. Anthony William, “T ruth about Fasting,” Medical Medium Blog, February
28, 2019, https://www.medicalmedium.com/blog/truth-about-fasting.
5. Sergey Ivanovich Filonov, Dry Medical Fasting: Myths and Reality (Barnaul,
Siberia: Publishing House, 2008), 115.
6. Filonov, Dry Medical Fasting, 127.
7. Dale Bredeson, The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and
Reverse Cognitive Decline  (New York: Random House, 2017), 147.
8. National Institute on Aging, “International Symposium to Honor
Pioneer in Neuroscience and Fasting,” May 29, 2019, https://www
.nia.nih.gov/news/international-symposium-honor-pioneer
-neuroscience-and-fasting.ST ARVING TO HEAL IN SIBERIA | 33
Copyrighted Material
Chapter 18
1. Sergey Ivanovich Filonov, Dry Medical Fasting: Myths and Reality (Barnaul,
Siberia: Publishing House, 2008), 7.
2. Rumi, A Year with Rumi, ed. Coleman Barks (New York: Harper Collins,
2006), 146.
3. Virginia Woolf, On Being Ill  (Ashfield, MA: Paris Press, 2012), 12.
4. Herbert Shelton, The Science and Fine Arts of Fasting (Mansfield Centre,
CT: Martino, 2013), 28.
5. Mark P. Mattson, “What Doesn’t Kill You . . . ,” Scientific American  313,
no. 1 (2015): 40–45.
6. Filonov, Dry Medical Fasting, 100.
7. Wim Hof Method, “Cold Therapy,” accessed February 15, 2022, https://
www.wimhofmethod.com/cold-therapy.
8. For more about the Personalized Nutrition Project, visit the project’s
website, at http://personalnutrition.org/AboutGuests.aspx.
9. Rumi, The Essential Rumi, trans. Coleman Barks (New York: Harper
Collins, 2004), 193.
Chapter 19
1. Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto  (New York:
Penguin Press, 2008), 135.
2. Fred Bisci, Your Healthy Journey  (New York: Bisci Lifestyle Books, 2009),
33.
3. Bisci, Your Healthy Journey, 33.
4. Danna Faulds, Into the Heart of Yoga: One Woman’s Journey (Greenville,
VA: Peaceable Kingdom Books, 2011), 331.
Epilogue
1. Danna Faulds, Into the Heart of Yoga: One Woman’s Journey (Greenville,
VA: Peaceable Kingdom Books, 2011), 22.
2. The Upanishads, trans. Eknath Easwaran (T omales, CA: Blue Mountain
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 organic
combinations of minerals and catalytic agents are broken
down and altered, and some may become toxic. The complete chemical reaction to the cooking process covers considerable
scope, as may be seen, and it is of definite importance in the
science of nutrition, determining to some extent the value of
practically all known foodstuffs.

         3
RAW FOOD IN PHYSICAL
STRUCTURE
COOKING INDUCES a rapid change in the physical state of all
foods. The degree of change is dependent upon the amount of
heat that is applied and its duration of process. The heat tends
to soften the food and break down the rough cellulose
material into a soft bulk. In so doing it renders certain foods
edible and more palatable, though not necessarily more appropriate as nourishment. The change in physical structure
of foods resulting from heat has an important effect upon the
teeth and gums, as well as upon digestion, assimilation, and
the rate of food movement through the intestinal tract. As
such it may have a definite effect upon the condition of human health.

F
OOD, TEETH, AND GUMS
   It is believed that the buffer action of the cellulose of raw
plant foods tends to prevent erosion of dental enamel. In
experiments conducted by Carey Miller at the Agricultural
Experiment Station at the University of Hawaii, it was shown
that sweetened whole fruits, including grapefruit, guavas,
plums, mangos, and pineapples, had only slight erosive effects upon the dental enamel of rats which consumed the
fruits. When the cellulose was removed from the fruits
through the process of juicing, with the juices then given to the animals, the erosive effe ct was increased three to
seventeen fold. Experiments at other experiment stations also
reveal the erosive effects of sweetened fruit juices upon
dental enamel, especially when the juices are canned or
otherwise heat-processed. The fact that this is almost entirely prevented when the whole fruits are consumed in their raw
state is considered evidence that the physical contact between
the teeth and the raw cellulose acts as a buffer and prevents
dental erosion.
   The decay of teeth, as distinct from erosion, is affected by
the physical state of food. Hoppert, Webber, and Canniff
have noted that white rats may be kept on a diet fully adequate in minerals and vitamins and yet suffer from dental
caries if the foods eaten are sufficiently soft to be impacted
around the teeth. Wallace has noted that soft sugars, sweets,
and other carbohydrate foods tend to increase susceptibility to
tooth deca
y in humans, whereas cris p "fibrillar" foods such as raw fruits and vegetable salads tend to prevent decay by
removing harmful bacteria, preventing tartar formation,
inducing mastication, and also promoting the flow of saliva
and oral mucus which is important in oral health. Whereas foods may be softened in various ways, and cellulose may be
removed through different procedures, the most common
contemporary method of promoting such food changes is
through the process of cooking.
   Not only the teeth but also the gums are affected by
changes in the physical properties of foods. The presence of
sufficient raw cellulose or other food materials in the diet which afford the gums exercise is helpful to the development
of healthy gums. In experiments with more than 200 ferrets,
King and Glover found that animals given rib bone, with the
attached muscle, tendon, and periosteum, which required
much gnawing and chewing with consequent prophylactic action on the gums, were free from gum disease and tartar
deposits at all times. Ferrets gi ven the same foods separately
suffered from gum lesions and tartar deposits, for the animals
no longer had to gnaw the bone to obtain the tendon and
periosteum. Those ferrets which were fed entirely upon soft foods, including powdered bone-meal, all suffered from
severe gingival disease and gum lesions, with heavy incrustations of tartar.
   Burwasser and Hill conducted similar experiments, using
dogs for their work. Two groups of the animals were fed diets
identical chemically but different physically. The control
animals, given hard foods, maintained normal gingivae during the fourteen months the experiment lasted. Those
given soft foods in the form of a mash all developed marked
pathological changes in the gingivae, similar to those
observed in ferrets.
   As a result of these experiments with animals, an attempt
was made by J. P King to test the effects of hard foodstuffs
on the parodontal tissues of humans. A number of
institutional and other subjec ts suffering from severely
diseased gingivae were given raw sugar cane to gnaw upon
each day, thus exposing the gums to the friction of the hard food. In all cases where calculus deposits were relatively
slight, there was rapid cessation of bleeding and marked
improvement in the color, texture, and contour of the gum
surface. When heavy accretions of tartar were present,
improvement was noticeable, though limited. In all cases the gum area that was improved was limited entirely to that part
which came in contact with the friction of the sugar cane, the

