What juicer is used in the Gerson Therapy?

Introduction

The Gerson Therapy is a natural treatment protocol developed by Dr. Max Gerson in the 1920s. It focuses on using diet and nutritional supplementation to activate the body’s extraordinary ability to heal itself. A key component of the Gerson Therapy is fresh, organic juicing as a way of flooding the body with nutrients and enzymes. But not just any juicer will do for the Gerson Therapy. The type of juicer used is critical in order to properly extract nutrients without destroying enzymes. In this article, we will take a look at why the type of juicer matters for the Gerson Therapy and which specific juicers are recommended.

Overview of the Gerson Therapy

The Gerson Therapy was developed by Dr. Max Gerson, a German physician who immigrated to the United States in the 1930s. Initially, Dr. Gerson used his nutritional protocol to treat his migraine headaches. Later, he found it was also effective at treating tuberculosis, skin tuberculosis, and arthritis. Eventually, Dr. Gerson focused on treating cancer patients, reporting high success rates by boosting patients’ immune systems and overall health through dietary means.

The Gerson Therapy focuses on flooding the body with nutrients from fresh, organic fruits and vegetables while eliminating toxins. The main components include:

Fresh Juice

Patients drink up to 6-9 fresh juices per day from organic fruits and vegetables. This provides a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other phytochemicals.

Organic, Plant-Based Diet

Animal protein is eliminated because Dr. Gerson believed it promoted cancer growth. Patients eat a vegan diet with emphasis on raw fruits and vegetables.

Detoxification

Coffee enemas are used several times per day to aid liver detoxification. Various supplements are also used to support detox pathways.

Natural Supplementation

In addition to juice, patients take specific supplements like potassium, iodine, and pancreatic enzymes.

The fresh vegetable juices are considered the core of the Gerson Therapy. By juicing the vegetables and fruits rather than eating them whole, patients can flood their bodies with far greater levels of nutrients than they could obtain by eating alone.

Why the Type of Juicer Matters

So why does the specific type of juicer matter so much for the Gerson Therapy? There are a few key reasons:

Prevent Oxidation

The juicing process ruptures cell walls and releases nutrients. This also makes the nutrients more prone to oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction between the nutrients and oxygen that degrades and damages the nutrients. Certain types of juicers produce minimal oxidation, giving patients more time to drink the juice before it loses nutritional value.

Preserve Live Enzymes

In addition to vitamins and minerals, fresh juice provides digestive enzymes that help the body properly utilize nutrients. These live enzymes are very delicate. High-speed juicers that grind at fast rpms generate heat that can destroy enzymes. Cold press juicers keep juice colder during juicing, preserving more enzymes.

Extract More Nutrients

Some produce has thick fibers and cell walls that require proper crushing and pressing to rupture. Cold press juicers are specially designed to crush and press produce at optimal pressure levels, helping release the maximum amount of nutrients.

Avoid Toxins from High Heat

Heat from high-rpm motors can damage nutrients and generate hazardous compounds. One risk is the breakdown of glucose into acrylamide, a potential carcinogen. Cold press juicers limit toxicity risks by juicing with lower heat.

For all these reasons, the Gerson Therapy recommends using a slower, colder juicing method. This helps maximize the potency of the juices patients consume in high quantities each day.

Juicer Recommendations for the Gerson Therapy

The official buyer’s guide for the Gerson Therapy specifically recommends two types of juicers:

Norwalk Hydraulic Press Juicer

This is a hydraulic press-style juicer that uses 2000+ pounds of force to slowly press juice out of vegetables. It runs at a slower speed of 80 RPM. The pressing action squeezes out high juice yield while keeping oxidation low. According to the Gerson Institute, this juicer produces the best juice for therapy patients. It is also the most durable option lasting 15+ years. However, it is more labor intensive to operate and has higher costs up front.

Champion Juicer

This is a masticating juicer that grinds produce through a churning auger at about 1725 RPM. It crushes produce into pulp and then presses out the juice. The slower speed keeps heat low. It also has a blank screen for processing wetter greens like celery and spinach. The Champion Juicer is easier to use and clean than the Norwalk. It has lower upfront costs but may need replacement every 5-10 years. The juice extraction and enzyme preservation is good but slightly lower than the Norwalk.

Other types of juicers like centrifugal ejection juicers are explicitly not recommended by the Gerson Institute. They grind at very high speeds that destroy enzymes. They also introduce high amounts of oxygen leading to rapid nutrient degradation.

While the Norwalk Hydraulic Press Juicer is considered the gold standard, the more affordable and durable Champion Juicer is still an excellent choice for following the Gerson Therapy at home. The critical point is to choose a masticating or cold press juicer that grinds and processes produce at slower, cooler temperatures. High-speed blenders and centrifugal juicers should be avoided.