 inaccessible gum tissue remaining unaffected throughout the
duration of the experiment.
   At a later period a group of subjects with gum disease were
given the same quantity of sugar cane each day, but this was
softened through a canning process. The results in this case
were almost entirely negative and little or no improvement was noticeable in any case. One group of the subjects was
treated by scaling to remove the tartar deposits, but this
showed no favorable response and only accelerated the rate of
calculus deposition. With or without such dental aid, the
subjects receiving the soft, heated sugar cane failed to
respond to treatment.

D
IGESTIBILITY OF RAW FOOD
   The change in physical structure brought about by heat may
be partly responsible for change s in digestibility between raw
and cooked foods. Cooking may impair or improve
digestibility. For milk, most vegetables, and many other foods
there is usually impairment. At the New York State
Agricultural Station, tests were conducted with cooked and uncooked clover, hay, and corn meal, indicating that the
relative digestibility of the albuminoids was more or less
diminished by cooking. Thirteen separate series of experiments have been conducted at agricultural stations in this country on the supposed value of cooking or steaming foods for pigs. In ten of these trials, there was not only no
gain in digestibility; there was a definite loss, and in some
cases the loss was very considerable. The tests showed that a
pig may require up to fifty per cent more food to produce a
pound of gain in weight when food is cooked than when it is raw. Ragner Berg has reported sim ilar results in experiments,
and he points out that a mixture of soy bean, wheat, wheaten
bran, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and rye meal, which is quite adequate for animals in its crude state, becomes
conspicuously inadequate when it is mixed with water, formed into cakes, and baked.

I
MPORTANCE OF CELLULOSE
   While digestibility is important, it should not be assumed
that all foods should be one hundred per cent digestible.
Many plant foods contain much cellulose, which is not
readily digested. Yet, the presence of this cellulose in the diet is very important. Well-cooked foods, which lack raw
cellulose, fail to stimulate peristaltic action to the degree
necessar
y to promote ra pid and effective bowel action. The y remain in the intestinal tract much longer than raw foods, and
putrefaction and fermentation are often well advanced before
elimination is made. Usually th e feces have a rich bacterial
flora and an offensive odor as evidence of the putrefaction
that has taken place.
   The effects of the excessive fermentation and putrefaction
of foods within the body are believed to be an important
cause of disease. A number of distinguished scientists have
held that prolonged putrefaction produces toxins which are
absorbed by the bloodstream. Elie Metchnikoff, of the
Pasteur Institute in Paris, made what is perhaps the most thorough study of longevity and senility ever undertaken, and
he maintained that such putrefaction is a definite source of
poisoning to the body and is the primary cause of the severe
symptoms of senility. He associated the richness of the
bacterial flora in the feces with the length of life and claimed that with both animals and humans the average longevity was
greatest when the bacterial flora was very slight or entirely absent.
   In this connection it may be pointed out that intestinal
putrefaction is rapidly diminished in the presence of
uncooked foods. The cellulose of raw plants is of vital
importance in maintaining normal peristaltic action in the intestinal tract and thus preventing stagnation in the
movement of foods. On an exclusive raw diet, the movement
of foods is so rapid that putrefaction is very slight; the
resulting feces in such cases are almost free from offensive
odor and contain only a fraction as many bacteria as would otherwise be present. If the viewpoint of Metchnikoff and
others is correct, this would have a very important effect upon
human life and be conducive both to a higher immunity to
disease and a greater duration of life.