Ideal Produce to Juice on the Gerson Therapy

To maximize nutrition, the Gerson Therapy has guidelines for which fruits and vegetables make the best juices.

Ideal vegetables include:

• Carrots – Rich in beta-carotene and cancer-fighting falcarinol
• Beets – Powerful nutrient profile including folate and anti-cancer betalain pigments
• Celery – Contains nutrient-dense leaves as well as cleansing fiber and minerals
• Spinach – Loaded with phytonutrients that promote health in many ways
• Kale – Among the most nutrient-dense vegetables, kale contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
• Cabbage – Contains compounds that support detoxification processes
• Parsley – Herb that improves flavor and provides chlorophyll, vitamin K, and antioxidants

Best fruits include:

• Apples – Provide hydration and quercetin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoid
• Grapes – Contain health-promoting polyphenol antioxidants like resveratrol
• Pineapple – Bromelain enzyme in pineapple aids digestion
• Lemon – Adds flavor and supports liver detoxification with citric acid and vitamin C
• Tomatoes – More vegetable than fruit, tomatoes provide lycopene and vitamin C

Organic produce is always recommended, as conventional produce may contain pesticide residues. The Gerson Therapy aims to avoid any toxins that could disrupt the body’s innate healing abilities.

Sample Juicing Protocol

A typical day on the Gerson Therapy juice protocol would include:

Time of Day	Juice Recipe
Early Morning	Orange juice (8 oz)
Breakfast	Green juice #1: Apples, celery, kale, lemon (16 oz) Carrot-Apple Juice (8 oz)
Mid-Morning	Orange juice (8 oz)
Lunch	Green juice #2: Carrots, parsley, garlic, greens, lemon (16 oz) Beet-Carrot juice (8 oz)
Mid-Afternoon	Carrot-Grape juice (16 oz)
Dinner	Tomato juice (8 oz) Green juice #3: Carrots, beets, celery, spinach, tomatoes (16 oz)
Evening	Grapefruit juice (8 oz)

This provides around 130-150 ounces of fresh juice per day, delivering a huge dose of phytonutrients. Variety is also important, aiming for 30+ different fresh fruits and vegetables each week. Both the quantity and diversity provide the maximum spectrum of vitamins, minerals and plant compounds to strengthen the body.

Making Juices Easier on the Gerson Therapy

Drinking 6-9 glasses of juice daily requires a significant time commitment for shopping, prep, juicing, and cleanup. Here are some tips to streamline the process:

Shop for Produce Wisely

– Buy organic produce in bulk once or twice per week to minimize shopping trips.
– Choose fruits and veggies at optimal ripeness for juicing. Softer produce yields more juice.
– Purchase pre-cleaned greens to reduce prep time.
– Stock up on lemons/limes as citrus adds nice flavor to juices.

Prep Produce Efficiently

– Set up an organized, efficient workspace.
– Scrub produce thoroughly but quickly. Soak greens in cold water to expedite cleaning.
– Trim top and tails from produce before juicing.
– Chop produce into sections that will fit through the juicer.

Maximize Juicer Output

– Alternate feeding harder and softer produce through the juicer.
– Juice softer or wetter produce first.
– Wrap leafy greens around chunks of hard produce to feed together.
– Don’t overpack the juicer chute – let it run smoothly.
– Keep a garbage bowl handy for pulp.

Clean As You Go

– Rinse juicer parts immediately after juicing while pulp is still wet.
– Soak juicer parts in warm water to remove stains.
– Use bottle brush to scrub inside juicing basket.
– Lay parts out to air dry.

Proper planning, prepping, and cleaning techniques can cut the time needed to make juices by 50% or more. With some practice, you can streamline the process involved with sticking to the demanding Gerson Therapy juice protocol.

The Takeaway on Juicers for the Gerson Therapy

Fresh juice lies at the core of the Gerson Therapy for good reason. When extracted properly, juice conveniently delivers a ultra-concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant nutrients. All of this aims to provide the body with the raw materials it needs to retake control of health.

But not all juicing methods are equal when it comes to retaining maximum nutrition. The cold-pressed, masticating juicingapproach recommended by Gerson helps minimize nutrient loss. This allows patients to get the full benefits from the 8+ pounds of daily produce needed for therapy.

Investing in a proper Norwalk or Champion juicer can pay dividends for Gerson Therapy patients. With the right juicer as a tool, patients have a better chance of flooding their body with phytonutrient benefits to restore health when other options have failed.

Conclusion

The Gerson Therapy extends far beyond just drinking juices – it involves an entire lifestyle shift. But the fresh pressed juices remain the foundation, and the juicer is what makes properly extracting all those live nutrients possible. Follow the Gerson recommendations and invest in a proper masticating or press juicer to get the most out of this powerful natural cancer therapy. When facing life-threatening disease, it makes sense to use a juicing method that really maximizes results.